"1,2,3,4,5. Wake me up from this nightmare." I muttered under my breath.
I counted slowly, like the numbers could pull me out of reality and drag me back into something kinder. Something where fire wasn't eating my home like a healthy breakfast.
Seconds passed. Minutes passed. Raisem didn't come out.
My heart thudded painfully against my ribs.
Why would he run into the fire?
My legs gave in without warning. I sank to the ground, my knees hitting the rough surface as if they no longer belonged to me.
My hands flew to my mouth, pressing hard, trapping the scream that tried to escape. My shoulders shook, but no sound came out. My cries turned silent, choking me from inside.
"Raisem." I whispered.
The name fell out of my lips like a prayer.
Tears blurred my vision as thick, violent smoke poured out of the apartment. The flames reflected in my eyes.
What if he dies in the fire?
The thought devoured me so sharply I almost screamed.
Suddenly, he burst out of the apartment, coughing hard but still somehow trying to maintain his steeze, like his pride refused to bow even to fire.
The edges of his jacket were burned, curling and blackened. His hair was a mess, covered in soot, his face stained dark with ash.
But that wasn't what made my breath stop.
In his hands, my mother's ashes.
I gasped and ran toward him without thinking, my feet moving faster than my fear. He held it out to me, his chest rising and falling heavily, every breath labored.
For a second, I just stared at him.
Then I hit his chest.
"Why would you do that, why?" I cried, hitting him again, harder this time, my fists landing helplessly against him. "Why would you do something so stupid?"
My strength disappeared all at once. I dropped to my knees and clutched the jar to my chest like it was alive, like it could still feel me holding it.
The firefighters rushed forward immediately. Voices overlapped. Orders were given. Hands guided Raisem away from me and straight into the ambulance bus to check if he had sustained any injuries.
I stayed where I was for a moment, my arms tight around the jar. My fingers trembled as I wiped my face clean, forcing myself to stand. I walked over to him slowly.
When I saw him clearly, my heart broke all over again. I noticed his left hand had a red burn.
This was all my fault.
My steps dragged as I moved closer. He noticed me and quickly hid his hands behind his jacket, like he didn't want me to see. Like he didn't want me to feel worse.
"Why did you do it?" I said sharply, my voice trembling.
"You're really ungrateful. I didn't even get a thank you." He said, raising his brows.
"Why did you risk your life? How can you be so careless?" I snapped, and I didn't even know when the tears filled my eyes again.
At this point, I'm going to die from crying.
"Your face is so red, you look like an angry tomato." He said flatly.
The words caught me off guard.
I sniffed, then let out a small laugh before I could stop myself. It slipped out.
"Is it that bad?" I asked, laughing again.
"Yes." He muttered.
I went ahead to sit beside him in the ambulance, the cold air brushing against my skin.
"Thank you." I said softly.
"So all I'm going to get is a thank you." He replied casually, clearly not expecting what I did next.
I leaned forward and hugged him tightly around the neck, my arms wrapping around him before fear could stop me.
"Thank you Raisem." I said out loud.
He didn't respond immediately. His hands stayed still at his sides instead of coming around me the way normal hugs go. I noticed it, but I didn't mind. Gratitude filled my chest too much to care.
A firefighter rushed toward us, and I quickly broke the hug. I didn't realize he had just started lifting his hands toward my back until it was already over.
"Mr Hargrave, you're good to go now." The man said with a small smile.
Raisem nodded, and the man left.
I clutched the jar again, my fingers tightening around it.
I can't believe I'm homeless.
"Guess I'm homeless now." I muttered, not realizing he heard me.
"Let's go." Raisem said.
"Go where, my house just got burnt down and I don't even have any insurance." I laughed weakly. "My life is really a joke."
"My place." He said and dragged me away without waiting for my reply.
I followed anyway. I had no money for a hotel. I wasn't paid for the runway I did.
Jokes on me.
As soon as I got into his car, exhaustion crashed into me like a wave. I didn't even realize when I fell asleep, still holding the jar close to my chest. The drive was smooth, quiet, almost soothing. For a brief moment, my worries faded.
