Panic spread through the streets as the flames from the karaoke bar licked higher into the night sky. Screams and shouts echoed around the alleyways as people stumbled out of the building, coughing, gasping for air, eyes wide with fear. The acrid smell of burning carpet and wood filled the air, making everything seem even more chaotic.
Emmett and his group had managed to escape early on, gathering near the back exit with pounding hearts and adrenaline coursing through their veins. They stood in a small huddle, all trying to make sense of the chaos surrounding them.
Larissa, who had just returned from the bathroom right as the fire broke out, spotted Emmett instantly. Her panic overtook her as she dashed toward him, throwing herself into his arms. The desperation and fear in her voice hit him hard as she cried, "Emmett! I was so scared!"
Instinctively, Emmett wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, trying to calm her down. "It's okay, Larissa," he whispered soothingly, resting his chin on her head. "We're safe now."
But as Larissa's soft body pressed against his, Emmett couldn't help but notice how... comfortable she felt in his arms. More specifically, he noticed the softness and bounce of her chest against him. Despite the roaring flames and the chaos around them, his mind drifted.
Man, she's got some... amazing curves, he thought, his face flushing with guilt as he quickly tried to refocus. Focus, Emmett. This is not the time.
As much as he tried to shake it off, Larissa's closeness kept him on edge. The softness of her body against his made it hard to focus on anything else. He swallowed hard, forcing his mind back to the situation at hand.
Larissa pulled back slightly, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. "Thank you for everything tonight," she whispered, her voice so soft he could barely hear her over the commotion. "You always take care of me... You're always there when I need you."
Emmett's chest tightened at her words. Why does this have to be so complicated? He genuinely cared about Larissa—he really did—but not in the way she wanted. And he knew that deep down, he couldn't give her what she was hoping for. At least, not right now.
"L-Larissa," he stammered, trying to find the right words, "I—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Larissa's question sliced through the air like a knife, sending a wave of panic crashing into him.
"Where's Valerie?" she asked, her voice tinged with concern.
Emmett froze, his eyes widening as he processed the question. Valerie? He hadn't even realized she wasn't with them. His head whipped around, scanning the crowd frantically, but there was no sign of her.
The simmering anxiety that had been growing beneath the surface suddenly boiled over into full-blown terror. No, no, no, she can't still be inside. His thoughts raced back to the fire at Mirabelle's house four years ago. That night, Valerie had almost died. She had been trapped, paralyzed with fear, and they had barely gotten her out in time. The memory hit him like a punch to the gut.
"I—I have to go back!" Emmett shouted, pushing Larissa away from him as his heart hammered in his chest, a mixture of fear and determination taking over.
"Wait, what?" Larissa looked at him in disbelief, grabbing his arm in a futile attempt to stop him. "Emmett, you can't—"
But he didn't listen. Emmett was already bolting toward the burning building, his body moving on pure instinct. He could hear Larissa shouting after him, but her voice was drowned out by the roaring flames and his own pounding heartbeat.
"Kid, no! It's too dangerous!" someone yelled, trying to grab him as he neared the entrance. But Emmett dodged the bystanders easily, his focus locked on one thing—Valerie was still inside.
The intense heat from the flames hit him the moment he got closer to the entrance. The fire roared louder, the heat searing his skin, making it hard to breathe. But he couldn't stop. He had to find her. He had to get her out.
Smoke billowed out of the doorway, thick and suffocating, stinging his eyes and filling his lungs. He dropped low, pressing forward as he ducked under the heat, his entire body tense with fear.
"Valerie!" Emmett shouted, his voice hoarse from the smoke. "Valerie, where are you?!"
The thick smoke made it nearly impossible to see more than a few feet in front of him, and the heat was unbearable. Flames licked at the walls, growing higher and higher as the fire spread with a relentless fury. His heart pounded as he stumbled through the narrow hallway that led to the back of the karaoke booth.
"Valerie!" he shouted again, his voice breaking. His eyes teared up from the smoke as he desperately tried to make out any sign of her in the haze.
Where is she? His mind raced with panic, and every breath felt like fire in his lungs. The fire was closing in fast, and he didn't have much time. The flames seemed to taunt him, growing ever closer, licking at his heels as he pushed forward.
Just as the panic began to take hold completely, Emmett caught sight of something—a small foot poking out from behind the couch in the corner of the booth.
His heart nearly stopped. Without thinking, he rushed over, his pulse racing as he stumbled toward her. "Val!" he gasped, dropping to his knees beside her. His hands shook as he reached out to touch her.