Rule 23

Rule 23 (not proofread, so please ignore any mistakes).

"Good morning," Ash whispered. I felt his arms come around me and pull me back against him.

"This is why I said about the pillow barrier," I argued and Ash chuckled, his breath pushing against my hair. I shuddered and moved myself up to rest on my elbows.

"Admit you, you were warmer without it," he countered, stretching himself out.

Dev hadn't come home the night before, but sent Ash a text to let him know that he was staying with a friend. A female friend. Which I guessed, was Sid.

"Dont," I warned when Ash tried to grab my hips. "I have work," I said and he grinned, raising an eyebrow.

"Oi, before you go," he replied. I turned and he pressed a kiss to my lips. On my way out, I managed to grab a pair of his boxers and sneak them out with me. He thought I was done with the chilli powder, I was far from it.

The lazy bugger stayed in bed while I went to make my breakfast and get ready for work. I took the chilli powder from the cupboard and sprinkled it on the inside of his boxers after I'd finished my cereal.

I walked back into Ash's room and pretended to pick his underwear up from the floor. I put them on his bed and rested my hands on my hips.

"C'mon, get up," I ordered and he grunted.

"Why do I have to get up?" he asked.

"Because you have breakfast with your mum this morning," I informed him and leaned on the doorframe. He made another irritated sound and I left him to get ready.

It was only approximately five minutes before I heard Ash yelp.

"Holy shit, woman!" Ash exclaimed and jogged past me in a rush to the bathroom.

"What's the matter?" I asked innocently.

"You know full well!" he shouted back. I was left waiting in the passage while he had a, presumably cold, shower.

When he came out, he gave me a look and backed me against the passage wall. He put both of his arms on either side of my head and leaned in so that his lips were a few centimetres from mine.

"You, my girl, need to leave the chilli powder alone," he whispered, looking at my lips. He still had the ability to make my heart race and my pulse hammer through my veins.

"Then you, my boy, need to stop unbolting my bed and such lark," I retorted, gently wrapping my arms around his neck.

"If I recall, you started it," he whispered and ran his hands down my back until they were resting on the small of my back.

"I have work," I said again and he smirked.

"Not for at least half an hour. I could get you there on the bike in two," he said. I shook my head quickly but pulled him closer anyway.

"No way in hell. I could spare a few minutes though," I said. He smiled against my mouth and pushed me back against the wall. The kiss turned a little more passionate and his hand explored down from my butt to the top of my thigh.

He moved from my lips down to my neck and I made a small sound from the back of my throat, melting against him.

"Ash, work," I managed to breath out and much to our surprise, the door opened.

The first thought that ran through my head was 'shit'.

"Alexandra," my dad seethed and Ash recoiled the moment I stiffened and the moment my dad's voice was heard.

"Um, Dad," I greeted, expecting Ash to move away. Instead, he stayed by my side and rested his arm on the wall next to me. I was glad he wasn't going away as the murderous look on my dad's face suggested he was on rampage.

"Who are you?" my dad barked at Ash. He didn't flinch, nor did he try to shake my dad's hand as a sign of respect

"Asher Toms," Ash said flatly and my dad's upper lip moved.

"I suggest you step away from my daughter, boy," he warned. Ash shook his head.

"I'll move when she wants me to move," Ash retorted. I patted Ash's shoulder and gulped.

"Go, it's fine," I whispered. "Text Sid and tell her I'll be late," I added. Ash gave my dad a lingering look before disappearing through into his bedroom.

"Good morning," I greeted, folding my arms over my chest. Without even sparing me a glance, my father made his way through to the living room.

We hadn't gotten along before Mel had become famous, mainly because instead of spending my time studying like my sister, I had been drinking and skipping some school classes. They set such a high standard, there wasn't much point in me even trying.

"How very dare you insult my intelligence?" he opened with, running his hand through his greying hair as I entered the front room. He was pacing and glaring at me through his piercing eyes. I physically flinched.

"What do you mean?" I tried but he stopped and pointing an irritated finger at me.

"And you continue to do so. Skipping out on college?" he reminded me and I felt my heart jolt. Where was Dev when you needed him?

"I told you that I didn't want to do it," I said, but he wasn't taking it for answer.

"I don't care what you don't want to do, Alexandra. I have a reputation, the family has a reputation and you already left it in shatters with your little rail road stunt," he hissed. That was when I winced like I'd been hit.

"Don't start on that," I said weakly and he narrowed his eyes.

"Don't even start playing hurt with me. You destroy Melinda's hard work, get arrested for underage drinking, you've partaken in underage sex and now I find that you've dropped out of school and are hanging like a blanket from some boy I've never seen before!" he exploded. His face was getting so red, I was considering getting an egg on the kitchen to see if I could fry it on his cheek.

.

"Yeah, I forget I did everything to destroy both you and Melinda's career. How selfish of me to expect support after what happened!" I replied, my voice low. Unlike Melinda, my dad didn't frighten me as much as he'd of wanted. I'd been yelled at one too many times.

"You wouldn't need support if you weren't off gallivanting on the railways," he replied, running his hands down his face. "I'm not having this fight with you again. I'm here to take you home," he snarled.

"I'm not going home," I answered.

"You will do as I tell you. You are still a child," he said nonchalantly and sent me a challenging look.

"I'm eighteen next week," I retorted. "Besides, I have a job, Dad," I tried, but nothing on his face changed.

