P H I L ' S P O V

We had been here for hours now and Dan was slightly intoxicated. I was pretty sober, wanting to stay that way considering I was the designated driver for tonight.

Beyond and Nyla wandered off, and I spotted Dan sitting at the bar. I sauntered over, placing my hand on his shoulder before kissing the top of his head. "Dance with me?"

Dan blushed and I held my hand out. And for once, it happened. His fingers bent, and they intertwined with mine. He was holding my hand again. I pulled him up and led him to the dance floor, finding an empty spot.

We began dancing, my hands resting on his shoulders, and his on my waist. I found Nyla and Bryony, sitting on a couch talking. That was the hope that seemed to be foreshadowed when they had met earlier- a healthy friendship that Bryony maybe thought she was incapable of after only having Wirrow. Something could bloom here.

Nyla seemed sad, as if she were spilling her emotions out to the girl next to her.

Drink in her hand and sadness in her heart, she sat, wanting nothing more than to be understood.

Dan began rutting himself against me and I furrowed my eyebrows, not used to the public display of affection. "Wha-?"

He giggled. "Just follow me."

He leaned forward, his hands tight on my waist, and pressed his mouth to my neck. I melted into his touch, letting my eyes flutter shut and beginning to calm down before I got a bad feeling. It felt like we were being watched. I tensed and tried to pull away from him, but his grip on my waist tightened.

I opened my eyes, and then froze. There was a boy, with blonde hair and light eyes, a leather jacket on and a not-so-friendly look plastered on his pale skin.

But there he stood, alone, his eyes locked on mine with a devious smirk and furrowed eyebrows. Why was he staring so intensely? Before I could get his attention, he was gone with the crowd.

"Dan, stop," I spoke. My boyfriend pulled off of me, confused. "Don't turn around, but a guy from Wirrow's group is here. We have to get Bryony and Nyla and leave."

"But what if he's planning something? We can't just save Bryony and Nyla, we have to get everybody out of here. Besides, how do you know?"

"I just know." I grabbed his arm. "And You know that's not possible. There's over a hundred people in here, maybe more. We'd have to hit the fire alarm or something."

"Then I'll find it. You go get Nyla and Bryony," Dan told me, beginning to walk away. I grabbed at the back of his shirt.

"No! Bryony said we need to stay together at times like these."

And just like that, he was no longer passionate, as he yanked himself from my grasp. "I know what I'm doing." Then, he walked off, disappearing through the crowd.

I groaned, trying to look through the crowd for the other girls. But they were no longer on the couch. In fact, they were no where to be seen. I began to panic.

My eyes darted back to where the boy was standing, but I was greeted with an empty space.

Oh god. This can't be happening.

"Bryony? Nyla?" I called out over the bass of the speakers. I tapped people on shoulders, asking if they had seen them. All their answers were no. I asked bartenders and waitresses. I asked security guards and janitors. None of the answers were yes.

This was not good. I was all alone now, considering Dan stomped off and the others disappeared. Now, there was a revenge-seeking stranger on the loose. I exhaled, pushing through sweaty bodies to get to the bathrooms.

Alone in the bathroom I washed my face, looking at myself in the mirror, enjoying the quieter atmosphere. That is, until I noticed a very faint beeping present in the room. I furrowed my eyebrows, stepping back.

The beeping continued and I blinked, looking all over for it. I checked the stalls, behind the toilets and under the benches, but I couldn't find it. Then, I spotted it. The one place I hadn't checked.A cabinet under the sink. Cautiously I tiptoed to it, squatting and wrapping my fingers around the metal, opening it.

I felt sick.

There was a bomb attached to the back of the empty cabinet, ticking down. There was only five minutes left on it. I immediately tried to rip it off, but it was sealed. Then I noticed that it had, in fact, been nailed into the wood. The only option now was to pretend there was a fire, find my friends, and get out of here.

Quickly, I shut it, hurrying out of the restrooms to search for my friends. "Dan? Bry? Nyla?" I walked past the exit but heard a crash, pausing and walking backwards to listen again. A grunt followed.

