"Why won't you fucking talk to me?"
Zane's voice isn't loud, If anything, that makes it worse.
The training room is suddenly very quiet except for the sound of both of us breathing. The air smells faintly of sweat and rubber mats and the metallic tang of the weights stacked along the wall.
I stare at him and for a second, I don't even know where to start.
"You're joking, right?" I say finally.
He doesn't move.
"Does it look like I'm joking?"
My chest rises and falls as I try to steady my breathing. My hands are still half curled from the fight, muscles tight with leftover adrenaline.
"You want to know why I'm not talking to you?"
"Yes."
Something inside me snaps
"Because you don't fuckin listen," I shoot back
Zane's jaw tightens.
"Oh I listen."
"No, you don't." I shake my head. "You bark orders, you insult me and you punish me like I'm some kind of disobedient pet, and then when I get angry suddenly you want a calm little conversation like nothing happened."
