The Pact

15. star wars is boring

A/N: For the record, I don't think Star Wars is boring.

The next few days went by without so much as an appearance of Beck. He didn't show up to class or training, not even messaging me to let me know he couldn't make it.

Everyday, I would show up in the gym, and sit, and wait. And everyday, I came to the same conclusion; he wasn't coming.

I didn't know what I had done wrong. I didn't think that he would be the one to get uncomfortable during our deal. Every message I sent, every call I made went unanswered.

I didn't want to talk about how empty my days felt without his incessant need to humiliate me. How boring and easy my training had felt without him there. I knew that there were other people who could fill his shoes, but none of them could be him.

Trying to distract myself from my growing disappointment, I focused more of my energy into training, asking Griffin and Jace to help me train instead. Sure, Jace had no knowledge of the rules of volleyball, nor could he bump the ball without whining about it hurting his wrists, but he was a hate filled human being, and I let him take it out on me everyday for two hours.

"Don't be a pussy, Emily! Run!" Jace called after me as I ran, whipping a volleyball against my back.

"I told you not to hit me again, asshole!" I shouted back at him, slowing my pace. The impact of another volleyball hitting my back made me jerk forward, and my feet began moving again. "I hate you," I panted as I finished my lap.

"You hate me but you just ran your fastest lap of the day," he looked up from his timer, crossing his arms. "But you can do better," he placed his whistle in his mouth, blowing it directly in my face before starting the timer.

I knew I would regret letting him use a whistle.

"No I can't," I groaned, running. "Why are we doing this?"

Jace shrugged, blowing the whistle again. "Because you suck,"

I scoffed and kept running, trying to ignore how much my legs hurt by the end of each session with Jace.

As our training came to an end, I watched Jace closely while stretching.

Jace caught my eye, raising a curious brow before crouching down in front of me. "You know, Emily, I think I really overestimated your nosiness. It's been four whole days and you haven't asked me once where your boyfriend is."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not nosy, and he's not my boyfriend."

"If only both those things were true." He narrowed his brow at me. "Why haven't you asked?"

I opened my mouth to say something, but the words died on my lips as I felt a sickening sense of unease settle over me.

"Take my keys," Jace's voice was stern, his eyes boring into mine as he forcefully shoved his house keys into my hands. "Beck's in his room, as he has been, for four days now." He stood from his spot, extending a hand and helping me off the floor. "But, fair warning, he's not the Beck you know."

I bit my lip, nodding as I took the keys from him. "What happened?" I asked quietly.

Jace shook his head. "I don't know what happened to him exactly. One minute he was there, talking and laughing with me, the next minute he was gone."

"Gone where?" I asked, still confused.

"I don't know," Jace sighed. "He went to his room and locked himself inside, hasn't come out since. Haven't tried to talk to him or anything. I'm sure he's fine, but if you want to check on him—"