How to Save A Life (On Hold)

8. The Rules

The text came early that morning at about 8:30. "Meet me at the corner."
I was already eating breakfast with my family and waiting to go to work.
I don't know how to reply, I don't think I can go outside without anyone noticing, and I'm still in my pyjamas. I have to work in an hour, so I can't leave too early, and my mom is already suspicious of me.
I think about my options. I could sneak out when no one is looking, which is never.
I could say I have to go to work early, but the shop doesn't open till ten.
Then I get an idea.
"Mom, I'm going to take the garbage out," I announce to the entire room.
"No, that's okay honey. I can do it," she replies with her back to me.
"You have already done so much this morning, let me help," I answer taking the bag out of the garbage bin. She starts to turn and I panic. She is probably seeing right through this act.
But instead of questioning me further and getting mad, she smiles and says, "okay, thank you."
I leave with the garbage bag in my hand and two different shoes on my feet.
Half way out of the yard I ditch the garbage bag, which wasn't even full, and run at full speed down the street. I see her the second I get off the sidewalk. She makes no effort to come closer to me, so I have no choice but to run even faster.
By the time I reach her, I'm huffing and puffing enough to fog up my glasses.
She stands quietly while I catch my breath, and when I finally do she hands me a piece of paper.
"The rules are the following," she starts with out a greeting or smile.  "Rule number one: We are not dating, okay? We are friends with benefits. You may call me your girlfriend to your friends and family as a cover up, but that is not what we are, got it?" I nod and she continues, "second: do not tell anyone we are doing this. If this gets out, it ruins your future." She pauses so I take this opportunity to ask a question.
"What about you?"
"Don't worry about it." She replies shortly, "Third and the most important rule: Do not kiss me on the lips," she points to her mouth and says,"you may look at them, you made even read them, but under no circumstance will you kiss them, understand?" I put up my hand to ask another question," what about that other kiss? You know the one is the supply closet?"
"That was a one time thing, as in it will never happen again. Besides, I don't know what that Alexia girl may have given you."  She pauses, "do you agree to the terms?" 
"I agree," I say with a smile.
She pauses again, then says, "do you have any rules?"
"I get to have rules?" I ask puzzled.
"Of course," she replies.
"Uh, okay. Just give me a second to think of some things." After a few moments of silence I have my conditions. "Rule number one: if you have a problem, you tell me." She nods. "Number two: if I ask a question, you answer it, truthfully." I pause to see if she has any questions, she doesn't. I continue, "and three, don't fall in love with me," I smile.
She scoffs at me and walks toward her bike.
"Do you agree to the terms?"
"It shouldn't be a problem. Any of it." She slams on her helmet, "nice pyjamas," she says then starts her bike and drives away.
I look down at my pyjamas and feel my face get hot. That was a punishment for my smart comment. She's so much better at being a smart ass than I am. 
I run back to my house and get ready for work and leave just in time to show up and see my uncle come out with a box of tools.
"Wanna come help me fix my truck?" He smiles.
"The doctor said you shouldn't work for at least two weeks." I say taking the tool box away from him.
My uncle frowns at me. "I can't just sit around and do nothing. I'm bored." He says trying to fight me for the tool box.
"You can stay entertained by other things." I pull away each time he reaches for the box.
I'm much better at the keep away game though and soon I'm halfway across the road watching him look at me with a smile on his face. He isn't huffing and puffing to catch his breath because he really didn't put up much of a fight. I grin back at him and wave the tool box in victory. One of the clasps on the box opens and soon after the other one does too. The contents of the tool box fall out, some hitting my head, others my feet.
After the box is completely empty, I look over to my uncle, who is leaning up against my truck laughing harder than I have ever seen him laugh before. "You're right Luke, I can stay entertained by other things." He pauses to laugh again, "can you do that again?" He continues to laugh while I pick up each and everything that fell out of the tool box with a frown on my face, but I'm happy inside to see him laugh again. It's really been a long time since he's laughed this hard. I think the last time he laughed this hard was before my aunt Lucy died.
I was really young when she died, so I don't remember much about her. I only know of the things I see in pictures. The colour of her hair, her beautiful smile, her smart mouth. She reminds me of Drew a little bit.
