Rules and Roses: Untouchable Book One

by Long, Heather

  “…horror. I know. No horror. We won’t ever do that to you again. I think you almost ruined Jake’s football career when you nearly dislocated his arm.”

  Laughing, I made my way to the kitchen. I’d pulled out the plates and the condiments—marinara for the mozzarella sticks, sour cream for the potato skins, and ranch dressing for the chicken fingers—and had everything set up before the timer went off.

  My stomach gurgled as I split the food evenly.

  “Was that last Godzilla any good?” Coop yelled.

  “I have no idea. I like the monster island one.”

  “They don’t have that.”

  Laughing, I shook my head and called, “Well, then keep looking…”

  “Yeah, yeah…” Oven off, food plated, I put away the oven mitts. “Hey, Frankie, your phone just went off. It’s Archie. Want me to answer it?”

  “Please…” I’d just picked up the plates when someone knocked on the door. Setting them back down, I glanced through the window to the side of the door and frowned. Jake? Opening the door, I stared at Jake who held up bags from our favorite Chinese place. “Hey…”

  He grinned and I swore, his gaze swept me from head to toe before he said, “Hey. I grabbed a little bit of everything. I know you like their doughnuts.”

  Their… Were we having dinner tonight?

  “Come on in,” I said, waving him inside and stepping back to let him in. He caught the door and nodded at me to go before closing it behind him and flipping the deadbolt. “I didn’t realize you were coming over.” I felt kind of bad, especially since he brought food.

  He glanced at the food on the counter and his expression fell. My stomach knotted and all that earlier confusion from when he said he wanted to date me crawled right up wrap around my throat. “You have company?”

  With a swift look at me, he checked the living room. Coop was still in my room and his voice drifted if not the actual words.

  “It’s just Coop,” I told him when Jake’s expression grew even more thunderous.

  He blew out a breath when I said that. “Oh.”

  The word sorry stuck to my tongue, because why should I apologize for having one of my friends over? I’d thought he meant we’d watch History Buffs the way we had last time, not that he would come over.

  “Come on, we were just going to look for a movie because we’re stuck on the assignment.” I rose up on my tiptoes to grab him a plate from the cupboard, then I grabbed more silverware. “Can you snag the paper towels?”

  We were about to have a ton of food in my room. I would most likely have to wash my comforter before the weekend. No way we’d make it through the food without spilling something.

  “Got ‘em.” He toed his shoes off next to Coop’s then followed me back to my room. Coop glanced up as we came in.

  “Hey, here she is—with Jake. Hey Jake,” he greeted him with a little frown before taking his plate and handing me the phone.

  I put my plate on the desk aware of Jake as he moved to stand right next to me and set out the Chinese food. “Hey Archie,” I said into the phone.

  “Hey,” he replied his voice a little solemn. “Didn’t mean to bust up the party.”

  “It’s not really a party, Coop and I were doing homework and grabbing something to eat. Jake just dropped by—we got our signals crossed. I think we’re going to watch a movie and eat while Coop and I figure this project out.”

  “Yeah? Got enough for a fourth?”

  Jake leaned a little closer. “I do but you better pick up some ice cream on the way. Gotta pay the door fee.”

  I snorted and pushed his arm. “We still have opera cake, if you want to try that. No need for ice cream.”

  “Not even mint chocolate chip?”

  My all-time favorite ice cream beaten out only by…

  “…or maybe the double chunk chocolate chip chocolate ice cream?”

  Death by chocolate was the only way to go. “You’re killing me.” I looked at the greasy appetizer food then the Moo Goo Gai Pan and rice Jake had on his plate, not to mention the sweet sugar and cinnamon doughnuts I could smell in the bag he set next to me.

  “But what a way to go, right?” Archie’s chuckle was much more him. “Tell you what, I’ll bring both. See you guys in fifteen.” Then the call ended.

  “Archie’s coming over?” Coop asked.

  “Apparently,” Jake said pulling out my desk chair and I shook my head.

