OFF LIMITS

E.I.G.H.T

Trent and Cameron found Ellery towards the end of lunch. After she had shared a cigarette with Jace and then blasted herself with perfume so they wouldn't be able to tell.

After a few arguments between her and her brothers she had lost and ended up in Cameron's car as he drove her home.

"I'm fine," she had said after she notice Cameron's eyes flicker to hers in the car mirror.

Ellery had gone to work that evening, arrived home late and then had a nightmare free night. She had accidentally fallen asleep for an hour, but no nightmares occurred.

The next few days at school passed peacefully. People treated her cautiously at first, and rumour had it Christina was hiding as she had heard about some of the horrors Sam had inflicted on people and didn't want to face her wrath.

Sam was scary when she wanted to be.

Also Christina had seven angry brothers after her.

"We haven't done very well this week," Jace said as he sat next to Ellery in their last class of the day. The two of them spoke when they could. Ellery's brothers had gotten rather good and appearing whenever they were together and separating them.

Ellery hadn't seen much of Jace, so she smiled at him. He was easy to talk to and she enjoyed his company.

It also made it exciting talking to someone who was 'off limits', as Ashton had put it on Wednesday after dragging Ellery across the classroom to sit with him instead of with Jace.

She still didn't know why they hated each other.

"What do you mean?" Ellery asked.

"We've both been punched and it's only the first week back," Jace said.

"You were punched on purpose," Ellery corrected and noted how Jace's bruises were completely healed. "And you've nearly been punched a lot this week."

Jace also had many run ins with Ellery's brothers, but luckily they were calmed down after a few shoves and harsh words were exchanged.

"Your brothers enjoy punching people," Jace shrugged. "That's not my fault."

"You aggravate them on purpose," Ellery said.

"They're just so easy to piss off," Jace smirked. "Come on, you can't deny that it's a tiny bit amusing."

"No."

"Damn, I thought you were a bad girl," Jace tutted.

Ellery rolled her eyes. "My brothers are being even more controlling thanks to you, I don't find that remotely confusing."

"I don't find the part where I get shoved and you get man handled and pulled away amusing," Jace said, describing what had happened in the corridor before school. Jace and Ellery had literally bumped into each other and they had shared no more than a few words before Cameron spotted them.

"It's getting annoying," Ellery sighed. "I know how to solve it."

"Rendezvous in secret and amazing places where no one will find us?" Jace whispered.

Ellery laughed. "I'm afraid not."

"Then what's your solution?"

"Stay away from each other. That will stop my brothers wanting to punch you and stop them being controlling over me."

"Me being with you just gives them an excuse to try and punch me. They'll still want to hit me even if I'm not seen with you," Jace said. "And you'll just be letting them win if you just give up."