Unwritten Rules

by Eliah Greenwood

  Two: Now everyone, especially Haze, knows that I never had a boyfriend before. Why’d she have to expose me like that? He’s never going to let me hear the end of it. He already thinks I’m a prude.

  If only I was.

  Haze ignores the first-boyfriend comment, thankfully.

  He grins. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell them about us, babe. I thought we were official.”

  To think that I almost missed him.

  “Please, give me your coat. Welcome to my home.” Maria smiles warmly. Haze takes off his jacket and hands it to her with a thanks.

  “What’s wrong, honey bunny? No kiss?” Haze turns to me.

  “Of course. I’ll give it to you in a second. I just have to show you the thing first,” I lie, a fake smile plastered on my face.

  “What thing?”

  “You know that thing that I talked to you about the other day?” I elbow him when no one’s looking, obviously saying “just go with it, or I’ll make you swallow your eyeballs.”

  “Aren’t you eating with us?” Maria asks, a bit disappointed. I bet she’s just dying to get all the juicy details of our “love story.”

  “We’ll be back. Start without us,” I reassure her and quite literally drag him out of the kitchen to escape the killer looks Kass and Kendrick have been throwing at us for the past minute. I can tell Kendrick is on the verge of losing it. But he can’t do anything as long as Maria is here.

  I slam the door shut as soon as we walk into my bedroom.

  “Are you out of your freaking mind?”

  I push him, but he barely steps back, still smirking.

  “I’m sorry. I couldn’t miss such an opportunity to piss off Kendrick.”

  So it was true. He really was outside of my house this whole time. I don’t know what to think of it.

  “Do you realize what you’ve done? Kendrick will literally crucify me, and don’t even get me started on Kass and her guilt trips. You can’t just show up when you want to. Especially not now,” I spit, pushing him once more. “Why did you do that?”

  “I was in the area and thought it had been a while.”

  The fact that he thinks for even one second that this is a good enough answer is what baffles me the most.

  Haze is that guy who leaves for three months, then comes back and says it’s because he forgot to look at the time.

  “Thanks, I noticed.”

  “God, you’re sexy when you’re mad.” His eyes travel downward to my dress and back up to my face. I don’t usually wear dresses. It sure is different from my usual Converses and T-shirts. He chews on his bottom lip for a second, and a wave of shivers runs down my spine.

  Damn you, sexual tension.

  When he steps closer, I step back faster than I thought possible.

  “You’re going to tell them something came up and leave, am I making myself clear? We’ve worked too hard for this to have you come in and ruin it all.”

  “And miss all the fun? No, thanks. I’d much rather stay and enjoy a great family dinner with my girlfriend. But, I mean, if you really needed me to behave, I could be convinced.” His voice is dripping with suggestion.

  The conclusion that’s brought upon me when he finishes speaking is one that I wish I never had to face. He has the upper hand. I’m helpless.

  “What do you want?”

  He raises his eyebrows, satisfied. “You agree to come with me somewhere after dinner.”

  “And do what?”

  “There’s something I want to show you. It only happens tonight.”

  I have no idea what he has in mind, as always, but if it can save Kendrick’s dinner and make the hell that my cousins will put me through slightly more bearable, I owe it to myself to try.

  “Fine.”

  A victorious expression covers his face. “I believe we have a dinner to go to.” He takes a couple steps forward and rests his hand on the door handle.

  “Why did you come back?”

  I’m slightly surprised by my own words when they ring out in my tiny bedroom. Haze pauses, his brawny back facing me.

  “You disappeared for days. No messages, nothing. Don’t get me wrong. You do whatever the hell you want, and clearly, disappearing is your thing… so why bother coming back at all?”

  He turns around, and our gazes meet.

  “I told you I was in the area.”

  I nod, beating myself up. I don’t know what I expected him to say. That he came back for me? We’re not friends. We’re not anything. He’s just a lonely bad boy with attachment issues who’s desperate for some company. Plus, he did tell me that he came to annoy Kendrick. Not for me.

  He begins turning the door knob but stops himself. I hold my breath.

  “And…”

  He takes a long pause, his back still all I can see.

  “Maybe I missed you.”

  THERE ARE MANY PLACES I’D RATHER be in the world right now. So many people I’d rather be having dinner with, too. I’d rather be eating with Gretchen, my elementary school bully who constantly stole my Capri Suns, than be here, dining with Haze and Kendrick and wondering if Kendrick’s going to jump over the table and rip off my “boyfriend’s” head.

  Indeed, I’d rather go back to the most humiliating moment of my life than be here. Like that one time I choked on my chicken nuggets at McDonalds in front of my fourth-grade crush, George Bay, and almost died.

  Needless to say, Bay never became bae.

  For the past thirty minutes, Haze has been getting the worst possible childhood stories out of my aunt, who’s more than happy to provide. The only thing that’s missing is the baby pictures, which I swear on my life, he will never see.

  “Why did you do that to that poor little girl?” Haze says in between laughter.

  “You call that a poor little girl? She was awful. She rubbed her boogers on every kid in kindergarten. She deserved it.”

