Unwritten Rules

by Eliah Greenwood

  “Will.” I knock on the glass.

  “Oh, you’re right. Sorry.” He rolls down the window slightly, amused. “Oxygen. Kind of essential.”

  Freaking idiot.

  My gaze diverts to Blake and Alex. Blake’s laughing, and Alex is trying not to. So much for being the nice one of the three.

  The guys walk toward the front door, and I watch them, helpless. God knows how long I’m going to be stuck in the car. I get my phone out of my pocket and unlock it, hoping to distract myself until they come back.

  0 new messages.

  I never knew three little words could sting so much.

  They’ve been more than stubborn for the past couple of days. They refuse to budge from my screen, reminding me of the words no one wants to say to me. Today is Saturday, and it’s been nine days since I heard from him.

  Of course, I get texts from Allie, my best friend from Toronto, Kass, and Maria. But they don’t count.

  I guess what I truly see when I look at my phone is:

  0 new messages from Haze.

  I shouldn’t be surprised, really. I did tell him to stop texting me for a week. The thing is, I didn’t think he’d actually listen. Especially after what almost happened the last time we were together.

  I’ve seen him at school a couple of times, which makes it even weirder. He’s not ignoring me. Or at least, I don’t think he is. Avoiding me is more like it. He didn’t show up to the classes we have together all week. He smiles when he sees me. I smile back. But it’s not a “we almost kissed” kind of smile.

  The fight is getting closer every day. I forbid myself from counting the days, convinced it’ll destroy what’s left of my sanity.

  I deleted his number to make sure I wouldn’t be tempted to talk to him, but also to make me feel better.

  It goes without saying that it didn’t.

  In a way, I thought that deleting him from my phone would be like deleting him from my brain.

  I know now that it doesn’t work like that.

  To make it even better, since Haze broke things off with Bianca, she’s been spreading lies about me at school. She says he ended things with her to sleep with me. That Haze was interested in dating her until I showed up and ruined everything.

  I’m not sure if Haze knows about it, considering that I saw him like two to three times during the week. But even if he did, I don’t know if he would care.

  The sound of a new message coming through rips my attention away from my complicated thoughts.

  Unknown: Locking the lady in the car. How nice.

  I stop breathing, glancing around. There’s no one in sight. The streets seem empty, but they’re not. They can’t be. Not only is the message from a number that’s impossible to identify, but it also comes from someone who’s watching me at this very moment.

  On the other side of a road is an imposing building that looks like it used to be a hotel. The broken windows and boarded entrances give away that it’s been closed a long time ago. A large board that reads TO BE DESTROYED in bright red letters covers the main entrance. Next to it, another one says DO NOT ENTER. DANGER.

  It only lasts a second.

  But that’s enough.

  I see a shadow pass in front of a window located on the third floor. It vanishes almost as quickly as it appeared. If I had blinked at the wrong moment, I would’ve missed it.

  Winter: Who are youth?

  I curse as soon as I hit the Send button. Will messed with my phone yesterday. Looks like someone had wandering fingers and turned on the autocorrect.

  Winter: Who are yogurt

  God damn it.

  Winter: Who are you***

  The reply comes a lot quicker than I anticipated. I can feel my fingers tremble when I tap the message to open it.

  Unknown: I’ll tell you who I’m not.

  Five seconds go by.

  Unknown: The guy with the shitty phone

  I keep my eyes glued to the hotel and exhale. No sign of the shadow, but I know better than to think that it’s gone because I no longer see it. I desperately try and reassure myself. That’s something Haze would say. It’s probably him.

  I begin typing a reply but turn my head when I hear a door closing. I see the boys walking out of Nicole’s house with, you guessed it, Nicole herself.

  She is a solid five foot eight. Her perfect wavy auburn hair falls all the way down to her stomach. She’s that girl you see on the street that makes you say “I should start working out and drinking green stuff.”

  I understand what Kendrick saw in her.

  She’s beautiful. Her makeup is on point. She probably follows the fashion trends, and I bet she knows how to make even-winged eyeliner. Next thing I know, Blake has opened the car door for her, and she slides into the back seat next to me.

  I smile. “Hi, I’m Winter.”

  She looks me up and down. “That’s fascinating.”

  Her answer doesn’t really surprise me. Kendrick didn’t exactly make it his life mission to get her back when she left him. That has to mean something. Will and I make eye contact in the rearview mirror. He’s right. I don’t know how to handle her.

  “REMEMBER, IF MARIA ASKS, YOU RANDOMLY ran into each other at the mall and—”

  Nicole interrupts Alex, annoyed. “Yes, I know. I was crying, he comforted me, and we got back together.”

  As I sink into the couch, I fight the urge to comment. What a terrible story. Might as well make her say, “Your son lied to me for months, broke my heart, and ruined my idea of love, but he saw me crying at the mall, because the mall is such a good choice for a crying spot, and I realized I never stopped loving him and we should get back together.”

  The unknown number didn’t text me again after I stopped replying. I decided not to tell the guys about it. I don’t want to worry them when I’m 99 percent sure it was Haze.

