Page 95 of Rules

Jeanette tries to protest again, but I’m not having it. Wrapping my hands around her, I throw her over my shoulder and start toward the door. I don’t get to make it more than a couple of steps before Jeanette starts pounding at my back.

What the fuck is wrong with these girls? Are they trying to drive me crazy?

“Brooooook! Save me, will ya?” Every word is accompanied by a bang against my back. There is no real strength behind her punches, but it doesn’t help with my ever-growing headache. “We can have another drink, and then we can go back to dancing.”

“I’m sorry, girl,” Brook yells from somewhere behind us.

I look over my shoulder, giving her a stern look. Is she shitting me? “You should be sorry! It’s all your fault!”

“My fault?” Brook’s eyes narrow at me, her cheeks turning pink in anger. “She’s old enough to know how much she can drink. Besides, she had a shitty evening.” She turns to look at Andrew. And if I thought she was giving me a death glare, I was wrong. If looks could kill, Andrew would be long gone. “Can’t blame a girl for having one too many.”

“She had more than just one too many drinks!” I accuse. Brook turns back to me, that death glare now concentrated in my direction. I cringe, guilt slowly eating at me. Rationally I know it’s not her fault, but it’s all too much. Brook avoiding me for days when I finally thought we had our shit figured out. And this whole scene reminds me a lot of Jeanette from two years ago.

I warned her to stay away from Andrew, but did she listen? Of course not. She has to do it her own way, and now she’s out of control once again.

Brook starts to say something, but Jeanette’s slow murmur stops her. “My head is hurting.”

“I know, J.” I pat her back softly in hopes that it will help calm her down. “I think it’s time for you to go to bed.”

Jeanette looks at her friend, her nose furrowed. “Why are you upside-down?”

“You’re the one who’s upside-down, silly.”

“M-me?” Jeanette hiccups.

“Yes, you…”

But she doesn’t get to finish because Andrew interrupts her. “Turn her over!”

Hearing the worry in his voice, I hurry to do as he said, but he’s already in front of me, pulling my sister from my arms and out onto the front porch. I hurry behind them. Jeanette reaches the first pot and throws up the contents of her stomach. Andrew is right behind her, his hand caressing her back while he pulls her hair out of her face.

I stop in my tracks, taken aback by the whole situation. I knew there was something happening between them. I knew they kept seeing each other behind everybody’s back even after I punched Andrew in the face, but this is the first time I’ve actually seen them together.

Jeanette heaves over the pot for a while after she empties her stomach, but Andrew doesn’t back away. I see his lips moving as he murmurs something only she can hear.

I’m not sure if I should intervene or not. She’s my sister, but looking at the two of them I feel like an outsider. A part of me wants to punch Andrew for going behind my back,again, but the other part wants my sister to have what she needs right now and if that’s Andrew…

Slowly, Jeanette lifts her head, their gazes clashing. I can see her whole body tense, and then she pulls away, almost missing a step and falling down.

“Don’t touch me,” she snarls, her finger lifted in the air in a warning.

“What the hell?” He tries to reach for her, but she pulls away once again.

“I said, don’t touch me.”

Andrew looks around helplessly, but I have no idea what the hell is going on. And I don’t get a chance to find out because Jeanette’s pleading eyes turn to me.

“Take me home?” Her voice is a soft whisper, and she looks small. Nodding in agreement, I go to my sister and wrap my arm around her. I want to ask her what the hell is going on, but I know she’s not in the right state of mind to talk about it, so I let it go. For now.

“Let’s go home.”

“Brook?” Jeanette looks over her shoulder.

Her name makes me stop in my tracks. For a moment, I completely forgot she was here with us. She’s been so quiet, standing on the sidelines, not once interfering.

“Let me just…” Brook goes through her bag I didn’t even see her carrying and lifts her phone in the air.

Jeanette nods. “We’ll be in the car.”

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