Firebug: Chapter 17 - Out

Theo didn't have time to think. He didn't even have time to scream. The sound was stuck sideways in his throat anyway, refusing to be dislodged. His body acted all on its own, launching him across the dance floor toward the pool. Not caring how many of his classmates he had to knock over or shove out of the way to get there. By the time his brain caught up to his body, Theo was diving head-first into that glittering, dark blue abyss.

It took a second or two to acclimate to the water once his short, lithe frame knifed through it. All the while he was scanning the entire area, searching desperately for Roman. A plume of bubbles quickly caught his eye, drawing it downward like an emergency flare. Theo almost forgot to keep holding his breath when he spied Roman at last, floating just above the bottom.

His feet kicked without him having to tell them to, swimming like a bullfrog down to Roman. The olive-skinned teen thrashed wildly, his eyes wide with panic. For all his desperate clawing and kicking, he made it no closer to the surface. More bubbles plumed in front of his face when he saw Theo, concealing a muffled scream for help. Theo wished just as desperately to answer his plea, but he knew it would do no good to try unless Roman ceased his panicked flailing.

Operating on instinct, Theo grasped the sides of Roman's head and drew him into a kiss. Once their lips were locked, Theo exhaled slow and deep, sharing a bit of his air. He wasn't sure how much good it would do - if any - but it seemed to relax his boyfriend just a little. With Roman's panic momentarily quelled, Theo had the chance to take stock and figure out what the problem was.

There was an old net lining the bottom of the pool, part of which was wrapped tightly around Roman's right leg. A few quick tugs proved it was too heavy for Theo to simply pull Roman out net and all; if the incident after the game yesterday was any indication, it would take all of Theo's strength just to haul Roman back to the surface. Theo didn't have time to untangle it properly, though, and the nylon mesh was far too strong to tear with his bare hands.

Every second that passed could not be wasted. Roman's thrashing was already growing weaker, his eyelids lowering a little more with every frantic beat of Theo's heart. Before they closed completely, his hazy eyes locked onto Theo's again. Telegraphing his fear, and the stone-cold truth Theo could no longer deny.

Roman was dying, right in front of him... Just like Jason.

Instinct kicked in swift and hard, as both Theo's hands ignited in a blink. It was excruciating, maintaining a flame under water, but he bent all his will into doing so. A scream of agony and frustration bubbled out of Theo and floated up to the surface as he gripped the net, feeling it melt under his fiery fingers instantly. With as much force as he could muster, he ripped the net apart, freeing Roman's leg from it with shocking ease. He allowed the flames to fizzle out a moment later, but they'd already taken quite a toll. He was completely out of air. So exhausted, he could hardly move. Roman was counting on him, and he could do absolutely nothing.

Before he could find the strength to propel them both out of the water, Roman's eyes suddenly snapped open wide again. It might've been simply his imagination, and the lack of oxygen to his brain. But in that moment, Theo was positive Roman's eyes were blue.

The next thing he knew, Theo was flopping like a freshly-caught trout on the gymnasium floor. Roman lay beside him, out cold and as limp as a wet rag. Theo must've managed to rescue him after all, even though he had no memory of doing so. He was so relieved that Roman was saved, it took a moment to realize that the star quarterback did not appear to be breathing.

"R-Romeo?" Theo rolled onto his stomach and crawled closer to his beloved, still hacking and coughing on the chlorinated water clogging his own airways. "Romeo! C-Can you... h-hear me?! P-Please... say something!"

Someone tried to lay a towel across his shoulders, but Theo shrugged it off again immediately. His own welfare could wait; right now, Roman was all he cared about. Of course, he didn't exactly know what to do to help. Relying on what he'd seen on television, Theo's shaking hands tilted Roman's head back and pinched his nose. He had no idea what he was doing, but there wasn't time to doubt before he suddenly found himself giving Roman mouth-to-mouth. When he leaned back to take a breath, preparing to repeat the maneuver, Roman suddenly convulsed. Not a second later, a jet of water spewed forth from his lips, forced out by a violent, choking cough.

Theo was so relieved and overjoyed, no words in any language existed to describe it. Allowing himself to be swept up in the moment, he peppered Roman's lips with kisses and pulled him to a seated position. While Roman struggled to breathe against his shoulder, Theo held him in a backbreaking embrace. Focusing what little strength he had left on trying not to weep; afraid that if he loosened his grip even for a second, Roman would fade entirely from existence. Feeling the arms of his beloved around him again and knowing he was safe was everything in that moment. Nothing else mattered, or would matter.

...Until the painful realization hit that they had an audience.

Every one of his classmates and most of Hill Academy's faculty was congregated around the couple, ogling Theo's blatant display of affection. Some were clearly repulsed, while others snickered and whispered behind their hands. More than a few had their mobiles out, snapping photos and recording video of the scene with malicious grins. Those who weren't too busy whispering or filming erupted in cheers, clapping and wolf-whistling at the couple. A few, at least, seemed genuine in their support, but that didn't soothe the sting of those who cheered only to mock.

Theo's stomach churned and his heart physically ached from its feverish hammering. He felt like a grenade with a loose pin, fit to explode at a moment's notice. It wasn't as if he could simply run and hide, however, no matter how much he wished to. His legs refused to work, and Roman was holding him too tightly to allow him the luxury even if they did.

