Stellaride: Me & You

Fire Academy

Stella POV

Today is the day I have worked so hard for. I wake up before my alarm is set to go off, the time is 0540 hours.  I'm so nervous about the final exam and physical agility test. I sit on the side of my bed and think back on my life and how I got here. I know without a shadow of a doubt that I'm supposed to be right here. So, I get up to go to the bathroom, take a nice hot shower and prepare myself mentally for this day. I get out of the shower, dry off, and get dress. I pull my hair back in a ponytail, look in the mirror, and take a deep breath. I tell myself, "I got this". I walk into the kitchen and realize I'm not hungry, but I know that I need something in my stomach.  I force down oatmeal and toast. I grab my bag, keys, water thermal, and head out. As I'm locking the door to my apartment, I see a  yellow sticky note that reads, " You got this Stella Kidd". I'm confused about who could have left it. Who knows I'm in the fire academy? Was it, Grant? He calls me "Stellabella". I'm a little taken back by the note, but I know I can't allow it to be a distraction. I get in my Ford Edge and drive to the training facility in silence.
I arrive at the Academy and the first person I see is the blue eye lieutenant. I park, grab my things, and get out of my vehicle. I walk up to the front doors were, Lt. Kelly Severide, is holding a cup of coffee. He smiles at me and says, "Good luck, Stella Kidd". I smile and say, " Thank you".  He opens the door for me and I realize it was him who left the note. I stare at him and open my mouth to ask him about the note, but nothing comes out. He asked if I had anything to say? I said, "umm no". I keep walking down the hallway and I can feel him staring at me. I walk into the classroom where everyone is waiting for the test to start.
Lt. Severide, Captains, and Chiefs enter the classroom and tell all of us, cadets, good luck. I quickly say a prayer as the administer passes out the test and scantrons. I open my eyes and Lt. Severide, is staring at me. I quickly look away and look at the whiteboard to focus and get my mind right. I now know it was he who left the note.
The administer read the instructions and told us we have 120 minutes to complete the test and we may begin. I opened my booklet and immediately knew all the answers on the first page. That boosted my confidence and I zoomed through the test so fast that I started to second guess myself. I left my answers as it and noticed, I was one of the first three finished out of thirty people. I'm the only female in the cadet class, so, I have a chip on my shoulder. I get up and turn my test in and wait for my score. A Captain took my scantron from the administer and put it through the grading machine. He looks at my scantron then at me and says congrats, see you at the tower.
I exit the classroom trying to hold my composure when I hear, " Am I going to see you at the tower"? I recognize the voice and turn around to see Lt. Severide, standing right behind me. He was standing so close I could smell his minty breath and cologne. I got so caught up in his scents that I forgot to answer him. He put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Stella, will I see you at the tower"? I finally replied, oh yes, sorry, I was going over the test in my head. He was giving me butterflies, but why. He told me congrats and I walked away. Again, I could feel him staring at me as I walked away, but why.

Kelly's POV

I'm at the Fire Academy standing out front drinking a cup of coffee when I see Stella's red SUV pull in and park. I immediately get butterflies, which is weird, because I don't even know this girl, except that she's a cadet and very intelligent. I love her confidence, the chip she carries, probably because she is the only female in the cadet class. She's also so very beautiful. I'm really starting to get nervous as she approaches me, because of the note I left on her door. I hope, I didn't freak her out. Wait, she doesn't know it was me, I didn't put my name on it. As she approaches, I can't help but smile at her. She says, "Good Morning Lieutenant", I tell her good luck and open the door for her. She started to walk in, but turned and stared at me like she had something to say. I asked her if she was going to say something, but she said " no". I wonder if she was going to ask me about the note. I watch her as she walks to the classroom and I can't help, but stare at her. Then I heard "what are we looking at" I knew it was Casey, and we both started laughing. Casey asked if I reverted to cadets now. I told him "no, but it's something special about her". Casey looks at Kelly and says your serious.