  “But you filled her pants with bugs. Bugs, Winter. That’s evil.”

  “Not as evil as she was, I assure you.”

  “How did you two lovebirds meet?” Maria asks.

  “School,” I say, thinking back to his stupid reputation and the way it all began.

  “I saw her in the hall, and I just knew I had to get close to her.” Haze smirks and reaches for my hand, intertwining our fingers on the table. I’m a bit shocked, but I don’t move away.

  I see Kendrick clench his fist from the corner of my eyes. I get it. Love at first sight is not the reason why he knew he had to get close to me and he knows it.

  No words can explain how relieved I was when I saw Maria had ordered pizza and that we were eating off paper plates. That means no dishes and no more painfully long conversations between Haze and my aunt.

  It’s clear that Maria likes him.

  Of course she does.

  He’s nice, he’s funny, and he’s… well, Haze Adams.

  As for Kendrick, I bet he’s wondering whether or not it’d be okay to stab him with a fork. On the bright side, Haze did behave like he promised. He’s been sweet, polite, and he made sure not to do anything that might result in Kendrick slapping him with the pizza box. It’s 9:30. I’m surprised we made it this far without a conflict of some sort.

  “Well, thank you so much for dinner. It was great talking to you, but I’m afraid we have to go,” Haze says just as we finish throwing the paper plates away.

  “We?” Kendrick says through gritted teeth.

  That’s the first time he’s spoken to Haze all night. So many questions must be spinning around in his head right now: Why did he show up? How did he know about the dinner? Is something going on between them? What the hell is this?

  “Yeah, we’re going on a little adventure tonight. Aren’t we, sweetie pie?” Haze smirks.

  I swear he is calling me the most ridiculous nicknames on purpose.

  “Yeah.” I press my lips together.

  “You two have fu
n.” Maria hugs both me and Haze. “It was great to meet you. Take care of my niece, okay? She’s like a daughter to me.”

  Something shifts in his eyes. I can’t tell what.

  “Of course.” He nods.

  As Haze leads the way toward the front door, I ignore Kass and Kendrick’s furious glances. I can hear Kendrick thinking, Don’t you dare walk through that door. My eyes connect with his. I give him an apologetic look before stepping out of the house and following Haze into his brand-new car. There’s so much Kendrick doesn’t know or understand.

  “What? No more motorcycle?”

  “We have a long ride ahead of us. I thought you’d be more comfortable in a car.”

  Going on an adventure to an unknown location with Haze Adams?

  It could either turn out to be a great idea…

  Or the worst one I’ve ever had.

  T H I R T E E N

  I Like You

  “Where are you taking me?” I ask for the third time. Haze keeps his eyes glued to the road. He’s a stubborn one, I admit. But what he doesn’t know is—I’m worse.

  “Earth to Haze?”

  Still no answer.

  “I love this song.” He turns up the radio to spite me.

  I said it before, and I’ll say it again: Haze’s subject-changing skills will never cease to amaze me.

  “Can you stop changing the subject?”

  He arches an eyebrow. “Can you stop being curious?”

  “We’ve been driving for an hour and a half. Can you blame me for wanting to know?”

  “We’re going somewhere really nice, I promise,” he says, rolling the window down to let the night breeze into the car.

  “Last time you said that, we ended up trespassing on the roof of an abandoned building.”

  “The view was worth it, wasn’t it?” He carelessly runs a hand through his hair.

  Oh for fuck’s sake. Does he do attractive things on purpose, or is he just naturally irresistible?

  Yep. Same old question.

  “Why was it so important that I came with you?”

  “Do you ever stop asking questions, Kingston?” A hint of exasperation can be seen in his features.

  “Do you ever stop avoiding them, Adams?”

  “Nope.”

  “Jerk.”

  “Prude.”

  I can’t help but smile. I look at him from the corner of my eyes to see his lips twitching into a smile, as well.

  “We’re here.”

  He exits the highway and takes an unexpected turn onto a gravel road. I try to see—key word: try—but can’t discern anything except for the vague shapes illuminated by the headlights of the car. A sign that reads “cul-de-sac” quickly passes on my left.

  “Because that’s not creepy at all.”

  His smile only grows wider.

  Haze finally parks the car, pushes the gear into park, and kills the engine. He then turns off the headlights. We both get out of the vehicle, and what I see immediately takes my breath away.

  We’re on a beach. An enormous one. There’s a complete absence of light, which reveals the most beautiful view I have ever seen. It’s an endless sea of stars.

  I can’t remember the last time I saw so many.

  “It’s insane,” I say quietly, almost to myself as he walks toward the back of the car to open the trunk.

  “How’d you find out about this place?”

  “Happy accident.”

  “You said you wanted to show me something that only happens tonight?”

  “Yes, there’s a meteor shower later. You’re going to be glad I blackmailed you, you’ll see.”

  My eyes widen tremendously as my lips part in shock. Is he serious? He gave up on annoying the living hell out of Kendrick for a meteor shower date on an empty beach?

