Break the Rules {Book 1}

Chapter 4

"I think we lost them." Rafe said, halfway through the forest.
"I hope so." I breathed, rested my hands on my knees. We'd ran at least a mile through the rough terrain  of the forest. He sat on a fallen tree and I quickly mimicked him. "Well that was a first."
"You've never done something like that?" He asked curiously. I shook my head. 
"Here you were making me think you'd done it a million times, British girl." He sarcastically replied. The bad boy act once again on.

"Drop it, Rafe." I deadpanned.
"Drop what, Ellie?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The bad boy act." I sighed. "You don't have to use it when they aren't around."
'You think I'm acting?" He asked astonished his Australian accent thick. I was convinced you  could cut it with a knife.
"I know you are." I stated. "I saw the real you when you were scared."
He laughed. "You think you are so smart."
I nodded. "But there's one thing I can't figure out."
"What's that?"
"Why'd you come back for me?"
He shook his head shifting his eyes to the ground. "I don't know. I just felt like I had to. Like if I left you there and ran with the others, I'd never let myself forget it." He admitted quietly. The last part almost a whisper.
I tried not to smile at his words. "Thank you for not leaving me."
"Anytime, El." He said with a smile, still not looking at me. "Did you mean it?" He asked, his brown eyes finding my blue ones. "Did you mean it when you said you trusted me?"
Thinking his words over, I take a deep breathe. "Yeah.. Yeah I think I do." I said coming to the conclusion. "I don't know why, but I trust you."
He smiled. "I trust you too. I have no clue why but I do as well." I smiled back.
"Good ta know." I said. "At least I know someone has my back."
"Always." He laughed.
"Should we go find the others, or..." I trailed off not really wanting to leave.
"Nah, let them think the cops got us for awhile longer." He said with a big grin.
I nodded. "The funny thing was Jerica's backpack wasn't there."
"I know." He replied. "Magnus had it the whole time. She didn't know it til they were downstairs and by that time it was too late."
"So I almost got caught for no reason?" I scoffed, causing him to laugh. 
"Pretty much." He agreed, leaning back on his hands.
"Let her think the cops got us then." I threw my hands in the air dramatically.

"You know, British girl, I just might have been wrong about you." He said, looking at me curiously.
"How so?" I asked, mimicking his earlier move.
"You have a spine after all." He chuckled, causing me to giggle.
"Yes, I do."
We stayed there for awhile. Not really talking just sitting there in silence. Every once in a while he'd make a joke about the others being worried about us, and I'd laugh. We must have stayed like there for at least a hour for the already dark sky was getting darker. I wasn't tired because of the excitement so I had no concept of time.

.........

"Crap! Ellie it's almost two in the morning." Rafe exclaimed checking his watch. "And we have school tomorrow."
"Oh my word, you're right today's Sunday!" I jumped off the log. He quickly followed my actions
"We gotta go." He grabbed my hand again. I started to question it, but he was already walking and it was really late. "You're house is this way." He pointed-with the hand that wasn't in mine-in the direction we were going. 
I nodded, picking up the pace. "I wonder if anyone will be up?"
He shrugged. 
"If they're like my dad then they are in bed right now." Rafe replied.
We finally made it to the house to see it was completely dark inside. I then noticed Jerica's skateboard wasn't by the door.
"What's the matter?" Rafe asked, noticing the puzzled look on my face.
"Jer's skateboard isn't here." I spoke softly.
"She's at Alex's house." He said, answering the unspoken question. "Why don't you have a key?" 
I shook my head. "She rushed me out before I could get one." I sighed. "And they're asleep."
"Even if you do wake them. You'll have a lot of explaining to do, and they don't exactly know what we do." Rafe almost whispered. Thankfully he was beside me so I heard it. 
"What am I going to do?" I mumbled to myself. 
"Come home with me." Rafe said after a couple minutes. "I have an extra couch and I swear I won't try anything." He offered. 
I thought about it a minute. I didn't really know this kid. Could I trust him? After awhile I came to a conclusion. "Alright. But you try anything and I'll break your arm."

.........