  “We can sit on the bed. It’s more comfortable anyway.” Though we were gonna run out of room when Archie got there. I could always go steal the couch cushions or we could go sit out there to watch a movie. Eh, we’d figure it out.

  Plate in hand, I walked up onto my bed and Coop snagged my laptop so I could settle against the headboard. I scooted over close to him so there’d be room. When I patted the bed next to me, Jake gave me a droll look before he crossed over to sit.

  “What movie are we watching?” He stretched his legs out. I kept mine crisscrossed and balanced my plate in the cradle as I leaned forward to unlock the screen and pull up Netflix again.

  “We were trying to figure that out,” Coop said. “No…”

  “Horror,” Jake finished with a roll of his eyes. “Never again. Anyone tries to make you watch horror again, I’ll save you the trouble and break their arms for you.” He rubbed my back gently, and I laughed.

  “I did not break your arm.”

  “No, but you damn sure tried.” The hand on my back sent goosebumps racing over my skin. Hardly the first time he’d ever touched me, but still… I focused on the screen. “So comedy or action?” They’d sooner drill their own teeth than watch a rom com. Okay, maybe that wasn’t fair, but I’d like to actually enjoy the romantic comedy rather than listen to their gagging and complaining.

  “Action,” Coop and Jake said in one voice.

  “Lemme see,” Jake said after he wiped his hands. I passed him the laptop and leaned back to start eating my chicken fingers. Coop had finished almost all of his food and he was eyeing mine.

  I offered him one of the potato skins and he beamed. “You’re the best.”

  “Don’t steal her food,” Jake muttered.

  “You brought more.”

  “Then ask for mine,” Jake said. “I dare you…what ‘bout this?” He turned the screen. I’d heard about the movie, but I hadn’t seen that one.

  “No way,” Coop answered.

  “It’s got kickass action.” Jake looked at me. “Trust me, it’s a thing of beauty. You’re going to love it.”

  “Jake, man—they kill the dog.”

  Oh. My heart fisted. “They kill the dog?”

  “Yeah,” Coop said, staring at Jake. “They kill the dog. Frankie can’t watch that.”

  I really didn’t want to watch that.

  “Yeah okay, it goes like this,” Jake said. “The guy’s wife dies, and he goes through the funeral and everything else, but he’s alone. He’s devastated. He’s lost his wife and his best friend. A delivery truck shows up and brings him this puppy. His wife apparently ordered the puppy to be delivered after her death because she knew he wouldn’t do well. It takes him some time, but he starts to bond with the puppy and they’re doing okay—then these assholes show up and they jump him. They steal his car and kill the dog.”

  I can almost feel the tears in my eyes as the horror wells up. “That sounds like an awful movie.”

  “Yeah, but he gets the assholes, that’s the point. He goes after the people who killed his dog and it’s—just trust me, Frankie. We’ll skip forward so you don’t have to see it, but I think you’re going to love it.” The pleading on Jake’s face urged me to agree, but…

  A knock carried through the quiet, and my phone buzzed all at once.

  “I’ll let him in,” Coop said, hopping up to go answer the door.

  “Hey,” Jake said, nudging his finger under my chin. “I get it. You don’t like it when they hurt animals.”

  No. I really didn’t.
>
  “Even when it’s fake…”

  “Yeah, but it’s not fake in the story, and that’s awful.”

  He chortled, but he didn’t seem to be making fun of me. “I promise. It’ll be okay. You can hold my hand if you get scared.”

  I eyed him. “Even if I might break your arm?”

  “Even if…”

  Then Archie was in the door with ice cream pints and spoons. “What are we watching and what am I eating?”

  When we told him, his expression grew fierce and he glared at Jake. “You can’t make her watch that. The dog dies.”

  “We know,” Jake said. “We’re going to skip forward.”

  It took us a minute to sort ourselves out. Somehow, we ended up all four on the bed, with Archie and Jake on either side of me and Coop sprawled on his stomach, head pillowed on my legs. It might have made more sense to watch in the living room, but the guys were happy here.

