The Boy who Broke the Rules

22

PLEASE MAKE ME SMILE AND VOTE BY CLICKING THAT STAR AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR SCREEN!

When you want him to think you're deep and interesting but your brain just keeps on buffering.

"Says Principal Capulet," I told him. "There are rules we need to follow."

He took a long drag of his cigarette, and I watched the tip light up. He released the smoke slowly, blowing it in the opposite direction from me.

His blue eyes glinted with challenge. "And what if I break them?"

I gulped.

He looked like a tiger. A very, very beautiful, reckless tiger.

Who's going to pounce you pretty, pretty soon if you don't behave. So... don't behave!

"Then I guess you'd have to... you'd have to... suffer the consequences?"

I was aiming to sound authoritative, but apparently I was too chicken for that. It sounded like I was asking his permission instead.

He stubbed his cigarette out, flicking it into the trashcan a few feet away.

Raking his hair with his fingers, he turned his eyes on me.

Electric. Blue.

Electric.

Freaking.

Blue.

"Are you going to report me then?" One side of his mouth lifted into a crooked smile. A mischievous smile. "Miss Goody Two-Shoes?"

My God! What should I say to that? I need time to think of a sassy response. Something that will make him think I'm deep and interesting.

Oh God.

Buffering...

"Uh..." I worried my lip.

Still buffering...

"Maybe," I said.

Was that lame? Was it?

He pressed his lips together, eyes filled with laughter. "Let me know if I break any more rules today."

I rapped my fist against my chest twice. "You can count on me."

I smiled at him, and assuming that we were friends now, moved closer until I was leaning against the wall beside him.

He seemed happy about it judging from his open expression.

Maybe I should move closer...

Perv! Stay where you are! Don't eat him!

"I heard you're looking for a bookshelf," he commented.

My eyes widened. He'd seen my list on my cork board when he was in my room. I was sure of it.

"Yes, actually. I already went to the general store in town but they didn't have anything I like."

He looked at me for a long moment.

"What do you like?" he asked softly.

Why did my heart start pounding?

I felt like he was asking something else, or was it just my imagination?

"Um... It's more like a cube bookcase, really."

He nodded, encouraging me to keep going.

"The cubes I want should be this tall, this wide," I gestured with my hands. "Three columns, three rows. Clean, modern lines.

"Solid hardwood," I continued. "Maybe maple, but with an ashy color. Or I think I'll paint it mauve, but very pale, almost lavender. The ones they usually sell at the store don't have a backing wall. Most cube bookcases don't, I guess. But I want those walls. I'm very specific."

His smile was amused. "I didn't notice," he teased.

I flushed. "I'm sorry. I know I talk a lot." I lowered my eyes, playing with the ends of his scarf. "I get out of control when it comes to these things, especially my arts and crafts. I can talk about them forever. You can tell me to stop anytime."

"I'll make it for you."

I frowned at him. "Make it for me?"

And then my eyes widened in understanding. "My bookcase?"

He nodded.

"You don't have to! When I was describing it to you, I wasn't implying—"

"I know you weren't," he interrupted. "It's a... gift."

"Oh."

My legs suddenly wobbled and I slid to the ground in a disgraceful heap of what-the-heck-is-wrong-with-me.

Still standing, he placed his hands in his pockets, bending his torso forward so that his beautiful face was level with mine.

"Scared it will look hideous?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.

"Everything you make is beautiful," I said breathlessly.

Girl, to be honest!

I groaned, embarrassed. And for some reason, I always blurted out whatever came to mind to cover up my embarrassment.

Which usually led to more embarrassment.

I really don't know why I do this to myself... but...

"I have a gift for you too. I'm making you a bracelet. It's almost done. I've been thinking about you a lot and..."

Blood will be shed today if you don't stop!

"At first it was all about your face. I mean you're so beautiful and you have a really great body... A really, really great body..."

I can't stop. My mouth. It's my mouth's fault. Help!

"But then I started noticing other things. You seem to shut everyone out and act like you don't care. But you do. You do care. Because," I took a deep breath, looking him in the eye so he'd know I was telling him the truth. "Because you see the beauty when everyone else would just turn away."

"Don't." His eyes burned. "Don't put me on a pedestal, Parker. It will only hurt much more."

It was already hurting.

"For me?" I asked quietly. "Or for you?"

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