My mom gave me a stern talk, saying that with only two semesters left before graduation, I was practically an adult and needed to step up.
So, I finally gave in, bought some fruit and milk tea, and headed to the city fire station to show my appreciation.
I was on edge the entire way there.
As soon as I got off the bus and spotted the firefighters standing at the entrance, my legs felt like they might buckle.
I wasn’t sure what drove me to go inside, but one of the firefighters said that if I hadn’t seemed so innocent and brought gifts, he might have thought I was suspicious.
I was really grateful for that.
Soon, a tall, dark-skinned man approached with a friendly smile and took the gifts from my hands. I flexed my reddened fingers, hesitating as I asked, “Is there a firefighter named Nathan here?”
“Yes, I’ll get him for you.”
Nathan didn’t recognize me at first, probably because my face was still smeared with soot from the fire.
This encounter felt even more awkward than the last one.
I was so nervous that I spilled milk tea on my skirt, turning the cute dress I had carefully chosen into a mess.
Nathan looked momentarily stunned, probably not used to such an awkward situation.