The Rules | ✅ Completed

Chapter 31

Living with Shane's family was interesting. Technically, we hadn't seen his parents since the night we showed up with bags in tow. His mother wrapped her arms around us in turn and rambled about how everything we need is at our disposal. Food in the fridge. Shampoo for showers. She listed it all out for us, even though we were frequent guests. His father gave Lucas a firm handshake and nodded at me. He was always unsure of how to handle a girl, and like always I nodded back at him.

Lucas used his hand at the small of my back to guide me once again. This time we went to the stairs and down the hall. The pressure at my back grew as my pace slowed. The room I stayed in since I was seven made my stomach turn. My brother must have sensed my hesitation. Before I could reach the closed door, he nudged me toward the door across the way; his room.

The shakey smile was tight as I nodded again in appreciation. He kissed the top of my head and whispered what should have been words of encouragement. I would find someone better. He wasn't worth the heartache. No need to stress about anything tonight. All would be better in the morning.

It was at that point that I pulled away from him and entered the room. Unlike the modern, white furniture in my usual room, this one had truly been decorated for a man. Dark wood outlined the bed with matching nightstands. A built in bookcase at the far end with leather bound books and knick-knacks to encourage a studious feel. I pulled on the metal chain of one of the laps and welcomed the warm glow that barely lit the room.

The alarm clock was the type that you had to wind and didn't have a snooze function. The tiny arms pointed in two different directions and made me sigh. It was only a quarter to seven. Too early by a teen's standard to sleep. As I heaved my bags onto the bed, the weight hadn't disappeared. The knots between my shoulders and in my neck grew tighter.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, I tried to focus on the decision of changing now or later. If I could focus on one thing at a time, maybe I could forget about today. Reasoning with myself as to why it was damn important, the scars began to tear. My mother had decided to make an appearance after she left with only a note and photos to remind us she did in fact exist. Then I fought with Finn, pulled a Lucas and hit him. Now, my brother and I were hiding out at the Russel's house.

Finn.

My sight blurred as our fight echoed in my currently clear head. He had accused me of so much. I'm the reason he had restricted practices this week. He wasn't allowed to play in the game on Friday. I can handle the blame for that. The accusation that mattered to me most, the one that cut me deepest, was the comparison to my mother. My betrayal was for his safety, because I cared. My mother didn't care about anyone, but herself.

As my thoughts drifted to the stranger disguised as my mother, I began to wonder what she could possibly be doing right now. It's not like she didn't know where everything was. She and Dad had bought the house a year after they married. The mismatched dishes they used for the first few years were replaced with a set she picked out. The furniture she had spent years making sure fit their respective rooms perfectly.