The Rulebreaker

by Claire Contreras

  “Can I talk to you?” I step beside them, crossing my arms. He pulls away from the girl’s mouth and looks at me, bewildered. She wipes her lower lip and takes a step back nervously.

  “What’s up?” Mav frowns at me, then looks at Mitchell, who’s standing beside me with his arms also crossed. “What’s going on?”

  “What’s going on is that we agreed, from the very beginning of this living arrangement, that we’d discuss things like this.” I wave a hand around the backyard, filled with people around the keg and the white foldable table set up for beer pong.

  “Yeah, which is why I texted you.” He’s still frowning as he turns to fully face me, the girl beside him forgotten like all the others his lips have touched. “You said you were in the mood to party, so I brought a party to you.”

  “You are so full of shit.” I cock my head. “If you’d been thinking of me, which you weren’t, you wouldn’t have texted me after you probably spoke to Mitchell about bringing the keg.”

  “You told her I called you for a keg?” Maverick looks at his brother in disbelief.

  “No.” Mitch chuckles. “I didn’t say anything.”

  “I’ve known you for ten years, Maverick.” I grind my teeth. “I know all of your moves before you make them.”

  “What do you want me to do, Rocky? Everyone’s here, people are having fun. I’m having fun, maybe you’d have a little fun if you’d get out of your own head once in a while. Didn’t you say you wanted to meet a guy or whatever? Here. Guys.” He waves an arm around.

  “You know what? You’re right. Is Brian here? I’d love to continue our conversation.” I look around, even though I’m really not looking for Brian and just want Mav to think I am. “Didn’t you say you wanted to meet someone worth settling down for?”

  “I’m still waiting for you to make me that list on how to woo impossible women.”

  “Impossible women?” I raise an eyebrow and laugh despite myself. I can never stay mad at him too long. “Why would you want to woo an impossible woman?”

  “Because possible women are easy to get.” He looks at the girl still standing beside him. “No offense. Being a possible woman is a great thing, babe.”

  “No offense taken.” She shrugs a shoulder, shaking the red cup in her hand. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. I’m out of beer.”

  “Babe?” I shake my head. “Gross.”

  “Put it on the list then.”

  “I will.”

  “What list are you talking about?” Mitchell asks. “This started out as a promising argument, but like every other argument the two of you have, it became something else.”

  “Rocky’s going to make me a list of things to do and say or not do and not say so that I can get a woman. A real woman. Not just a fuck buddy.”

  “You do realize all you have to do is not fuck every woman you meet and show the ones you see a future with that you’re serious.” Mitch’s brows pull in deeper.

  “You do realize I’ve tried that and it hasn’t worked,” Mav says.

  “He has.” I look at Mitchell. “He actually dated a really nice girl, Mauve, and he screwed it up by screwing her friend.”

  “I didn’t know they were friends,” Maverick states.

  “If you’re serious about someone, you don’t go around screwing other people.” I shoot him a look.

  “Okay, Mom.” Mav rolls his eyes. “So are we cool?”

  “Like I said, I’m going to go find Brian.”

  “He’s not even your type,” Maverick shouts. “Seriously, Rocky, why him?”

  “Why not him, Mav?” I shrug a shoulder and walk away, leaving him and his brother behind.

  I’m not really planning on going to look for Brian. My plan is to go to my room and lock the door and forget this party is happening, but on my way in, I do spot Brian, and he smiles when he sees me, so I walk over to him. I don’t know why Maverick thinks he’s not my type. He’s hot and nice and that’s good enough for me.

  Chapter Seven

  Maverick

  I’ve been watching Rocky and Brian flirt for what feels like an hour. It’s not like she doesn’t deserve to live her life and do whatever she wants, but he’s definitely not who I would have chosen for her.

  “What’s wrong with Brian?” Mitchell asks beside me. He’s been babysitting the same beer since he got here. It has to be lukewarm by now.

  “Nothing. Why?” I tear my gaze away from them and look at my brother.

  “You’re watching them like a hawk, so I assume something is wrong with him.”

  “Oh.” I look at them again. Rocky’s laughing so hard, she’s bending forward and Brian is loving it. An uneasy feeling settles in the pit of my stomach.

  “At least he makes her laugh. We all know how difficult that can be to do,” Mitch says. “It’s nice to see her let loose once in a while.”

  “Yeah.”

  “She looks fucking hot too,” he continues. “That dress? I mean, damn.”

  “Gross, Mitchell. That’s Rocky you’re checking out.” I shoot him a look.

  “I didn’t say I was going to do something about it. I’m just admiring how hot she looks. I don’t know why she wears all those baggy clothes all the time when she has that underneath.”

  “Maybe she doesn’t want to be objectified.”

  “Maybe.” My brother shrugs. “Or maybe she’s insecure, which would suck, considering she has the perfect body.”

  “Can you stop checking her out?” I push my brother’s shoulder.

  He stumbles a couple of steps and looks at me in disbelief. “Dude, what the hell?”

  “Just . . . stop looking at her, stop talking about her, just stop.”

  “Holy shit.” He searches my eyes. “You . . . like her?”

