Here's why:
* Short "e" sound: The "e" in "flea" makes a short vowel sound, similar to the sound in "bed" or "pen."
* Long vowel sound: A long vowel sound is typically represented by a vowel followed by a silent "e" (like in "bike" or "cone") or a vowel followed by a consonant and another vowel (like in "rain" or "coat").
Therefore, "flea" has a short vowel sound.