  He comes back to the front of the car, one of his hands full and the other checking the time on his phone.

  “We have two hours to kill.”

  I look down at what he’s holding. Blankets.

  “How sweet. You got us blankets?” I tease. “Where’s the picnic?”

  He scoffs. “Oh no, these are for me. I only share my blankets with people who give me thank-you kisses.”

  I flush.

  “You still haven’t let that go, huh?”

  “Nah.”

  He knew it was two hours away and that we’d have plenty of time together.

  It doesn’t take long for us to find the perfect spot to lie down. The silence that follows is thick but comfortable. It’s peaceful. Light. Haze is lying on his back with one of his arms under his head and the other alongside his body.

  I do the same, tossing my hair to the front and wondering how I could live without these little wonders for so long. The artificial city lights take away the gifts Mother Nature gave us. They’re always there. But the fake replaces the real.

  Kind of like falling for someone. You might not see the feelings, but they’re there. Always. Just because they’re buried deep under denial and repression doesn’t mean that they don’t infiltrate your every thought and intoxicate every heartbeat. Just because something is bad for you doesn’t mean you don’t crave it with every fiber of your being.

  That’s what makes love the most dangerous feeling of all.

  “Where were you?” I regret saying the words as soon as they come out.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  He lets out a long breath. “I was around.”

  “Seriously? That’s all I get?”

  Irritation spreads across his face.

  “What else do you want me to say, Winter? I don’t owe you an explanation for everything I do. I’m not your boyfriend.”

  Harsh.

  “Right.” I sit up, staring at the ocean in the distance.

  As soon as he says it, he seems to feel guilty. He sits up as well and mumbles incomprehensible words, blathering a confusing apology.

  “No, it’s fine. You’re right. You’re not my boyfriend. But I thought we were friends. My mistake.”

  He remains quiet, fighting a war within himself.

  “I’ve been in and out of town,” he finally whispers.

  “Would it be too far to ask why?”

  “I can’t tell you anything else. You already know too much.”

  “I know too much? Are you serious? I know nothing about you except that you have a psycho brother and that you hate spiders.”

  He exhales. “I’m sorry.”

  I lower my head. “Me too.”

  Again, to push the irony even further, he has a hard time finding an answer good enough to give me.

  “I’m hungry,” he says.

  “Seriously? Way to ruin a dramatic moment.” I struggle to hold on to the anger that quickly spills out of me. I’m supposed to be mad at him.

  “What? You’re the one who mentioned a picnic.”

  “You should’ve thought about that before driving almost two hours out of town.”

  We laugh quietly.

  “I wanted to say sorry,” he concedes.

  “For what?”

  “The lies Bianca’s been spreading about you.”

  So he did hear.

  “It’s fine. It’s not your fault. She’s… something, that one.”

  “Something doesn’t even begin to cover it,” he begins. “You remember that time at the diner? Bianca sent Natasha to try and crash the date. Something about Natasha texting her that I was there with a girl. So, of course, as any sane person would do, Bianca took it upon herself to intervene.”

  It all makes sense now.

  I thought it was quite strange that Natasha would do that to her friend when she knows Bianca has feelings for Haze. Turns out she actually is a good friend in her own weird way. Bianca, on the other hand, not so much. Asking one of your girls to try and seduce a guy you’re interested in because you’re afra
id he might hook up with another girl? That’s not okay.

  “I kind of get it though,” I breathe. “Having feelings for someone can make you do crazy things.”

  His gaze shifts to me. He doesn’t speak for several seconds.

  “Tell me about it.”

  I try to convince myself that it’s just words. Letters put together to form sentences. That they don’t mean anything. But the butterflies in my stomach say otherwise.

  They mean everything.

  I change the topic. “I didn’t know you were such a romantic, Adams. Beach date and all.”

  “I’m not.”

  “You’re not what?”

  “A romantic.”

  I hold back a laugh. “That’s not what it looks like to me.”

  “Yeah, well, maybe you know a side of me that no one else sees.”

  His words resonate in my brain. He’s right.

  He acts differently with me, and I can’t decide if I should be happy, because it means that I bring the good out of him… or if I should be sad, because he’s hiding the bad.

  IT’S BEEN EXACTLY TWO HOURS SINCE we arrived to the beach. We’ve been talking about our beliefs, our dreams, the places we always wanted to visit, and the things we wish we’d never done.

  No, I’m just kidding.

  That would require Haze opening up.

  We’ve been staring at the stars and trying to find constellations in the moonlit sky.

  “This one looks like a purse.”

  “What? How is that a purse?” He cracks up, squinting.

  “You don’t see it? There, on the left.” I point to the bundle of stars.

  An alarm goes off on Haze’s phone, interrupting my ridiculous attempt at giving him an astronomy class.

  “It’s almost time,” he whispers.

  We open our eyes widely, lying down on the blanket that now has sand scattered over it.

  Then, we wait. For something, anything to happen.

  When the distant and passing lights spread across the luminous sky, I realize that so many of us spend our entire lives collecting “beautiful things” when the really beautiful things are those we cannot possess.