The indistinct shouting from outside the apartment made me rush to the door and as soon as I opened it, I saw a middle-aged woman running toward the stairs with a luggage that looked like it was packed in a hurry. Thick, dark smoke followed her down the corridor and I realized what the commotion was about - the building was on fire.
Panic set in and thoughts of Chuck Bass singing and dancing to a Taylor Swift song flew out of my head. I immediately texted my cousin Luisa, who was in the middle of catfishing me, to tell her what had happened before I joined the other residents who were trying to get out as quickly as possible.
Sirens from the fire trucks filled the streets and I shivered a little as I watched the blaze broke a few window glasses from the upper floors. I instantly regretted not bringing at least a jacket to keep me warm as soon as I stepped out. It wasn't that cold tonight but all I had on was a tank top and shorts and I longed for the security a piece of cloth wrapped around me could bring.
I didn't have much belongings but some of what I did have were irreplaceable. Like the afghan given to me by my grandmother. Or, the doll given to me when I was eight by someone who used to be my best friend. Or, the only picture I had left of my parents and me when they were still together and we were all happy.
I could feel my eyes starting to wet but I shook it off along with the sad memories and the fear that was beginning to gnaw my insides. I must not cry.
Things were not looking good for me, I knew that, but they never were since I started living on my own. All I had was my belief that everything was going to be better soon because I was near rock bottom, it couldn't go worse than this.
My parents might have had separated, living their lives with their new families and completely abandoning me, but I was still alive and I was getting by. And, yes, the building where I lived might be in the middle of being burned to the ground but there was still hope that my apartment, or at least some of my things, would survive the fire.
Plus, even though Louisa was playing games on me at the moment, I still knew I could count on her in times of need so I was not totally alone. I could feel my cousin's concern through the beeping of my phone in my hand but I didn't dare look at it, not until the firemen declared that the fire was out.