  Still, they skipped it forward and we watched all of it.

  Every awesome moment where the hero extracted revenge for his dog.

  Jake was right.

  I loved it.

  And it was kind of nice being in a pile with them, too. At some point Archie leaned his head on my shoulder and my head was on Jake’s.

  Oh, and the ice cream? I ate the whole pint.

  They were definitely trying to kill me.

  It was late by the time the second movie ended and I was yawning my head off. They helped me clean up, and headed for the door, but Archie and Jake were both lingering until Coop shooed them outside.

  “Lock the door, Frankie,” he told me. But Archie paused and glanced at his watch.

  “Your mom isn’t here…”

  “Yeah I know,” I said with a shrug. She’d probably texted or something. I’d stopped looking at my phone during the movie. “She’s probably working late.” Or on a date, but I didn’t say that.

  Archie frowned.

  “It’s all good. Night guys.”

  It was only after my teeth were brushed and I was back in bed hugging a pillow that smelled like Jake that it hit me. Coop and I never did our homework. Neither did Jake and I, and Archie and I didn’t go over government. It was just hanging out, cuddling, and movies.

  My phone buzzed and it was Jake.

  Jake: Tonight wasn’t a date, but a lot of fun. I do want to take you out—just you and me. Say yes? We’ll make time.

  Just you and me. That was what Coop said. He wanted me to himself for a while.

  Bubba wanted to take me to homecoming.

  Jake wanted to take me out.

  And Archie? He hadn’t said.

  I swallowed. Was I dating my best friends?

  Oh crap.

  Could you date your best friends?

  Or three of them?

  Wait, I was dating the three of them and Mathieu?

  Nervous, I sent to Jake Even if I’m still going out with Mathieu—well, sorta—and Bubba wants to take me to homecoming?

  Biting my lip, I waited.

  Jake: Even if. Say yes.

  Eyes closed I let out a little shiver then typed in Yes.

  Jake sent me a big smiley face and a kiss emoji followed by: Talk to you tomorrow. We’ll make time.

  Rolling onto my back, I hugged the phone.

  I was dating guys.

  Plural.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Making Plans

  Tuesday got off to a much better start than the day before. Mom was in the kitchen feeding the cats when I got up. She even had a pot of coffee made. Since she was still in her pajamas, her hair pulled back into a tidy knot, I wasn’t sure if she was going to work.

  “Late start today,” she told me while I ate my toast. “Probably a late night tonight.”

  Maybe I should have left it alone, but if anything, leaving an uncomfortable subject alone with the guys had created months of tension and discomfort for all of us. “You’ve had a lot of those lately. Is everything all right?”

  “I know,” my mom said with a sigh as she poured her coffee. She dragged her steps a little. The shadows beneath her eyes said she hadn’t been getting a lot of rest. “I’m sorry, Frankie. I keep thinking I’ve got it all done and then… How are you doing? Everything fine at school?”

  “Everything’s great,” I told her. It was true. “Got my French project done, though I have to finish compiling the video. I’m going to do that later tonight. I think there’s still some left in the fridge, if you want try it.”

  She shot me an almost guilty look. “I might have tried it when I got in last night—along with the leftover Chinese. Thanks for that.”

  “You’re welcome. I have to make a second one, so if any of it survives the sampling at school, I’ll leave you some in the fridge next week.”

  “Thanks. You have a good day.”

  That about summed up our whole conversation. She wandered back to her room with her coffee and closed the door. The TV was on in there when I left to meet Coop at the car.

  Bubba’s bike was parked next to where I usually parked. He would have to have left it there and then hiked over to the stadium for practice. I was looking forward to riding it later. We found Archie in the cafeteria with coffee and ended up talking about the movie from the night before until Bubba and Jake got there. It was nice. Probably the most relaxed since we got back to school, at least for me. Although, I had to admit, I worried the dating thing might affect the dynamic, the guys picked on each other like they always did in between teasing me.

  Government proved duller than dirt. Archie kept sending me menus and on the pretext of studying, I flipped through them then texted back a ?.

