Girl On Fire

17

"Who's calling you at this time?" Josh asked me, turning both of our attentions to the ringing phone on the night stand. The screen lit up the whole room. I felt my nausea come back as I glanced at the phone.

"I'm not sure." I said, picking up my phone and seeing the random number. I didn't have a good feeling about this phone call nor did I really want to answer it, but I did anyways.

"Hello?" I asked, putting it on speaker for both of us to hear, holding it between us.

"Is this Corbin Smith?" A lady said professionally over the phone. I really sat up now, catching all of my attention.

"Yes?" I said. Josh gave me a nervous look as I was in full focus, staring around the dark room. In the moment, I noticed how the moon light was peaking through the thin curtains, slightly lighting up the room.

"This is the local fire department in Ocala, Florida. I'm calling to tell you that your house was burned down, last seen caught on fire a few hours ago by your neighbors, are you in town at the moment?" The lady asked. My heart stopped. All my belongings were in there. Josh now was just as alert as I was. He sat up, making eye contact with a cold shocked look on his face. Sympathy in his eyes.

"Fully burned down??" I asked urgently, throwing the covers off my legs, pacing back and forth. I wanted to puke. The headache came back twice as strong now.

"Not completely but, yes ma'am." The woman said. I turned to Josh, hoping him or the woman would say something because I was at a loss for words.

"Do you know what caused it?" I asked with a gulp.

"It seemed to have been intentionally done by someone. Do you have a hint on whoever it was?" She asked. I paused, completely in shock at who could've done it. I wouldn't put it past her but I also didn't think she'd go so far.

"Yes, her name is Ashley Lorenzo. She's the only one that I think would've done it." I said, my voice shaking. There was no way in hell I can go back to sleep now. I put my head in my hand, stressing out about everything. I spoke to the operator for a bit longer before hanging up and going outside to the back yard to smoke, Josh following me.

I took a nice long drag of the cigarette before handing it to Josh to do the same as I did. I was stuck heavily in my head, hoping that some of my things weren't burned somehow.

"The guitar, the truck, the records, everything. Gone." I mumbled into the chilly breeze. I rubbed my face with my free hand and sighed.

"This had to be my fault." I told
Josh as I dozed off, staring at the dark woods. He looked at me with curious eyes. "I sent Ashley a photo of me with you guys the other day as a small fuck you. I didn't think she would go burn down my fucking house." I raised my voice in anger, feeling it crack a bit towards the end of my sentence. Can't say I'm surprised though, Ashley was known to be bat shit crazy.

"Hey, hey. It's going to be alright." Josh said, pulling me in for a tight hug, wrapping his strong arms around my frame. I took a deep breath in, feeling small tears poking through. I hated crying in front of people.

"Tomorrow we can go see the house and grab whatever is left and bring it back here." He told me. That's right, now I'm officially going to live with the boys. Man, Ashley is fucking up my life but it seems whatever she does, it helps me get closer to them. She is not winning in these situations.

—————

"Good morning sleeping beauties! Oh," Sam spoke loudly as Josh and I stumbled out of my room, looking tired and stressed while Josh had sunglasses on. Sam was sitting at the bar with a cup of coffee and his phone, also wearing sunglasses. "Was there some sort of argument or?"