Miles Farrow
Ten seconds before the bomb explodes, I decisively cut the blue wire, saving the lives of hundreds of people inside the building.
At the celebration party, Claire Weber, the bomb disposal team captain, gives the credit for the whole operation to the newcomer, Andy Byers.
"You're a veteran. Let Andy have the credit for this one so that no one can say I'm playing favorites with you."
We've been secretly dating for five years, and she uses the excuse of avoiding suspicion to make me give in to her at every turn.
I'm always the one who takes on the most dangerous tasks. Yet every time the praise and glory come around, I'm expected to hand them over to someone else.
As I press a hand over my still-bleeding wound, I slip back to the back of the crowd.
From a distance, I watch Andy accept the flowers and the medal while the whole city sings his praises on live TV.
Halfway through the party, one of our colleagues curiously asks him how he managed to choose the right wire in that life-or-death situation.
Andy gazes at Claire with affection, his eyes full of tenderness, and jokes, "What is there to figure out? I just couldn't bring myself to cut the red one because that's Captain Weber's favorite color."
The whole room immediately erupts into knowing laughter, and someone even starts chanting for them to kiss.
With the mood just right, Claire, who normally keeps her distance from me whenever other people are around, kisses him on the lips in front of everyone.
I feel a sharp pang in my chest.
Five years of going through life-and-death situations together have made Claire accustomed to the idea that whenever she turns around, I'll still be standing right there.
What she's forgotten is that a top bomb tech's cardinal sin is hesitation. And this time, I'll personally defuse the bomb she's become.