Heart on Fire | Noah Sebastian

Chapter 9

I tossed and turned all night. My eyes were tired but my brain was awake. I was restless and excited. Belle had finally agreed to go on a proper date with me. Sure, we'd been to the Wine Bar once and to a few bars for some lowkey afterwork drinks and the cafe for coffee before work but we'd never been on an actual date. I was worried she was just being friendly with me for a while, but her coworkers took me aside one day.

"Hey Noah, come here a second" Toby had called out. Meeting at the cafe with Belle most mornings allowed me to get to know her coworkers a little.

I slowly walked over "Hey, what's up?".

Toby and a group of his colleagues all stood around me. To an outside eye it would seem as though I'm about to be jumped. Whilst Belle ran outside on a work call (even though she shouldn't be working today) her colleagues took the opportunity to get me alone and ask for my intentions, kind of like how fathers would scrutinize the new boyfriend.

"So Belle, hey?" Eric casually starts. I swallowed a lump in my throat I didn't know I had. I nodded a shy 'yeah'. "We've noticed she's happier since she started hanging out with you".

My heart fluttered, "Really?" I was surprised.

Toby steps in, "Yeah. She seems happier, more relaxed somehow. She actually leaves work on time some days". I felt the blush begin to rise in my cheeks and feel myself become smaller from nervousness. Those would be the days we could go for a drink...

"She's mentioned your name a few times there Noah" Tim pipes up from behind me, "And not because you were a patient of hers. Your name has been popping up in conversation a lot more recently".

"So we want to know, like good colleagues who care for their boss, what are your intentions with Belle? Are you just friends, are you stringing her along -"

"Oh god no, I want to be with Belle. She's made my life so much brighter since I met her, really!" I begin in a vent to seemingly save my life. "I was actually going to take her out on a date today and ask her out" I admit sheepishly. "You know like, make it like... official".

The group surrounding me fell silent and exchanged a number of looks amongst themselves as if they were telepathic robots. My heart fluttered in my chest at the very thought of knowing that I actually make Belle happy, that she speaks about me with her coworkers. I feared for so long that she was just being friendly with me but I am overwhelmed that she seems to like me back. Oh man Connor would be so excited and happy if Belle and I got together.

"I really, really, like Belle. I wouldn't do anything to hurt her" I add to the silence. I felt as though I was beginning to beg for their approval.

"Yeah we all know she deserves someone who won't hurt her for once" the shy guy Adam pipes up from beside me. He swiftly earned a slap to the back of his head and a 'shut the fuck up Adam' from the group. I looked around the group looking for an answer but they swept the comment under the rug and moved on. I decided they were referring to a past lover of Belle who didn't treat her well.

Before the scrutiny could continue the door bursts open and Belle immediately runs in as the pagers of the firefighters sound from their belts. "Get in the fucking truck. There's a hotel on Acacia Avenue that's about to come down!" Belle screams to her crew and swiftly runs back out, her phone glued to her ear. Confused, and somewhat intrigued,I followed them out and went to their station with them.

I stood in the doorway as they all dressed into their gear. They all put on firefighting pants that fit over their current clothing and changed into yellow shirts. Some firefighters put a white hood over their heads before they grabbed their jackets and helmets and got into their respective fire trucks. Not a word was spoken by them. They all moved in silent synchronization and moved as one; everyone has their role and their place. Belle emerged from behind one of the trucks. She was dressed in similar gear to everyone else, only her jacket had 'Captain' embroidered onto the back and sleeves on her shoulders with three stripes. I remember seeing those before, but I thought she had two stripes meaning she was Senior Deputy, just below captain?