Page 12 of Unwritten Rules

I’ll see you around later, I thought, pushing off the railing and flicking my spent butt somewhere into the ether.

Her mouth shot open. “Hey! That’s littering!”

I shook my head and laughed. “Look around, babe. Everyone is littering.”

Knowing I’d come back for her later, I stalked off into the night to make a phone call. Blondie would have to wait for a bit, but I silently promised her I’d come back for some fun.

?Chapter 4

Fallon

My cheeks flushed inembarrassment from being a little tipsy and word vomiting on him. Who tells the campus bad boyHey! Don’t litter!and can recover from that? I stayed on the porch for a bit longer, hoping that no one else saw, and tried my best to look like I was just enjoying a nice smoke break.

I’d never smoked before and had no idea how to look natural. I tried a vape once if that counts.

After finishing the cigarette, I tucked the spent butt away for the garbage later and went looking for a bathroom to cry from embarrassment in.

Closing myself into a bathroom I looked in a mirror. “I don’t know if I can do this,” I told myself. I didn’t know how to fix the makeup that Kelly helped me with, but I would do my damned best.

Dumping the contents of my to-go bag on the counter, I found the compact to blot the oil off my face. I blotted and breathed, trying to calm my nerves after making a fool of myself in front of Brent. God, he probably saw that I was drunk and wrote me off as an idiot.Iamkind of an idiot, I thought. I reapplied mascara and hoped it would be enough.

I also hoped Brent wouldnotbe at the party when I went back in.

The party was still in full swing when I slowly crept back down the stairs. No one glanced at me; they were all consumed with themselves. Laughter and chatter filled in where the music didn’t, and I could almost hear distant cheers from another room. Probably more beer pong.

In every room, there were party goers dancing, drinking, or playing a party game. Some dressed like I did, a glammed up mini dress, while others opted for more casual party attire. Heels and flats, dresses and shorts, and the men chose heavily varied levels of formality.

Board shorts all the way up to suits.

Wild.

A figure approached me. Garrett. His medium-length sandy blonde hair, dressed in blue chino pants with a cream linen top, and a smile that dazzled. “Hey, you.” He pulled me into a small embrace, kissing my cheek. “Thought you ditched after beer pong. Sorry they made you drink so much.”

“It’s fine,” I said, leaning into his warm touch. I wasdefinitelydrunk if I started thinking about how nice it would be to take him upstairs.Note to self, no drinking around guys. “I’m new to parties, remember? I’ll need a big strong man like you to help me out.” I shot him a little pout.

“Can this big strong man invite his girl to dance?” He held out his free hand to me, offering a dance.

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