Fall (Seaside #4)(10)
Author: Rachel Van Dyken

The train of loudness stopped directly in front of my house.

And then I smelled smoke.

Panicking, I ran back to my door and lightly tapped the knob like they show you in all those stupid movies you have to watch about fire prevention. It wasn’t hot. I opened the door and nearly fell over as a billow of black smoke invaded my room sending me to all fours.

I grabbed my phone since it was right next to me and crawled down the stairs toward the door. I still didn’t see any flames or feel any heat. Once I was safely in the hall, I ran to the door and burst outside. An explosion jarred me off balance sending me sailing across the grass.

“Ma’am? Are you hurt? Can you hear me?” A flashlight shone in my eyes. I moaned and flipped over onto my back. The light made it impossible to see the guy who had asked me if I was dying.

Firefighters charged by me as I tried to wrap my head around what was happening.

“Here.” The man turned off his flashlight and knelt next to me. “I’m a paramedic, and you’re safe, alright? Just take a few deep breaths. Can you do that for me?”

“Y-yes.” My voice was hoarse. I tried to inhale but all of a sudden it felt like my lungs were squeezing closed. Panicking, I gripped the paramedic’s arm and began coughing.

“That’s alright, just cough it out. Seems you got some smoke in there.”

No crap! I wanted to shout but I was having trouble breathing, let alone speaking.

His hand moved to my back as he rubbed and patted. “There you go, just keep coughing.”

Why did his voice sound familiar? And why was his touch so warm? Was it that cold outside?

Finally, my breathing evened. I turned to thank the paramedic, and again, was rendered speechless.

He smiled. “Better now?”

“Smith?”

“Yes?” he said calmly, his mouth tilting upward into a steady smile.

“But—”

“I donate my time.” He winked. “Now, do you think you can stand?”

“Umm…” I felt so weak — why did I feel weak?

“It’s okay.” He wrapped his arms around me and lifted me effortlessly to my feet, still holding me steady as I swayed a bit. “I’ll hold you until you want me to let go.”

I nodded and licked my lips. “I think I’m okay.”

“Are you sure?” His eyes were so clear, so… trustworthy. When he said it was okay I actually believed that he meant it.

I swallowed and answered, “Yes. I’m sure.”

He stepped back, his hands leaving an emptiness on my skin that made me shiver.

“Old house.” One of the firefighters pulled off his helmet and nodded at me. “You were home alone?” His eyebrows furrowed. “No friends, boyfriends, family, or pets?”

Okay, the way he said it made me sound like the biggest loser on the planet. I almost lied and said I had an ant farm then realized that if that was the best lie I could come up with; I was better off shaking my head and embracing the awkward silence.

“Really?” Smith smirked. “No one at all?”

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. “Nope. Parents are gone for the next two weeks and my friends are all at college.”

His eyes softened briefly before he brushed his thumb across my face. “Sorry, you had a smudge.”

I swallowed nervously.

“So no boyfriend?” He took a step closer. “No one at all?”

“Smith!” another paramedic called. “Do we need the ambulance?”

“No,” he yelled back. “I think she’ll be just fine.”

I shivered and crossed my arms.

Smith wrapped an arm around me and led me away from the house.

“Wait—”

“Any family nearby you can stay with?” he asked.

And I was officially done with questions. I was tired, a bit freaked out, and his questions just reminded me about how alone I really was in the world.

“I—um…” I licked my lips again. “I have a place to stay.”

“You do?” He sounded disappointed.

I stepped away from his warm arms and nodded. “Yeah, it’s on the other side of the Prom.” The rich side. I didn’t say that, but it was true. The Point, as I liked to call it, was a cliff that jutted out into the ocean. It was beautiful, and I knew just the place I could stay.

I clenched my phone in my hand as Smith’s eyes traveled slowly over my body. It was impossible to tell if he was genuinely concerned or checking me out.

“Alright,” he said in an emotionless voice. “So where am I taking you? No way am I letting you drive your own car this late at night after nearly being singed to death.”

“Um, let me make a phone call really quick. I don’t want to wake them up.” The lie fell easily from my lips as I scurried away and quickly dialed Alyssa’s phone number. My hands shook as I waited for Alyssa to answer.

She answered on the fourth ring. Thank God.

“You better be dying,” she grumbled.

“Almost,” I half laughed, half choked as the seriousness of the situation finally settled in.

“Oh, my gosh, are you okay? What’s going on? Demetri!” I heard slapping. “Demetri! Wake up!”

Yeah, Demetri was going to be pissed that I was actually alive — that dude slept more than anyone I’d ever met.

“I’m fine.” I wiped the fresh tears from my eyes. “But my parents are gone and there was a small fire—”

“A fire!” she roared.

“Like I said, I’m fine.”

“Do you need me to fly up there?”

She was the best cousin ever.

“No.” I smiled through my tears. “But I was wondering if I could stay at the new place Demetri bought? I can’t go back into my house and I really, really need a place to stay.”

“Of course!” she all but yelled. “You know you can always stay with my parents too. They’re your aunt and uncle.”

I was silent.

She sighed. “Fine, fine, I know you well enough to know you’d rather be alone than be coddled for the next twenty-four hours. Alright, the key’s under the pig.”

“Huh?”

“The pig!” I heard Demetri shout in the background. “It’s under the pig!”

“A real pig?”

“No.” Alyssa sighed heavily. “An ugly-as-sin plaster pig that sits next to the mat. Demetri’s convinced nobody will think to look under it because it looks heavy and — according to him — looks cursed.”