Unbreakable Rules (Too Many Rules Book 3) by G.L. Snodgrass Read Free Book Online Page B

hadn't come home, yet. She'd probably spent the night working. I imagined it had been hectic at the Hospital. I thought about my mom, she was probably going crazy trying to get ahold of me. Somehow, this was all going to be my fault.
    Brantley met me at the door with a welcoming bark and a fierce tail wag. I hugged his neck and let him out the back. While I stood there waiting for him I glanced over at Ryan's. What were they doing? I wondered. What were all my friends doing? Should I go over to Brie's? Maybe Crystal's?
    After that long walk, I wasn't going anywhere. The idea of leaving Nana's house felt wrong, anyway. Besides, this was where my mom expected me. If she came home and I wasn't here, she'd totally freak and I'd never hear the end of it.
    Calling Brantley back inside, I set the birthday candle on a paper plate in the center of the dining room table and placed a lighter next to it, all ready for the darkness. Making sure I had the other lighter and matches in my pocket, I started another methodical search for some kind of independent light source. Something to get me through the night if the power didn't come back on. The longer it stayed off, the tighter my stomach got. 
    Two hours, and a hundred drawers later, I had to admit to myself that Nana was candle and flashlight free. How was that possible in this world? We were going to have to have a serious talk when she got home.
    Sighing to myself, I flopped onto my bed and put my hands behind my head. What now? This not having electricity was getting boring. I guess I could make myself a sandwich or something, but I didn't really feel like eating.
    This was ridiculous. There had to be something. I could get one of Nana's books. It appeared my grandmother like to read Bodice Ripper romance novels. A picture I didn't want to explore kept popping into my head.
    Turning on my side, I punched my pillow, trying to find a comfortable position. Admit it, Hailey, you want to go back over to Ryan's. Something about his quiet calmness pulled at me.
    I lay there thinking about a boy I'd never thought about before. How was it possible for a person to care so little about what other people thought about him. A few little changes and he'd be perfectly acceptable in any of the social groups. I know the Brainiacs and Nerds all looked up to him. He could have fit in with my friends if he tried. 
    A change of wardrobe. My mind flashed to the Iron Man T-shirt he'd put on this morning. I mean he actually chose it on purpose. He'd have to get rid of that laptop bag he carried everywhere. Teach him how to hold a regular conversation. Maybe a haircut that looked like someone had tried.
    A sudden thought of the movie My Fair Lady jumped into my mind. That was it. I could teach Ryan how to fit in. Mold him, shape him to fit my idea of what a socially acceptable high school boy should be. It'd be fun. Almost, a charity case. My way of giving back to the community.
    Laying there, I snuggled up to the idea, then laughed out loud. One major problem. In the movie, Liza wanted to change, wanted to become someone better. Ryan doesn’t think he has a problem and in many ways, he was a lot farther gone than a simple London street urchin.
    It was a shame really because he could be sort of hot if he tried.
    Wow, where did that come from? Who would have ever thought that I would think Ryan Hardy had 'hot' potential.
    "You'd have to be careful Hailey," I said to myself. Jeez, a few hours alone and I was already talking to myself.
    If I was going to do this, I would have to be sly, subtle. Never letting him know what was going on. If he got any idea, he'd balk like Brantley being led to the vet’s.
    Smiling I swung my legs over the side of the bed. It felt good to have a mission, something to do.
     

Chapter Six
Ryan
    I was bouncing off the walls. This was way too long.
    The power should have been on long ago. My mom hadn't come home either. I was pretty sure she was okay, probably picking up extra