Forgotten Rules (Rules 4)

Where’s the popcorn?

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

“Please, give me your coat. Welcome to my home,” my mom requests. Haze gives it to her with a “thanks.”

“What’s wrong, honey bunny? No kiss?” Haze turns to Winter. She cringes at the cheesy nickname, to Haze’s great satisfaction

He’s so proud of himself.

“Of course. I’ll give it to you in a second. I just have to show you the thing first.” Winter’s jaw is tight, her grin so forced it looks painful.

“What thing?” he asks.

“You know that thing that I talked to you about the other day?”

“Aren’t you eating with us?” my mom worries.

“We’ll be back. Start without us,” Winter says, dragging Haze out of sight. I hear their footsteps thumping up the stairs.

Then her bedroom door closes.

Ah, shit.

Show’s over.

I’m turning up on Morgan’s front porch an hour later. Dinner ran longer than I thought. At least, Winter’s “boyfriend” made for a much more interesting evening.

Inhaling a jerky breath, I knock on the Jameses’ front door with one hope only: that I can salvage whatever mess Zoey made of my friendship with Morgan today.

“Coming!” Morgan calls from inside.

Footsteps.

The door opens.

Morgan appears on the other side, her hair up in a messy bun. Her reading glasses, sweatpants, and cropped hoodie complete her bookworm look. I notice the pen tucked behind her ear. She was probably filling out crossword puzzles—I know, my best friend is an eighty-year-old woman trapped in the body of a teenager. At first, her lack of a reaction worries me.

Until she pulls me into a hug.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers.

My shoulders unwind.

“You know about what happened?” I assume.

Morgan chuckles. “Nope. No clue, but I’ve watched you put up with Zoey’s shit for so long, if you’re done with her, it must be something big.”

“Wait, she didn’t tell you?” I break

away from her.

I’m surprised Zoey passed on the opportunity to ruin my life.

“She just fed me a bunch of BS about you falsely accusing her of sleeping with Blake. Said that she was done with you, but I know her, and I know you. I didn’t buy it for a second.”

“So, you’re not mad at me?”

“Mad at you?” She looks at me like I’m mental. “Kass, I only hung out with her to hang out with you.”