INFERNO (Dolan Twins) [ON HIATUS]

1. In Hot Water

(Present Day ~ July 10th, 2015)
Ethan's POV

"Grayson!" I yell, clenching my fists. My fist bangs against his bedroom door as I continue to shout and demand for him to come out. "Did you touch my ice cream?!"

A quiet creak rumbles the now-silent hallway as I spot Grayson's timid, colour-changing eyes peep through the slit in the door and doorway. I stare at him as he looks me up and down first, then opening the door wider. Grayson's throat creates that bulging lump as he swallows fearfully at my angry face.

"P-pardon?" He asks me with a quiet tone.

"Don't act innocent," I roll my eyes at him. "I know you took my tub of ice cream from the freezer."

"Why me?!" Grayson whines. "For all you know, Cameron could've taken it too!"

"Because I'm the only one in the house who actually likes that ice cream flavour, dumbass," I force my brother back into his room, pushing my way inside as I scan Gray's bedroom for my ice cream. He nervously fiddles with his fingers and gulps a couple times as I start going through his stuff.

I go through Grayson's closet, finding nothing but clothes and random things. Grayson anxiously sits on the edge of his bed, staring down at the floor. I pause. My eyes quietly observe him, still staring at something- something under his desk- while thinking that I'm still searching his closet.

Ah ha. Gotcha.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" I smirk at a suddenly flustered Grayson. His eyes fly up away from the view of his desk.

"Nothing," he breaks eye contact with me.

"Pff, nothing-my-ass," I roll my eyes, bringing myself to my hands and knees before I suddenly catch the outline of a cylindrical container. "GRAYSON!" I shout with anger. "Why the hell would you-"

"I was hungry, Ethan!" He complains. "It's so freaking hot and there was nothing else in the freezer but that ice cream!"

"MOM!" I scream, ditching Grayson in his room as I sprint down the steps, and into the family room. Mom sits on the couch, with an unimpressed expression plastered across her face.

"What is it?" She asks, her eyes gazing down at her novel.

"Grayson ate my-"

"Your ice cream?" Mom looks up, raising a brow at me, then looking past me, to where Grayson was apparently standing the whole time. "Will you two ever get along?" She sighs, placing a bookmark inside her book. "Twins should always get along with each other."

"Ethan's special," Gray mutters.

"I think you two need to spend more quality time together," Mom stands up, intensely staring at both of us.

"We already spend twenty-four hours of the day together," I complain. "I don't need to spend twenty-five with Grayson here."

"But not all of those hours are spent getting along with each other," Mom points out. "I'm ground you boys for a week, unless you agree to do something together," she orders.

"Ugh, fine," Grayson reluctantly agrees.

"N-no! W...wait!" An idea suddenly slips into my mind. "We'll...w-we'll do an escape room!"

"A what?" Grayson asks.

"It's this room where you get locked in it, and you have to solve at these clues and use teamwork to escape the room," I briefly explain. "Basically, there's a whole lot of thinking involved."

"Oh no!" He profusely shakes his head. "No freaking way I'm doing that-"

"What a great idea, Ethan!" Mom says. "Maybe you two can get along and have fun! I'll go and search up the closest escape rooms you and Grayson can try out together!"

I beam with pride as Mom leaves the room, without a single second thought of my brilliant idea. Grayson, however, thinks otherwise, shoving me with a salty look in his eyes.

"You know I'm not good at puzzle solving."

"Would you rather get grounded?" I raise a brow. "I'd rather not."

Grayson's hand squeezes into a fist and he grits his teeth at me. I stare at him with a smirk, with both of us going at it for another few seconds. Then he breaks his gaze and takes a moment to think. I notice his hands loosen, and his face becomes softer. He sighs once and bring his gaze towards me again.

"Fine. I'll do it."