Chapter 9: shadows In the heart

Days passed uneventfully, and Bucky settled into a regular routine of work, small moments with Stacey, and laughs with Richard. Life seemed calm. But Bucky, with his quiet smile, was building up the courage to take his relationship with Stacey to the next level.

Finally, one morning, Bucky decided he would do it. He met up with Stacey after work, and while they were walking together, he hesitated, his heart pounding.

"Hey, Stacey," he began, his voice a little shaky.

Stacey smiled, glancing over at him. "Yeah, Bucky?"

"I... well, I’ve been wanting to tell you something." He glanced away, cheeks flushing.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh? What is it?"

But Bucky just grinned, trying to play it cool. "You'll have to wait. Tomorrow, okay?"

She gave him a curious look, a glint of excitement in her eyes. "Hmm. I guess I’ll have to be patient then."

Bucky smiled, feeling his heart race. "Good things are worth waiting for, right?"

They parted ways, and Bucky went home, mind buzzing. Back in his room, he stood in front of his mirror, rehearsing what he wanted to say. “Stacey, I…” He trailed off, feeling silly but determined. “Stacey, I love you.”

He went over his lines again, practicing a confident smile. Just then, he heard a soft laugh behind him.

Turning quickly, he saw Richard standing in the doorway, arms crossed, grinning.

"Dude, you’ve got it bad," Richard teased, holding back laughter. "Are you really practicing your love speech in the mirror?"

Bucky’s face went red. “Richie! Were you watching me this whole time?”

Richard chuckled, nodding. "You bet I was. You’re actually smoother than I thought. So, today’s the big day, huh?"

“Tomorrow, actually,” Bucky corrected, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “But… yeah. It’s a big deal.”

Richard came over, giving him a supportive pat on the shoulder. “Hey, I’m happy for you, man. You need me to come along, y’know, be your wingman?”

Bucky quickly shook his head. “No way, Richie. I got this. Just… keep the TV on, I guess.”

Richard laughed. “Alright, alright, I won’t crash your date. But I want all the details when you get back!”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

The next day, Bucky was ready. He had picked a nearby park, where the leaves were just beginning to change color. Stacey had agreed to meet him there, and he was determined to make this moment perfect.

As he boarded the bus, his mind drifted, picturing Stacey’s smile, the way her eyes sparkled when she laughed. He could already see her face when he told her how he felt, imagine her response, and feel the weight of the words, "I love you."

The bus rolled on through the city, eventually slowing to a halt on a bridge. Bucky glanced up, noticing that traffic was at a standstill, with horns blaring from every direction. He sighed, watching the clock on his phone.

“What’s the holdup?” he muttered to himself, feeling his nerves creep up on him.

As he waited, he noticed a gasoline truck idling just a few cars ahead of the bus. His gaze lingered on it for a moment. Then, out of nowhere, he felt that familiar, eerie sense of something wrong—a chill that crept up his spine.

“Oh no…” Bucky’s heart raced, his instincts screaming at him that something bad was about to happen.

Without another thought, he grabbed his backpack and pushed his way to the front of the bus.

“Excuse me,” he said to the driver, “I… I need to get off here.”

The driver looked at him, confused. “We’re in the middle of traffic, buddy.”

“I know, I just… I’ll walk,” Bucky stammered, barely waiting for the door to open before jumping out and dashing down the side of the bridge.

He started running, weaving between the cars, his mind racing with a strange mix of urgency and excitement. Stacey was only two stops away, and nothing was going to keep him from her.

In the park, Stacey glanced at her watch for the third time, a hint of impatience on her face as she scanned the pathway. "Where is he?" she murmured.

She waited a few more minutes, tapping her foot. When another fifteen minutes passed, she sighed, disappointment settling in. “Guess he’s not coming…”

Just as she turned to leave, Bucky appeared, sprinting toward her, out of breath and drenched in sweat.

“Stacey!” he called out, his voice full of relief.

She turned back, her frown disappearing. “There you are! What happened?”

“Traffic…” he panted, leaning over to catch his breath. “Got stuck… but I wasn’t going to miss this.”

She gave him a forgiving smile. “Well, you’re here now.”

They found a quiet bench, and after a moment of nervous silence, Bucky took a deep breath. “Stacey, there’s something I’ve wanted to say for a while now.”

Stacey’s gaze softened, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. “Go on.”

“Stacey, I… I really like you,” he said, his voice a little shaky but genuine. “Actually… I don’t just like you. I love you.”

For a moment, Stacey’s cheeks flushed, and her eyes sparkled. She reached out, gently taking his hand, her voice barely above a whisper. “I love you too, Bucky.”

Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the world. Stacey leaned closer, pressing her lips softly against his in a kiss that made everything else disappear.

As they pulled back, Bucky’s heart soared. He watched her walk away, grinning as she glanced over her shoulder, her face still blushing.

He made his way home, still caught in the euphoria of the moment, when he found Richard glued to the TV, watching a breaking news report.

"Hey, Richie!” Bucky said, still in a daze, but the serious look on Richard's face made him stop in his tracks.

“Dude… did you see this?” Richard asked, pointing at the screen. The news showed an overhead view of the bridge Bucky had been on earlier that day. It was engulfed in flames, with fire trucks and ambulances racing to the scene.

“Authorities are reporting a massive explosion caused by a gasoline truck,” the reporter was saying. “Thirty people are confirmed dead…”

Bucky’s blood ran cold, his heart sinking as he stared at the screen. “Oh no… I was just… I was right there.”

Richard turned, his expression serious. “Man, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

Bucky shook his head, trying to shake off the chill creeping through him. “Richie… this isn’t the first time something like this has happened. It’s like… it’s like something’s warning me.”

Richard looked at him, confused. “Wait, what do you mean? You think… you think you knew something would happen?”

Bucky swallowed, glancing down at his hands. “I don’t know. It’s just… these strange feelings. It’s like… every time something terrible happens, I feel it coming.”

Richard placed a hand on Bucky’s shoulder. “Hey, don’t blame yourself, man. You’re just… maybe you’re sensitive to things like that. But don’t let it get to you, alright?”

But Bucky couldn’t shake the unease. Even the excitement from his time with Stacey seemed to fade, replaced by a haunting sense of dread.

Richard tried to lighten the mood. “So… did you do it? Did you finally tell her?”

Bucky looked up, his face still pale. “Yeah. I told her… and she… she feels the same way.”

“Hey! That’s great news, man!” Richard clapped him on the back, grinning. “You did it!”

But Bucky just nodded, a strange look in his eyes. “Thanks, Richie… but I can’t shake this feeling. This happened because of me.”

“Come on, don’t say that. You’re overthinking it,” Richard said, frowning. “This isn’t your fault, Bucky. None of it.”

Bucky forced a small smile, but inside, he couldn’t ignore the chilling thought: something dark was following him,

something he couldn’t escape. And as much as he wanted to brush it off, deep down, he knew this was only the beginning.