Jay POV
The final bell rang.
🔔
Freedom.
I quickly packed my bag and grabbed my phone.
The first thing I did was send Aries a message.
📱
Jay: Don't wait for me. I have something to do after school.
The reply came almost immediately.
Aries: Should I be worried?
Jay: Probably not.
Aries: That's not reassuring.
Jay: Bye.
Aries: Don't get arrested.
Jay: No promises.
😭
I shoved my phone into my pocket before he could send anything else.
Outside the classroom, students were already heading home.
The hallways were packed.
As I walked toward the gate, a familiar voice called out.
"Jay."
I turned.
Keifer.
Of course.
He walked over, bag slung over one shoulder.
"Heading home?"
"Eventually."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning I have plans."
"Plans?"
"Yes."
"With who?"
I immediately pointed at him.
"That sounded jealous."
"It wasn't."
"Sure."
😭
Keifer rolled his eyes.
"Want me to drop you off later?"
The offer surprised me.
A little.
But I shook my head.
"Next time."
"Next time?"
"Yep."
"Suspicious."
"I've been told."
😭
Before he could ask more questions, I quickly backed away.
"Bye."
"Jay."
"Bye."
"Jay."
"Bye."
Then I ran.
😭🔥
Behind me, I could hear him laughing.
Annoying.
Very annoying.
A few minutes later, I reached the gate.
Matteo was already waiting beside his car.
The moment he saw me, he pointed.
"Late."
"By thirty seconds."
"Still late."
"You're dramatic."
"I'm learning from you."
😭
I got into the passenger seat.
And a few minutes later, they were on the road.
The drive was surprisingly fun.
Mostly because Matteo refused to act normal.
At one point he almost missed a turn because he was busy arguing with me about whether pineapple belonged on pizza.
"It does."
"It doesn't."
"You're wrong."
"You're wrong."
"You're impossible."
"I've heard that before."
😭
Eventually they stopped at a restaurant.
The place wasn't fancy.
But the food smelled amazing.
Which was what actually mattered.
A few minutes later...
Jay was happily eating.
Matteo was happily stealing food.
Life was unfair.
😭
"Stop taking my fries."
"They're community fries."
"They're my fries."
"Debatable."
I threatened him with a spoon.
Matteo looked completely unbothered.
Then suddenly...
His phone rang.
📱
The smile disappeared from his face immediately.
I noticed it at once.
Because Matteo was always smiling.
Always joking.
Always relaxed.
But now?
Nothing.
Just seriousness.
He answered.
"Hello?"
Silence.
Then his expression changed.
And my stomach dropped.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
"What?"
Another pause.
Then Matteo stood up.
Fast.
Too fast.
"I'm on my way."
The call ended.
I stared at him.
"Matteo?"
He grabbed his keys.
"We need to go."
"What happened?"
For a second, he looked away.
Then quietly said:
"A fire."
My heart skipped.
Neither of them spoke much during the drive.
The joking was gone.
The laughter was gone.
Everything felt different.
Twenty minutes later...
The car slowed.
Then stopped.
I looked out the window.
And froze.
An orphanage.
Smoke filled part of the sky.
People were running everywhere.
Children were crying.
Adults were shouting.
The smell of smoke filled the air.
The second Matteo stepped out of the car...
Several staff members rushed toward him.
Not toward firefighters.
Not toward police.
Toward Matteo.
Like they knew him.
Really knew him.
"Matteo!"
"Where's Joel?"
The question came so fast it shocked me.
A woman looked close to tears.
"He's still upstairs."
Everything stopped.
For one horrible second.
Everything.
Then Matteo moved.
Fast.
"Where's the extinguisher?"
"Empty."
"What?"
"It was used earlier!"
Matteo swore under his breath.
Then looked toward the burning section.
And for the first time...
I saw genuine fear in his eyes.
The kind of fear people had when someone they loved was in danger.
"Bring me water."
Nobody moved.
"NOW!"
Everyone jumped.
A few moments later, buckets of water arrived.
A wet blanket too.
Matteo grabbed both.
I finally found my voice.
"Matteo..."
He poured water over himself.
Then wrapped the wet blanket around his shoulders.
The smoke was getting worse.
Much worse.
And suddenly...
I understood what he was planning.
My eyes widened.
"Matteo, wait."
He looked at me.
For a second...
The old Matteo returned.
The smiling one.
The funny one.
The idiot.
😭
Then he smiled.
"Tell Keifer I was right."
I blinked.
"About what?"
His grin widened.
"You're trouble."
😭🔥
Before I could stop him...
Before anyone could stop him...
Matteo turned.
And ran straight into the smoke.
🔥
"MATTEO!"
The flames swallowed the doorway.
And he disappeared from sight.
End of Chapter 99 🔥📖👀💔