Unwritten Rules (Rules 1)

“I hope I can be this carefree when I’m older.”

Kass stiffens. “If and only if you live beyond the age of eighteen.”

I raise my eyebrows. How could I not see that one coming?

“Harsh.”

“I know. I know. I’m being an asshole, I’m sorry. It’s just… Haze Adams is only as nice as he needs to be to get your trust. Promise me that you’ll stay away.”

I find myself locked in her persistent gaze.

“I promise.”

The traffic picks up the pace, and Kass’s face softens. She focuses on driving, pleased by my response. As I tap my foot, eager to get home, I can’t draw my thoughts to a close. Something tells me that if I make it my mission to avoid Haze, he’ll somehow be in my life even more. It doesn’t matter if I promise to stay away from him.

I’m not sure he will stay away from me.

S I X

The Date

“Finally! Alex, they’re back,” Will shrieks the very second I enter the house and drop the bags I’m holding on the floor.

“Aw, did someone miss us?” I tease, going back to the door to let my shopping addict of a cousin inside. Kass lets her bags hit the floor, as well, not even bothering to acknowledge Will’s presence. She wasn’t kidding when she said she’d made it her life mission not to get involved in Kendrick’s mess.

Then, as if our return is the most awaited event of the year, Alex rushes inside the room with nerve-wrecking anxiety flowing out of him.

“What’s up with you?” I ask.

“You’ve been gone for like two years, that’s what’s up,” Alex replies, eyeing the now-covered-with-shopping-bags floor.

Kass deigns to look up from her phone. “We’ve been gone for like four hours.”

“What the hell were you doing at the mall for four hours anyway?” Will mocks.

“Hunting elephants.” Kass retorts, “Isn’t it obvious? We were shopping. What do you think we were doing?”

Will arches an eyebrow. “Shopping for what? And don’t tell me shoes. You already have 2,433 pairs.”

“That’s not true,” I say.

“Thanks, Winter.” Kass smiles at me.

“She has 2,435.”

Alex and Will both suppress a laugh as my cousin rolls her eyes and picks up as many bags as humanly possible. She departs the room and disappears up the stairs into her room.

I shrug, kicking off my shoes. “Why were you guys waiting for us? And where are Blake and Kendrick?”

Their faces become even paler than they already are—if that’s even possible—as their eyes seem to develop a sudden passion for the floor.

“That’s kind of what we wanted to talk to you about.” Alex nervously rubs the back of his neck.

“What did you do?” is all I can say.

“Well… You remember Tanner, right?”

“Oh yeah, the guy who violently attacked me. Nice guy. What about him?”