  His response was simply Pick one.

  I snuck a look at him and raised my eyebrows and he mouthed Friday.

  Oh.

  He had said something about doing something this Friday without Coop waiting for us. I was torn, though. The menus all looked really good. So, finally, I sent back two of them with can’t decide, either of these look awesome.

  Archie: Deal. Want to do something after?

  I tilted my head. Bubba and Jake wanted me to meet them after the game. Maybe. Might see Bubba and Jake after game. Want to hang out and then go see them?

  Kind of a gamble but…

  Archie: Just not at the game, right?

  I made a face and he grinned.

  Archie: I can think of something.

  Out in the hall after class, I caught his arm and said, “Hey Arch, you really okay?”

  “I’m great, Frankie.” He winked. “I got plans for Friday and Saturday. See you at lunch?”

  “Having lunch with Mathieu,” I reminded him.

  “Right, still need to introduce me to him.”

  “I’ll get right on that.” He’d meet him on Saturday for sure, though. Bubba was waiting for me at the stairs to walk to class where we had the fun of taking a pop quiz. I had a feeling we’d be seeing a lot of those in calculus. Afterward, Bubba walked me to French.

  “We’re still on after school, right?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it,” I promised. “I get to ride the bike.”

  He grinned. “Yes, you do.” Smile fading a notch, he glanced past me. “Hey, Matt.”

  “Ian,” Mathieu greeted him.

  “See you at lunch,” Bubba said.

  “Eating with Mathieu today,” I reminded him.

  “Oh…well, come along and eat with us.”

  I stared at Bubba. No.

  “Maybe next time,” Mathieu said. “Francesca and I are going off campus.”

  “Good to know.” Bubba winked at me. “See you after school, Frankie.”

  “They don’t want you to go out with me alone?” Mathieu asked.

  Rolling my eyes, I gave him a gentle nudge in the door. “They’re just used to our crazy schedule.”

  Made it through French doing drills on vocabulary then practicing conversational by pairing up and interviewing the student next to me. I got Emile. He was a quiet k
id and had a slightly higher-class ranking than I did. We despised each other in elementary school, got along fine in middle school and junior high, but since we got to high school we’d been…neutral.

  After the class was over, I’d pretty much remembered all the reasons why. Emile wasn’t a bad guy, he was just—boring. Terminally boring. So boring that even his questions made me want to go to sleep.

  I told Mathieu where I’d parked so he’d meet me there for lunch then headed off to AP Lit. As soon as we were in our seats, Ms. Farjardo passed out a package of paper. “What you’re going to find on this sheet is Cardinal Woolsey’s speech from Shakespeare’s Henry the VIII. Read it carefully. Then, on the blank pages that follow, I want you write an essay analyzing how Shakespeare used allusion, figurative language, and tone to convey the Cardinal’s complex response to his dismissal from court.”

  She checked her watch. “You will have forty minutes. Starting… now.”

  Staring at the speech on the first page, I had to push all thoughts of dating, boys, homework, and Mom craziness to the side. Shakespeare was not my favorite to read.

  Not by a long shot.

  The man pontificated and the flowery language of the time made me crazy. That and I preferred his comedies to his tragedies and his histories—though, I could probably argue his histories were pretty damn tragic.

  Forty minutes and a hand cramp later, I’d just finished my second re-read of the essay when Ms. Fajardo called time. She gathered our assignments and then released us five minutes early—probably out of pity for our melted brains. Coop staggered along, one arm over my shoulder as we headed downstairs.

  “Did you know she was going to do that?” he asked, then moaned like a zombie.

  “Today? Not specifically, but we knew those were going to happen.”

  “Well, I think she killed me,” Coop admitted. “If the whole exam is like that, will you promise to visit my grave every week and bring me flowers?”

  With a snort, I nudged him. “Of course, I will. I’ll even bring coffee and fill you in on all the fun you’re missing.”

  “Mean. Mean.” At the cafeteria, he tugged my ponytail gently. “Have a good lunch with Frenchy.”