Rule 5

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Rule 5.  (Not proofread so please ignore any errors, I will fix them later).

            I was awoken the next morning with a horrific, freezing cold splash of water on my bare stomach. I yelped and tried to spring upwards, simultaneously banging my head on the headboard.

            "Shit," I hissed and instinctively curled up to cover my stomach. With it being the morning, I was a bit out of it, but it was soon clear who was behind the water.

           

            I looked up groggily to see Ash standing above me, grinning, with a cup of water that felt like it had come straight out of the arctic ocean.

            "Good morning, sunshine," he chided, resting one arm on the wall. Instead of watching him, I tried to shuffle around and find my duvet, which had disappeared from my bed. Grumbling, I pulled my t-shirt back down over my belly. As I did, some more water splashed down the back of my neck.

           

            "Get out, you prat," I growled and twisted away from him. The feeling of the water trickling down my back tickled and I blew out through my lips with an irritated grumble.

            "Payback's a bitch," he commented, cocking his head to the side. I narrowed my eyes and moved backwards away from him, only to fall backwards off the bed and onto the floor. Cursing again, I rubbed my sore back and looked up at the ceiling. I was surprised that I was able to fall off something in the room I was in, it was so small, it could barely fit everything I needed in it.

            Ash snapped me out of my daze by wiggling the cup and grinning.

            "Don't even think about it," I warned but he raised an eyebrow and I knew that I'd said the wrong thing.

            "Did you just tell me what to do?" he questioned, walking slowly towards me. I shook my head and tried to get to my feet.

           

            "Nope, far from it. Please just put the water down," I blurted. A smile appeared on his face, creating a small dimple in his smooth, tanned skin. His dark hair, like always, was tousled from where he'd barely done anything to it and he was still in his jogger bottoms and a wife beater. Clearly, he had more important things to do than get dressed and shave. Like shoving water on the poor, innocent and unsuspecting girl in the room across the hall.

           

            The night before, after I had brutally attacked him with an ice cube to the leg, he'd chased me all the way down the stairs and into the lobby. That was where we both ran into Dev (literally) and I'd hidden behind him until Ash went back upstairs. When we got up there, nothing more was said about the ice and I'd hoped that he'd forgotten about it. I bloody hate karma.

            "Down where, your top?" he enquired, taking another threatening step forwards. I shook my head and backed up again, where I felt my back hit the wall.

            "I'd rather not. The sink would probably appreciate it more." He chuckled at my words and placed the cup down on the desk. He surveyed my jumbled pyjamas and lifted one side of his mouth in a small smirk.

            "Rough night?" he asked. I gave him a look and straightened my top and bottoms.

            "No, you seemed to have, though. I heard you and your... friend," I finished lamely.

            "Very rough. Just the way I like it," he said with a shrug and I shuddered.

            "I didn't ask how you liked it," I altered but he grinned.

            "Just letting you know for the future." I grimaced and scrunched my nose up.

            "Your idea of 'our' future is a bit off. Why are you here, besides dousing me with water?" I asked. He rested one shoulder on the wall and glanced at the door before turning back to me.

            "Got a job yet?" I shook my head at his question.

            "I only handed out CVs yesterday. No, I don't." Ash just looked at me. Frowning, I shoved his chest to move him out of the way. He grabbed my wrist to stop me but I manoeuvred myself around the bed to land on the floor behind him.

                       

            Just before I could escape, one hand grabbed the back of my top and I was greeted with yet another load of water down my warm back.

            "Dickhead!" I countered before jogging out of the room and down the passage, cursing under my breath. Dev wasn't in the living room or the kitchen, so I'd assumed that he'd already gone to work.

            I'd managed to have a shower and sort myself out with a cup of tea before Ash bothered me again. Recently, he'd started to rebel against my rules and was doing everything I told him not to. As a result, I had a plan of prevention up my sleeve. When I went into the kitchen to make my cup of tea, I mixed in two teaspoons of salt, rather than my usual sugar.

            As I expected, when I turned my back, Ash had strolled into the kitchen and taken a hearty sip of my drink.

            "What the fu-" I cut him off before he could swear and he leaned over the sink to spit out his salted tea.

            "Don't eat or drink what's mine, remember?" I said sweetly and he scowled before sticking his mouth under the tap to wash out the taste.

           

            "What was that?" he asked. I merely shook the salt shaker in front of his face before attempting to walk past him and go down to the pub that his mum owned. Sid had gotten hold of me through Dev and had asked if I wanted to meet her after her shift. I could do with the all the friends available, so I said that I'd meet her at twelve. An hour early wouldn't hurt, especially if I was stuck with Ash for the duration of it.

