The Rulebook

Chapter Two

Hey guys, so for each chapter my goal is to have 1000 words at least. And I'd like to upload at least on chapter a month, possibly sooner, possibly later. Thanks for reading

xoxo ~Chloe

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June

Water droplets softly padded the treetops above as I stalked farther into the forest. The sound of my footsteps was barely audible over the slight rain. It was really getting hard to avoid what Ethan was prodding me about.

"So you seriously haven't noticed anything weird going on around town?" more footsteps.

"You're telling me that nothing has seemed a bit odd to you lately?" He pressed.

"Like what? What have you seen that's so suspicious and weird lately?" I retorted.

"Well for starters, when we passed by the courthouse after school today there were extra security guards on watch. Like they knew somehow that the book was gonna get stolen."

"Okay that doesn't mean anything, they just pick random days for that, you know how they do that." I wasn't falling for it. It was too weird.

"But June, like last week I was in the courthouse and-"

"Wait what? Why were you in the courthouse?"

"Doesn't matter. What's important is I saw a guy looking at the book all suspicious like he was gonna take it or something!!" he was getting whiney like a child asking for candy.

"What?" I didn't understand why that guy would need to look at the book in person when he could just- "hold on. Why would the guy need to see the book in person when-"

"Exactly!" He acted like I had just pointed out that I was wearing clothes. "That's what I thought, but when we were headed back into town for the meeting I checked with my phone and it just wasn't on the servers anymore. Like it had been erased."

"So much for digital backups," I stated.

Just then he grabbed both of my hands, looked me in the eye and said "June, I need to figure out what's going on here. And I really don't want to do it alone. Please help me?" He had only done this to me once before and I could tell he really meant it.

"Fine." I pulled my hands from his and embraced him in a hug. I heard him mumble something I couldn't quite make out so I pulled away.
"What?" I asked.

"I'm scared, June," He paused.
"What's gonna happen now that it's gone? The book. Cause I mean people might go crazy and think that they can do whatever they want." I waited for him to finish speaking before I hugged him again.

"It'll be fine," I told him. But I couldn't be sure. I pulled away and grasped his shoulders, looking him in the eye. "We're gonna find that book if it's the last thing we do, okay?"

"Okay."

With that we walked home, his arm lazily slung over my shoulder. Walking out of the forrest we avoided tree roots and fallen branches from the past winter. When we reached my house I gave him a quick hug before waving goodbye.

"See you tomorrow!" I called out.

He responded with a kiss, sent from the palm of his hand, through the wind and into my hand. I caught it and walked through my front door, up the stairs, down the hall and into my bedroom.

****

I couldn't fall asleep for some reason. I kept analyzing everything around me trying to figure out if it was suspicious or if I was just overthinking it. Like my mind couldn't recall anything. Or maybe it could, but it just wasn't the right thing. Or it wasn't the right way? Either way, there was no way I could sleep. So, being the logical person I am, I sneaked out as quietly as possible, tiptoeing down the stairs, avoiding the ones I knew creaked from year of experience. 

Once I was out I ran straight across the street, through two backyards, onto the next block and down the street to Ethan's house. I had done this a couple times before and knew that Ethans window would be open; it was too hot in his room and his parents don't like to crank up (or down?) the AC all day.  After passing through the window into his room, I noticed that he was awake, turned away from me (and his window), on his cell, so I texted him. 

Me: Hey... are you awake?

Ethan: zzzzzz. no

Me: oh really?

When I saw my message appear on his screen I jumped across the room and covered his mouth with my hand, willing him with my mind not to scream. Once he stopped struggling and realized it was me I moved my hand. 

"What the hell, June?!" He whisper yelled as he pulled himself up to sit next to me. 

"I couldn't sleep." I stated, pulling the covers over my legs and leaning my head on his shoulder. 

"Why not?" He continued. 

"Well because you got in my head, that's why."

"What?" after asking this, I moved a little so I was facing him on the bed.

"You kept being all weird earlier and I was just thinking about, like everything, and I was overthinking and now my brain is fried. I can't sleep." I moved back over next to him and lay my head back on his shoulder. 

"Okay, I'm sorry. We don't have to do anything if you don't want-"

"Oh, no I want to. I just can't stop thinking about it." With that he shushed me and he lay back down in bed. I followed suit and he wrapped his arms around my waist, settling on my lower back. 

***

I'm not sure how long it took me to fall asleep but I knew if I wasn't home before my parents woke up then I was going to be in big trouble. I looked over at Ethan, all too happy to wake up the lazy lump next to me. 

poke

"Pssst. Ethan. I have to go, wake up." He yawned and pulled his elbows above his head, stretching. 

"Hmmm, okay." He turned toward me more and I had already gotten up and was ready to head home. 

"Bye loser." I stuck my tongue out at him and backed out of his window, ran across the street and home. 

*

When I looked at the alarm clock in my bedroom I realized that my mom would be coming in any minute to wake me up so I jumped in bed and made myself look sleepy. I heard the door opening and footsteps headed toward me. 

"Honey, wake up. It's time to get ready for school."

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Yay! I am so happy that I wrote over 1,000 words and it's been less than a week since my last update!

Next chapter will be in Ethan's POV 

Thanks for reading! Please add to your library if you like. *vote*comment* do what you do

:P ~Chloe