Red Flag

Chapter one

I came back home for the holidays, I love Illinois but sometimes I get really homesick for the chaos that is my home.

Nick and Sawyer arguing about if he took the shoe laces of her favorite sneakers, Peyton trying to solve it only to make it a bigger problem, Ben being utterly lost and Joe just silently admiring the riot he started.

I come from a big family, six kids, me included. Yes, Christmas is fun! My parents met on their early twenties, few years later, out popped Peyton.

We're from Austin, Texas. We live in a town where everyone knows each other. My dad is actually from Philadelphia, he came here looking for a breath of fresh air, back when he dropped out of college, and met my mom the one time he tried horseback riding. Long story short, he was all in as soon as my mother's accent said hello.

"Your father might not be the brightest out there, but if there's one thing time has taught me is that no one can say no to those grey eyes. You and your brother better not use it for evil purposes" is what she tells me and my brother, Ben all the time.

My name is Ryan Evans, I'm 24 years old and I'm a fire fighter at the station 51 in Chicago, where I live in an apartment alone, whenever I'm not staying at the compound. I'm currently visiting my family in Austin, Thanksgiving is not that near but we have a couple of Fall traditions that may or may not involve Halloween. I wouldn't miss that for anything in the world.

Here in Texas I live with my parents in our big, cozy house. It's my dad Sebastian, my mom Mackenzie, my sister Peyton who's 26, my brother Joe who's 25, Ben who's 18, Nick who's 15 and my baby sister Sawyer who's 13. We have four dogs and counting.

Two Dobbermans, Skeezer and Ron. A Pitbull which I named Peeta, I hope you understood that reference, and a golden retriver named Charlie.

I grew up being taught that family is the most important thing, whether it's the one you choose or the one you're born into, we're a big family. It is to be expected. Leaving for college was probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make.

Enrolling to become a nurse was very nerve racking, so much I dropped out right before midterms and that saved me from an anxious collapse. Then I met Gallo at a bar one night, he told me about being a fire fighter and I was so fascinated that I decided to give it a try. Best thing I've ever done.

Don't get me wrong, saving people is my favorite thing to do. The chaos that runs in the streets makes me feel at home, but it's nice come back every once in a while.

Walking down the street I enter the venue and choose a seat in the middle, up front. I'm currently at a stand up event, extremely early if I may add. Everyone else in my family already had plans for the night so I bought the ticket in a heartbeat.

What's a better plan for a Friday night than watching a cute guy make inappropriate jokes for an hour? Oh, right! Watching him live and not through a teeny tiny screen for once.

I'm 15 minutes into the show now and my stomach hurts from laughing so much, Matt is so fricking hilarious. I love how he laughs at his own jokes, he knows he's gone too far and that's one of the things I love about him. His laugh is the best!

"Red flag number three..." he said putting on a serious face and pressing a hand to his chest. "If she doesn't go to the gym..." Mr. Rife you're very specific, I'm interested.

Then he started ranting about going to the gym every day, how we should all work out around black people, and enter acting skills. Someone put this guy in a comedy movie already, please!

The lights were hitting me quite hard, I was very close to the stage so the spotlight was basically bouncing off the stage onto me at the moment. And with all the laughing I was already warming up so I decided to take of my jacket.