Nathaniel's POV
As I ran through the house, I could smell the smoke too.. And it became too intense.
If it ruins the moment? Oh god... It's her birthday...
I went to the kitchen and checked every nook and corner.
"Nathan!" My cousin called out. I immediately ran to him. He was standing at the courtyard looking at the master bedroom, hands resting on his hips and breathing so hard.
"Look... There it is " he said, breathless from running.
The curtains of the master bedroom are burning, fire spreading across the room.The vision very visible through the glass windows.
I patted his shoulder and ran to find the extinguisher but it was nowhere to be found..
We searched as fast as we could.
I ran to our....their store room.. I knocked over the cardboard boxes stacked there and finally found the fire extinguisher... I exhaled as relief flooded over me.
I turned to the door with the extinguisher in my hand. But something caught my eyes.. Worst timing.. I wanted to run back and calm the fire but something in me kept twisted.
"Nathan?" I heard my cousin scream from outside.
I ran there and both of us got extinguishers in our hands.
We rushed towards the fire. And at that time... Everyone gathered infront of the house, sensing the shift in the air.
We didn't waste a minute.
We burst into the room and extinguished the fire before it spread to the bedsheets.
When I turned, I saw Dave,my cousin. On his knees, coughing, struggling to breathe through the thick smoke that choked the room.
I rushed to him, pulling him to his feet and supporting his weight as we staggered forward.
The guests were looking at us and suddenly Aunt Mae frantically approached us from the crowd. I looked at Aliyah's face. She was so disappointed.
Mom swallowed as she realized how it happened. Her stupid perfumed candle on the bedside.
"Son? Are you okay? Should we get help? Tell me something?" Aunt Mae rushed to make him say something.
"Give me some time to answer, mom" He said.
I made him sit on the couch as dad cleared the crowd and distracted everyone back to the party.
"Do you want water?" I asked him.
He nodded. I gestured a maid.
"You really love me, don't you?" He asked.
Where did his seriousness go?
I rolled my eyes at him.
The maid came back with a glass of water.
Aunt Mae thanked the maid, smiling her sweetest smile.
I looked at Dave with concern. He looked at me like he....
Okay, never mind... He is laughing at me.
"What?" I asked, almost annoyed... No. Really annoyed.
"N.. Nothing "
Oh! He managed to say that even if he is laughing so hard, so kind.
Aunt Mae gently smacked his head
"You're just like your father" she scolded him and walked to the party.
He is not laughing anymore.
"Why? You just got a compliment and you're not happy." I asked to tease him but his expression said something else. He is not in a mood for joking.
He sighed and looked at me. His eyes looked like they were tired of something too heavy to carry alone.
Then he spoke "No one know him, not her, not you, not anyone." He was calm but his tone was clearly controlled.
I listened to him, frowning as the words escaped his mouth about hus own father. I wouldn't have been this serious if someone else said this. But when he is serious.... It's serious.
"That didn't sound like a compliment but an insult" he continued. His eyes welled up with tears as he bit his lower lip hard.
"Hey! " I called him.
"He is a....." He paused as if trying stop himself from crying.
I don't know why but his moods shifts so fast.
"Come home tomorrow. I will tell you." He said.
I slowly shook my head.
He glared at me and I rolled my eyes.
"JUST COME" he patted my lap twice and rose from the couch. I looked at him in confusion but he just walked away.
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