Breaking Her Rules

Chapter 49

When the DJ plays the brand new Crookshank's Redemption single the whole grade of year twelve students gets up on the dance floor and for those four minutes, as we're dancing together as a group and singing along to the lyrics, I actually think I might miss Hilverton College. I might even miss the stupid rivalries between Landor, Cernette and Prisley. I might just miss Toby and Jake, and Scarlet and Duncan, and Taylor. I think I'll miss morning home group with the other Cernette seniors, and lunch times with my groups, and even Chemistry. Well, the class, but maybe not the assignments. It truly is the people that made this school, and although I've hated my fair share of them, I have these friends that I promise I won't ever let go of.

Lucas has his arms around me, but I'm holding hands with Ainsley, and we're in a circle with Watson, Harrison and Julian, and we're laughing as we get the lyrics wrong because this song is only new and we don't know all the words yet, and we're dancing wildly and I know I might just miss this. But I'll always have these guys to come back to. Julian, Harrison, Ainsley and Watson will always be here for me. And Lucas. Lucas, the boy with the scraped knee who took me to a bridge and kissed me next to a train. My Lucas, who I've known my whole life and I'll keep knowing, forever.

Then when the song ends Ainsley goes to the bathroom and Julian and Harrison are bickering again, and Watson starts dancing with Josie.

Lucas spins me around and places a hand on my cheek. 'I still can't wait to take you home,' he whispers into my lips, and then kisses me lightly.

I smile. 'Still an after party to get through, boy. Think you can make it?'

'Well, I guess I am looking forward to getting drunk with this crowd one last time before we all disappear into the void of being an adult.'

I grin. 'Same. One last Hilverton party, to put all the other ones to shame.'

'We might even get the wolf masks out,' Lucas says, smirking.

I scoff. 'You wouldn't dare. I'll burn down the field.'

He kisses me again. 'You always want to watch the world burn, Emily Maisonwood.'

I shake my head. 'I just like bright things. Like you.'

He lets out a laugh. 'I can deal with that.'

As we're dancing, something of Julian and Harrison's conversation reaches us. I can just see the two of them over Lucas's shoulder.

'I'm telling you Haz, I'm fine,' Julian is saying.

'Jules, you were being a dick before to Beatrice and if you don't chill someone else is going to notice that you're drunk. Someone will tell a teacher.'

'It's fucking fine, dude,' Julian says. 'I'm good.'

I see Harrison shake his head. 'As long as you're not going to be an idiot at this post party. As drunk as you are now, if you start drinking more when we get out of here you're going to be blind before we even get to Micah's.'

Julian scoffs and takes a step back, accidentally slamming into Fate. Harrison gives her an apologetic look and pulls Julian away.

'You're still acting stupid.'

'I'm fine!' Julian says, throwing his arm forcefully to knock Harrison's hand away.

Harrison recoils, and I see a couple of the girls around them take a step back. 'Fuck, come on, let's go sit down.'

'No, I'm dancing,' Julian says.

'Hang on,' I say to Lucas, and I squeeze his hand gently before going over to Julian.

'Jules, seriously. If you fuck this up you'll ruin it for everyone. If any of the teachers realise you're drunk they're going to expel you.'

Julian grimaces at me. 'I'm fine, Em.'