The Rules | ✅ Completed

Chapter 8

"I'm not playing this game with you."

"Chicken shit."

"Lain-"

"You're chicken shit."

"You should go back to bed," I turned around to my now melted ice cream. The sound of her feet unsticking from the floor told me she was coming closer. Just as I was sure her delicate hand would reach out to me, her steps quickly retreated. The click of her bedroom door caused me to lean over the sink.

The knot strangling my stomach was nearly as painful as the weight on my chest. This girl wanted nothing more than to feel loved. To not be treated like a child and it was tearing me up to shut it down. All I could think about was the fierce kitten of a girl curled up in my arms only a week ago. She felt safe with me and I all but dragged her through the mud just now.

"Bro," a low deep voice made my back straightened. Glancing over my shoulder, Joe's hulking form took up the entryway of the kitchen. The shit eating grin on his face meant one thing. "You're so fucked."

"You going to rat, Joe?"

"Nah," he crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall, "She might kill you before I get a word out about this."

"Tell me something I don't know." I rinsed the bowl out and pushed past him. I earned a smack on the back as I entered the living room. He was right. One way or another, a member of the Lester family was going to put me in the ground.

**~~**

"Finn," a girl squealed as she fell into my lap. The field was still muddy, but when half the school drives vehicles capable of driving through the terrain there was no point in calling it off. Four trucks faced the raging bonfire, their headlights bringing people to life. Music blasted from an Explorer that was stocked and ready for a party. Coolers framed out the space people were using as a dance floor.

Lucas was drinking from a bottle of beer and basking in the attention from the poms squad captain. Shane was dancing with his drink splashing from a plastic cup. Joe was midway through chugging a beer to prove he could out drink one of the soccer boys.

Fingers sliding over my shoulder reminded of the desperate girl sitting on my lap. She was attached to the hip of the girl throwing herself at our defensive lineman. She cooed at me again, "That was an amazing game last night. Your hands are like magic."

"Something like that," I mumbled. I was too busy looking for a particular brunette who always had a habit of finding trouble. We had gotten here an hour ago and there was still no sign of her. Her friend hadn't passed by either. My words must have hit her harder than I thought. "Luke. Where's Lainy?"

"What," he asked barely looking in my direction.

"Lainy. I thought she was coming tonight."

"Maybe she's sitting this one." He tilted his head back silently thanking god. A low whistle from beside us ripped through the music. We both looked at the slender basketball player then followed his line of sight. I muttered a curse as I looked to my friend. His face was red and I could see his nostrils flair.

With her hand gripped tightly in Heather's, Blaine danced to the music. It was fast and contained nothing but a steady pounding bass. The sway of her hips was hypnotic. It didn't help that she was wearing the stupid skirt again and a purple tube top that peeked out from the black flannel hanging off her shoulder. Lucas was throwing daggers at the basketball player who wasn't shy about sharing his thoughts.

"What did you say, Cole?"

"She's cute," Cole cleaned up his words as he went ghost white. Lucas didn't have to say anything as his face spoke for him. Cole backed away slowly then ducked between the cars putting plenty of space between him and the reaper beside me.

"Let her be, man," I took a sip from my bottle.

"Give me one reason?"

"We all need one night to blow off steam. The last two times she's gone out shit's hit the fan. If you over there right now, she's going to fight you and we'll be back to square one. Let her have a few hours to unwind."

"The great mediator," Lily's fake smile made my skin crawl. Something wasn't right with that girl. Her friend neither.

"Can you move," I asked, fed up with the need pouring from her.

"Rude," she scoffed then slipped off my lap and stormed over to another crowd. Focusing back on Blaine, I sighed. She was dancing with a guy now. Probably a friend of the one who had his hands all over Heather. Her laughter was overwhelming as the guy said something to her. Fucking soccer boy didn't learn from Owen's stupidity.

I had to give the guy credit though. Each time he touched her it was innocent. He would push some hair from her face, or brushed her arms when they danced closer to each other. Nodding to the coolers, soccer boy smiled and gestured for her to lead the way. Lucas shifted beside me, ready to jump in. He hung back though, listening to my earlier advice.

The boy handed her a bottle and then snatched one of his own. She laughed again as he spoke and my stomach dropped. If she meant what she said last night, there was no way she could seriously be flirting with him. The moment her eyes locked with mine, I knew I was right. She was proving a point and doing a damn good job of it.

Blaine laced her fingers with the guys as she tilted her head. He nodded his head and started talking again as they walked out of sight. From the corner of my eye, I watched Lucas' knuckles turn white as he held tighter to the bottle. "I've got it."

"Nah, I can go."

"The last thing you need to do is start a fight in front of her." I jumped off the tailgate of his truck and finished my beer. I tossed the bottle to the side before stuffing my hands in my pockets. Following their path, I took my time. She really did need to unwind and I wasn't prepared to endure her wrath.