"Nice room." I commented, stepping into the room. The walls were painted dark blue with movie and band posters scattered around everywhere. 
"Okay, I'm gonna go change, um, you can take the bed and I'll sleep on the couch." He said uncertain, I could tell he'd never done something like this before.
I nodded and watched as he disappeared into the bathroom. 
I sat on the bed and sighed. Jerica not only left me for dead, but locked me out of the house. She had some explaining to do tomorrow. 
I laid down and tried to sleep. A little later I heard Rafe come out of the bathroom. "Night, Ellie."
"Night."

........

It wasn't working I couldn't sleep. I turned to face the window where Rafe slept, his back was to me. The couch turned out to be a window bed which was cool. "You awake, Rafe?" I whispered barely audible.
"Can't sleep either?" He asked, turning to face me. My blue eyes found his brown in the dim light.
"Nope."
"What time is it?"
I glanced at the clock beside me. "3:35AM." 
"Well we only have around four hours before we have to leave for school." He joked. I couldn't see him very well, but I could tell he was smiling. "What are we going to do?"
I sat up and turned on the lamp beside the bed. "We could talk?" I suggested. 
"About?" He asked also sitting up.
"Anything." 
"Sounds good to me." 
"Okay I'll go first." I thought a second. "I've got a good question. What am I going to do about school tomorrow? I can't go in these clothes and I sure as heck can't go in yours."
"Good question. I hadn't thought about that." He paused. "My sister left for college last year and you look about her size."
"But where are her clothes?" 
"She left most of them in boxes here. Hold on I'll go get one from her room." With a nod from me he slipped silently out of the room. 
He returned a moment later with a box marked fall. Before he could speak my phone rang through the silence. He quickly tossed it to me off the dresser. I checked the caller ID: JAS.
"It's my brother." I sighed. Didn't he know what time it was? I motioned for him to stay quiet as I swiped to answer. 

"Hey, Jasper." I greeted.
"Eleanor, how's it going?" His voice came over the phone.
"Good." I sighed. "Jas, what time is it there?" I asked. Maybe he was drunk. 
"It is," He faded out, probably looking at the time on the phone. "It is 10:45. Why, sister darling?" 
I was about to answer when Rafe dripped over the box and cursed loudly. I felt my breath hitch as he looked up at me with wide eyes. 
"Ellie, what was that?" Jasper asked sternly.
"That was... That was Jerica the teenage daughter of the family I'm staying with." I explained. "Listen, Jasper, it's almost four in the morning here so I gotta go. Bye love you." I hung up the phone not waiting for a response.
"Seriously?" I asked, cocking an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry I forgot it was there." He seemed believable to me so I dropped it.
I patted the space next to me. "Tell me about your sister?"

....... 

"Ellie, come on we're gunna be later!" Rafe yelled from the kitchen. 
Is he trying to get me killed? What about his dad.
"Rafe, are you trying to get me in trouble with your dad?" I asked hopping up into the counter next to him. His sister's clothes fit surprisingly well. I wore a light blue t-shirt, jeans, my converses, and a jean jacket-that may or may not be his sister's.

"Calm down, he's at work. Now come, British girl, we're going to be late." He tossed me an apple as I hopped down. Then we rushed toward the door.

......

"Alright so you go in and I'll come in after a dew seconds." He said, leaning against the side of the school. I nod. "Sounds like a plan." 

"Ellie!" Jerica called, her and Alex approaching my locker at a rapid pace. 
I waved at them and turned back to my locker, taking a book out for geometry class.
"Where were you last night?" Jerica rushed out.
"Yeah, we thought the cops got ya." Alex chimed in.
"I'm fine." I shrugged. "They were to slow for me."
"Seriously, though, where were you I had to cover with my parents?" The ginger was obviously annoyed. What'd she have to be annoyed at? It's not like she was almost caught by the police and locked out of her own house.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Alex cut me off. "Wait! Is that Rafe's jacket?" He half asked half demanded.
Jerica's eyes widened as she took in the jean jacket. So it was Rafe's, oops. "It is!" She sounded beside herself. "Why do you have his favorite jean jacket on?"
I shrugged again. "I don't know." I started to walk off toward class, not wanting a lecture for something that didn't even happen. "Thanks for leaving em behind." I said over my shoulder.