Inferno Part 3

~120~ Crazy Crazy

Ellie's POV

"What was that all about?" Taylor asks from the couch next to me while he, Justin, and I all watch TV.

"Jake wants Nolan to stay at his house this week."

"Did Nolan say anything?"

"No. He's on his way home now, so I'm gonna go pack him a few things. Then he'll go back tonight."

Taylor looks at Justin. "I'm going to speak with him privately when he gets home. I'm sorry, but if he's having a hard time with you being here, I'm having you stay with Alex. Nolan comes first."

Justin nods. "I get it. It's fine."

I go up and pack him several days worth of clothes, and then come back down the stairs.

"Is he still not back yet?"

"No," Taylor says as he gets on his phone.

"He didn't answer," he says after a moment.

I get back on the phone and call Jake. After I hang up, I start to get nervous. "He left his house over ten minutes ago."

Taylor rolls his eyes as he starts calling the family.

"I can go," Justin says as he stands up.

"If Nolan gives me the word, then yeah you will. You're still good to stay for now. I need to find my kid though," Taylor says.

Justin only nods as he sits back down.

Before I start to get completely nervous, Jake comes barreling in, his hand around Nolan's arm.

"Looking for this?" He asks, his eyes hard and his tone clipped.

"What's going on?" Taylor asks as he stands up and crosses his arms.

"Found him hiding out. He snuck in through Ethan's window. I now have to go spank my kid, so thanks for that, Nolan."

Taylor's face gets dark. "Did you ignore my phone call?"

Nolan's face is totally straight. I can't read it at all.

"It's on silent. I didn't hear it."

Taylor stares for a long moment at Nolan, and then looks at Jake.

"I'm gonna head out. He can still come over, but he'll be grounded at my house if he does."

"He won't be over," Taylor says with so much finality in his voice, Jake raises eyebrows and leaves silently.

Once it's just us, Justin clears his throat.

"This is my fault—Don't punish him for this. I'll just see if I can sleep in Alex's apartment in the basement."

"You didn't make him sneak around and lie, Justin," Taylor says, not taking his eyes off of Nolan.

"I didn't lie!" Nolan snaps.

It's Taylor's turn to raise his eyebrows as he walks over, slowly, to Nolan.

"You really wanna keep lying?"

"I'm not. I haven't lied to you at all."

"You lied to Jake when you told him you were coming home. I'm also, not an idiot. I know you knew I was calling. Even when it's on silent, it still vibrates."

Nolan is quiet, and looks at the ground.

"So you gonna tell me before or after I punish you for lying?"

"Tell you what?"

"What possessed you to not come home, and then sneak back into Jake's house."

Silence. Complete silence.