Because he only stayed close to me since Rook told him to. Rook couldn’t watch after me all the time so he handed the job off to his closest friend.
I shifted, taking him out of my line of sight and focusing on the movie until the lull of it all had me drifting off to sleep.
The smell hit me first—sharp chemicals mixed with burning carpet. It wasn’t a good scent, it’s what made me sit up in bed, eyes wide open.
The room was still dark, the faint light under my door was normal. My parents usually stayed up long after I went to bed so it didn’t bother me. I pulled in a deep breath, the air thicker and warmer than it ever had been.
A second passed and I reached for the light on my nightstand, the light flooding the room, making me hiss.
“Evie!” Rook yelled. His room was next to mine—but the sound was too close. Like he was standing right outside my door.
I could see the smoke curling under my door now, the air getting worse as I tried to get my bearings enough to get up.
“Evie, get away from the door, get down,” he yelled.
“Rook!” I yelled, coughing as I tried to say more.
“Just stay back!” he yelled, fear lacing his tone like I had never heard from him before and making me pull the covers over my head.
A fire.
Our house was burning.
Tears welled in my eyes as the banging started. Somewhere in the house, I could hear glass shatter, but Rook continued banging at my door.
“The door handle is too hot, Evie. I need to get inside.”
“Is your room on fire?” I yelled back.
“Yes, and yours is about to be. We have to get outside.”
A loud, painful groan escaped him as he hit the door again. “Evie, it’s about to break, but the fire is bad. You have to get behind your dresser or desk—anything—and cover your face.” He coughed, and I did, too, the smoke growing thicker.
I moved, crouching down behind my desk as the door burst open with a bang. The room went dark with black smoke before the fire erupted, covering every inch with a flash of light.
I stayed down, crying harder now, not hearing another word from Rook. It felt like hours before he was there, screaming as he wrapped his arms around me, dragging me from my now burning hiding spot.
“Come on, Evie. Stay against me. Try to hold your breath. We can still get to the stairs, but you have to hold on to me.” I nodded, crying harder as I wrapped around him. He screamed again but held me as he headed out. I could hear more banging, someone screaming, but I didn’t know if it was me, or Rook, or my parents.
Screaming and more screaming until the world jolted me awake with another scream.
“Evie,” the muffled voice yelled again. “Evie, please—wake the fuck up.”
I bolted up, the world tilting as I reached out, clutching at anything steady like my life depended on it.
“Evie,” Aiden said, softer now. “Breathe before you pass out.”
Cool, fresh air flooded my lungs. There was no smoke, no screaming—I was back in the living room. I gasped, taking another deep breath.
“You’re okay,” he whispered, his warm breath tickling my ear. I clawed my way closer until my legs straddled him, curling into his lap as he held me close.
His hands were warm against my cool, clammy skin, gently soothing in a way he had no right to be able to do so easily. Slowly, he slid his hands up my arms to rest on my shoulders, then cupped my face in his palms.
“You’re okay,” he repeated softly, his eyes locking with mine, anchoring me to this reality.
I listened. Mostly because I didn’t have a choice. The sharp inhale of air burned my lungs, and I shuddered against him, another gasp escaping as I forced myself to calm down.
“It was a dream,” Aiden murmured. “You’re fine now.”
