Friends (Highschool AU)

Fire

I felt a little nervous to answer the phone call, but it was Australia and I didn't want him to get worried.

"Hey, Aus," I answered.

"Kiwi, where are you?!" He shouted.

"Umm... the detention room," I lied.

"You had better f#cking not," He sounded pissed like something was wrong.

"Why?" I asked.

"There has been a fire in the detention room, the firefighters are here and everything!" Aus shouted.

"A fire?!" I thought they had extinguished the fireworks.

"Yes, a fire! I've had a f*cking' panic attack worrying about you!" He continued to yell. I could hear the shakiness in his voice. I felt sorry for him.

"Where are you?" He asked again.

"I'm safe. Did you want me to come to find you?" I offered. I heard no response, but I knew he needed me. Aus hung up the phone.

"Who are you talking too?" Iraq asked.

"My brother. I need to go," I muttered before turning around and leaving without another word.

"Wait, Zed! Where are you going?" Brazil called out after me. I didn't respond. I just kept walking. When I was out of sight, I turned to a sprint with the desperate need to be there with him. As I was running, my phone rang again. I answered, hoping it was Aussie.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Kiwi, are you okay?" It was the voice of Belarus.

"If you are talking about the fire, then yes," I responded as I continued to run. She stopped talking. I felt something was wrong.

"Bela? Are you there?" I asked. I heard the sound of coughing and alarms in the background. I instantly became worried.

"Bela! Answer me!" I demanded.

"Kiwi, I'm scared," I heard her cry.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"I'm in my locker and I can't get out. The alarm started going off ten minutes ago and I don't know what to do!" She said, panicking.

"Out of every day you could have gotten stuck in a locker!" I shouted angrily. It stressed me out.

"I know! I'm sorry!" She cried.

"Hey, don't cry, everything will be fine. I will find you, I promise," I responded, trying to calm her down.

"I smell smoke," She whimpered.

"Stay on the call, okay, everything will be fine,"

I ran as fast as I could back to the school. When I finally made it, I saw Australia standing there, staring at the main building. He was trembling. There wasn't much of a fire, but I knew how fire could affect Aussie. I needed to get in there, but Aus wouldn't let me if I let him know I was here.

There were firefighters around the place, stopping people for entering. I snuck around the back of the school and saw an open door. I could smell the smoke. It was strong. I could hear Bela coughing through the phone.

"Bela, I'm inside, I'll find you soon," I reassured her. I tried to find my way to her locker.

"Hey! Kid, get out of here!" I heard someone shout. I turned around to see a firefighter standing above me. I ran as fast as I could away from him. He chased after me.

"Kiwi, what's going on?!" I heard Bela say over the phone.

"Everything is fine, I'll be there soon," I said through breaths.

I made it to her locker and knocked on the door. Just then, the firefighter put his hand on my shoulder.

"Kiwi, get me out of here!" Bela cried.

"There is a kid in there?!" The firefighter exclaimed. I nodded wildly.

"Kid, what is the code?" The firefighter asked Bela.

"3 7 96," Bela answer in shaky breaths. The firefighter unlocked the locker, and I finally saw Bela. I gave her the biggest hug. They then escorted us out of the building. They took Bela to a small quiet space to calm down, I would go with her but that was when I saw Australia.

I had a bad feeling, but he walked over to me looking furious.

"Hey, Aus," I said awkwardly.

"Hey! HEY!! YOU WERE INSIDE THE BLOODY BUILDING!!! IT WAS ON FIRE YOU F#CKING DUMBA$$!!" Aussie shouted in my face.

"Bela was inside," I reasoned.

"THERE ARE FIREFIGHTERS FOR A REASON YOU IDIOT!" I could see him tear up. Australia wasn't afraid of fire, he was afraid someone would get hurt by it.

"Aus, I'm fine, see! You can check for yourself, I didn't get hurt," I explained.

"That's what you always say! But you keep doing stupider things! You will kill yourself one day if you're not careful!" He said, grabbing my shoulders.

"I'm not going to die," I chuckled a little.

"I know a car almost hit you! I can see the bandages. You keep saying you are fine, but you aren't!"

"A-America told you?"

"Yes! Of course, he did! You are my little brother and if you die, then I wouldn't know what to do with myself,"

"Stop acting like I'm your second half! I'm older than you and don't need you to care about me! If I die, that's my problem, it's not like anyone would care since I'm not on the map!" I snapped back.

"You keep acting recklessly!"

"I'm the one being reckless?! You got to be kidding me! The only reason I'm like this is because of you and your reckless decisions! But you are too full of yourself to recognise that you caused me to be like this!" I shouted.

"Also, you sound like dad," I muttered before walking away.

"Oooooh," I could hear a bunch of kids say from behind me. I didn't care anymore. I was too stressed. I needed a cigarette.

I left the school area and walked down to that shop detention gang would hide behind. I went inside and grabbed a pack of cigarettes off the shelf. I thought about paying, but I realised I had no money on me.

I looked around for cameras or any employees, and then I stashed the pack in the pocket of my hoodie. I left the store and went around the back.

I pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"I guess this is me now, smoking stolen cigarettes in an alleyway I helped deface." I sighed.