Tension's Like a Fire

“Wait who the hell is Sally?” Jack asked grabbing Jazz’s shoulder gently pulling her back to look at them.

That name caught Jack and Alex more than it should have.

‘I mean Sally is a common name right?’ They both rationalized in their heads after killing all the thoughts that a simple name could stir up.

The tears streaming down her face told them she was important to Jazz.

“My roommate.” She then sobbed louder. “We had a fight last night that’s why I was out running. My God the last thing I said was ‘Fuck You’ to my best friend.” They struggled to understand these words that were broken up by sobs and gasping breaths.

Jack pulled her in and hugged her. “Don’t worry we’ll find her.”

Alex scoffed, “That’s not the first time he’s said that.” He muttered under his breath receiving an elbow to the ribcage from Rian. ‘Well at least it wasn’t Zack.’ He remembered the wall.

“Go gather up some stuff you’ll need you can’t stay here alone.” Zack said knowing this was the logical next move.

Jazz nodded wiping away tears as she headed in the direction of her room.

“She doesn’t need us.” Alex argued as she left the room, out of earshot he assumed. “Someone robbed their apartment and her friend’s out and will probably show up any minute.”

“Of course because all these things coincidently happen at the same time; she gets assaulted, her roommate goes out when Jazz obviously expects her to be home, and their house gets broken into. Yeah Alex that’s just a day in the life.” Rian says sarcastically.

“Hey shit happens then we die. Is there more to life?” He spit back.

“Wah, I’m Alex Gaskarth, my sister ran away when I was 15 and is assumed to be dead. Wah, my last girlfriend was a total whore and cheated on me even though I was head over heels for her. Wah I have superpowers and everybody was afraid of me in high school so me and my friends who also have superpowers ran away because I’m a big fucking pussy.” Jack told Alex what he thought he sounded like.

”Shut the fuck up!” Alex said stepping toward Jack hands already covered in the flames.

“Earth to Alex! You’re not the only one who’s ever lost anybody!” Jack continued. “You’re not the first person in history to have their heart broken! Let it go and stop beating a dead fucking horse!”

“I’ll show you beating a dead fuckin-” His fist was raised ready to punch Jack square in the face when the same scream rang out.

Zack and Rian started toward the room instantly but Jack and Alex stared at each other for another moment as if speaking the words “This isn’t over” through their eyes before following.

Rian having the power of super speed got there first as usual finding another man holding the girl tight to his chest as she cried and attempted to break free pathetically.

Rian assumed he was trying to pull her out the window with him.

“Let her go!” Rian shouted before rushing the man shoving him away from her.

The man looked surprised because Rian moved so fast but smirked just the same, blinked an exaggerated blink and disappeared into a puff of smoke, reappearing in front of Jazz wrapping his arms around her again as Rian pushed him off again.

The man realized his power against Rian’s speed would require a little thought.

Of course by then Zack, Alex and Jack had joined them in the cramped room that had obviously been raided too. Her dresser toppled over on it’s front, the pole that the clothes hung on in the closet was pulled down, and the mattress flipped.

The man with the ability to teleport looked around and realized he was surrounded and tried to formulate a plan.

Jack hit the man with a glass vase that had been on the nightstand behind him, ironically it was the only thing that hadn’t been out of place.

The man was so thrown off by the hit, he couldn’t think to teleport.

Alex hit him with fire sending him screaming and stumbling back and falling out the window he’d been standing in front of, he fell off the fire escape too.

“Still a coincident Alex?” Rian spit with his arm wrapped around the girl’s tiny waist.

Even Alex had to admit if it were in fact a coincident she was having a shitty day but that‘s not what got his attention.

“What the hell was that guy?” He thought he and the guys were the anomalies. He thought they were the only ones.

“A freak. Just like us.” Jack spit although he was jarred by the incident himself. “You didn’t think we were the only ones did you?”

Something about the whole thing comforted him... And scared the hell out of him.

“I’ll help you pack Jazz.” Rian said finally letting her go.

“My grandmother gave me that vase.” She said trying to crack a smile though the tears.

Even in her weakest moments-in moments she realizes she could be dead at any point- she tried to keep a light heart.

Alex looked at her that moment and envied her for that.

Jack laughed. “Sorry next time I’ll ask before I save your life.”

“That’s all I ask.” She smiled through her tears.

Alex walked out of the room without saying a word.

Zack followed, grabbing his shoulder once they were back to the living room turning Alex to face him.

“Ok I don’t care about the demon parade going through your skull right now. We need to help that girl even if you don’t want to admit it. So suck it up or I’ll be hitting you instead of walls. Got it?” Zack said roughly with his hand still weighing heavily on Alex’s shoulder.

“Whatever.” Alex rolled his eyes.

Zack shook his hand and squeezed Alex’s shoulder causing him to groan in pain. “Got it?” He asked more forcefully that time hoping Alex would get it.

Luckily enough he did, “I get it.” He said through a strained voice.

Zack dropped his hand.

Jack and Rian emerged with the girl and a few bags of her belongings in tow.

“Zack carry the bags. Alex carry the girl.” Jack order as he came out passing the bags off.

Alex was about to protest but Jazz beat him to it.

“That’s not necessary.” She said in a rushed voice that trembled with her body.

“Do you always get cold when you get scared?” Alex asked in a state of total disbelief.

“I’ve never been this scared before last night in order to find out.” She replied in a sour tone, hating the way she actually needed the guy that hated her.

His face softened noticing her coarseness with him, ‘She hates me back.’