I'm sure my Uncle remembers other things, the sound of her voice, maybe the way she smelled, her loving look for him. I don't think I've ever seen two people more in love though, that's what I do remember about her. I remember the day she was killed too. I don't like to think about it though. I feel like if I do, I'll accidentally mention something to my uncle, and I don't know how he'd react.
The crash happened in the evening, she was on her way home from work when a drunk driver ran a red light and crashed right into her. He t-boned her, then backed up and drove away. The first responders had no trouble getting her out of the car, but that didn't mean she didn't get hurt.
She had been hit so hard that she broke her neck. Her head smashed against the driver side window and her leg was shattered in seven different places.
Even if she had woken up, she would have been paralyzed from the neck down.
My sister was the one who told me what happened, she was old enough to remember everything. The crash, the phone call, the funeral.
She was old enough to hear about what happened to the driver after the trail.
He was drunk, and just had to be driving on the same road as my aunt. He was twenty five at the time and was coming home from a drinking spree. After the crash they found his car in a bush, and him, only a few feet away from the car, passed out. He was only given five years in prison, only one of which he served because of good behaviour. During the trial he never looked at my family, said nothing, did nothing, just sat there with not an ounce of regret in his eyes.
After the trial he gave a statement apologizing for what had happened. Nobody in my family believed him, how could they? They were looking at the man who took away  part of my uncles heart.
I don't know where he is today, all I know is that if I ever see him, I'd beat the shit out of him.
Simple as that.
After work I changed my clothes and went downstairs to watch a movie by myself. Drew had other plans.
"Let's meet," is what her text says.
I don't know what to say so I text back, "where?"
"Corner," she replies simply.
When I get to the corner, she isn't there. After a few minutes of waiting I hear the sharp rumble of a motorcycle make its way towards me. She's dressed in her regular attire, mostly black with a bit of red that makes her lips pop.
She gestures for me to get on the bike, and I do as I'm told. Soon we are zooming through the city together looking at the world pass us by.
We stop at a movie theatre that I've been to a few times with Alexia. I've only ever seen romantic comedy movies with her and I secretly hope that Drew isn't the same, but even if she was, I'd still go.
All that was playing tonight was a horror movie. I look at her and assume that we probably would not be watching the movie. I start to panic as I think about it more. "We aren't going to do it here are we?"
"No," she replies appalled. "We're going to watch a movie."
"Oh, I just thought-" I start.
"We will never do it in a public place. That's gross." She cuts me off. "Now, follow me." We walk into the movie theatre and make our way over to buy tickets. Just as I go to reach for my wallet, drew pulls out a twenty dollar bill and buys our tickets.
"I could have done that," I smile.
"You're on snacks," she replies pointing at the confectionary counter. "Popcorn, lots of butter," Is the last thing she says before disappearing into theatre two.
I do as she requests and get her 'popcorn, lots of butter.' For myself I grab two different types of candy and popcorn to mix them in with because that's my style. For drinks I get a ginger ale and a bottle of water. Drew never told me what she wanted, so I will just assume water is good enough.
Movie theatres are so damn expensive.
The snacks I got cost more than the movie. I know understand why Drew wasn't going to let me buy the movie.
I've said it once and I'll say it again. She's smart.
When I enter into theatre two it takes me awhile to find Drew but eventually I do. The theatre isn't packed, but it certainly is not empty. She takes the popcorn from me and looks at the water. "I'll take the ginger ale." She says with a bit of attitude. I hand her the ginger ale.
I take my seat and look at her. "Why are we here?"
"I told you, to watch a movie." She replies without looking at me.
"Yes, but that could have been done at your house. Ever hear of the term Netflix and chill?" I whisper.
"That's weird." She replies back in a whisper.
"It's weird, but it seems to be more your style. Now, answer the question. My rules state that you must." I remind her of rule number two.
"Fine." She pouts and sighs before saying, "I wanted you to be more comfortable with me. So I found out that you like movies and other activities to make us closer." All of this is said without looking at me. I take the opportunity to Smile secretly.
The opening scene of the movie begins playing, so I dump my two different kinds of candy into the popcorn and give it a couple of shakes to mix it. Drew looks at me this time. "You put candy in your popcorn?"
"What? I like sweet and salty." I reply. She turns her head back to the movie and when I look to her, she's smiling.
That's the second time I've ever seen her smile.