Chasing My Best Friend's Brother

Chapter 2

S.hit, James ran a hand down his face as he watched Bianca turn and walk away. He didn't want to hurt her like that, but it was better she learn that nothing would happen between them now, rather than letting her think something could happen later. God, when he saw her get out of the cab tonight he had feelings stirring that he hadn't felt in years. Feelings he shouldn't be having for anyone, let alone his sister's best friend. But he couldn't go there and he wouldn't. He wasn't going to drag any woman into his f.ucked up life. Just as he was about to get up and leave Jen came up the stairs and headed straight for him demanding to know what happened with Bianca. Of course she did, those two were closer than sisters.

"I didn't say anything to her" he lied, he'd rather not have this conversation with Jen, especially when she'd been drinking. She might not be the type of person to always take up for herself. Actually, when they were younger he would constantly tell her not to let people walk all over her, but she never got the message. She had no problem though taking up for her friends, and Bianca was her best friend so he was f.ucked.

"Then why did she run by us crying?" D.amn it, he thought he saw her eyes watering. He didn't realize he had made her cry. He made up some excuse about Bianca being oversensitive and told Jen to let it go. Then they got ready to leave, he had wanted to dip out early because he hated coming to bars like this but he had stuck with it for Jen. Fortunately, she wanted to leave so he pulled her away from Shawn and put his arm around her, leading them both out of the door. He made sure she got home safe then he went to his apartment. He showered and got ready for bed, carefully applying lotion to his burn. It had been 14 years since he got this and he still had a hard time looking at himself in the mirror. The memories that flooded him almost every time he saw his scar were debilitating.

"Come on guys, it's time to go home." His mother called from the front hall. They had just finished watching It's A Wonderful Life and now Jen was sneaking candy out of the stockings.

"Hey pipsqueak" he called to Jen, who turned around, caught red-handed. "Put that away and say goodbye, it's time to go," she turned to him with a pout.

"Do we really have to go? Can't we sleep here?"

"No, Jen come on."

"Ugh, fine," she groaned. They all said their goodbyes and then headed out to the car.

"Everyone buckled?" His dad asked, then started driving after they all said they were. They were talking about the upcoming holiday and hosting a party next week, school, and college when all of a sudden there was a loud crashing noise and their car crashed into the guardrail. Jen screamed while his mom told them everything was okay and his father tried to right the car but then they hit a patch of ice on the road and his father lost control of the car completely, sending them over the barrier and into a small ditch below. James blacked out for a moment and when he came to he saw a passed out Jen hanging upside down and heard whimpers from up front.

"Mom?" He croaked out.

"James, are you okay honey?"

"I think so I just hit my head, are you and dad okay?" His mother didn't say anything for a moment before a sob ripped from her mouth. "Mom, what is it?"

"It's nothing honey, just just check on Jennifer okay?"

"She looks okay, just passed out. Hold on let me try to unbuckle."

"Be careful honey."

He unbuckled and put his arms out over his head to keep his body from slamming directly on to the roof of the car. He clumsily lowered himself down then went over to Jen. He checked her pulse and could feel it strong and steady. "She's okay, passed out but she has a pulse."

"Okay, okay, that's good. Can you get her unbuckled and pull her out?"

"Yeah give me a minute." He started working his way to be able to reach her buckle as he continued hearing his mom cry. "Mom, what is it?" He asked, he could hear her crying harder, it wasn't just the accident. "Are you hurt?"

"Just get Jennifer out, and come back to my side."

"Okay." It took him a few minutes longer but he finally got Jen out and pulled her out of the ditch away from the car.

"James" Jen groaned out "what's happening?"

"Hold on Jen okay, I have to get mom and dad I'll be right back. Take my phone call 9-1-1 okay? Can you do that?"

"Yes."

"Okay, thank you." He went back over to the car to the passenger side and tried to pull the door open but it wouldn't budge. He bent down on the ground to talk to his mom through the window that had busted as the car rolled. "I can't get the door open, can you unbuckle and I'll pull you through here? Can dad get out?"

"Baby" she said, with agony lacing her voice. "Baby, he didn't make it."

"Wh-what? What, no we're all fine the crash wasn't that bad, hold on let me check." He said as he went to his father's side. He couldn't get that door open either so be bent down to look at his father and saw that a large piece of glass was embedded into his neck and he had missed it before because it was so dark, but now that he was closer he could see a dark liquid covering the side of his father's face and pooling down on the ground. "Mom, oh my God, mom."

"I know honey, I know, just come help me out so we can get help. How's Jennifer?"

"She woke up. She's calling 9-1-1. S.hit mom" he shouted, seeing a small flame spark on the underside of the car that was now facing upwards.

"What honey?"

"There's a flame, we have to get you out." He ran to her side and tried to open the door again. When he couldn't, he bent down and cleared the glass away from the window frame as best he could.

"My seatbelt won't come undone. It's stuck."

"Okay can you squeeze out through the top?" He asked as he looked back up at the car, the flame was growing and moving. And he heard Jen yelling his name and calling for their mom and dad.

"No" she yelled, "It's too tight, you have to find something to cut it, hand me a piece of glass or something."

He looked around for a large piece and found one. He handed it to her as he grabbed another one. The flames had covered the bottom of the car and were wrapping around the hood. He could feel the heat of the fire licking his skin. It was moving faster consuming more of the car as they tried to get his mom out.

"Honey, honey, James." His mother yelled at him, finally getting him to look up at her. "You have to stop, you have to go up to Jennifer, I'll keep cutting but you have to get away from the car there's too much fire."

"F.uck that mom, I'm not leaving you."

"Don't f.ucking argue with me I'm your mother and you will listen." He didn't. He kept cutting as the flames got closer and she begged him to leave. They cut and cut and finally his mother fell free from the seatbelt. He breathed a sigh of relief and began pulling her out of the car when all of a sudden he heard another loud boom and was pushed backwards, but not before the fire reached his face. The next thing he remembered was Jen standing over him with an EMT next to her.

"Mom?" He asked.

Jen stared at him with tears streaming down her face shaking her head.

"What do you mean? She got out, I got her out" he yelled. He couldn't stop yelling. His face was in so much pain but that didn't compare to the pain he was feeling as Jen stood there shaking her head.

"You did." Jen said, coming up to him and holding his hand. "And then the car just, it like exploded James, and mom pushed you away from it right before she was covered in flames. It was all over her and they would have been all over you too if she hadn't pushed you out of the way.

"No, no, no" James yelled.

He looked back up to the mirror, remembering how they had to sedate him and he woke up a day later with third-degree burns covering his face. It was a long road to recovery and he still had problems, not only with his burn but with the guilt that plagued him every day that he hadn't been able to save his mother. He was a mess, and no good for Bianca.