The Rules | ✅ Completed

Chapter 54

"What do you see?" The green haired women slid into place beside me. Her head was tilted to the side as she examined her own work.

"Nothing. That's why I asked."

"Is it your jock DNA that requires you to be told what you are looking at?"

"Is it your artsy DNA that requires you to be stuck up?"

The corner of her mouth ticked up as she uncrossed her arms only to lock them behind her back. Taking a careful step, she tilted her head and I followed her lead. We took two steps then stopped to study the creation. Two more than another stop. This went on until we completed a full circle. She raised an eyebrow at me. Her tongue flicked across her lips making the hoop in her bottom lip shift before nodding with her chin toward the sculpture.

"It's not that I need you to tell me what to see." I crossed my arms over my chest as I let out the sigh. "I could stand here all day and tell you that I see, or you can tell me what you were feeling when you were working on it."

"Lucas Lester," the chuckle made me smile, "Are you trying to get philosophical on me?"

"I'm trying to find a safe conversation topic." Leaning back to peer around me, she smiled then straightened.

"How about a beer?" She was already headed to the metal stairs before I could answer.

I looked over my shoulder and saw Blaine busy with a canvas that stood as tall as me. Her hair was pulled back and twisted into a knot at the nape of her neck. The sweatshirt she had been wearing when we showed up was missing and the already stained tee looked ready for more color. She was so buried in her thoughts that she didn't notice when I made my way upstairs.

Zoey was kneeling on the purple couch peering over the back, and the railing, to gaze at my sister. There was a flicker of something in her bambi brown eyes. A beer bottle dangled in her hand while the other waited for me on the piece of glass held up by milk crates. CDs and records were tucked away in the makeshift legs of the coffee table. I picked up the beer and took in the crazy surroundings.

This must have been how Alice felt after stumbling down the rabbit hole. Obnoxious colors should have assaulted my senses. Then I remembered where we were, and who's place it was. Zoey had always been this free spirit that didn't just butt heads with people. She plowed through them in order to stand on her own two feet. From what Finn has told us about his cousin, she was the blackest of black sheep in the James herd. She sure liked her world very colorful though, and that was worth smiling about.

"She's got talent." That raspy voice softly drew me back to the here and now. The ring in her lip wiggled again as she looked me over. "Finn brought her by a few weeks ago so she could unwind. The piece they created wasn't worth hanging in a high end gallery, but it was something. When they were done, she was going on about all these crazy ideas. She wanted to get her hands on some of the clay. Learning how to weld. You name it she was interested. Took me by surprise that you two came from the same family."

"I had no idea they'd been out here," I admitted, plopping down beside her as she settled back to face me. "Honestly, they kind of scare me."

"How's that," she asked between laughs.

"She's got this thing about feeling abandoned." Memories of the distance that grew between us because she felt I had stopped caring about her flooded my mind. "The more time she spends with Finn, the more she becomes dependent on their relationship. How's that going to work in six months?"

"It's not your mess to worry about, Lucas." She pointed to my sister with the bottle. "That is something the two of them to deal with. Besides, six months is still a while away. Plenty to keep all of you busy."

"I didn't think you followed football."

"Oh, I try very hard not to. Last night it was the only thing the family would talk about." She slouched against the arm of the couch. "It was all about how you guys are headed to state and it's thanks to my cousin and Shane. The gods of the team. Yak. Yak. Yak. The only break we got was when Uncle Con walked in."

"Finn's dad showed up?"

"Yup." There was a little sigh. "Your sister was quick though. The storm hadn't even kicked up in my cousin and she was hauling him out of the room. Even faked getting sick just to get him out of there."

"Lucky for him. Finn's been jonesing to kick his ass for a while."

"It's about time," she cheered. "I was starting to think they castrated him at birth."

"I wish," I mumbled, raising the bottle to my lips for a long drag. She kicked me with her foot as she let another laugh rip.

"Do you have a problem with my cousin dating your sister?"

"No." I repeated the word again when she shook her head. "I have a problem with guys in general wanting in my sister's pants."

"I know you aren't blind. Stupid," she waved her hand horizontaly, "Either way you know as well as I do. He isn't looking to just score with some chick. Knowing my cousin, he's holding back saying those three little words."

"You can't be serious?"

"Can I ask you something?" I could feel my forehead begin to wrinkle from the sudden topic shift. "Do you ever stop meddling long enough to, I don't know, start your own relationship? You're a good looking dude, Lucas. Lose the scowl and you might actually be worth the headache."

"You think I'm good looking, Zoe?"

"That's all you heard?" She looked away, but not before I could catch sight of the blush painting her cheeks. "And you're worried about Finn."

"Can I ask you something?" She rolled her eyes, allowing them to fall back on me. "What would you say if I asked you out?"

"That I'm too old for you." The answer was quick, and half hearted. "Besides. We don't know each other well enough."

"One. You're not too old. We're the same age. Two. The point of dating is the whole getting to know each other bit. And three. You never answered the question."

"Don't you have a busy schedule with that pesky sport of yours?"

"I can make time." My grin doubled as an idea came to life. "Better yet. Why don't you come out next Friday. We can hang out after practice."

"Friday is game day though."

"Someone wasn't listening to her family last night. We've got state on Saturday. Gilly promised us hell week in order to prepare for the big game."

"Where would we go? Assuming I said yes, of course."

"Of course," I repeated, mirroring her as she took a sip. "Assuming you said yes, I'd tell you."

There was a glint in her eye that I've seen in her cousin's more than once. She was considering all the possibilities while trying to hide the fact that she was entertained by the mystery of it all. Add in that I was the one asking her out and it would be a story for the ages.