  It’s probably nothing.

  Creepy shadow in an abandoned building texting me that he can see me. No big deal, right?

  We’ve been sitting in the living room and waiting for Nicole to finish covering up what’s left of Kendrick’s wounds with makeup for an hour. Because it turns out Nicole’s a makeup artist.

  Well, that’s convenient.

  Most of Kendrick’s wounds have healed, but some of the dark bruises scattered across his face and neck have to be taken care of. It’s nothing a little concealer can’t fix.

  To say Kendrick was pleased when he found out Nicole had been chosen by his friends would be a lie. He was pissed. Big-time. But he didn’t have a choice. So, he swallowed his pride and let his ex-girlfriend do his makeup. It was obvious that she was dying to know why he was bruised. But the guys gave her one rule and one rule only: don’t ask questions.

  The dinner with Maria is scheduled for 7:00. She should be coming home from work anytime now.

  “Do you guys happen to know anything about the abandoned building in front of Nicole’s house?” I ask as soon as the sound of Nicole’s heels fade out down the hall. I had to wait until she went to the bathroom to give in to the burning curiosity.

  “You mean the abandoned hotel?” Will says, grabbing a handful of chips and shoving it in his mouth like a pig.

  Gracefulness at its finest.

  “Yes. It used to be a gang meeting spot.”

  A shiver skitters down my body.

  Whoever texted me was probably part of a gang. Again, all the signs point to Haze. Part of me wishes it was. But the other is desperate to get him out of my head. What can I say? I guess I got used to him annoying me every day.

  Will goes back to eating and texting the same way he has for the past thirty minutes. I hear Blake say something from the kitchen about Will being weirdly secretive lately. Apparently, he put a password on his phone, which he never did before, and refuses to let anyone see it. The guys love to say it’s a girl, but he keeps on denying it.

  “Why?” Will narrows his eyes. />
  “No reason. Just curious.”

  Will seems suspicious, but he doesn’t say anything.

  “How long has it been since Adams contacted you, Canada?” he asks like I said my thoughts out loud. “We’re wondering if he got sick of you and found some new girl.”

  Alex gives him a severe look. Good old papa bear Alex.

  “Man, come on. More tact, please?”

  “What? Somebody had to say it.”

  Deep down, I know they’re probably right. Bianca was, too. She said he’d get tired of me, and he did. After all, everybody keeps on saying that he’s a manwhore.

  It’s always disorienting to hear them talk about him like he’s this entirely different person. He was never that guy with me. But then again, it might’ve been exactly what he wanted me to think.

  “It’s been a week or so. Why do you care?”

  “Word on the street’s that the North Side’s preparing an attack. We wanted to ask if Haze knew something about it. But that would require communication, you see?”

  “I’m sorry that I can no longer be your little spy.” Irritated, I get up from the leather couch.

  “Where are you going?” Alex asks.

  “To my room. I’m bored.”

  “You’ll be back for dinner?”

  They’re probably worried that the story will lack credibility if I’m not there to confirm everything these two liars say.

  “Sure. Just call me when it’s time.”

  I sigh and disappear into my bedroom. This is going to be one heck of a long night. I need some time to myself before I have to fake smiles and lie to the woman I consider my second mother. I don’t know how Kendrick isn’t drowning in guilt. He’s been lying like that for years.

  My phone chimes. I have a new message from an unknown number.

  Unknown: It’s been a while, Kingston.

  My heart skips a beat. I glance at the screen in silence for a couple of minutes. Only one person calls me Kingston.

  The message is from Haze. No doubt. But what scares me the most is… that the other messages aren’t.

  T W E L V E

  Maybe I Missed You

  I prowl around my bedroom, trying to remember every single detail I possibly can about the abandoned hotel. Who could be texting me? How did that person get my number? Tanner is my guess. But then there’s also Ian and the North Side.

  Why would Tanner be trying to scare me? His brother doesn’t care about me. He made it clear by disappearing on me twice. Tanner got what he wanted—to weaken the East Side and get me away from Haze.

  Winter: Who is this?

  Unknown: You deleted my number. Harsh.

  Winter: I repeat, who is this?

  Unknown: I’m the guy you seriously shouldn’t be dreaming so much about ;)

  Winter: Omg. Channing Tatum?

  Unknown: Hilarious

  Winter: I know. Seriously, who is this?

  Unknown: I’m the guy standing outside your window.

  Winter: Yeah, right.

  Unknown: You really shouldn’t keep your curtains open. What if some creep is stalking you

  There’s one thing you do not want to see after reading a message like this and that is your curtains wide open. I gasp at the completely uncovered window. He’s right. Either Haze is really standing outside my house, or he just took a really, really lucky guess.

  I draw a breath, my mind racing, and look out the window. The streets are calm and certainly don’t contain any trace of him. The idiot is messing with me. I register his number in my contacts so I can differentiate his number from the other one.

  Winter: You almost got me. Almost.

