Hearts on Fire

The trees flowed past us on either side of the car. Something called “Sunday Night Slow Jams” was playing on the radio. Felecia was silent as she sat in the passenger seat. We had just got through with our first date, and I was taking her home. I was a little worried about how the date went. She was silent for most of the ride, and she just stared out the window like she was thinking about something. This could be bad or good. Bad, if she was thinking that the date was horrible, and she never wants to see me again. Good, if she was thinking the date went so good that she was speechless.1

The beginning of the date went off without a hitch. Her dad scared me with his while he was cleaning his hunting knife. I almost laughed at the cliché, but I don’t think he would’ve gotten the joke. He asked me some questions, what my intentions were with his daughter, where we were going, the usual questions that a father would ask. Then Felecia came down, looking like an angel, and rescued me from my interrogation.2

I thought it was a good date. We had a very good conversation ranging from school to political science. I didn’t really know anything about political science, but apparently I faked it pretty good. The food wasn’t so good, but she didn’t complain too much about it. When we went to my car it was a silent walk. That was when I began to get worried about how the date went. She became silent, only talking when I asked direct questions, and eventually I fell into a silence.3

“So, how do you feel about me?”4

The broken silence startled me so much I almost didn’t answer, but I recovered and said, “Well, you’re not existential, but you’re pretty high on the list.”5

She started laughing then said, “Stop with the big words.”6

“I like my mental lexicon.” I said with a grin spreading over my face.7

She gave me a playful shove and told me to shut up again. I raised my hands off the wheel in surrender. The grin became a smile when I saw the look of momentary terror on her face. She reached for the wheel, but before she could grab it I put my hands back on it. We both began laughing at the same time, which only made us both laugh even harder.8

Her house came into view ahead of us. I started to slow down and turned towards her house. I pulled into her driveway and stopped the car. I got out and went to open her door. She thanked me and got out of the car. We walked slowly towards the front of the house. We stood on the porch for a minute just making small talk. Then we said our good-byes and I walked towards my car again.9

I felt a hand on my shoulder turn me around. When my face was in the right direction her face pressed into mine. She pulled back from the kiss with a beautiful smile on her face. My heart was thudding in my chest, and it felt like it was on fire.10

“Good night, Nicolai.”11

I murmured something that sounded like “nood gight,” but I couldn’t be sure. She turned around and went inside her house. I wanted to jump and shout with the joy that was bubbling from my flaming heart. I ran back to the car and slid across the cars hood, but I couldn’t find my feet in time and fell to the ground.12

I must have died, I thought while looking at the stars, I’m in Heaven. 13