Rules of a Rebel

Chapter 11: Hold Grudges

Rule #12: Hold Grudges

Rebels Don't Back Down

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"So?

"They're nice,"I say casually."So, is this what you were doing instead of teaching me like you were supposed to?"

"Just look at them," Archer waits as I give Brutus a hug. After one last affectionate pat to the head, I wave goodbye and he shuts the door. We turn to go into his house. 

Our shoulders bump.

I take a step away from him, clicking through the pictures he took on the camera. 

Most of them are of the ocean and woods. There's one picture of me riding a horse, but you can't even see my face because the sunset in the background. I can't believe I didn't even notice him - I must have been having too much fun riding Brutus. 

"This is art," Archer tells me, taking his pictures back. "You looked like you were have fun today."

"That was because of Brutus, not you."

"Let's go swimming." He says suddenly.

"No, thanks," I've had enough nightmares about the ocean to last me a lifetime.

"Why not? You live on a beach house." 

"Not willingly." 

Our shoulders bump again.

I walk away from him again. Is he brushing up against my shoulders just to annoy me or is he naturally wandering towards me? A few months ago, I would have said the first option, but now I realize that Archer's naturally a people person. He even hugged my parents when we walked in.

"I haven't met one person so far that hasn't liked swimming," Archer says after a moment.

I roll my eyes. "That's because all your friends are on the swim team."

"Not you."

"Exactly."

Our shoulders bump again.

I take a step forward, until we reach the steps of his porch. Archer takes my helmet and puts on top of the shelf with all the others. I lean against the wooden post, thoroughly exhausted.

"Are you scared?" Archer questions.

"Of what?"

He shrugs, bringing his hands down. His eyes twinkle in the dark night. I look away. "The high tides, the gross seaweed, the bloodthirsty sharks, take your pick."

"Well, it's not the sharks, that's obvious," I scoff, kicking a pebble on the porch. "Humans kills more sharks per hour than sharks kill human per year and when they do manage to kill humans, it's because they mistake us for another species. We just kill sharks for souvenirs and other dumb shit. It's ridiculous. If anything, sharks should be afraid of us, considering we're the most dangerous species alive."

Archer gives me a strange look that I've never seen on his face. It's a mixture between confusion and amazement, a look I've never seen before. 

Just then, the door slams open, making both of us jump. A large man stands in the door with a tray with three glass that are filled with pink liquid. I squint against the light from inside.

 It's Sebastian.

"Just in time - is that lemonade?" Archer gives him a clap on the back, but Sebastian looks he hardly felt it. He offers one to me.

"I didn't know you were invited," I say, taking the lemonade.

"He wasn't. Did my mom invite you?" His tone makes it sound like some inside joke.