  “No. Of course not.” I scowl. “She’s my best friend. What the hell is wrong with you? She’s always been a little sister to you and now all of a sudden you’re talking about her like she’s a conquest.”

  Mitchell laughs. “Wait till Jagger hears about this.”

  “About what?” I feel my scowl deepen. “Stop trying to start shit.”

  “I’m not trying to start anything. I’m appreciating how she looks in that dress. You’re taking it somewhere else. Newsflash, if she wore the dress it’s because she wants people to notice how good she looks.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “Yes, it is, bro.”

  I set my jaw as I think about that. I know a lot of girls are like that, but not Rocky. She’s not afraid to try out a new sport and get hurt or mess up her hair when we’re outdoors. She’s always been that way, choosing to hang out with us rather than going to the spa or whatever. She enjoys being one of the guys. She’s told me that herself. The idea that she’s wearing that dress because she wants people to notice her—guys to notice her—is ridiculous. She doesn’t even like it when guys hit on her whenever she goes out.

  “You’re still staring.”

  I sigh heavily. “I just can’t figure her out.”

  “I don’t think she wants you to, man.” Mitch pats my shoulder. “Just let her be. We can’t be overprotective forever.”

  “Yeah,” I say distractedly because I don’t mean it.

  Her parents are counting on me to protect her. They made it clear that it was the reason they wanted her moving in here. I don’t think they’d enjoy knowing that I’m the one she needs protecting from.

  Chapter Eight

  Rocky

  “I love your name.”

  “Thank you.” I smile up at Brian.

  “I mean, when you first told me what it was, I almost didn’t believe you, and you’re so gorgeous, I wasn’t sure it fit, but it does.”

  “Thanks.” I frown. “I guess?”

  “It’s a compliment.” He chuckles lightly, reaching for my hand. “So what are your plans for the rest of the night?”

  “I don’t really have any.”

  “Hm. You live here, right?”

>   “Yep.” My face warms as his thumb draws circles along mine.

  “Why don’t you show me your room?”

  “Um.” I pull my hand from his and look around. “I don’t think it’s a good night for that. There’s a lot of people and a lot of noise.”

  “Which is why going to your room would be better.”

  “For what exactly?” I ask in a near whisper, meeting his blue eyes.

  “For this.” He leans in and kisses me.

  It’s a soft kiss, his lips tentative on mine until I open my mouth for his tongue to slide in. I reach out and grab his hair as the kiss deepens, and suddenly the music stops, the lights turn on, people groan and complain all around us, and we pull away.

  “That was . . . ”

  “Party’s over,” Maverick yells. “Unless your name is Colson or Rocky, kindly get the fuck out of our house.”

  My eyes widen.

  “I guess I better get going.” Brian steps into me again, crowding the stool I’m sitting on.

  “Yeah, I guess so.” I swallow.

  “We still on for that date?”

  “Yep.” I smile.

  “Friday at six?”

  “Can we make it seven?” I scrunch my nose. “We’re playing a scrimmage on Friday and those always run late.”

  “Seven-thirty then.”

  “Perfect.”

  He kisses me again.

  “Out,” Maverick yells. “Out, out, out. GET THE FUCK OUT.”

  We pull away quickly. I look over at Maverick, wide-eyed. He’s staring right at me with a furious expression on his face. What the hell is wrong with him?

  “He obviously isn’t getting laid tonight,” Brian comments.

  “Apparently not.” I keep looking at Maverick, who’s still watching me. “See you Friday then.”

  “See you Friday.” Brian walks away.

  I stay where I am for another two seconds before walking to my room. I gather my things quickly and shower. The guys let me have the master suite since it’s the only one with a bathroom and they thought it would be weird if we all shared one. When they said that, I laughed it off and told them they were crazy, but I’m so glad they thought of that because they weren’t wrong. After I’m dressed in my pajamas—an oversized UNC soccer shirt and cotton shorts—I exit the bathroom, turn off the lights, and sigh into my pillow. The exhaustion of the day finally catching up and sinking into my bones as I shut my eyes.

  Chapter Nine

  Maverick

  Colson pushes his shoulder into mine as we fight for the puck. I nudge him harder and continue to stick-handle it and shoot it toward the goal. Russell easily blocks it and hits it back in our direction. This time, Colson gets in front of me and takes it, handling it to the back of the line where I meet him so we can start over.

  “So.” He exhales heavily. “That party was something before you cut it short.”

  “That party was lit.” Reagan turns around and nods. “Gina says she wants you to throw one every week.”

  “Fat chance.” I scowl underneath my helmet. “Unless Gina and her sorority sisters are going to help clean up the mess you left behind.”

  “We were guests,” Reagan says.

  I roll my eyes. My mother would definitely agree with him. Even when my brothers and I were little, she always made us pick up all of our toys after our friends left, despite their mothers wanting them to help us. Mom always said, if you invite people over, they’re supposed to be taking a break, not contributing to your chores. This is why I opt to go to parties instead of hosting them myself. Colson and I were up till four in the morning making sure the house was picked up.

