The Rule Breakers

Chapter 14

Skylar

"You're the reason we're in this mess!" I whisper-shout through my teeth. "I would've been perfectly content getting food, but you wanted to sneak into a carnival. Who does that?'

Riley rolls his eyes and leans his head against a metal rod attached to the Ferris wheel. "Yeah, blame it all on me. Last time I checked, you were having fun."

The minute we stepped out of the bumper car attraction, a booming voice spoke through an intercom that must've been used while this place was still active. Apparently, the speaker still works and is used by cops. When I heard the words, "Stay right where we can see you," the fog from my brain after sitting so close – on top – of Riley cleared and everything in my body screamed RUN! Riley clearly had the same idea because he grabbed hold of my wrist and pulled me in the direction of the Ferris wheel to hide behind. Now here we are, ten minutes later, and my left foot has started to cramp up from being in a squat position for so long.

"I'm not having fun anymore," I say.

"Not even a little?"

"No!"

He shoves his shoulder into the side of my arm playfully, and I push him back as hard as possible. He topples to the ground, clashing against the wheel. The clank between his body and the rusted metal is too loud, and I squeak at the noise.

He returns to his squatted position – a pose that allows us to run if needed – and says, "You take everything so seriously."

"Because I don't want to get arrested?"

"Pretty much, yeah. Live a little. The worst they'll do is fine us, probably."

My jaw hurts from grinding my teeth so hard as I bite back every little thing I have to say about this moment and Riley's stupidity. I can't be too worried about my teeth breaking because just as I shift into a more comfortable position, the speaker goes off again. No words, just a siren.

It's the panicked look on Riley's face that tells me that we're really in trouble now. If he looks scared for his life, then I definitely should be as well. Times ten because this guy seems to have no fear. 

"Run?" I ask. His silent nod sends us both sprinting toward whatever exit we can find. The empty carnival isn't huge, giving whoever is out there the advantage of finding us. 

My legs take me toward where we came in, but Riley grabs my elbow and pulls me behind a broken-down rollercoaster. The sharp rusted metal scrapes against my skin, and I flinch. We both look down at the scratch and if I wasn't so worried about the cops, I'd be worried about getting an infection. 

"Ignore it," I tell him. "Why are we stopped?"

"There's a back entrance," he explains. 

Everyone knows about the back entrance; it's where kids used to sneak in to avoid payment. It's an area Martha, Harvey, and I once used to enter the carnival. 

I glance over his shoulder to where the forest meets Rascal's World. So much greenery, I'm almost positive we'll be hidden. There's only one major problem.

"Your car," I say.

"What about it?"

"They probably took down your license. No matter what, we're caught."

Riley smirks at this, and if my hands weren't shaking so bad, I'd punch that look off his face. For once, I just wish he'd stop acting like life is a game. 

He says, "We'll leave it in the lot, then. My parents will deal with it."

"Won't you get in trouble?"