Our Last Summer

Chapter 12: Cowardly Heroic

(Madelyn's POV)

I felt two hands around my waist, and suddenly, we were outside. We were on the road and the sun was just starting to rise. I was so confused when I turned around and saw Jason standing in front of me, but none of our other friends were with us.

"What the hell did you do?" I asked in a low voice as I looked up at him.

"I did what I had to do to get you out of there." He said, looking down at me with a strong look. One that was full of pain because he knew how I was looking at him.

"What about our friends? We should be in there helping them, Jason!" He sighed and looked back at the big building we just came from.

"I was just about to go get them. I had to get you out first." He looked back at me and I shook my head. He just left them in there. Alone and defenseless. He ran like a coward.

"You can't just leave them! They're our friends!" He pressed his lips together and kept strong eye contact with me. I could see the conflict on his face, but I couldn't believe he would do this to our friends.

"I know, I know--"

"If any one of them were in that situation, we would all be out here. Instead, it's just you and me and you aren't in there saving them!" He didn't look guilty, just mad that I wasn't being as grateful as he wanted me to be.

"I know." Silence covered us and I looked around, trying to figure out where I was and why he wasn't in there saving them again.

"What are you doing still standing here? Go help–" He gripped my arms and pulled me close to him. I could see how serious he was.

"If I go back in there, I'm not going to make it back out. You'll be all by yourself." He explained. I pushed him off of me.

"You're a coward," I said, beginning to walk to the building. I couldn't wrap my brain around why he would only save me and continue to stand in front of me without going back and helping our friends. He was just standing there looking at me like he was disappointed.

"What are you doing?" He asked, grabbing my arm again and turning me around. I pushed him away to try to keep walking.

"You're a fucking coward, Jason. I'm going in there to save my friends." He gripped my arm again, keeping me from moving.

"You're not going anywhere." I turned to him, trying to push him off of me, but he wasn't letting go.

"Get off of me!"

"No, Maddie, listen to me!"

"No, get off! I'm going to save them!"

"No, you're not!" During our struggle, I lost my balance. I fell onto the road and he hovered over me. He pinned my wrists to the ground and his body kept me from kicking him. "Listen to me!"

"Get off of me!" I screamed in anger.

"If you go back there, then you are going to get caught and probably killed. You don't know how to control your powers. I brought you out here to be safe and the only way we can save them is if we come up with a plan." He explained. I still tried to get out of his grasp.

"Get off!" I tried to move my body, but he kept me pinned.

"I need you to understand. We can't save them if we're trapped inside." He said in a harsh voice.

"Get off of me!" I shouted. I felt my body begin to heat up. My hands were hot to the touch. He pulled his hands off of my wrists, wincing in pain because my skin was too hot for him.

"What the hell?" He groaned. I quickly stood and began racing toward the building to save my friends, but he was quicker than me.

"Stop! Don't do this, Madelyn." He begged, holding my waist. I felt like crying. This wasn't Jason. Jason would do anything to save his friend, not just me.