Slowly, I pushed the back door open, peeking through it.

Dan was against the wall with the boy from earlier pressed against him, throwing punches wildly at my boyfriend's face. I rushed over and shoved the stranger, pinning him to the ground. Dan fell to his knees.

"Who the fuck are you? What do you want from us?" I growled. The boy didn't reply and I took the time to look at Dan, who was half unconscious and bloody. I threw a punch to his stomach. "Answer me!"

"Alec! Now get off me!" He cried.

"Not until you explain why you're spying on us!" I responded. He shot his knee up and hit me in the crotch, causing me to gasp out and fall off him. He swung a punch at me and hit me right in the nose. I staggered back and hit the ground, groaning in pain.

"I'm not explaining anything to you, asshole. The bomb explains enough."

I snatched my phone and began texting Bryony about the bomb, hopefully sending it but I couldn't tell because Alec had smacked my phone out of my hand.

"You can't do anything to stop me," he snarled. "It's not like you care about these people. You didn't care about Wirrow."

I shot my leg out and kicked him in the stomach, sending him backwards. "I did care about him. He didn't care about me. Same goes to you, Alec. He didn't care about anybody, but you're too goddamn stupid to see that. Wake up, kid, he didn't give two shits about anyone."

"That's not true."

"It is. Don't act like you know him."

"Oh and you did? You blew him off more than once, cursed him out and disobeyed him. You didn't even know he had us as backup," he spat. He shook his head, but then darted his eyes back to the timer on his pocket. "One minute left till this place explodes, along with everyone in it."

Dan groaned beside me. "Phil, just go find Nyla and Bryony. Please."

"I'm not leaving you, remember?" I told him. He whimpered.

"How romantic," Alec scoffed. "Not to ruin the moment, but you're running out of time." I stood to help Dan but he sat up himself, and without warning a pair of hands yanked me back by my hair.

"Let go of him!" Dan cried. I wiggled to get out of his grip but nothing worked as he pulled me towards the door. I scraped at his arms, feeling skin tear underneath my fingernails, but Alec refused to let go.

"You'd look great as a pile of ashes," Alec spoke. "Really would suit you."

"Stop it!"

Alec opened the door. Dan forced himself to stand up. "No!"

He held the door open with his foot. I kept fighting but Alec just kept swinging punches, hitting me anywhere he could reach. Dan came running forwards. I tried to push Alec off but he only leaned down, choking me harshly.

Ten seconds.

Dan reached forwards and tried to pry his hands off my neck. I struggled to breathe.

Nine seconds.

Dan shot his leg between mine, hitting Alec with his foot. Alec dropped his grasp and let me fall to the ground.

Eight seconds.

Dan nudged me backwards to get me out of the way and threw his fist at Alec, whacking him in the eye.

Seven seconds.

Alec fought back. I tried my best to even my breathing, clutching at my chest.

Six seconds.

Noticing the weapon, Dan snaked a dagger out of Alec's pocket, raising it up and slashing his shoulder. The boy groaned in pain.

Five.

Dan swung the knife but Alec caught his wrist, twisting it. Dan hissed and dropped the weapon.

Four.

Alec took the chance to shove him back, this time Dan unable to use his right hand.

Three.

"Time's up," Alec snarled.

My mind instinctively traveled to when Wirrow texted me that before almost killing Dan. I couldn't stand or breathe. I felt dizzy. I couldn't move.

Two.

Dan pulled himself up and ran forward, his body colliding with Alec's.

One.

He ran Alec into the window, the blonde boy's body breaking through the glass and falling inside. Then everything was slow motion.

Zero.

Flames broke out. Sirens rang out and crying joined the noise.

I hadn't realized it, but after Dan pushed the boy, he had somehow managed to get to me. He had his arms around me, blocking me from the explosion. Dan's hand was holding the back of my head, forcing my face to hide against his shoulder. I felt us being forced back from the impact.

He was protecting me.

My eyelids felt heavy and my ears were ringing. I couldn't feel Dan anymore. I couldn't feel the ground anymore. I couldn't feel my tears anymore.

And slowly, my vision went white.