Unspoken Rules (Rules 2)

“Then stop trying.”

Immediately, my self-respect screams that I can’t let him talk to me this way. I turn into a random and deserted mall parking lot. It’s late. It’s almost midnight.

“What are you doing?”

I turn the key in the ignition and let the engine die while I unbuckle my seat belt and turn sideways to face him.

“Let me make something clear. I’m a lot of things, Haze. But I’m not the girl you take your anger out on. If you want to be alone tonight, it’s fine, you can tell me. But not like this.”

He throws his head back with a deep sigh. “I’m sorry. I’m being an asshole.”

This is too much for him. Tonight is too much. The alcohol, the announcement. This day needs to end.

“No, I get that you’re mad, Haze. I would be, too. I want you to take all the time you need, but I’m not the enemy. I want to be here for you, but if you want me to g—”

He cuts me off. “Believe me, that’s the last thing I want.”

I’m about to answer when he shoots up in his seat.

“What was that?”

I frown.

“What?”

He unbuckles his seat belt. “Get out of the car.”

“Why?” I ask, freaked.

“Winter, get out of the fucking car! Now!” he shouts.

I know that look. That panic.

Something’s wrong. This isn’t about our silly fight anymore.

From there, everything’s a blur. I’m barely aware of how fast I rush out of the vehicle. I’m barely aware of Haze catching my hand in to his. All I know is he starts to run. So I do, too.

I run.

As far and as fast as humanly possible.

Then I hear it…

The click.

But it’s the explosion… that really stops my heart.

Haze tackles me to the ground, his body shielding mine as we hit the concrete. Uncontrollable sobs fill my throat. But pain has nothing to do with it. For once, I’m not crying because I’m sad. I’m crying because I’m horrified.

“Look at me. Are you okay?” His hands are shaking from the rush of adrenaline. He keeps analyzing me the way he always does as he looks for a wound of some sort. “Are you hurt?”

“What just happened?” The words trickle out of my mouth.

“What everybody said would happen.” His voice shudders as he wraps his arms around me. He doesn’t want to say it, but he doesn’t need to. I know…

Someone just tried to kill us.

He holds me against his chest and apologizes, over and over again. That’s all he can do. Passing cars pull over to the side of the road. Witnesses run to us, asking us if we’re okay, if we’re hurt, but I can’t bring myself to answer. Hell, I can barely bring myself to breathe. I think I hear a girl say help is on the way, but I’m not sure. We should be dead. We would be dead. If Haze hadn’t heard whatever the hell it was that gave the bomb away, they’d be pulling our burnt corpses out right now.