"In a strip club? It wouldn't surprise me, young lady," he retorted and gestured towards the passage. "Go and pack."

"A strip club? Just how disgusting do you think I am? A graphic designer. I'm a graphic designer for the Toms' Campaign," I said but he shook his head.

"I'm not listening to anymore of your lies. Get changed out of that ridiculous uniform and get packing."

"I'm not lying," I hissed.

"You're in a uniform for the Jubillee Inn," he replied with a wave of his hand. "I told you to pack."

"And I said no." His nostrils flared and I breathed in deeply, attempting to stand my ground.

"You're under my care, Alexandra, get in your room and get changed. I will be talking to Dev and your uncle tomorrow," he ordered.

"I'm eighteen next week," I repeated and he maliciously smiled.

"And until next week, you're seventeen and under my care. I will not tell you again, get changed."

I stood my ground for a few more precious seconds before he slammed his hand on the leather sofa, making a large thump. I jumped, having a sudden recollection of the sound of the train.

"Don't do that again," I whispered. His expression didn't soften, he just stared at me.

"Go and pack your clothes. I have a business class waiting for you back home," he commanded.

"I'll quit after next week," I warned but he shrugged.

"It'll be the only chance you have at success. It'll look better on us if you turn up," he responded through clenched teeth. I felt a presence appear in the doorway and Ash appeared, glaring at my father.

"I suggest you leave," Ash said coldly but my dad shook his head with grunt.

"I wouldn't even try talking to me right now," my dad said.

"I won't talk then, I'll just drag you out. This is my flat, I don't want you in here," Ash replied.

"I want you off my daughter, but we don't all get what we want," he countered. "Get ready," he barked at me. I'd lost the battle and I knew that pushing him any further would be a mistake.

I skimmed past Ash, who was still glaring at my father. I heard some shouting and then the door slam. Ash appeared in my doorway a moment later, giving me an irritated look.

"I can't believe you're related to that," he grumbled. I shook my head and fought back the tears. He must've noticed this as he came forwards and put his hands on my shoulders.

"A week, Al, and then you came come back," he said. I shrugged him off and scrunched my nose up.

"A week is too long. Your mum is going to fire me and Dev won't take me back because I've dropped him in the shit so I'm going to have to stay in business college and live in the same village as Daniel's grave. You're not going to be there and neither is Sid," I started rambling and the tears came with it. Ash sighed and pulled me tight into his chest, a warmth that I willingly accepted.

"Alex, Alex," he said quickly, gripping my shoulders. "I'll explain to my mum, Dev is going to be fine and you'll be back here in a week, alright? And rule twenty three, no crying," he said and I let out a deep breath.

"Don't race, Ash," I whispered but he sighed, shaking his head.

"You'll be back here for when I race, love," he replied.

"No, because you'll do the qualifying race and I'll lose you the same way I did Daniel," I mumbled. Ash stiffened and I shook my head. "I've got to go," I added and grabbed my bag.

"Alex," he whispered and grabbed my arm. "I'll tell them I found something else on my bike, they'll postpone the race," he said. I took a deep breath and reached up to press a kiss against his lips.

"I'd appreciate that."

"And I'm going to appreciate the week without finding any chilli powder in my boxer shorts," he replied. I grinned.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll miss you, too," I chided.

I met my dad down the car, who was giving me an icy look. He didn't hold the door open, he just walked around the other side and got into the car.

"I'm disappointed," was all he said before he started the car.

"I'm disappointed in you, too," I snapped and glared out the window. He said nothing else, he just let out a deep breath. The radio was turned up to drown out the sound of my angry breathing and my dad's erratic slamming of the acceleration pedal.

When we got home, my mum was waiting in the living room with Melinda.

"I knew you weren't going college. I can't believe that you'd do that, after all we've done for you," Mel hissed and I rolled my eyes.

"The reason you talk so much shit, is you have your head stuck up our dad's arse," I retorted and grabbed my bag, storming up the stairs.

Mum gave me a few minutes to calm myself down before she came upstairs and leaned on my doorframe.

"You're only antagonising him," she said with a sigh and came over to give me a hug. Letting out a deep breath, I smiled.

"I got a job though, Mum." She pulled back and tapped her fingernail on the logo that was printed into my polo shirt.

"I can see that," she said with an eyebrow raised.

"No, a real job. My boyfriend's mum runs a few businesses and he showed her my sketchbook. She took me on as a graphic designer," I blurted and she grinned.

"That's brilliant!" she exclaimed and sat down on the edge of my bed. "He'll come around," she tried but I shook my head.

"We both know he won't. I'm going to leave next week and I never want to see him again," I said with a determined tone and she gave me a sad look.

"I..." she left off and I gave her a small smile.

"Promise you won't ignore me like he does?" I asked and she gave me an incredulous look.

"I'm sad you expect that of me," she admitted and I shrugged.

"I just don't want to lose everyone." She pushed a strand of my hair back and offered a small smile.

"Don't worry about that. Now tell me about this boyfriend," she gushed. I grinned and started to explain to my mum about the endless pranks and jokes Ash and I had played on each other since I jumped him that first morning I moved in.

A/N: This had to happen at some point! Anyway, I updated sooner than I thought I would so... yay! Anyway, please leave a vote and a comment, they'll push me to write faster and hopefully you liked the chapter. :) Lemme know what you think!

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