Unspoken Rules (Rules 2)

Why aren’t we back together?

The thought of his incessant secrecy and the images of Bianca drooling all over him seem like distant problems now that he’s looking at me with the world’s worries in his eyes. It’s crazy to me, that Haze Adams can say shocking, inappropriate, scandalous things one minute, then be so sweet and heart-melting the next. He can be this charming, flirtatious, and confident person one second, then completely fall apart if you pull the right strings. But no one gets to see that. No one ever gets close enough to see what’s hiding behind his layers of cockiness.

Except for me.

I’ve seen the damage. I’ve seen the scattered pieces. I’ve seen the mess and I didn’t even blink.

I’m so far gone. I’m too far gone.

“Where are the guys?” Realization finds me. Kendrick would’ve never left me alone with Haze in a situation like this. He begins to answer, but he’s stopped by Will walking through the door with a bunch of bags in his hands.

“I got her something for everything. Stuffed nose, muscular pain, headache, dizziness,” Will says, holding a bottle of pills up to his eyes. He notices me. “Oh, good, you’re awake.”

“It’s just my head that hurts, Will.”

“Well, then, you’ll be prepared for next time.” He shrugs.

“There won’t be a next time. This is never going to happen again.” Haze scowls at Will and stares back at me.

“Says the number one reason for Winter’s life constantly being in danger,” Will taunts under his breath, and Haze tries to shake off his remark, but I can tell it affects him. He already feels guilty. This isn’t helping.

“Where are the guys?”

Discomfort shoots across Will’s face.

“It’s really not that big of a deal, okay?”

“Will, what is it?”

“Well, Kendrick kind of took off. Alex’s out looking for him. Kendrick was super pissed when a witness told him why Haze attacked Ryder, by the way. I think he’s going to kick him out.”

“He took off?” I repeat like there’s no possible way that I heard him correctly.

“Yeah, he freaked out when he saw you on the ground. He’s the one who pushed you so that I wouldn’t punch you. He said it was all his fault and that he had to fix it. Then he left.”

That he had to fix it?

What does he mean by that?

“That’s it? He just left me?”

“Yeah… but I’m here!” Will puts his hands up and smiles.

I offer him a sad smile in return, and he walks out of the room to take a call. I decide not to question Haze’s miraculous access to a doctor at this hour. I know he’d tell me not to sweat it. I have no idea how I’ll even pay for this. This isn’t Canada. Here, health problems mean No big deal. Just sell your house.

“Why did you run?” Haze asks.

“What are you talking about?”

“Earlier, when you saw me with Bianca, you ran. Now, for someone who doesn’t want to be with me, you sure seemed upset.” I catch his smirk. He just wants to hear me say it. He wants me to admit that I was jealous.

“Why did you punch Ryder?” I give him a taste of his own medicine.

“Gee, I don’t know. It’s not like I care about him hurting you or anything.”

“Oh, so you care about me? Tell that to Bianca.”

“I did. Multiple times. Crazy pants just can’t take a hint. If you’d stayed two more minutes, you would have seen me very loudly tell her to fuck off.”