1 1. The needed fire

Armin

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"EVERYONE LEAVE IMMEDIATELY!!! THE BUILDING IS ON FIRE!!!!"

I was in the hallway when those words echoed in my ears, I picked up my pace from where I stood and quickly started to look for a safe exit and did find myself helping people escape, as the commotion was at its peak, I looked around....

Chaos arose everywhere, children were crying while their parents are trying to get them out of danger.

Some parents were just trying to get themselves out by pushing their children away.

Just five minutes ago, the couples here were kissing and expressing their love but now, they are pushing each other into fire just for themselves to get out, yet there are still some couples who are betting on their own lives to save their loved ones.

In the corner of my eye, I saw an old man who was barely coughing due to the smoke and was able to move; I was very close to the safe exit but I stood there, eyeing his suspiciously, something in me told me to get a hold of this man, I immediately turned my heels in that man's direction and started to run towards them but as soon as I offered my hand towards their direction to help him, he pulled me close and said .... "this fire was caused by white mafia.... I saw that...I witnessed it."

His sentence had me shook, in this desperate time on which life and death depends upon, this man is telling something so irrelevant for now. "Sir I understand your concern but right now we need to leave and ge-" before I could have finished my sentence, that man let go of my hand and pushed himself into the fire...or that is what it looked like....I just stood there in shock...I....I...

"get out now"

Another voice rang in my ears as I came back to my thoughts and I looked around.... I was still in panic of what I saw and now someone shouted this.

My gaze shifted to my left, I saw a much younger man than before, desperately trying to breath and get to the exit but wasn't able to. I hesitated for a moment but then I picked up my stance and immediately rushed towards him to help. As soon as I grabbed his arm, he shook my hand off so I tried to grab it again and again....he shook it off.....

"will you focus on staying alive first?" that man said while breathing heavily. "I will but let's stay alive both of us!".... with that I grabbed his arm, help him stand up and started to move towards the exit. Due to the smoke and the fire, I was also not in my best health so I needed support as well and at the right moment the man with me help me up on my toes by grabbing my waist. I was there but my mind was still lingering on that old man.

As soon as we got out, he stumbled due to exhaustion so I loosen my grip around him and he sat on the floor, suddenly a noise of small blast came from the inside of the building and I knew that a big blast was on the way so in a split second, I shifted my body in front of his and covered him as the blast happened because I will be honest the man in front of me looked in a way more bad shape than me. During that, my eyes met his and I got to see his brown-caramel eyes looking in mine. He had his gaze on me set as a stone. The look of surprise and relief was evident. The fire sparks were intense as they landed on my back but thankfully they didn't land on him. His condition was much worse than me so I had this instinct to protect him....weirdly .

I groaned as the fire sparks burned my skin and I lost my balance but thankfully the man in front of me held my arms. "That's why you should prioritize yourself".....

I looked up as he held me in his arms until the pain stabilized.. we picked up our pace again and went far from the area.

"EVERYONE WHO IS IN NEED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, PLEASE STEP FORWARD!!!"

After some time, medical assistance from a nearby hospital came and a male nurse in front of me alerted the people to get checked by the doctors. A doctor was examining me and the burn marks. The man from earlier, was way worse than me but he insisted that I get checked first, but after a long debate I got him to be checked first and now I am being checked. "Thankfully nothing is wrong or out of hand so I suggest you stay here while I check up on other patients!" the doctor remarked as I nodded in agreement. "She had burn marks, can you check properly again?" that man spoke in utter worry.

"Are you both married?" The doctor asked without missing a beat. Me and that man looked at each other and asked in union,"what?!"...."sir since you have been only worried about her like the other couples so I am guessing she is your wife but I assure you that nothing is wrong." the doctor finished his sentence and left.....he was so embarrassed that it was hard to control my laughter. "I....I....didn't meant that....." he spoke in a lower voice to me....."I know." I replied as the man relaxed a little bit. We sat in a comfortable silence with mostly us seeking glances at each other.... But then... he spoke

"The girl who saved me despite the fact that she should have think about herself first... may I know your name?" the man spoke, his words were true but that is how things turned out before.... I just had this urge and before I knew my body was already doing what was needed to be done....

... .. "Armin! and you are?"

Something shifted in his expression...like a shadow that I did not manage to catch, "Adrian. Nice to meet you." his words lingers in my ear as his soothing voice spoke... His cute smile literally made my heart flutter. We shook hands as I returned his smile.

"nice to meet you too, this wasn't the best situation but still nice to meet you." I replied as a smile formed on his face.

"Was this your office?" he asked as he pointed towards the burnt building. "No, I work for this company but not this office branch." I explained as he hummed in response. "Do you work here?" I asked him.

"No, but a friend of mine did."

"Is he okay?"

After a whole moment of silence he spoke "I came to meet him but turned out he was gone to a meeting somewhere else."

"oh....that's a good news."

As we were talking, a phone noise came and it was... Adrian's

*Bzzzzzzzz bzzzzzzzzz* Adrian's phone rang all of a sudden, he looked at me and excused.

Soon he ended the call and said that his friend came and he has to go. He stood up to go but then he held out my blazer that was on the seat, with a worrying expression, he asked, "are you sure you are okay??? You did a lot today for me...."

I just gestured him with a reassuring smile that everything is fine while taking my blazer from him.

We bid our good byes on a warm note.

I watched his back and the distance grew between us more and more.

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A whole week and 3 days have passed and I still haven't forgotten about him. His brown eyes, brunette hair, his whole physical appearance, his composed way of talking, and his voice were all perfect in my eye, so he stayed in my thoughts all this time. Even the sweet caramel fragrance of his cologne stayed in my mind, during all that chaos, he, himself remained so much prominent that he stayed there, lingering in my thoughts. Although, the whole situation caused all of us to be worn out and exhausted, he still remained beautiful and that only made me think, of how he might be doing....

These thoughts about him lingered in my head as I walked through the city center, the whole view and vibes of this place changes into a breath taking feeling during after hours. As the cold breeze flew by me, I felt a chill down my body...."I wonder where you are...." I spoke to myself in a low voice. I continued to walk. Ever since that incident, the after effects are more chaotic then ever. So work today was tiring, and working was even more tiring.

"ARMIN!!!!"

A voice called from in front of me, I raised my head in the direction of the voice and my eyes were met with him....Adrian.