33. The chapter with the Miller-Campbell family rules
Christian
I turned off the shower and, feeling my skin freezing from the cold water, I tried to get dressed quickly remembering that Rose had told me that her father was waiting for me. Wearing clean underwear, I walked to the front of the mirror, watching the red welt that ran down my neck, making my body threaten to react as I remembered when she had done it moments ago.
" Damn it, Rose," I muttered, picking out the baggiest pair of pants I had.
What was wrong with her admitting that she was jealous? She didn't have to act the way she did, just admit that she was wrong and I would drop the subject!
Rose admitting she was wrong… as if that was ever going to happen.
Putting on my pair of boots, I put on some kind of t-shirt and my leather jacket over it, attaching some chains to the belt of my pants. Great, this will do.
Taking a deep breath, trying to clear my mind, I started up the stairs. The worst part was that Rose was right about one thing, she couldn't get out of my thoughts, and the mere memory of her touches on my skin, her moans in my ear, and her gasping breath, was enough to make my body start to react.
She wants to kill me. No, rather, she wants to make the six feet high mountain of muscles that she calls her father kill me. There is no other explanation.
Taking a deep breath, I opened the door at the bottom of the stairs, finding all my friends settled on the sofas in the living room, while Rose's parents and another woman, who I assumed was Alex, Rose's new stepmother, were standing by the TV.
" Sorry for the delay," I murmured, looking for an empty place to sit down.
" Where's your costume? " Rose complained as soon as I had settled down next to Theo.
" I think he's dressed as a biker," the woman I suspected to be Mr. Campbell's girlfriend explained.
" Exactly.”
"But he's a real motorcyclist, that's not fair," Theo complained.
I evaluated his costume and I must say that it was ridiculous. He just puts a cape over a black outfit and thinks he's in costume.
" I look better than you or Harry who just put on a cowboy hat. Where's the rest? " I pointed out.
" You should be more committed to the costume," Rose caught our attention sitting on the other couch.
" At least they're not running the risk of getting lightning struck in the head for blasphemy, Rose," Liam returned.
A scratching of throats interrupted our interaction, drawing our attention back to Jackson who continued to stare at us with a raised eyebrow and crossed arms showing off his muscles, causing me to pay attention to his costume for the first time.
What is this family's problem with decent costumes?
" May I speak? Now that everyone is gathered here, I think it's time to go over the house rules so that we can go to our party in peace, and… What happened to your neck, kid?" his gaze locked on me.
My hand automatically went to the fresh welt on my throat, wondering how I could explain it in a way that made the slightest sense and didn't compromise me.
" I had a... little accident in the shower” I stammered, feeling the attention of everyone except Rose, who turned her face to disguise a small smile, on me.
" Accident? " Harry frowned.
" Yes, with a... Shaver," I added.
" How? " Theo looked incredulous.
" I... can't explain," I took a deep breath.
" Why are you guys bothering with this? It's Christian, he's weird," Rose decided to help me, giving me an insolent look.
" Okay, let's make a new rule. I am forbidding any suicide attempts in my house," Jackson pointed out, making me take a deep breath.
" I wasn't…”
He didn't wait for me to finish speaking, but just started walking back and forth in front of us with his hands behind his back, imitating an army general.
" Okay, let's get started, I want everyone's full name and age, starting with You," he pointed at me.
" Christian Davis, I’m eighteen years old.
" Theodore Peterson, Nineteen.”
" Harry Thompson, eighteen.”
" Skyller Baker, Nineteen.”
" Liam Van Derr Wall, I’m twenty one years old.”
" Are you serious? " Rose raised both eyebrows when her father pointed at her, waiting for her answer. “I am Marie Antoinette.”
" Keep up the little jokes and you'll meet a similar fate," Jackson warned.
" Rose Miller-Campbell, eighteen years old.” She returned with a grump.
Addison watched with amusement beside Alex, leaving it to Jackson to dictate the house rules to all of us. He stopped walking, turning to us with a serious expression that in no way matched the way he was dressed.
" All right, with the exception of Mr. Van Derr Wall, I don't want any of you returning drunk, I will not harbor any unconscious minors in my house," he warned, "I won't be a hypocrite and tell you not to drink, just be smart, especially you girls. The world is not kind to women, especially not drunk ones, and I would hate for something bad to happen to either of you.”
I glanced at Rose, remembering the party weeks ago, and her thoughts seemed to go the same way, as she looked away, looking embarrassed.
" I don't drink," Skyller hurried to say.
Jackson stopped, staring at the girl with an incredulous expression.
" Yes, she thinks that alcoholic drinks is liquid Satan," Liam added.
" Why aren't you like her? " The man turned to his daughter.
" Her father probably doesn't dress up as a stripper on Halloween," Rose returned.
" You have until three o'clock in the morning to be home, then no one else comes in " He spoke again, ignoring the previous provocation.
He turned to Rose's mother, finally passing the word to her. The woman dressed as a magician's assistant wearing only a collant and pantyhose approached us, appraising us as if we were a bunch of children.
" Rose, you know the main rules. Don't join any cults, don't participate in any unknown satanic or pagan rituals, don't use drugs, don't get into strange cars or suspicious vans," she enumerated.
" May I speak too? " Alex asked, looking amused.
" Please, Honey, do the honors " Jackson gave the woman some space.
She walked to the middle of the room, twirling the tail of her costume with one hand, analyzing us.
" Whoever is driving better not drink a drop of alcohol, or I'll leave you in a wheelchair myself," she threatened.
Jackson began to applaud the woman passionately while Addison watched her with a proud expression.
" You were born for this, honey," he complimented his girlfriend.
" Jackson, that ring from your grandmother will look beautiful on this woman's finger.” Addison sneered.
Rose stood up, taking a deep breath, looking sick of the situation.
" Can you two just get this over with? We want to go soon.”
" You know where the box is," Mr. Campbell teased her.
The mention of it made Rose's face flush, and she looked at her father, looking mortified.
“Dad, that is not necessary”
Ignoring her daughter, Addison walked over to the bookcase in the corner of the room, picking up a small wooden box and slipping it into her hand.
" I hate you guys," she murmured before stepping in front of each of them, allowing them to take a condom from the box.
" You know what you would hate even more? Sexually transmitted diseases... or having a baby so young, so go on," Jackson insisted.
" I told you, I don't want to be a grandmother until I'm fifty," Addison reinforced.
Rose finally arrived in front of me, handing me the box full of condoms, we exchanged an amused look at the situation, I took two, handing one to her then.”
" Great, have fun, don't drink too much and don't get anyone pregnant," her father recommended as she put the box away.
" Let's get out of here," Rose murmured.
