Frost and Flames [GxG]

Chapter 13

Neve's POV

I wake up on my bed, looking around the generic room. Noticing a hand in mine, I glance at it, only to see it's Ember's.

Following her hand to her arm and then to her face, I take in the worry that's easy to see in her gorgeous eyes.

I sit up, groaning from the effort it takes. "What happened?" I ask, confused on how I got to this bed.

"You passed out after doing the warmup for training. You shouldn't have passed out, it wasn't too difficult, but I didn't see you at lunch. Did you not eat?" Ember interrogates, sounding angry.

Looking down, embarrassed, I say, "I don't eat at school because I can't afford it."

She lets out a deep breath. "Well, now that you live with us, we will provide everything for you. So there is no longer an excuse, you need a stable body to have a stable mind. If you don't, your powers could become very dangerous very quickly."

"Okay fine I'll eat more. Happy?" I ask sarcastically, not liking the scolding I am receiving.

Ember smiles brightly, almost all her teeth showing. "Very."

We make our way downstairs to the kitchen, where dinner is already being made. "Sorry, it's only mac and cheese and sandwiches. It's Mark's night to cook, and he's not very talented."

"I heard that," Mark yells from in front of the stove, Ember and I walking in.

Ember retorts, "You were meant to." I smirk at their dynamic, appreciating the family atmosphere that they have.

Family. The one thing I haven't had in what feels like forever. Maybe, one day, I'll have one of my own.

I see Ally supervising Mark in the corner. She turns to me, feeling my eyes on her, and says, "Just making sure Mark doesn't burn the house down."

"Hey! How dare you." Mark angrily plates the food, not happy about being made fun of.

All of us but Mark laugh at Ally's comment, and I feel like I'm actually a part of the gang. Not the literal gang, but the friendship type of gang. They feel comfortable around me and their personalities work perfectly together.

I feel like this is where I truly belong.

We sit down at the table in the same seats as last time. The conversation flows freely, although I try to stay out of it. I'm still not used to talking to people, making my interactions few and far between.

The awkwardness of last night's dinner is long forgotten, everyone chatting happily. Ember doesn't bring up my lack of nutrition, but keeps an eye on me to make sure I finish my food. I finished most of it. Not all of it because I'm not used to eating that much.

Ember gives me a silent nod, approving of how much I ate. I smile at her, grateful she won't force me to eat it all.

She smiles right back, warming my cold heart. She takes my plate, washing it for me. I say a quiet 'thank you,' before following Ally and Mark into the living room. They sit down on the couch, leaving a spot open between them, before turning the T.V. on and volume up.

I admire how much technology has advanced in the last few years since using a T.V., only using a small one at my old home when I was younger. The orphanage didn't have a T.V., but that was fine with me. I was better left with my thoughts, isolating myself.

Standing at the entrance to the living room awkwardly, I hear Ember say, "Sit down, make yourself comfortable. It's tuesday movie night." Ember sits in between Ally and Mark, leaving nowhere else to sit.

"If you don't sit down with me, I'll drag you over here," Ember singsongs already moving to get up and grab me.

I insist, "No it's fine. I'll just go rest, it's been a long day."

"Oh no you don't," is all I hear before a hand grabs mine, dragging me over to the couch. She sits down, setting me on her lap, leaving me to wiggle around to get comfortable.

I sit stiffly for the first few minutes of the movie, before Ember pulls me back to lay against her chest. My small frame fits perfectly in her lap, my head right underneath her chin.

Still tired from the training session earlier, I zone out of the movie and focus on the warmth radiating through my body from Ember's.

With one person on my mind, I fall asleep.