The Rules (6 page)

“Are you guys finished with the marriage proposals?” Heather asked, rubbing her arms. “I’m freezing…and tie it tight, Robin,” she added.

Robin wanted to be Kyle’s partner in the hunt. But August had already decreed that she, Beth, and Thea were to be a trio and there was no way she was going to play the hookup game. And besides, what if Kyle didn’t wind up with her? Then she’d have to be with Larson, the man slut.

Her elbows brushed against Kyle’s shoulders as she tried to secure the blindfold without getting too close. She fumbled awkwardly and Kyle reached up to help her, his fingers twining with hers and causing Robin to catch her breath. Behind them, someone whooped and the lead guitarist started playing the melody of “Go Ahead and Show Me,” the love ballad that had put Maximum Volume on the fast track to rock stardom.

“They’re playing our song,” Kyle said, grinning.

If only,
she thought.

Robin finished blindfolding Kyle and moved away. He was sorry to see her go. A jumble of emotions he had not anticipated feeling tonight were flooding through him. He hadn’t expected outsiders. This kind of party was way out of her league. These people were pretty despicable. If Beth had dragged her here, then she was no friend of Robin Brissett. Of course, Beth didn’t actually have friends. She had people she used.

He didn’t want to stumble around smelling perfume like a bloodhound. This was actually a fairly tame version of the hookup game, and Kyle wondered if August had decided to change the rating to “safe for all ages” because of Robin and that other chick. Thea. Of course, he’d heard that Thea had been around. None of the guys talked trash about Robin except to say that she looked hot with all that curly red hair and that she was probably too smart to go to bed with any of the losers who went sniffing around her. So to speak.

She’ll definitely give me a run for my money tonight.

To decrease his tension, he stuck his arms out and mimicked walking like the Frankenstein monster, which got a couple of laughs.

“Okay, never mind the blindfolds,” August said. “Take ’em off. Let’s just move it along.”

It wasn’t like August to move it along. He always seemed to get off on turning these games into contact sports. But it was fine with Kyle to switch gears. He pulled off his blindfold, to find Robin staring straight at him. She quickly looked away.

“So I don’t get Morgan?” Cage said.

“Depends,” August replied. “Now listen. Here are the rules.”

“We
know
the rules,” Cage said.

“For the new girls,” August shot back. “Rule number one: No cheating. None. Cheating does not happen.”

Everyone cheered and laughed as if he’d told the best joke. Everyone except Kyle. He wasn’t into cheating. Never had been. And he hoped that Robin Brissett didn’t think he was.

“I’m serious. No cars, no cell phones, no help. You go past the perimeter, you are done. I have spies this time. They will report you and you will be disqualified.”

“That would be horrible,” Larson drawled.

August ignored him. “Rule
dos.
Once you open your envelopes, match your clue up with your partner’s. Each of you has half and together you will go after one object. And, please, the object is not to fulfill your lust. So try to restrain yourselves from running off and finding a dark corner before you even solve the first clue.”

“Yeah, baby,” Larson said.

Kyle glanced over at Robin. As the night went on and people got loaded, she was not going to believe what she was seeing. And it would only get worse….

August continued. “The answer to the clue will be a
solid
object, since Beth’s attempt to use ‘concepts’ last time didn’t pan out so well.”

Beth turned beet-red. August was definitely not feeling the love for her tonight. Kyle wondered what was up.

“The envelope for your second item will be attached to your first object. Do
not
touch other people’s objects. Do
not
steal or mix up their clues.”

“Watch your objects, girls,” Robin deadpanned, and Kyle flashed her a grin. She saw it, blushed, and looked down at her shoes. She was
adorable.

“Rule the third: bring back your items
in the order you find them
to this warehouse. Each of you will have a clearly marked place to pile your loot. I will check it in. At that time you will get the dreaded Truth or Dare.”

“I hate that part,” Heather muttered.

“That’s because girls with lots of naughty secrets always have to pick Dare,” Larson said.

“Shut up,” Heather snapped.

“That’s like six rules, August,” Cage said.

“Rule number
four,
” August continued, ignoring him. “Everybody must follow their clues to the end. No detours or going backward.”

“Rule number four is redundant,” Larson said.

“Tough crowd,” said Robin, and Kyle chuckled.

“Rule number five: feel free to misdirect, confuse, and lie to anyone who is not your partner.”

Another cheer rose up and Thea high-fived Beth, who gave her a
please, we are not twelve
eye roll but high-fived her back.

“Rule six: do not maim anyone!”

“Damn it,” Cage said. “Now it’s no fun at all.”

“That’s
nine
!” Kyle added, and some of the others laughed. Robin grinned at him.

August was unfazed. “First done wins. I
will
be keeping track. Of
everything.
If you break the rules, you will pay.”

“Wahaha,” the singer slurred into her mike.

“Since this is the last hunt, I have upped the budget on the prizes, as you have all been speculating. The two members of the winning team will each get a personalized prize. Heather, for example, could meet a casting agent who is a friend of my family. He’s looking for a young ingénue for a new kids’ show.”

Heather caught her breath. August continued.

“Cage could win a meeting with a football scout. Everyone has one. I’ll think of something for you, Robin,” he said, nodding in her direction. “Each person’s prize is printed on their clue card. But if anyone bails out of the game, no prize.

“And for the winning
team,
there’s a choice of prizes for them to share.” He held up a finger. “Option A: you and a date can ride to prom in the same limo that the Rolling Stones used when my parents took them to San Francisco to check out our new restaurant.”

