The Prank War

Chapter 3.

Ember's POV

It was Saturday morning, and the morning rush at The Coffee House was dying down. My shift had started at five in the morning, which I didn't mind waking up so early. I actually prefer the early shifts on weekends. It gives me an excuse to get out of the house early.

As eleven o'clock came inching closer, I looked forward to taking my break. I felt so exhausted from last night. My mom pretty much kept me up. It seemed like she and Luis — my mother's boyfriend — had a few friends over last night. I don't even want to know what they were up to.

Something no one knows— besides Madison and Logan—is that my mother is an alcoholic. My Dad left for a year with my little brother, and he left me with her. The three rules I follow to survive that house are simple:

1. Stay out of their way.

2. Don't question anything.

3. Follow directions.

As depressing as my life sounds, I try to look at the positive side. I'm not physically abused in any way, I have a roof over my head and food on my plate. The way I see it, it could be worse.

"Ember, take your fifteen minute break," Gwen says as she walks up to me.

I allow Gwen to take my spot in front of the register. "Okay, thanks." I walk around the counter, making my way to an empty table. I sit down in a booth, my feet throbbing as I finally give them the rest they deserve.

I take my phone out of my pocket to check if Logan had finally sent me a text back, but he hadn't. I asked him if he wanted to hang out after my shift since I really didn't want to go home. Waiting for a text from him feels dreadful, and it makes me wish that Madison had stayed home from the out of town trip she took with her parents.

"Ember?" I look up from my phone to the voice that called my name. I wish I hadn't.

I scrunch up my nose once I realized it was Jake. "What are you doing here?" My voice gives off a harsher tone than I intended it to.

Jake laughs, it seems like he's already amused with this conversation. "It's a coffee place. I'm getting coffee." His tone was condescending.

My facial expression relaxes, but an annoyed pout stays engraved as I roll my eyes. "I know that, I just meant what are you doing in this specific coffee place. There are dozens out there. You couldn't have gone to a Starbucks or something?"

Jake takes a seat in front of me as I look at him in horror. What the hell is he doing? He folds his hands together on the table and looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sorry, I hadn't realized I wasn't allowed to be a customer here."

I cross my arms over my chest and lean back. "Well, you're not."

The seriousness in my voice makes Jake smile. Even if his smile is patronizing, I prefer it over his permanent smirk.

"Who or what gives you the authority to decide that?" Jake's smile soon turns into that dreadful smirk. It was as if he were trying to challenge me.

I sit up straight and uncross my arms. With an innocent smile, I signale towards the words, The Coffee House, written on my apron with a coffee bean logo. "I work here."

Jake leans forward. His voice was soft and low. "It doesn't mean you own the place." I scowl at him. Looking amused, he leans against the backrest. He unfolds his hands, and his finger starts to tap on the wooden table as his gaze never leaves mine. "Besides, if that's how things are working between us now, you're not allowed at the movie theater."

This time, it was my turn to raise an eyebrow questiongly at him. "Don't tell me you work at the movie theater." Jake smiles wide, his teeth visible. He was obviously enjoying the shocked expression on my face.