When we finally arrived, I woke up to a sight I had never seen before.
A luxurious apartment.
Glass, lights, beauty everywhere.
My mouth almost tore open just staring at it.
"You also live in an apartment?" I asked.
"This isn't mine, I'm just staying here for the main time." He said, stepping out.
I followed him inside. The elevator ride was silent except for the soft hum. He clicked the floor. Ding.
A huge door stood before us. I stared at it.
He pressed his passcode, and the door opened.
"Woah, you have a lovely place." I said honestly.
"Your room's upstairs, the one by the left. You can get changed." He said.
"Thanks." I replied and hurried off.
After my shower, I walked downstairs. The house was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The view outside pulled me forward, and I stepped out.
What I saw next was crazy. Raisem was in the pool. Half naked.
Oh my God.
His back was to me, broad and strong, water glistening on his skin as it rolled down his muscles. His shoulders flexed slightly as he moved, the wet strands of his hair clinging to his neck.
I turned to leave but it was too late.
Our eyes met.
"I'm so sorry." I said.
"Like you weren't staring shamelessly?" He lifted his brows.
"No, I wasn't." I lied. "Are you suppose to go swimming with your hands?" I asked, concerned.
He went quiet.
"Come in." He said.
"No." I replied and rushed back inside.
His ootsteps followed.
He stood by the door, drying his hair with a towel.
That was when I saw everything.
His body was solid, defined, carved like it was sculpted intentionally, strong chest, firm abs, water sliding down his skin slowly. Droplets traced the lines of his muscles, dripping from his waist, clinging to him like he belonged to water.
The real body tea.
My throat went dry. I swallowed hard and looked away.
"I'm going to the room." I rushed upstairs trying to stop this strange feeling.
Then, I tripped.
A strong hand caught me, pressing firmly against my back. That's when I realized my hands landed on his bare chest.
"Ah!" I screamed and pushed him.
We both lost balance and fell together. I landed on him, my lips brushing his cheek softly.
"Were you born to be this clumsy?" He groaned.
"I'm so sorry." I whispered, my face burning.
"Why are your cheeks flushed?" He asked.
"No, it's not. Or what can I do when a half naked man is standing right in front of me." I hissed and turned towards his face and I noticed it.
A faint smear of lipstick on his cheek. That was because of the kiss.
For a second, I froze. Then the absurdity of it hit me all at once, bubbling up from my chest before I could stop it. A laugh escaped—soft at first, then louder. It sounded almost hysterical in my ears.
"What's so funny?" he asked, his brows drawing together as he looked at me.
I tried to stop, pressed my lips together, but the laughter only grew. My shoulders shook.
Tears gathered at the corners of my eyes, not from humor alone, but from everything—fear, embarrassment, relief.
He exhaled slowly, rolled his eyes, and turned away without another word, his footsteps fading as he walked off.
******
The door to my room closed behind me minutes later.
I dropped onto the bed and buried my face into the pillow, gripping it tightly like it could swallow my thoughts whole.
"Why?" I screamed into it, my voice muffled, raw.
I was trying to recover from all what happened, the fire, his bare chest, his breasts, his cheeks. Everything was perfect. I was in a deep thought when I heard a loud this
My body went still.
My heart skipped, then began to race so fast it hurt. I lifted my head, listening. Another sound followed, it sounded like shattered glasses and it was coming from the room next to me.
I was off the bed before I could think. That's Raisem's room. I didn't think twice I ran over to check on him.
His door was slightly open, so I pushed it wider.
"Raisem."
He was on the floor lying helplessly.
I rushed to him and knelt, my hands hovering before touching him. The heat radiating from his skin startled me, it was too hot to handle.
"Raisem," I called again, louder this time, brushing his cheek. No response.
I began to panic as I seacehed for my little phone, my fingers shaking so badly I almost dropped it. I found the number with blurred vision and hit dial.
"Please pick up. Please."