Chapter twelve: Emotions

Emma's POV

I took a cab and got home in no distant time. I walked into the house and found Pete lying on the couch watching TV.

"Don't tell me it's past 10 already" He said surprised as he saw me while I gave a small smile.

"Nope, I'm home early"

"Is this a prank?" he probed further unable to believe me

"No Pete, I'm just..." I was about to say more when mom called me as she came into the room.

"Hey sweetie, welcome home, thank you very much for going grocery shopping, dinner's ready" mom said but I was already heading upstairs rather than the kitchen.

"Thanks Mom but I'm kinda full, had a late lunch and I don't think it's well digested yet".

"You're going to bed already? They'll be showing Dance O soon" Pete asked, knowing Dance O was my favorite TV series, a musical drama that had mad dance steps, I could tell he sensed something was off with me.

"I'll pass, I'm so exhausted, I think it's best to go to bed, goodnight Mom, goodnight Pete, say hi to dad for me when he arrives" With this I ran upstairs and into my room shutting the door behind me.

A bath would be needed to clear my head, a cold bath. I filled up the bath tub and laid inside, eyes shut. It helped most times when I felt I had too much on my mind but not today. The heaviness I felt seemed to be getting heavier. Why was I feeling this way?.

I got out of the bath tub, dried myself and put on my nighties as I tried my best to force myself to sleep.

Jace's POV

After the incident at school, one thing was clear for me, when Erika threw that ball at Emma, I wasn't just angry, I was scared, scared for Emma, annoyed and angry she had gotten hurt.

When she called me boyfriend, I got confused for a while but everything made me want to be there for her and protect her, I wanted to be with her.

I was prepared to go to the training center, I was sitting on our porch outside waiting for Jake to come out when I saw Emma and Wills walking together. She seemed happy, laughing even while on the other hand she was always annoyed at me.

I felt a pang of pain as I watched them, feeling both anger and sadness. Angry at myself cause I was letting myself feel this way again when I already knew I'd get hurt and sadness because I was scared of loosing her when she wasn't even mine.

I picked up my bag and went inside my house, I couldn't bear running into her even by chance and the possibilities of that happening at the training center was just too high.

"Did you forget something?" Jake asked as he saw me come back inside the house.

"Nope, I won't be going today"

"What?! Why?!!"

"Emma" I said this and went straight to my room, Jake didn't say anything anymore nor did he try to stop me.

He knew how bad I was hurt because of Erika and how I tried to stay away from other girls after that time. It was a rough time for us.

I went into the room and laid on the bed motionless. I must have dozed off after several hours of staring at the ceiling. I woke up feeling weak and down, I'd expected it with how down I was feeling last night.

Should I just skip school today? Nah I can't, we have that evaluation test at the school's swim team, but if I called in sick I could be pardoned right?

I was just gonna go, I had to get used to seeing her and ignoring her, no matter how hard it got. I took a shower and got ready for school then marched downstairs to the kitchen. My dad and Jake were already seated at the dining while my mom was by the kitchen counter.

"Good morning Mom, good morning Dad, hey Jackie" I said to everyone as I planted a kiss on mom's cheek before going to take my seat at the dining.

"Hello hunny, trust you had a good night rest" mom asked while my dad murmured a reply under his breath causing us to laugh "Of course he did, he wouldn't be trying to steal my wife so early in the morning if he didn't"

"Jealous much?" mom asked him

"Of course not, they are their father's sons after all" he replied once more causing us to laugh again.

My dad always had a dig for making us laugh whenever we were together since he was busy most of the time. He ended up offering to give us a ride to school and we accepted even if that meant taking a cab back or catching a ride with Felix, spending time with him was always worth it.

We got to school and we waved him off, walking to my locker, I saw Emma and Ana together by her locker, subconsciously I stopped on my track without realizing it, I stood there watching her.

It took her a couple seconds but probably her sixth sense noticed she was being watched, she looked up meeting my stare. She took a step towards me but was stopped by Wills who suddenly approached her.

I felt the anger begin to rise again so I turned around to leave, I could be anywhere but here right now but she stopped me in my tracks when she called out to me.

"Jace!! Why the f4ck are you avoiding me"

I turned back to look at her and I couldn't quite understand what the look in her eyes meant. Just what do you want from me Emma.

Emma's POV

"Jace!! Why the f4ck are you avoiding me?" I yelled, angrily? or sadly? I couldn't even tell, but I did feel something, an emotion swirling at the pit of my stomach that left me feeling all kinda ways.

He looked at me too shocked to say anything I guess, I walked up to him not loosing eye contact, whatever this feeling was, it was giving me a certain courage like the day I punched him.

"One minute you're everywhere I turn, slowing becoming a part of my everyday life and the next minute you're avoiding me, who does that? You don't have the right to walk in and out of my life whenever you please" I bursted out surprising myself more than I surprised him and everyone else around.

"I... Urmm... The thing is... Emma.. Urgg" Jace was stuttering, Jace was stuttering? He always had something to say, not today? I looked at him, if he felt as frustrated as he looked then he must be pretty fucked up.

He turned around and slammed his hand on the wall frightening me. "Shit Emma, what do you really want from me?" he bursted out, he looked tired like he had been holding himself for a while.

I was just too shocked to say anything as I stared at him while every other student present stared at us like we were acting some sort of drama.

He slowly retracted his hand from the wall and I saw it was bleeding, before my brain could think of an action, my hands flew up to his as I checked the bruce. I took out my scarf and wrapped it round his hand.

Jace looked at me shocked like I was an alien who just landed on earth. I looked up and met his stare but I couldn't look away.

The bell went off and students started scrambling to their different classes. I looked up at Jace who looked like he didn't care about what was happening around us. Ana came up to me and pulled me away but I doubt I'd be able to focus on whatever class I was having.