Trapped

Chapter 15-Jake

I could not believe that I had reunited with Will after this long. He had changed so much, he looked totally different when what he looked like back in middle school- no wonder I didn't recognize him before. The color of his hair, his weight, his voice, everything had changed. I only found out that it was him when I looked at the mailbox and saw his name on a letter. The name looked familiar and so I went back to the middle school yearbook I had and found him. It was then that I made the connection. I was really proud to see how far he has come. He had a great job, a great house, and he had Emi-perhaps the most valuable thing he had. I looked to Emi, who was obviously hiding sorrow behind the weak smile she had plastered on.

Emi hurried off out of the room and I watched her with concern.
"Is everything alright?" I asked Will as she left.
"Oh her, yeah everything's okay. She's just like that sometimes" Will said almost showing no concern or emotion when he spoke of Emi. I looked at him with disappointment and disdain.

She came back a few minutes later, and say sat down next to Will. He took her hand and placed it on his heart. She flashed a quick smile and looked at him.

"I thought you went to get coffee." I said, seeing her come in with no mug.

"Oh yeah, uh- I decided against it, I already had two cups today," she said with a stutter. She glanced up at me and then quickly looked down at her fingers.

"Trust me, she's better off decaffeinated!" said Will in a half mocking, half playful way. I looked at Emi's face as she looked at Will with regret and accusation filled in her eyes. Then she glanced back at me and smiled. Did he always treat her this way, I thought.

Suddenly, Wills phone began to ring, and looking at the caller id, he excused himself to take the call outside the room. Emi watched him leave the room and then continued looking at the floor, not making eye contact with me.

"So, how long have you and Will known each other?" I said breaking the silence.

"He's known me longer than I've known him," she said with a distant voice.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Nothing. We've known each other since college."

"Will went to Bradford I think. Did you go there too?"

"Yeah. That's where we met."

"So how long have you two been married?"

"3 years." She kept answering like she was being questioned by the police, distant, one-worded and cold.

I leaned in closer across the coffee  table  and asked her quietly,

"Emi, is he okay with you?"

"What?" she asked surprised.

"Are you happy with him" I asked her in a serious tone.

She just looked at me. The creases on her forehead deepened and she moved her lips to start to say something. But as soon as she did, Will came bursting in boasting loudly,

"Guess who just made a $100,000 investment with Marty Farmdale?" He said obviously looking for attention.

"Would that be you?" I said sarcastically.

"Yup." He said as he leaned onto Emi and gave her a hug.

"I did this for you love" he said to her. She smiled back and congratulated him.

"Hey man, I gotta go home and catch up on some work, so I'm gonna run." I said quickly.

"Sure thing man, come on, you live next door now, drop by anytime. Let's make plans tomorrow." said Will as he led me to the door. I  shook his hand goodbye and took one last look at Emi sitting on the couch, staring at the window, before heading out the door.