Chapter Forty-Eight

The man at the pizza place was so nice, he let me and Austin stay the night. He said it was much too dangerous for us to be walking around straight after it happened, he set us up in a bedroom and left. Not that I had a very good sleep after everything, but I managed to get a few hours in. I sent a text to Roman explaining that we were both okay and how lovely the guy at the pizza place was, at first I got worried as he didn't text me back straight away but in the morning he does. He offered to walk over and walk us back with him, I said how that was nice but it would be safer for him to stay there and Austin and I would meet him after. Austin opens up the door to the pizza place, the air wasn't as bad as it was last night but you could still smell it in the air. As we walk out, there were lines of police cars cornering off some parts of the town, I suspect those were the parts that were hit the most. 'Thank you so much for letting us stay" I smile as I hug each member of the family, the pizza man's name I was Carl, we learnt it last night. 'You don't have to thank us, I couldn't let my best customers go out like that, I'd be out of business" he laughs which did make us all laugh, Austin probably gives the guy most of the money he makes by now! After more small talk, we walk away and start heading home. The really broken streets filling our view, what on earth could have happened here? One moment it was calm, peaceful and normal. But then the next, it's absolute chaos! We cross the road where a family were crying, the building in front of them had been hit with debris and was basically, crushed. My heart aches for them, all of what they know has gone in a matter of a night! 'Have you got any idea on what could have happened?" I ask looking over at Austin, I know he's been with me the whole time and knew as much as I did, but I just needed to know what could have caused this! 'I don't have any idea" Austin says shrugging his shoulders as his phone rings, he pulls it out where I see the one and only Markus's name, Austin soon answers it. 'Both me and Payton are fine, we're just trying to make it home now but the amount of police cars are insane" he says talking to Markus, I use this time to look around the place even more at everything that has changed so much with our little town. 'Yeah we had to ditch the car, as the debris that were flying everywhere blocked the road and we couldn't get by" he explains while I just shake my head, Markus probably looked on his little tracker and saw the car hadn't moved in a few hours, I still can't believe he tracks us like some animals. 'Do you have any idea what could have happened? Payton and I are just looking around at it all, I know you know a lot of high up people that might know what could have happened" Austin asked which was a great question, if anyone was to know what could have happened, it's probably going to be Markus. It just sucked that I couldn't hear the other side of the conversation, so I just continued to look around and allow Austin and Markus to chat. After a few minutes, they say their goodbyes and Austin slips his phone back into his pocket. We soon come to the road that leads to our apartment complex, as we look over it seems like the place wasn't hit at all. This does make relief take over my senses, I wouldn't know what to do if we also lost our home. 'Markus said he doesn't know what happened but will find out" Austin says as he too stops to look at the complex, I think we both just needed to stop for a few moments to really take in what just happened. 'Markus said it's also good we had left the car, Markus drove around and just found the car smashed from debris hitting it" he said which made my eyes go wide, we would have died if we stayed there! 'It's weird that Markus knew where to look" I say raising my eyebrow, I was hoping to give him a hint about what I knew without actually telling him. Austin looks down at me nodding his head, but does take my hand so we can cross the road and enter the carpark for our place. We soon make it to the carpark, where I knew I was soon to see Roman at home. I look over to Austin for a second. 'Honestly, I wouldn't know what I would do without you" I say which did take him off guard, he looks over at me surprised but a smile soon does form on his lips. 'You saved my life last night, I will never forget that" I say where he shakes his head, turning to look at our house which was only getting closer. 'If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been put in that situation in the first place" he says talking about why I was out that night, but we had been over the same thing so many times. 'That doesn't matter now, but you stepped up and saved my life" I exclaim just wanting to see what he really did for me, he shouldn't be hung up about why it happened! 'You've been doing the same thing for me over the years, but you just didn't know it" he smiles which did make me also smile, soon the stairs come into view as he begin to climb them. 'What are we going to tell Roman happened last night?" He asks as we reach the very top of the stairs, I knew we couldn't tell him what really happened as he would just flip out on Austin. 'We'll tell him the dinner went on forever where we were able to leave around 2, but the explosions prevented us from getting home" I say coming up with the excuse on the spot, but I have to give myself credit, it was good for how quick it was. Austin was amazed with how quick I could come up with the excuse, which only makes a laugh leave my lips. I used to have to come up with a heap of excuses so I could sneak out and see Roman, some were complex. I walk over to our door where I open it up, the smell of our home calming me down from all the chaos that was outside. I throw my things on the cabinet by the door before walking in, where at the same time I hear running from the house. Before I could move a single muscle, I was wrapped in a tight hug by Roman. 'I have never been more worried in my life" he says still holding me so tightly as he went, I just smile but Romans smell was also calming me down. 'We're both okay" I say holding him so tightly back, I could feel how worried he was as he held me in his arms, he soon pulls away placing both of his hands on either side of my face. 'Are you sure you're okay?" He asks looking in my eyes as he went, I just smile nodding my head letting him know I was totally fine. 'Are you okay man?" he asks looking over at Austin, who looked up shocked that he was even asking him that question. 'Yeah I know we might be going through a dip in our friendship, but that doesn't change the fact that I still see you as a brother. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if anything happened to either one of you" Roman explains pointing between me and Austin, I send him a smile at how sweet he was as Austin nods his head. 'As like Payton, we are both fine" Austin smiles as Roman walks over and they both hug, look they're getting back to how they used to be! 'I'm just gonna jump in the shower real quick, I feel like the smell of pizza has just ingrained itself into my skin" I say where the guys pull away and both laugh at me, but I really feel like I smell like pizza. 'Go jump in, I'll sort you some fresh clothes out" Roman smiles which does make me nod my head before walking towards the bathroom.