I Need A Hero (BxB)

Chapter Four

   The next time it happened I was exceptionally unlucky. As in, I was standing in the building when it caught fire. Some more difficult homework had led me to the library and I was completely focused on that when it started. I got to learn a few things about how this guy worked. First of all, the fire didn't start somewhere small and spread. One minute everything was fine, the next, fire. It seemed to have started somewhere inside though. Of course I panicked a little and me and a few others were able to get out quickly.

The problem was, the library was an old building. Very old. So it didn't take long for it to begin falling apart. Specifically the entrance, which, once it had fallen, completely blocked off an important exit from anyone left inside. First thought? I had to do something. If I was going to keep doing this "helping" thing, I really need to work on what I can lift with my powers. Ignoring the people telling me not to, and the heat, I stepped up to the building, concentrating and trying to move at least some of the wood and stones away. It seemed every time I moved something, something else fell in it's place. By the time I managed to get an actual opening I was exhausted. I didn't even have a moment to be glad some people were able to escape, I just knew I had to leave.

I carefully made my way back through the crowd, heading down the street. I knew I wouldn't make it home so I turned into the nearest alleyway and dropped to the ground, leaning back against the wall and trying to relax. I didn't even realize someone else was already there until they walked up to me. I looked up to see the mysterious pyromaniac himself.

"You again?" He hissed. He reached down and grabbed me by the front of my shirt, lifting me up and holding me against the wall. I wanted to shove him away but I felt too weak to even move my arms. "I told you last time I don't want to hurt you but if you keep showing up I'll have no choice."

"I was there before you even set the fire!" I snapped. "Besides, what makes me any different from these other people you're hurting?! What makes me so sp-" I was cut off when he slapped his hand over my mouth, his touch burning hot.

"You talk too much." He said softly, leaning down close to me so our faces were only inches apart. "I'm going to let you go, and you're going to leave and go home. You won't leave your home again tonight. You won't go back to help and you won't tell anyone you even saw me. This is the last time I'll let you get away, if you even attempt to approach me again, you won't be so lucky. Now go." He let go of me and shoved me towards the entrance of the alleyway, and I didn't waste anytime rushing home.

I didn't sleep well that night, so the next day I was beyond exhausted. By the time I made it to my chemistry class I just wanted to lay down and nap. I took my seat next to an equally tired Jett, and not long into the class period I began dozing off. I was brought back to reality when my teacher started calling out names. I woke up in time to hear my teacher say,

"Winter, you're partnered with Jett." I looked over at him and despite the tiredness in his eyes he had a smug smile on his face.

"Hey there sleepyhead. I'm assuming you didn't hear a word she said about the project, hm?" He said. I slowly shook my head, trying to wake up completely. "Thought so. We have to work on it outside of school, I'll go to your house and explain it there." He said before turning away from me. I just sighed and put my head on the table.

***

About an hour after I got home there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see Jett standing there, his arms crossed.

"We have an hour to work on this, lets get started." He told me before I could even say anything. I nodded and stepped aside so he could come in. We went and sat down in the living room and got stated once he explained it to me. The project was pretty easy and we worked for quite a while before giving up for the day.

"So, what are you doing after this?" I asked him as we put everything up.

"Working."

"Really? What do you do?" I asked, curious now. I wasn't really prepared for what he did next. He leaned across the coffee table so our faces were close and I found myself staring into his bright orange eyes as he whispered,

"I kill innocent people for a living." A sickening smile on his face. It wasn't what he said that scared me. It was the fact I recognized his voice once he whispered. I should have said something but instead, all I did was stare, my eyes wide. He frowned, standing up straight. "Jeez, learn what a joke is, I was kidding." He said, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

"Y-Yeah, I knew that...." I murmured, walking to the door with him. We said goodbye and once he left I went and sat down on the couch. I couldn't stop thinking about it and god did I feel stupid. It made perfect sense, his voice, he was tired today, there had been a second fire late last night, thinking back there had been a house fire the day I ran into him. I began to highly doubt he was kidding about what he said so I turned on the tv, waiting for news of a fire.

One thing still didn't make sense to me. Why was he so against hurting me? We weren't friends, today was the first time we ever got along somewhat. I wanted to ask him but at the same time I felt he didn't want me to really know it was him. I spent some time paying lose attention to the tv and eventually it happened. A store caught on fire, one just outside my neighborhood. I jumped up and got my shoes on, quickly leaving the house and running to the store. It was a small store, and thankfully everyone had gotten out, except for one I heard from a worker talking to a fireman already there.

I heard someone saying one of the workers had been farther into the store and hadn't gotten out yet, but all the entrances were impossible to get into, mostly due to the intensity of the flames. Basically, someone would need a strong full body shield to get through. It doesn't take a genius to NOT run into a burning building, but I guess we've already established I'm no genius.

When I started to sprint into the building someone tried to grab me and yank me back but I pulled up my forcefield, which pushed them away before heading in. Even with my shield I could feel the heat around me and made my way to the back of the store. The good news was that I found the girl, and she was still breathing, even if it was just barely. The bad news is that she was unconscious, and keeping up this forecefield while moving was completely draining my energy. I had to momentarily drop it so I could grab her and then immediately put it back up. I was slower as I left since I had to drag her out but eventually I got us outside again. As soon as I dropped the shield someone from an ambulance was there to take her and the worker from before was over thanking me for getting her. I felt kind of like just laying down and I couldn't gather my thoughts so I just mumbled a "no problem" and started to head home. Originally I wanted to see if Jett was gonna be there but that didn't seem like such a good idea now.