Unwritten Rules (Rules 1)

“If we’re being honest, you’re not who I thought you were either.”

“How come?”

“I thought you were wild when I met you. You know, since you basically broke every single rule. But you’re not. You’re the definition of a good girl. A prude,” he teases.

I jolt around to face him. I hit him in the arm, trying to hurt him, but end up hurting myself instead. What’s his arm made of? Bricks?

I make a face. “I am not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“I’m not,” I retort. “How am I a saint? I’m secretly hanging out with a street fighter, not to mention my cousin’s nemesis, aren’t I?” Guilt burdens me when the words leave my mouth. It sounds so much worse when I say it out loud.

He scoffs. “Oh come on, when’s the last time you did something crazy? And I mean really crazy? Like the ‘I’ll tell my children this story’ kind of crazy?”

“That’s easy. Last week, I followed this guy onto the roof of an abandoned high school.”

“That doesn’t count. I practically had to carry you there.”

“Whatever,” I huff. “I’m not a prude.”

He steps closer until his strong physique hovers over me.

“Then prove it.”

The small proximity between us makes it hard to think.

Reboot the computer. I repeat, reboot the computer.

“And how am I supposed to do that?”

Haze glances around, analyzing the area. Then, after a good ten seconds, he speaks.

“Jump.” He points at something.

I turn my head to see a public pool. At first, I crack up. One, because I expected something a bit more challenging, and two, because I’m wearing my bathing suit right now. It’s perfect.

“All dressed,” he adds.

Shit.

He walks toward the fenced pool where a large sign says “$10 for adults. $5 for kids.” I follow him, my heart thumping loudly against my rib cage. The fence is high and surrounds the entire property. I’d have to do way more than get into a pool all dressed. I’d have to jump the fence and break in. That’s a crime.

“Absolutely not.”

“Then you admit that I’m right?”

If there’s one thing I hate about Haze, it’s his ability to make me want to do the craziest things just so I can prove him wrong. I’m not sure what it is. In every way, he’s the bad influence I never knew I craved. The devil on my shoulders who tells me to let go.

To be wild.

“One minute, tops,” I mutter.

A satisfied smile remolds his lips as he nods. I can’t believe I’m doing this. Haze and I look around carefully, making sure we’re alone. I struggle to climb over the fence while he watches me, already on the other side, and snickers. When I finally make it, his pale eyes lock with mine.

“On three,” he says.

A violent wave of second thoughts hits me. The severity of the situation overcomes my fleeting moment of madness, and I realize what I’m about to do.