Every breath Roman drew was so tremulous and ragged, and each exhale carried a quiet yet grievous sob. If he were even aware of the immense crowd staring down at him, he showed no indication. All he could do was sit there and cough; his body coiled around Theo's like a frightened child, with his face buried in the hollow of Theo's neck.

"You?!" The indignant squawk was so loud, it frightened Theo out of a year's growth. By the time he traced it to its source, Luna was standing directly over him, gripping her handbag like a club. "You're the other girl?! You couldn't find anyone willing to date you, so you brainwash and steal my boyfriend?! What the actual hell is wrong with you, Freak?!"

Theo's embarrassment morphed quickly to anger, giving him the strength to pry Roman's arms off and stand. "What's wrong... with me?" he spat, "I'm not the homicidal tart who pushed him into the pool! Do you realize you might've killed him just now?! Do you even bloody care?!"

"Bell...o... Stop."

The plea was so soft and hoarse, Theo almost didn't hear it. He certainly felt the shaky fingers grip the back of his soggy suit coat, however. That small, gentle gesture was enough to settle his ire. Temporarily, at least. The hive had already been kicked, however, and the Queen Bee was just getting warmed up.

"Uh, hello?! It was an accident, Dumbass!" she snarled, "How was I supposed to know he can't swim?! It's his own damn fault for not telling me, and not watching where he was going! Honestly, he deserved it for cheating on me with a worthless, stupid, miserable little piss-ant like you!!"

"That is utter bollocks!" Theo roared, his tingling hands curling into fists at his sides. "Roman does not deserve any of your blatant abuse! Who can blame him for being unfaithful when you drove him straight into my arms, you unfeeling, selfish, conceited harpy?!"

"Theo..."

This time, those cool, shaking fingers wrapped around his wrist, squeezing it gently but with firm intent. Theo looked down with a small fright, only just noticing the steam curling off his damp skin and the charring around his cuffs. Before things got too far, he swept off his suit coat and wrapped it around his sizzling hot hands like a muff.

"I know," he said softly, barely containing a wince when the cold, wet fabric pressed against his stinging hands, "...and I'm sorry. We're going now. Can you walk?"

Roman took an awfully long time to answer, as he seemed to be having difficulty focusing on the question. More than once, he shook his head as if attempting to clear away the cobwebs. Eventually, he pressed the heel of his hand to his brow. A frightening reminder that he was still concussed, and a clear sign that his headache was back at full strength.

After a few moments, he finally opened his mouth to answer. Instead of speaking, however, he suddenly lurched forward and projectile vomited. Directly onto Luna's sparkly, strappy stilettos. Theo knew he should feel bad for her, but her scream of disgust was admittedly immensely satisfying.

Tiffany and Madison dragged Luna off to the girls' locker room a moment later, eager to help her clean up. All the while she shrieked, howled, and thrashed like a rabid chimpanzee, forcing them to practically carry her there. Theo was far too busy to pay attention to her childish antics, though; Roman's wellbeing was leagues more important.

It was unclear who called the ambulance, but Theo was unbearably grateful when it arrived. Most likely, one of the teachers were responsible, or perhaps the vice-principal Ms. Vasquez. Theo was inclined to think the latter, as she wrapped him in a blanket while the EMTs were tending to Roman. More than once she attempted to sneak a peek at his hands, but Theo was careful to keep them hidden and tucked tightly against his body. She might've asked if he wanted to call Thaddeus, but Theo wasn't entirely sure of that. All his focus was still on Roman, so much so that he forgot to pay attention to anything else.

It was quickly decided that Roman needed a hospital, if only to get a more detailed check-up. Theo claimed he was unhurt - which was mostly true - but Ms. Vasquez did not object to his desire to ride along in the ambulance with her and Roman. She must've seen the worry in his eyes, which never left Roman for a moment. Either that, or Theo looked a fright worse than he thought.

Despite his assurances that he was fine, Theo was immediately separated from Roman upon arriving at hospital. Of course, the one time he didn't need them to be thorough, they were. The more time the doctors and nurses spent fussing over him, the more anxious and irate Theo got. Things only snowballed when one of them had the bright idea to take his temperature, which was the final straw.

"Two hundred and ten degrees?!" one nurse said, her eyes boggling at the readout on her machine, "that can't be right! Who calibrated this thing?!"

"For the last time, I'm alright!" Theo snapped, "Enough of this mollycoddling already, please!"

When the nurse attempted to take his temperature again, he swatted the probe away without thinking. At the barest brush of his fingers, the young, pretty nurse recoiled with a blood-curdling scream, cradling her hand to her chest. Theo's breath caught painfully in his throat, seeing the raised, angry blisters on the back of her hand and realizing far too late what he'd done. The EKG monitor he was attached to beeped madly, reflecting the dizzying speed of his pulse.

At this point, any attempt to calm himself was moot. His anxiety was through the roof, amplified by his unfathomable shame, self-hatred, and bitter sadness. Theo was nanoseconds away from flashpoint; there was no time to run, or cry out a warning. It was happening, and he was helpless to control the Curse.

The impending inferno was stopped shockingly short, nipped in the bud by a sharp pain in his leg. Another nurse had grabbed a hypodermic from her instrument tray, jabbing it into his thigh with hardly a second to spare. The last thing Theo recalled that night was the intense, deeply haunted look in her eyes. A look he'd seen countless times from Thaddeus, and in the mirror every morning.

She knew.