Unbroken Rules (Rules 3)

I decided to have two birthday parties this year: one with my friends, and one with my dad and siblings tomorrow. My mom will most likely come up with some last-minute event she can’t get out of. Allie texted me that she and Kendrick will be at the apartment at eight, which means we should probably be heading home soon, but I don’t want this day to end.

After I made a life-lasting decision in a matter of minutes and got a tattoo, Haze took me to one of my favorite restaurants for lunch. We inhaled our body weight in food, talked and laughed for a few hours, and I even got free cake. Then we decided to go for a walk around town. So far, this day has been perfect.

The kind of perfect you usually don’t enjoy while it’s here and miss once it’s gone.

The sky is darkening by the second, here to remind us that, as much as we’d like to, we can’t escape the cold anymore. Soon, we’ll wake up to a pitch-black city, have barely a few hours of sun a day, then go back to complete darkness by 4:00 p.m.

“Is it six already?” Haze’s eyes widen. “We have to go.”

“Back home?”

“Not yet.”

“Then where?” Don’t tell me after all this, he has another surprise for me. My heart can’t handle any more of this cuteness.

“We have one last stop on the list.” He speed walks through the streets, dragging me with him. He knows where he’s going, that much is certain. I did wonder why he insisted on walking in this specific area.

“What? No blindfold this time?” I tease.

“What’s the point? We already can’t see shit. Thanks, Canada.”

Sniggering, I try to keep up with him. Ten minutes of walking lead us to a park my dad and I used to visit often when I was a kid. A water fountain lit up by yellow lights is bordered by a broad concrete path. Surrounded by tall skyscrapers and businesses, the park adds much-needed green space to the working area.

“Cute walk in the park, huh? And you say you’re not romantic.” I rest my head on his shoulder, tangling my arm with his.

“What? No, we’re going to the fishing store close by,” he says, and my mouth drops for a second. Until he laughs.

“Shut up.” I bite back a grin.

The stars are nearly impossible to see, due to all the city lights, but once in a while, I’m lucky enough to catch a glimmer. Haze says they’re planes, but I like to believe they’re shooting stars, passing in my life to remind me that I have nothing to wish for anymore. Haze brings our intertwined hands to his lips and places a kiss upon my knuckles. I look at him and I know…

My wish came true.

I’m so cheesy I think I might puke.

When we get to the fountain, Haze stops.

“Right here,” he says to himself.

“Why here?” I ask.

“Because it’s perfect.”

“Perfect for what?”

He takes a breath. “For this.”

He gets down on one knee.

My heart stops.

“Haze Christopher Adams, what the hell are you doing?” My hand flies to my mouth. He doesn’t speak for a while, leaving me to fend for myself against my last two brain cells.

Then he smiles and takes my hand.

“You know I suck at things like this… but I have to try. Because you deserve it. You deserve someone who tries.” He clears his throat. “My whole life, I thought I was alone. And I was. But… not because people kept on leaving me. Because I kept on convincing myself that they would.” He stops to collect his thoughts. “Before you, I was an asshole. Still am, to be honest.”

I laugh through the tears. Shit, when did I start crying?