THE RULEBOOK (unfinished)

#1 PERMISSION NEEDED TO ENTER.

I look up to the board at the front of the classroom, tapping my pencil against my desk as I shift my eyes towards the clock. Ten more minutes to go till I get to leave this hellhole.

I suddenly hear Mr. Gray yelling my name, my head shoots up. "Jordan!" He exclaims.

"Yes, Mr. Gray?" I ask, trying to pay attention.

"What U.S. president was assassinated in 1865?" He questioned.

"Uh...Abraham Lincoln," I state, still unsure.

"Correct. Thank you, Jordan."

***

The school bell ringing echoes in my ears as students stand up, rushing to get out of class.

I stand up slowly and pull my backpack on.

I walk out of the class as Mr. Gray yells random sentences about studying and school-related things. I abruptly stop when I feel somebody tap on my shoulder. I turn around, Casey, our neighborhood optimist.

"You did good answering that question in class!" He says, I cringe slightly at the pep in his voice.

I nod at him and turn back around to continue walking. He speeds up and walks next to me.

"You do know we are neighbors, right?" He turns to me, smiling.

I turn my head to him and just look at him a bit. I then continue walking.

***

He ends up following me, him asking me questions as I shake my head 'yes' or 'no' as answers. 

I soon realise that we've reached the my path that leads into the woods. I walk through the small wall of bushes that hides the path from outsiders "You do know where we are going right?" He asks. 

I turn my head to look at him and roll my eyes, "Duh." I say quietly. He snorts and I turn back around, not holding the bushes out of the pathway so they smack him in the face.

After around a minute of walking we reach my beloved treehouse in all its glory. I quickly climb the ladder and pull it up so Casey wont be able to enter. He's too distracted admiring my treehouse to notice.

He soon realises, "Hey! Let me up!" He shouts up at me.

"If you want to come up you need to obey my rules, if you don't I will chop your toes off." I call out.

"Ok, well what are the rules?"

"Rule number one, permission is needed to enter my treehouse." 

"That's it? Can I come up?"

"No."

"Please?" He pleads.

"Fine but take your shoes off before coming in." I state as I push the rope ladder back down so he will be able to climb up.