Rules of a Rebel

Chapter 32: Rebels Don't Mourn

Rule #44: Rebels Don't Mourn

Just get over it. 

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Xavier has haunted my dreams recently. 

I don't know why. I thought I had gotten over him by now. 

Sometimes, he's young and friendly. I dream about his suffocating hugs and teasing smiles. Like when he asked me on my first date. Or the encouraging texts he sent me when I applied for Varsity Swimming, promising that he'd do anything to get me in. 

Other times - most times - he's older, snorting at something I say in class or laughing at my newly dyed hair. My nightmare tonight consists of a simple memory of me sitting at my desk, scrolling Gwen's twitter feed. All of the pictures are of her and Xavier, displaying their new relationship status.

By the time I open my eyes, it's ten o'clock in the morning and I'm exhausted. 

Why the nightmares? Why now?

Maybe it's because they just broke up. Or maybe it's because of the fact that Bettie brought up the incident again to Archer and I can't stop worrying about it.

Probably the latter. 

I close my eyes, trying to make up the sleepless hours from midnight.

A screech from a car stopping too fast comes from downstairs, reminding me of the time Archer nearly ran me over. It's followed by a series of honking and yells. I throw the pillow over my head and wait for them to stop making noise. 

They don't. 

I rip off my blankets and storm downstairs in my pajamas. 

Now that the holiday season is coming, families are driving back to their own homes. All of Archer's cousins are due to leave today, he told me. This explains the line of cars outside, but it doesn't explain the huge commotion, in front of our house, that's stopped all traffic. 

Melody and James are deep within the crowd, examining something lying on the road. 

I grow closer to see what's the issue, but stop in my tracks once I spot the dead deer on the ground. 

There's blood and cracks on a dark blue sedan next to it. One of the cars must have ran into a doe. Her body is oddly twisted in the middle, with two of its legs facing directly away from each other. Her head, surrounded by dirt and blood, twitches. Just barely. 

I choke back a gasp. 

 James spots me first. "Peyton, you're awake!" 

Melody turns around. "Peyton!" She tries to move so that I won't see the corpse but it's too late. 

"Which asshole did this?" I demand, trying to shove past my siblings. They won't let me. "There must be consequences. We need to hold another courtroom trial and except this time I'm the judge and the punishment is jail -" 

"Peyton, stop." James grabs my shoulders and turns my heads towards him. "There's nothing we can do now. It's dead." 

"I need to avenge him, James." 

"You need to go home and change out of your bunny PJs." 

I run past him and make a beeline for the dead deer, intent on hunting down whoever's responsible for this tragedy. 

James grabs me around my waist and pulls me up so I'm running in midair.

"Take her to Archer," Melody suggests. "He can calm her down."