Forgotten Rules (Rules 4)

Three.

We reverse out of the driveway.

Two.

We see a red car turn the corner.

One.

We take off into the night at full speed.

I let out a breath of relief, watching Alex’s parents pull into their driveway through the rearview mirror. We’re so pumped on adrenaline, it takes us a good five seconds to realize we’ve just barely made it. We lock eyes. And start laughing like we’re five, which, right now, we are.

“Any other house you feel like breaking into tonight?” I pant.

His eyes light up. “Actually—”

“Don’t even think about it.” I scold.

He laughs.

“Usual high lasts six hours. We still have four to kill.”

His statement catches me off guard. He didn’t even ask, just assumed he was keeping me company.

“Oh… you really don’t have to hang out with me all night, it’s fine. I’ll just face whatever punishment my mom has in store for me.”

“Nice try. I’m having too much fun getting you out of your comfort zone.”

A grateful smile defies my better judgment, peeking through without my consent. That’s kind of nice of him.

“Okay, then. Where to?”

“There’s something I want to show you” is all he says.

I pull my dripping wet hair into a loose bun, shivering in places I didn’t even know I could—I’m still wearing nothing but Will’s large soaked T-shirt on top of my underwear. He notices, cranking up the heat. I thank him with a nod, tugging his T-shirt farther down my exposed thighs. I hate myself for admitting it but… For a guy who acts dead inside,

He sure knows how to make me feel alive.

Kassidy

“For fuck’s sake, woman, calm down. I’m giving you the food,” Will laughs, swiping his card back from the employee and driving away from the Taco Bell drive-through in a rumble. We’re not even out of the parking lot before I’m snatching the bag out of his hands. Long story short, as soon as we fled Alex’s house, high Kass decided it was time for her favorite part of the day—eating.

“Hungry, I am. Food, you feed me,” I told Will in my best Yoda voice, and after he mocked me for five minutes straight, he complied and drove me straight to Taco Bell. He even paid.

“I’ll pay you back for that.” I pull out my taco.

“No, you won’t.”

“Yes, I will. I’m a woman of my words, Willy.”

“I’m not going to let you pay me back, control freak.”

Why do I sense I just started a never-ending nickname battle?

“How not to be controlling 101: shut up and learn to let people treat you every once in a while.” He pulls onto the highway.

A small grin stretches over my lips.