Chasing Cars

Chapter Twenty Two

"What if he didn't make it out?" I asked, nervously chewing on my fingernails, which is something I never do, as the firemen continued their job. I couldn't the waiting game. It was mental torture. So far, everyone was called for the teacher's roll call, but surely Andrew would have found Krystine and I if he was in this crowd. We were all instructed to step back, and during the move I kept a sharp eye out for the boy, but never found him.

The firemen shouted back and forth to one another, their harsh words so fast and loud that I couldn't make a single word out. "Oh, he made it out," Krystine replied, sounding strangely calm. "He's probably hiding out in a bathroom or something, waiting for the fire to be put out so he can get out." Her green eyes rested on her feet, and she stood perfectly still. This was what she used to do when she was nervous, claiming it calmed her and made her thoughts clearer. I was just fidgety.

I nodded, but I wasn't convinced. Something told me he wasn't just hiding out until it was safe again. He was crafty; surely he'd find a way out. Maybe he's watching the fire from elsewhere, I thought, hoping that was the case. I hadn't seen Charleston either, which could be a good or bad thing. "We're going to need another ambulance. The stress has caused a number of students to black out," a tall fireman said to Vice Principal Murray. "I'll dial 911 as soon as I finish roll call," Murray replied, nodding his balding head.

Vice Principal Murray was doing everything he could to keep everyone calm. He was kind of like that one "cool dad" one friend always has. He wore thick, wire-framed glasses and never failed to show up at school in a sweater vest and khakis. He had a horrible receding hairline and joked about it constantly. Everyone loved Murray, which meant everyone stayed fairly calm with him around.

Krystine asked me if I wanted to leave in one of the ambulances, given I'd thrown up and stayed uncharacteristically silent throughout the duration of the fire. Of course, I refused and stayed rooted to my spot outside the school, Matt Kearny, one of my good friends from Art History, went with three others in the first ambulance. I'd never pegged Matt as the type of guy to get nervous around things like fires, but people surprise us I guess.

Isabella Wormhu walked around the crowd, offering people "comforting words" and a ride home if they needed it. Most people shied away from her and ignored her when she spoke to them, but a few of the freshmen took her up on her offer and left with her towards home, knowing that we wouldn't be resuming school.

Reem Lohg tried to start a rumor that it was Geoff Jenkins who started the fire in the office when he was called down to the office for a vandalism charge. But Reem was known for his rumors and nobody ever believed a word he said. Except some of the freshmen and the sophomores. They believe everything. "Did Geoff really do it?!" a short girl with a red ponytail asked, her blue eyes wide. "Yup! Told me himself. That's why he's not in the crowd with us, he got kicked off school property," Reem grinned at the girl.

I rolled my eyes, but said nothing. True, Geoff wasn't there, but I had free period with him and I knew he left because of food poisoning from the cafeteria food. Him and at least six others. Reem had no idea what he was talking about. Geoff wasn't even the kind of guy who'd have a vandalism charge, I mean, the guy thought writing his dog's name on its collar was vandalism.

Mostly I tried to ignore everyone's stories, but a girl in my grade captured my interest with the beginnings of her own rumor. "They said Dr. Charleston wasn't here today. But she was here, and she called three people to the office right before the fire. The weird girl in the wheelchair who has random panic attacks, the blonde girl in all advanced classes, and the one brown haired guy who likes acting. I'll bet it was them who started it!" She exclaimed to everyone who listened.

"Um, sorry but 'that weird girl in the wheelchair who has random panic attacks' and 'that blonde girl in the advanced classes' are right behind you and no, we didn't start the fire. Neither did Andrew," I snapped at the girl, crossing my arms and nudging Krystine, who raised both eyebrows (because she can't just do one) and glared at her. The girl, I believe her name is Sadie, rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Then where is your guy friend? He's not around," she answered with a sickly sweet smile. I found myself hating her already.

"Maybe he's suicidal and started the fire as a way to kill himself," Sadie gasped, smirking at me before turning back to her groupies. "Oh my gosh, that's possible!" another girl answered, squealing. Soon, the whole group was convinced Andrew was a suicide arsonist (whatever that is) and it was his fault our school was on fire.

"Don't be airheads," I rolled into the middle of their group and gave all of them a look that said everything that was on my mind. All of your brains have more holes than Swiss cheese and you'll never make it anywhere in life if you believe the rumors that are being fed to you. "Andrew's not a 'suicide arsonist' or whatever and I'm sure he's somewhere out here," I told them, shutting down Sadie's idea before it could be passed around the whole school. We didn't need the police questioning Andrew for something that didn't even happen.

The group broke apart and I returned to Krystine. "A suicide arsonist," she snickered, and I grinned in reply. "You need to stop acting like you know he's gone," Krystine said after we laughed about the arsonist thing. Her words took me by surprise. "I'm not assuming anything," I defended myself. She raised her eyebrows and shook her head, her short blonde hair fanning out around her head to look like a lion's mane.

I looked away. Krystine knew I was a horrible liar and there was no point in trying to justify my point when she could sniff out my lies like a police dog can sniff drugs. "Karev, I know you think he's dead," she sighed. "He's not. He'll turn up." She tried to sound reassuring, but it wasn't helping. Of course, she was right. I'd been staring at the school doors since I left the building, and I never saw Andrew or Charleston. I doubted they'd left another way, because the main doors were the closest to the office. It would be pointless for them to leave another way.

"All students have been called for. At this time you may all contact your parents to come retrieve you or drive home. Keep an eye on the school site for information as to when classes shall resume," a nasally male voice shouted over a megaphone.

The crowd began to disperse and head for the parking lot. Though I'd never heard my name being called, I assumed the staff wouldn't lie about making sure everyone was out of the building. It seemed Andrew and Charleston had, in fact, just taken a different exit. I looked around at the remaining people. It made me happy to see some of the seniors offering rides to the underclassmen that couldn't drive, or allowing some to use phones. I would have been doing the same if I could. Though nobody was hurt, everyone was shaken by the fire.

"I'm calling my mom to get me," Krystine told me once the crowd thinned enough for me to hear her clearly. "I can ask if she can take you, too." I politely rejected the offer. Krystine lived forty-five minutes away in Cannon Falls, and I didn't want her mother to have to take a detour just for me.

"I'll roll. It's all good. Where's your car?" I asked her curiously. "Oh, the one day I don't drive to school, that's when there's a fire," she smiled. Allowing her to make her phone call, I turned away and stared at the building, which was still being hosed down. It was pretty bad. Classes probably wouldn't be held there for at least a week, I guessed. But for all I knew, the damage wasn't even that bad.

"Bye Krys!" I said after a while, waving to my friend before beginning the roll home. I didn't want to look at the school anymore. My gut feeling was leading me to believe Andrew was still in there somewhere, and I needed to stop getting myself all freaked out over it. He was going to be fine.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I sent a quick text and then plugged my ear buds in, hoping to clear my mind of everything that had happened during the day. It was a lot to take in. With a satisfied click, my ear buds were plugged in and my music began playing. The whole time I rolled, I continued waiting for a ringtone that never sounded.

Karev: How was the great Charleston experience? What a fire, huh? *horror music plays*

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Please keep in mind that chapter 19-epilogue are the actual, published material. Y'all are lucky lol jk but still you get the goods. It's edited better on the published ones but these are it minus edits. All feedback is appreciated!