Ground Rules 7.2

Lexie and Nathan were seated at the small dining table, staring each other down. It was already dark outside, the day had come and passed.

It had been a few hours ago when Nathan went out of his room and handed Lexie a piece of paper then went back to his room, not saying anything. Lexie, who was sorting her things took the paper, before she could ask what it was Nathan was already back in his room, closing the door behind him.

She read the paper and was immediately infuriated. What the hell? Did he expect her to just obediently follow everything he says?

"Ground Rules." She read it again after calming herself a bit. " Number one, no visitors." That's fine, wasn't expecting any visitors anyway.

"Number two, you are not allowed to have a key." She dug around her things for her pen and wrote an asterisk and exclamation point beside this.

"Number three, you have to clean around the house." She put an asterisk beside.

"Number four, you are not allowed to drink my alcohol." She paused at this, she stopped for a minute then finally deciding to move on.

"Number five, no noise when I am sleeping." She put another asterisk on this.

"Number six, no parties allowed." She rolled her eyes, drawing an arrow from number six to number one. If she isn't allowed to have visitors, how would a party even be possible.

"Number seven, no smoking."

"Number eight, no making a mess." She put another asterisk.

"Number nine, no going through my stuff." Another asterisk.

"Number ten, no pets."

Lexie read the list again for the nth time, making sure there was nothing else she wanted to question. Nodding to herself, she went to confront Nathan.

A few hours later and they sat at the dining table a piece of paper between them.

"You're being unreasonable." Lexie argued.

"I don't think I am." Nathan countered.

"Then how the hell would I be able to get in??" Lexie asked, annoyed. This is the last on the list that they haven't agreed upon.

"Knock!" Nathan answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well, what if you're not home." She crossed her arms over her chest.

"Then you're just gonna have to wait."

"You're being ridiculous!"

"How?"

"Do you hear yourself? You expect me to just wait around for you whenever you have to be somewhere?" Lexie couldn't help but raise her voice.

"I'm not saying you have to get our every time I have to go out." Nathan answered, voice raising to match hers.

"Well what if I have someplace to go. And come back before you."

"That's your problem."

"A**h*le!" She shouted at him.

"Whatever you say. But I am not giving you a key, I don't trust you with keys." Nathan answered, wanting to finish the discussion.

"Uggghhhh.. Fine." In the end, Lexie gave in. They had been arguing about this for a while now and it's clear that he wouldn't budge. This wasn't her house, she knew that, she had to compromise. Nathan gave her a blank paper and she wrote down their revised ground rules.

'Number one, Lexie is not allowed to have visitors, or to host parties, or any social event which requires strangers to be in the house.'

'Number two, Lexie doesn't get a key. (For now)' Nathan raised his eyebrow at the parenthesis but decided not to say anything as to not start the discussion again.

'Number three, Lexie and Nathan will both make sure not to make a mess and to clean up after themselves. Other house chores will be done alternately.'

'Number four, Lexie is not allowed to drink Nathan's alcohol but is allowed to buy her own. Also, both are expected to chip in for food."

'Number five, both Lexie and Nathan shall be respectful with each other when the other one is resting and will refrain from causing any ruckus.'

'Number six, no smoking,'

'Number seven, Lexie will not be allowed to touch Nathan's closet. Any item that Nathan deems to be personal shall be kept there while Lexie is staying here.'

'Number eight, no pets.'

Lexie insisted on both of them signing. They placed the list under the glass cover of the coffee table.

"Well at least that way you won't forget." Nathan smirked at Lexie who glared at him in response.

==

"Okay, now that that's finally settled. What are you gonna do about dinner?" Nathan asked as he stretched his arms over his head.

"You're not seriously suggesting that 'I' cook 'you' dinner, right?" Lexie asked, raising an eyebrow to Nathan, her jaws hardening with every word.

Nathan just shrugged. He expected her not to know how to cook, why would she learn, she probably grew up having a personal chef or something, he just wanted to annoy her.

"You have got to be kidding me." Her voice was starting to rise again, she tried to calm herself.

"You should at least know how to do something." Nathan answered, smirking.

"Hey, I know how to do things. I know how to do a lot of things, actually." She answered.

"I mean, without your assistants, or maids, or chefs, or whatever." He said, the smirk now gone.

"What the hell are you talking about? You don't even know me!"

"I know your type." He said. The way he emphasized 'your' Lexie felt like he actually spit in her face.

"Oh, and what exactly is 'my' type, pray tell?" She challenged him. Both no longer able to control their tempers.

"Oh I don't know. Maybe the spoiled and privileged type! The never had to work a day in their lives type! The can get away with anything because they could just throw money and expect that to solve everything type! Or maybe…" Nathan was already shouting.

"What the hell are you saying?" Lexie cut him off, not wanting to hear more, because even though she didn't admit it what Nathan said was actually right.

"You know exactly what I'm saying. Everyone knows you don't belong here, we can all see it. What the hell are you even doing here? Why are you here?" He moved towards her, they were standing face to face.

Lexie was taken aback with what Nathan said but she didn't let it show. Instead she took a deep breath, answering calmly. "I have no idea what you're talking about. And whatever is my reason for being here, is none of your business."

The sudden calmness in her voice took Nathan by surprise. He knew he shouldn't push further, it didn't matter anyway, he didn't care. He took a deep breath, looking Lexie in the eye then finally storming off to his room. The idea of dinner already forgotten.

As soon as she heard the door slam Lexie fell to the couch, letting out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. She hasn't even lived here for 24 hours yet and they've already fought so much. She lay on the couch, already dreading tomorrow.