Atlanta City's Bad Boy

Chapter 13. Smoke

Jesse's POV

I run down the stairs and out the back door. I'm in complete shock at what I'm seeing.

"Holy fuck! No, no, no!" I run towards my barn that is engulfed in flames the top door of the barn is open, and I can see the flames in the loft of the barn. I run towards the barn door, which is still shut when I open it up. It is clear of fire but full of smoke. I can hear all of my horses freaking out.

Mia is yelling at me, running towards me, still only wearing my shirt. "Jesse, I called the fire department. They're on the way!" She yells.

"Mia stay out here, I mean it!" I say in a loud stern voice.

"Jesse, no!" she yells behind me. She begins to run after me, but it's too late I'm already running the barn. The horses continue to freak out as I throw open the stalls. After a long moment, I can't hold my breath. I inhale and cough before trying to hold my breath again.

So far, four horses are freed. I notice that Casper and Sugar's Stalls are on fire. As I'm about to run towards the back to get them out, one of the beams fall from the ceiling in flames. Shit. I back up and run toward the beam and jump over it. Making it over the flames, managing not to burn myself. The back door to the barn is open. Once Casper and Sugar's stalls are open, I urge them out of the barn.

They run out the back door, and I run out after them. Once I'm outside again, I can hear sirens. My lungs hurt from all the smoke. I go around to the front of the barn where I can hear Mia yelling for me.

I'm coughing so hard I begin to feel light-headed. I look up, and Mia is running toward me. I continue to force myself forward toward's her. "Jess!" She yells. Just before she's about to reach me, I fall to my knees. I can hear her screaming my name, but I can't respond. The wave that'd been threatening to take me over has finally crashed into me, pulling me down. Everything goes black.

***

Mia's POV

"No, Jesse!" I scream as I watch him fall to his knees. I run towards him and can see him trying to fight it, but he can't anymore. He begins to fall forward, and I catch him.

I keep his head on my lap and softly pat his cheek. "Come on. Jess, wake up." I cry. I turn to see the fire trucks make it up the driveway. Jesse's still breathing, but it's shallow. I get up off the ground and run toward's the fire trucks.

A man is running toward me. "Where's Jesse?" The cop asks.

"He's over there. He went to the barn to get the horses out, and when he came out, he just collapsed." My voice is weak and shaky.

"Okay, you stay here. Hey, need paramedics over here!" The cop yells. I run into the house and up the stairs, quickly throwing on pants and grabbing my phone.

I run back down the stairs and out the door.

"Hey," The same cop grabs me around the arm. "I'm officer Brady Kremer. What's your name?"

"Amelia Bennett," I tell him.

"Who are you to Jesse?" He asks, confused.

"His girlfriend," I say in an offhand tone. I'm not really sure what else you'd call it. The cop stares at me in surprise. "Look, apparently you know him. I know he's never had a girlfriend, but I really am. I don't know what happened. We were asleep in his room, and then he ran over to the window. We saw the barn was in flames. I ran out after him. He told me to stay out of the barn." I shrug as my voice breaks off.

"Did you see anyone or anything?" He asks.

"No, we didn't," I shake my head. "We were the only ones here as far as I know. Is he going to be okay?" I ask worriedly.

"I can't say for sure I'm sorry. As far as I can tell, he inhaled a lot of smoke. Do you want to ride in the ambulance?" He asks me.

"I'll follow behind in his truck," I tell him. I go inside and grab his truck keys then head back out the door. I climb into the truck fumbling with my phone to call Lily. I'm so freaked out by the incident my hands are trembling, and my heart is racing.

"Hello?" She answers sleepily.

"Jesse's barn set on fire. He went in to the barn to save the horses and inhaled smoke. He passed out I'm following behind the ambulance," I tell her as we pull out of the driveway.

"Oh my god," She says in shock.

"Call Opie and Jordy," I tell her.

"I will," She says. I hang up the phone and follow the ambulance up the highway towards the hospital. I follow the ambulance into the parking lot, park the truck, and jump out. I run over toward the ambulance and watch as they unload Jesse, he's still out. I go over and grab his hand holding onto it.

They run him into the hospital, and I run in with them down the hallway. When we reach the doctors and nurses who are ready for Jesse, the nurse stops me.

"But I-" She cuts me off.

"I'm sorry you'll have to sit in the waiting room for now," She says. I slowly walk back toward's the waiting room. I sit down in a chair sick with worry. I feel like there is something more that I should be doing. I wait quietly and jump at any nurse or doctor who walks by me. I check the time and realize I've been waiting for an hour.

"Mia?" I lift my head up to look at Lily. "Jesus Mia," Lily whispers and walks towards me. I shakily stand up and let her embrace me. I don't even realize I'm crying until Lily starts rubbing my back, telling me he'll be okay. I lift my head to see the rest of them.

"Mia, do you know anything else?" Jordy asks me.

"No, I don't, they wouldn't let me-" I cut off, letting out a sob and looking away.

"Did he get burned?" Opie asks me.

"I don't think so," I sniffle. "Inhaled a lot of smoke, though. He was in there for several minutes," I explain to him.

Noah and Frankie stand there with their hands in their pockets, looking down to the floor. Chrissy has an arm looped through Opie's leaning against him, looking worried. Jordy comes over and puts his hands on Lily's shoulders.

"Should someone call his mom?" I ask.

"Let's not, that's up to him. He'll be fine, Mia," Nicky says. Kelly is leaning into him, and he has one arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Amelia Bennett?" Someone asks a doctor.

"Yes?" I asked, walking toward him. Everyone walks closer to overhear what he's going to say.

"He's asleep may be a while before he wakes up, but we finally got him stabilized. Jesse inhaled a lot of smoke. He's fortunate to be alive. Most cases like this people don't make it, maybe a while before he can speak to well," The doctor explains.

"Can I see him?" I ask.

"Yes, you can, only four of you at a time, please," The doctor says and walks away. Jordy, Opie, Lily, and I walk back first.

The beeping noise is the only noise in the room. None of us make a sound as we slowly and quietly approach Jesse. He has oxygen in his nose. I sit down slowly beside him and hold onto his hand. I rub my thumb against the back of his hand softly.

"Mia, are you gonna stay here with him?" Jordy asks.

"Yeah, I am," I whisper and nod, not looking away from Jesse.

How could I possibly leave? How do I feel so strongly for a boy I've only known a few days? The rest leave and I stay beside him, hoping he'll wake up soon.