Chapter Five

Jason had returned from the library with dinner in hand. He turned on the music and got out of his clothes,being only in boxers. He began eating his pasta when the room vibrated from outside thudding. He lowered the volume of the music and heard the sound of people running around and the scream of a girl. He abruptly got up and opened the door to see what was going on. He met the sight of smoke in the corridor as people ran to and fro.

The dorm was on fire !

The fire started from the second floor and luckily his room was on the third. He entered the room and pulled on a sweatshirt and joggers then got his phone and dashed out, ringing the fire alarm on his way. He joined the crew of runners running towards the elevator. Many people were crowded there and as he arrived the doors had closed to transport the people before him and many waited alongside him. The smoke was getting intense as the fire kept creeping to their floor. The dorm boy, Reagan and some others had tried to extinguish the fire but it was too strong to handle and the extinguishers available were the small ones.

The wait was so long. A girl fainted and people gathered around her.

"Back off she needs air"

"There's no breathable air for her," someone said.

Ryan called him.

"Hey Man, where are you?" Jason asked the moment he answered the phone.

"I'm at Suzies what's up" Ryan replied. "....can you share your net.."

"That's good...a fire broke out here"

"Shit jay... Where are you now ?" Ryan asked, worried.

"I'm still in...for some reason our floor is extra crowded..." he said.

"Find a way to get out bro ....today is Reagan's party "

"Oh...that's why," he said." I've gotta go now"

"Please be safe...we won't be friends again if you hurt yourself" Ryan warned.

"Crazy dude," Jason laughed.

The elevator dinged and the crowd rushed inside it. The girl was carried by Reagan and then entered after him. Fortunately Jason was in the middle when it got filled. In case the elevator rejected the amount of people that had entered,only people at the front would be asked to leave.

The elevator gave an overload warning so the front people began leaving till he was at the front with Reagan. Despite the reduction, the elevator didn't go so he turned back and everyone was staring at him so he stepped out. The door closed behind him and the elevator did move.

The fire had spread to the second floor. He ran in the direction he saw people going and it was the roof. He joined them and got to the roof. Arriving There he saw someone jump down and he was so scared till he moved further and saw a trampoline beneath it and some guys had already successfully gone down. His eyes were getting teary from the smoke. The guy in front of him that was meant to jump was having cold feet. Others brushed past him and they were now the only ones remaining.

"Hey " I shook him. "We've gotta leave now the fire might soon reach here "

"I'm scared" the guy shrieked.

"I know you are but you know what's scarier...Getting roasted alive...I'm sure you have a mom who would cry her eyes out if you die here" Jason said.

"Okay...you're right...I can totally do this" the guy took a deep breath then jumped. His scream was extremely loud.

'Who knew I was good at talking to people' Jason thought.

He jumped after the guy was cleared off from the trampoline. Jason landed heavily on his phone. When he got off the mat he turned it on but was blank.

The paramedics attended to him and he was given some glucose and some eye drops to stop the tears. They also ran some tests on him but he came out fine. The drops blurred his vision for a while. When he finally opened his eyes, Ryan was right there.

"Man you scared the shit outta me" he said pulling him in for a hug. Vanya was there too teary and all.

"I was so scared babe...you should have called me," she said, throwing herself at him.

"I'm sorry I made you worry Vee" he hugged back.

"Where are you gonna go tonight? " she queried.

"I'm sure management will make some provisions "

"No...I called Alex and he's on his way here. His house is nearby we can go there"

"No way am i staying with him" Jason rejected the idea. Why would he go to his house?

"You know they'd want you to stay in some cramped up cold hall and I don't want that " she pressed.

"I'll manage that"

"Ryan won't you for once back me up on this" She directed at Ryan.

" Well he doesn't wanna go to the other guy so what's the issue? " Ryan replied.

Vanya hissed. Her phone rang at a call from Alex. She gave him directions to where they were and ended the call.

"Come on Jase... please. I'll worry less if u know you're comfortable"

"I won't be comfortable at his house Vee"

Alex pulled in where they stood, Worry written all over his face.

"Are you okay...do you need to go to the clinic?" Alex asked, scanning Jason's body.

"I'm fine you don't have to worry about me "

"Come on Jason let's go " Vanya shrugged him.

"You can stay with me till you find somewhere new to stay...I don't mind" Alex said.

"No I've already got a place to stay...I'll crash with my friend Ryan"

"Hi," Ryan waved.

"Ryan do you have a place in mind for you both" Vanya asked, bulging her eyes and scrunching her lips.

"There are hotels, " he suggested.

"Yeah "Jason said. He realized then that his wallet was on him and his phone was blank. There was no way to access money at the moment. looking at Ryan he was sure he had no cash on him.

"On a second thought we'll take you up on the offer " Jason said. " You know I don't like saying no to you," he added. He couldn't risk them drifting apart and falling deeply in love with Alex.

"That's a good boy"

"Why would Vanya's boyfriend want to help you? ...technically he's your boyfriend now too?" Ryan said as they watched Alex and Vanya walk together to the car.

"Jeez Ryan he isn't her boyfriend or mine. She's just playing him and later she'll dump him and it will be the two of us again"

"Hmmm...she seems glued to him though "

"it's a facade"

He brushed aside his pride for a while as hopped into the back seat of the car with Ryan. He watched her from the front mirror while a pair of gray eyes also occasionally watched him from there.

"How do you feel ? Ryan whispered.

"swap with vee "

"while the car is on the move?...did the fire roast your brain in there" Ryan giggled.

"Shut up"