“Oh my God, that is so cool,” Thea said, and the others nodded in agreement. Kyle wondered if August was just making that up or if it really was the same limo.

“
Or
you can have what I think is the most amazing prize of all,” August said. “Everyone knows I’m something of a hacker.” There were nods. “Well, check this out. In their infinite wisdom, the administration of Callabrese High has created an internal computer dropbox. Into this dropbox, all the teachers of all the classes at our school are busily uploading their final exams.
And
their answer keys.”

Over the ensuing hubbub, August raised his hands. “Yes, my friends, that means
every single final.
And, of course, Mr. Blanchard, our IT teacher, has added the seven deadly rings of security.” He snickered. “Which I, of course, hacked past. I have the security protocol,
including
the numerous passwords, and I will give it all to two lucky winners…unless you would rather have the limo.”

Kyle frowned, super pissed. He had studied his butt off for weeks. Ms. Amaya and a couple of the other teachers graded on a curve, and he couldn’t afford to get knocked down because people were cheating. It was so typical of August, who cut corners every chance he got just because he
could.
And typical of their friends to take the easy way out.

It was not typical of Coach Brissett’s daughter, apparently. Beth and Thea were hopping up and down in utter ecstasy, but Robin looked as shocked as he felt, and he watched her arguing with them. He and Robin were the only two honest people in a den of thieves.

“When I give the signal, you will rip open your clue envelopes and find your partners,” August said. “So tank up on food now. It’s going to be a long night.”

Kyle wandered over to the overflowing refreshment table. As usual, August had put out an amazing amount of food. And not just cheap munchies, but cracked crab on sourdough bread, clam chowder, little Japanese bento lunch boxes packed with sushi, and a massive cake that looked like a bottle of Anchor Steam beer. The table was decorated with at least six different colors of miniature roses and two enormous ice sculptures of sea lions. Random.

Robin came over. There was guacamole and chips, and she got a little skull-shaped plate and took some. He knew that even though she wasn’t looking at him, she was conscious of his presence, and he moved closer and snagged a chip off her plate.

“So, this is your first August party,” he said. He loved her eyes. They were blue, like his, but a bit greener. She had a cute nose. And a great body. He liked girls with athletic builds. She didn’t do sports at school, but he knew she was a runner, like him. He wasn’t sure if she was more into speed or endurance. This hunt location was so spread out that he would probably get to find out.

“And my last,” she said, munching on a chip. “The grand finale.”

“Or the bitter end. Do you want a beer? Or something stronger?”

She made a little face. “I think I’d better stick to soda. My teammates are out for blood, and I’m not a very good drinker. Plus we’re getting a penalty because we’re a team of three, so I need to maintain every advantage.”

He handed her a can of Diet Coke and got himself a water bottle. “I don’t drink, either,” he said, unscrewing the cap. “August designs these hunts himself. Usually Beth helps. Why didn’t he just pair you with Thea? It’s not fair to clump you up and then penalize you for it.”

She jerked her plate away playfully when he reached for another chip. “He didn’t know I was coming. Beth invited me and I guess she forgot to tell him. Which is weird, considering…” She trailed off. “Anyway, I’m glad I’m the odd girl out because there is no way I’d take the test answers, and Thea and Beth are over there dancing a jig at the very thought.”

“So you’re not a rule-breaker,” he said.

“Not usually, no. But I
will
help Beth and Thea win.” She looked dubious. “It’s not up to me which prize they pick.”

“But you girls won’t win,” he said very seriously. “You know that.” She lifted her brows and he reminded himself not to underestimate her.

“I already said I’d kick your ass.” She grinned at him.

“Hah. I could beat you
all
without the penalty. Me and my partner,” he added. If it was Heather, she’d probably wander off somewhere and hook up. That would be fine with him. Give him room to maneuver. Otherwise she’d be a total boat anchor.

“Wow, lacrosse captain, are you ever so competitive.”

“You got that right.” He feinted to the left as if to steal a chip, and as she batted her hand at him, he snatched away the plate, and held it above her head. He scooped up the last of the chips. “I’m a winner.”

She was all flushed as she huffed and lightly gave his shoulder a bat. He was stunned. She liked him.
Liked
liked him. He had never guessed.

“Want to make it interesting?” she said.

He halted, the chips halfway to his mouth. “Sure.”

“Loser buys the winner coffee.”

He smiled. Another surprise. She was pretty much asking him on a date.

“You’re on.”

He held the chips out to her. He always had an image of what these hunts would be like, and it hadn’t accounted for the presence of an innocent like Robin Brissett.

I guess we all started out innocent,
he thought, and figured he should warn her.

“These people,” he said, then hesitated. He had to be careful. For years and years, he had kept his low opinions of these friends to himself. There was absolutely no point in dissing them now, when they were all so close to the end. “They feel entitled. They get bored easily, and if something’s too hard, they’ll cheat. Cage has been known to hire smart kids to do his homework. Larson just screws—”

He broke off. Larson’s typical solution for raising his GPA was to hook up with some smart nerd, get her to do his homework, and then break it off with her.

“Look at how much August has to bribe them to play his game,” he said. “They’ll never have to work a day in their lives, not really. They’ll just coast along and get everything while you and I will have to work our butts off just to make it.”

Her eyes widened, and Kyle wondered if he had said too much. No one knew he was this bitter. He was suddenly nervous.

“Anyway,” he began, and she smiled gently at him.

“Actually, I agree with you,” she murmured. “Sometimes it pisses me off, too.”

He blinked. “Whoa, Robin. I—”

Then August jumped back on the stage with his arms wide. “Okay, scavengers, finish up. The countdown has begun.”