Inferno

~156~ Still in There

Emma's POV

It's been several weeks since the breakup. It's still awkward. We haven't talked to each other once. It took Trace almost two weeks to come back over to the house. When he did, I stayed in my room. I wasn't interested in having an awkward, trying to pretend like we don't see each other, moment.

I can hear Luke and Trace in the hallway right now.

"Wanna go for a run?" Luke asks.

"Dude, it's 20 degrees outside. My lungs will be shot" Trace says.

"You big baby" Luke jokes. Then I hear wrestling, so I'm assuming that Trace pummeled him.

I hide in my room for several hours. Thankfully I don't have homework, otherwise I would have to go downstairs to do it. My grounding is over. I think mom and dad were feeling sorry for me, so they only grounded me for three weeks. I honestly deserved more than that though. I look at my phone when I hear a buzz. It's Olivia.

*wanna go to the mall?

*sure but you have to pick me up. I still don't have my car.

*ok. I'll be there in 20

I hurry up and start getting ready. I decide to put on makeup and do my hair. Trace is here, so it doesn't hurt, right? I don't want him to think I'm just pining over him all of the time.

I go downstairs once Olivia texts me saying that she's here.

As soon as I get down the stairs, I see Luke and Trace playing video games. Trace immediately freezes.

"Where you going, Em? I saw Olivia outside" mom asks.

"The mall. I won't be gone long" I say, ignoring Trace completely.

"Ok. Have fun" mom says, giving me a kiss.

I nod and leave.

We have fun at the mall, and by the time I get home, Trace is gone. Thankfully.

The next day I'm working on homework in the kitchen. Luke is doing his homework, and Mason is grading papers. Suddenly Jake comes in.

"Get your butt upstairs and change, young lady" he says in a dark tone.

"What?"

"You and I are going to the gym" he says, matter-of-fact.

"I don't want to"

"Wasn't asking. Let's go now. Otherwise I'll carry you out of here...Not going to be fun to kick-box in jeans" he snaps.

I just look at him. He is never mean to me. He's never even raised his voice to me. We're buddies.

I look over at mom, and she just shrugs. She's not going to help me.

"Three seconds" he snaps. He's glaring daggers at me.

I still just stare at him. Surely he's kidding.

"Two seconds" he says, unwavering.

I'm not thinking he's kidding.

"One second" he says, getting a gleam in his eye.

He chuckles darkly as he starts walking over to me.

Crap.

"Fine. I'm going" I say as I stand up and rush out of the room.

I hurry up and get dressed and I put my hair in a ponytail. I come back down and mom, Mason, and Jake are talking. They stop when I get in the kitchen and Jake changes his face. He's in a good mood. He and Mason were laughing about something. As soon as he sees me, he's back to being cranky. What did I do to make him so mad?