           

            Before I could get anywhere, I was twisted and moved back against the counter. Ash was leaning in front of me, trapping me in between his arms. There was only a thin line of air between us and I felt my cheeks heat up. Ash smirked and leaned closer, if that was even possible, and whispered in my ear, "If you start this war, you're going to lose."

            I inwardly shuddered and felt goose bumps rise on my arms and legs under my jeans. Ash didn't move back straight away, instead he looked down between us, and took in the sight of my blush. He eventually pushed himself back from me and leaned on the sink behind him.

           

            "Don't invade my personal space," was my only response and Ash grinned.

            "Is that another one of your little rules?" he teased. I folded my arms and didn't answer.

            "Because if it is, I'm going to have a lot of fun breaking that rule," he added. I said nothing and walked into the living room to grab my jumper.

            "I'm going out," I responded.

            I'd managed to find my way to the pub with minimal problems and after a slight argument with the guy behind the bar, I managed to convince him that I wasn't there to drink. Sid was serving the tables and when everything went quiet, she took a seat on the bar stool next to me with a huff.

            "How's the job hunt going?" she asked and I shrugged.

            "Too early to tell. I kind of got a job offer for here, though," I replied. I'd never seen anybody's jaw drop so quickly.

            "From the dragon?" the incredulous tone to her voice told me that Dev wasn't exaggerating when he said that they didn't hire anyone.

            "Not directly," I said, drawing out the words uneasily.

            "Ash?" she pushed. I slumped back in my seat, leaning against the bar. I told her about Melinda and then about the offer. She was surprisingly understanding of everything and she explained that it was similar with her and Matt. That was why she dyed her hair a variety of colours and wore darker make up, it made her different from him.

                       

            I'd gathered from some kids that I used to talk to in Primary School that being a twin was hard work as there was always a favourite, even if the parents didn't mean to make it that way.

            "He goes to University and studies physics, I sit here and serve drinks to old guys," she added and I smiled.

            "My sister is on the way to a Nobel Prize and I'm sitting here jobless, pretending to be in college." she laughed and glanced at the clock.

            "You wouldn't be pretending if you took Ash up on his offer. It's after the summer and way before Christmas, your chances of getting a job are minimal, chick," she justified. In reality, she'd only voiced what I already knew, but her saying it out loud made me realise that Ash was pretty much the only chance I had at Dev keeping my secret.

           

            "I have pride," I muttered and she chuckled, grabbing her coat before leading me outside. It wasn't too cold so she said that we'd go for a walk to get me used to the area as we chatted.

           

            "Just say that you've thought the offer over. He's arrogant enough to know that you'd crack eventually," she paused. "And you did put salt in his tea and an ice cube down his trouser leg," she added. I grinned, letting a sense of inner pride wash over me before I ran my hand through my mousy hair, which was waving around in the wind like a flag.

           

            "Just one of his many annoying traits," I mumbled. She smiled and directed us towards a cafe.

            "He has many that you are yet to discover. Come on, let's get a cup of tea or coffee, you missed yours this morning," she said over her shoulder as she led me inside.

            The cafe wasn't quaint, it was more like a cheaper version of Costa. While we were in there, I spotted a familiar figure standing outside talking to a few other guys. It wasn't until we got outside that I recognised Ry from the day before.

            "Well if it isn't the littler version of Simmons," he exclaimed when Sid and I left the cafe. Sid froze and looked to her left, backing up a bit.

            "Good morning, darlin'," he cooed at Sid, who scowled.

            "Bugger off, Ry." I frowned, looking between the two of them. Although the guy kind of gave me the creeps, I didn't understand why everyone hated him so much.

            "Where are ya going, Alex?" he shouted from behind when Sid grabbed my hand and pulled me away with her. When we were a safe distance away, she groaned and dropped onto the low wall behind her.

            I got myself comfortable and let her have a few sips of her drink before I asked what the issue with Ry was.

            "He's just an asshole. He's also my ex boyfriend, but that doesn't have anything to do with everyone else hating him," she said, moving her finger around the top of her cup with her finger. I nodded, not pushing the subject as it was clearly touchy. I didn't want to drive away my first hopefully-to-be friend, either.

             I was about to ask her if she had heard anything from Matt about my maybe job when my phone started blaring out a fog horn and I groaned.

            "Alright, Dev?" I asked when I picked up. It was what he said next that made me freeze and prepare for either a sprint home or a really quick taxi ride.

            Sid seemed to notice me tense and frowned, flicking my arm.

            "What's the matter?" she asked.

            "My sister's here and Ash is the only one that's home,"  I replied.

A/N: Please vote and comment!:') Also, any ideas for casting, lemme know!

Dedication for the cover on the side: Thank you!x

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