  “You should’ve asked Rocky to help you,” Reagan adds. “But according to Brian, she wasn’t very happy about the party, to begin with.”

  I set my jaw and choose not to respond. My first instinct is to scream, “Fuck Brian,” and that would be completely fucked up, especially since Brian is the nice guy on the team. The one breaking up fights at bars and encouraging us when we’re losing games. I stand by what I said to Rocky. He’s not her type, but that may not be a bad thing. Her type kind of sucks. They’ve all been nice enough, but they haven’t treated her the way she deserves to be treated. Maybe Brian can change that.

  “We’re up,” Colson says and we skate up and start doing the battle drill again; this time he has the puck and I’m the one trying to get it from him.

  Brian skates past us, and I try not to think about his date with Rocky. It’s not fair for me to feel like I have any kind of ownership over her. This is the kind of shit I would normally talk to her about without giving it a second thought, but I can’t bring it up without sounding like a simp for her because that would send the wrong message. Yes, I think she’s beautiful and hot and the coolest girl in the world. That doesn’t mean I want to date her. She’s my best friend. I push Colson a little harder and take the puck from him, skating away while he chases closely behind me.

  “You motherfucker.”

  I chuckle. “You need to be quick on your feet, man.”

  His stick hits mine as he gets next to me again, but it’s too late and he knows it. Once the puck is mine, no one can take it from me. Well, maybe Brian, and isn’t that the most ironic thing? I laugh at myself as we continue with practice. I need to be ready for Monday’s game and the last thing I need are distractions.

  Chapter Ten

  Rocky

  I’m dribbling the ball down the pitch when I hear the whistle. I exhale as I come to a stop and look back at our coach, waving us over. Time out, I guess. I was completely in the zone and headed toward the goal. Dammit. I pick up the ball, toss it to the referee closest to me, and run back to my coach, joining on the huddle.

  “This is a community college for Christ’s sake. What the hell are you doing out there?” she says sternly, not yelling, but not quite nice either.

  Coach Yolanda always knows how to get us standing a little straighter without doing or saying much. She’s a strict mother goose and we all fall into place when she’s around.

  “I told you to play down the field. The only one following directions is Barnes and she looks like she’s daydreaming out there,” she continues, shooting me a look. “Don’t worry, you’re daydreaming and playing with heart, so whatever you’re thinking about is working.”

  I shut my eyes as some of my teammates start to snicker. Coach Yolanda silences them with a look.

  “Play it down the field. Rocky, pass the fucking ball to Ashley.”

  “Got it.” I nod and take a breath with my hands still on my hips.

  “Go, go, go. We have twenty minutes left and nothing on the board. That’s embarrassing.”

  All of us run back out. She’s not wrong. This game doesn’t count, but it has been embarrassing thus far. We should have at least two on the board, one from me and one from Leyla, but both were blocked by chance at the very tips of the goalie’s fingers. I look at the formation on the pitch and shake my head, pointing at Ashley and Megan so they switch places. They do and we continue on. This time, when Leyla throws the ball in from the sideline, I dribble it toward Ashley. Soon, there are two girls on me trying to take it, but I put on my invisible visor and continue on, running a little harder, until I can only see one of them beside me, her foot trying to intercept mine, and hear another breathing hard to my right. I glance over at Ashley, who’s already in position. The next time the defender sticks her foot between mine and then takes it away, I kick it to Ashley, who head butts it toward the goal. We wait, breathing hard, anticipation coursing through us, and watch as the ball goes over the goalie’s left shoulder. I throw my hands up and scream as I run over to Ashley, throwing my arms around her.

  “That’s right, baby,” Leyla’s shouting. “That’s fucking right!”

  We all laugh as we hug and get right back to playing until the game is over.

  “At least we got one on the board,” Leyla says after Coach Yolanda finishes giving us our after-game spee
ch and walks out of the room.

  “Thanks to Ash.” I finish drinking my bottle of water with one last long chug and glance over at Ash, whose face is still redder than a tomato.

  “I just wanted you to be in a good mood for your big date tonight,” Ash shoots back with a wink.

  I laugh as the rest of my teammates start talking about that and even though no one will know because of my complexion, I feel my face heat up as much as Ashley. I used to leave as soon as I could, but after the school spent all this money on this state of the art facility, I figure I might as well use it. After a shower and soaking in an ice tub, I grab my things and head home. When I get there, Colson and Maverick are in the kitchen eating, as usual. They both stop talking and chewing when they see me.

  “Dude, what is this? Are you a model now?” Colson asks.

  I roll my eyes. “I wear some tight clothes and suddenly I’m a model.”

  “Well, yeah. You normally walk around in baggy shit that doesn’t show off your figure.” Colson shrugs a shoulder. “You look really good.”

  “Thanks.” I smile as I walk to the fridge and grab one of my prepared glass water bottles infused with lemon. When I turn around to face them, I catch Maverick checking me out, and instantly feel my heart kick into high gear.

  “So, the date’s tonight,” he says, meeting my eyes.

  “Yep. I have to go do my makeup but he should be here soon.”

  “Where are you guys going?”