The Rules | ✅ Completed

Chapter 9

"I'm sorry you went through all that trouble and had to bail on your date." The bitterness dripped on each word.

"My date?"

"Jade looked pretty comfy."

"Is that why you were flirting with Miles," he chuckled then took another swig. "Good to know you get jealous easily."

"Screw you, Finn." He reached out for my arm as I stormed past. "Let me go."

"Not until you talk to me."

"We said everything last night. You won't do anything to jeopardize your friendship with Lucas. I want to have fun. End of discussion." With a swift tug, I stumbled into him.

"Will shut up and listen to me." His emerald eyes were hard and darker than usual. With a subtle nod, I stood silent. The hand on my bicep loosened and traveled down to my hand. "It's not that I don't want to wreck my friendship. I could care less about that. What I do care about is you getting hurt. You think your brother is crazy now, wait till you date a guy. If that guy is any of us, he'll flip his shit and you'll be caught in the crosshairs. Probably literally knowing his temper."

"I can handle Lucas." The hand on his chest grabbed at his shirt.

"Joe?"

"What about Joe?"

"He heard us last night." My hand let go of his shirt. His hand let go of my arm only to find its place under my chin. He guided my head up to face him. "As far as he knows, you're going to kill me for the things I said."

"Really," my lips twitched.

"Yeah, but I think you would bring me back." His lips brushed against mine, inching closer as his voice trailed off. My hands cupped the back of his neck as we kissed. The thud of the bottle hitting the ground allowed for both of his hands to wrap around my waist. His lips moved against mine as he lead me backwards. My back was against a car and his hands traveled to my hips. The sensations of his thumbs brushing over my skin sent pleasing shivers through my body.

Before the kiss could explode into something deeper, I pulled away. The wrinkle in his forehead made me laugh. "I think we should figure things out before getting carried away."

"What is there to figure out again," his gaze fell to my lips before returning to my face.

"Are we telling the guys? I don't think we should, but according to you I do stupid shit."

"This time, I'm going to agree with you. Joe will spill as soon as he can, and Shane will be recording Lucas planning my murder."

"And secondly," I jabbed my finger into his chest, "No more girls getting all cozy with you."

"You do get jealous easily," he chuckled. I shoved at his chest and he stumbled a little before coming back to me and resting his hands on the car behind me.

"If we're going down that road, no more shameless flirting. One Heather in this world is enough." He grabbed one side of my flannel and pulled it up to cover my bare shoulder.

"I think that can be arranged," I smiled and covered his hand with mine. He pecked my cheek then tangled his fingers with mine.

"We should go back. Lucas was ready to blow a gasket when you wandered off. I'm surprised he hasn't come looking for us yet."

"Call it a blessing." He started to walk away and I followed after him. "You owe me another drink by the way."

Finn slung his arm over my shoulder when I caught up. He ruffled my hair as we came back into the clearing. I pouted at him and swatted at his hand. If we were going to make this work, there would have to be some kind of normalcy. Nudging me to the right, Finn lead me to my brother's truck. The grass at the edge of the tailgate was flattened into a line. My raging brother had downgraded from nuclear to aggressive pacing.

"Where have you been?" His neck was redder than his truck. I would have pointed it out had he not been so mad.

"I'm sorry," I stated flatly jumping up onto the tailgate.

"Can you give us a minute," Lucas asked Finn. He nodded and started walking to Joseph.

"Don't forget my drink," I called after him. He raised a thumb in the air, never looking back. My fingers tapped against the metal of the truck. "Are you going to yell at me now, or later."

"I just want to understand what's going on with you." My fingers stopped their methodical dancing. My brother sat beside, leaning back on his palms as he studied me. "Is it because I'm graduating? Or is it still about mom?"

"It's about me for a change." The confession was easier to say then I thought it would. "I have spent so much time focusing and not doing much of anything. Ten years from now I want to tell my kids what high school was like. I want to be able to share my experiences and look back at the memories I made. Up until this year, I had nothing to show for it. I don't want anymore moments to slip away."

"And sneaking off with the whole soccer team is making the most of the moment?"

"They're the only ones you won't hit," I teased, bumping my shoulder against his. My gaze drifted to Finn and Joseph across the field and softened. "I guess, I just want to find someone who makes me smile. Heather's too busy hunting down her next hook-up. Cam is filling out college applications and writing scholarship essays. Without them, I'm alone. I don't want to be alone any more, Luke. I want someone to hold my hand, tell me how pretty I look and make me laugh when I'm ready to cry."

"This isn't one of your cheesy movies, Laine. That shit isn't going to fall from the sky and into your lap." Finn's lopsided smile was contagious as I mentally brushed off my brother's claims.

"Maybe not," I leapt off the tailgate and turned to face him. "But if I kiss enough fairies, one's bound to cater to my every whim."

"Blaine," his warning tone made my smile double. The red consuming is neck faded and I caught the twitch of his lips. I started to walk backwards, daring him to follow. In two strides, he was at my side and throwing his arm around my shoulders. "You're such a pain in the ass."

"Could be worse," I pointed to my friend who was being felt up by Peter. Lucas cringed and went to cover my eyes.

"You don't need to be getting any ideas." I giggled as I forced his hand away with ease. I don't need ideas. Lord knows, I had plenty of my own.