  Haze: Careful. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

  Winter: You are so creepy, Adams, you know that?

  Haze: Damn it, how’d you know it was me

  Winter: Only you call me Kingston, dumbass. Plus, I think I know your bad jokes by now. Why’d you decide to come back to life?

  Haze: Aw, did someone miss me? You’re the one who told me to stop texting for a week if I recall.

  Winter: Since when do you listen to me?

  Haze: Come on, fill me in. What have I missed

  Winter: Nothing much except for my new reputation. Thanks to your crazy friend with benefits. I’m a hoe now. Haven’t you heard?

  Haze: Don’t think so low of yourself, Kingston. You’re more than a gardening tool.

  I find myself laughing out loud when I read his message.

  Winter: Idiot.

  Haze: You laughed.

  Winter: I did not.

  Haze: I saw you.

  Winter: How could you?

  Haze: I’m standing outside your house, I told you.

  Winter: The hotel this morning and now my house? You really are obsessed with me.

  Haze: What are you talking about

  Winter: Stop. I know it was you.

  Haze: What was me

  Winter: The text messages.

  Haze: What messages?

  I can’t tell if he’s messing with me. I sure hope he is.

  Haze: Is someone sending you creepy texts

  Winter: You mean except you?

  Haze: Seriously, someone’s messing with you?

  Winter: Oh so now you know how to use a question mark.

  Haze: Winter, I’m serious.

  Winter: I’d like to stay and chat but I can’t. I have a dinner to go to.

  Haze: Oh yeah, the fake girlfriend dinner. Am I invited

  Winter: How the heck do you know about that?

  Haze: Because we haven’t been talking doesn’t mean I haven’t been keeping an eye on you.

  There he goes again with his damn lines. The boy sure has a way with words. But most importantly, he has a way with me. Sometimes I think he is endeavoring to seduce me. And sometimes I’m afraid that it might be working.

  Winter: Creepy.

  Haze: Am I invited? ;)

  Winter: Never in a million years.

  “Winter, honey, dinner’s served!” Maria shouts from downstairs, her voice distant but firm.

  “Coming.”

  By the time I walk into the kitchen, Kendrick and Nicole are already sitting at the table and pretending to love each other. A hint of sexual tension floats around the room, but I try my best to ignore it. These two clearly have a lot of unfinished business. And by unfinished business I mean that they still want to rip each other’s clothes off. I sit next to Kass, but also the farthest I possibly can from the fake lovebirds, and pour myself a glass of water.

  Ding. My phone goes off again. I look down to the message that popped up on my screen.

  Haze: Challenge accepted.

  Wait, what?

  My blood turns cold, and the oxygen leaves my lungs when the worst sound I’ve ever heard rings out in the room.

  A knock on the door.

  “Are we expecting someone?” Maria gets up.

  Kendrick shakes his head.

  “Sit down, Mom. I got it.” Kass motions to her mother, beating her to the door. She’s in a good mood today.

  Something tells me she won’t be for much longer.

  She swings the door open, and the expression “color drains from her face” has never been more accurate when she sees the person standing on our porch. I can tell that she considers closing the door, but the unwanted guest stops her, stepping inside.

  “I’m so sorry I’m late.”

  When we trade glances across the room and he assesses me, I swear I can hear my heart explode.

  “I hope you didn’t start without me.”

  It’s official.

  Tonight is the night Haze Adams dies.

  I squirm in my chair as Kendrick glowers at Haze with a tight jaw that’s twitching with fury. If you could stare at someone to death, he would be six feet under by now. Kass is probably the least shocked one in the room as she k
nows Haze and I have been… I’m not sure what the hell it is we’ve been doing, actually.

  As for Nicole, she’s just sitting there, confused.

  My aunt frowns, the wrinkles on her face making themselves known. “I’m sorry, who are you?”

  Haze peels his eyes away from me, his gaze traveling to my aunt.

  “Of course, where are my manners? I’m Haze.” He holds out his hand, which Maria shakes with hesitation.

  He looks at me, and I know from the way his eyes light up that he just had an idea. The worst idea of all fucking time. My first instinct is to get up, ready to pounce, as if it’ll somehow stop him from carrying on with what he clearly intends to do. But it doesn’t.

  The words come rushing out of his mouth.

  “I’m Winter’s boyfriend.”

  I’m going to hurt this boy.

  Multiple emotions take over my aunt’s face. She’s confused, then happy, then confused again, and finally, she’s relieved. Wait, relieved? I get up, walking toward them to somehow stop this big problem from turning into a straight-up disaster we can’t get back from.

  “Honey, why didn’t you tell me?” She pulls me into a loving embrace. “I knew something was going on. That’s why you were so secretive. You’ve met your first boyfriend.”

  Two problems with this sentence.

  One: She’s wrong. But, just like she did with Kendrick, she’d rather believe that there’s a reasonable explanation for the change in my behavior. I think me getting a boyfriend is the better option as the other one is that I somehow got involved in Kendrick’s mess. Which I did. But she can’t know that.