Page 171 of Unwritten Rules

Yet, everything felt wrong. It looked wrong. It even smelled wrong.

A semester I thought would be a different one, was. It was different in all the wrong ways. I just wanted to feel normal for once.

But no. I went from hermit to famous; the talk of the town and part of a weird secret conspiracy. My life was a weird series of events, and I had to pretend they were a walk in the park to avoid being eaten alive.

“Fuck, Mom, what do I do?” I whispered into the sink before washing my face. I braced my hands on the cold granite countertop. “I am so tired, and I could use a little guidance here.”

Knock. knock.“Miss Montgomery. I have two deliveries for you.”

“Coming!”

I splashed water on my face and toweled off before seeing what he had for me. There was a bouquet of flowers with an envelope and a small box.

“What are those?”

James, ever vigilant after Brent threatened to kill him, opened the envelope before letting me look at the contents.

“Like they’d anthrax me,” I scoffed, snatching the paper from him before he opened the box.

I hope you have a wonderful birthday and I’m sorry I won’t be there to buy your first legal drink. Be safe and be careful. Love you, dude.

I held it out to him. “This has to be a joke or something, right? Kelly disappears and sends me a letter and flowers telling me she’s sorry she can’t be here for my birthday instead of just showing face? I don’t believe this for one second. That or she has some audacity. What’s in the box?” We swapped items.

I reopened the box, inside was a pre-graduation party invitation from Sloane. She was graduating this school year and wanted all of us to know we were going to be celebratingherand not the entire class.How self absorbed could one girl be?

“It’s just an elaborate party invitation. With pink lace underwear. Super weird. I swear to God this school feels like a cult some days.” I threw the underwear at Reaper who was sitting on the couch laying with Pumpkin.

Brent assigned him to me occasionally and I wasn’t sure if it was to scare me or others. Or both. He kept his distance after I kept refusing to let him in.

“New panties for you, Reap.”

Circling into the kitchen, coffee was prepared and waiting for me. Just how I like it. Again, I liked the perks of being rich, but the rest of the shit that came with it...not so much. If I had to make my own coffee for the rest of my life just to live in peace, I’d take it.

“This invitation says that the party is tonight. Shall I RSVP for you?”

“I have to go,” I sighed. “Integrating into the fold this semester has been a success so far, and not going to Sloane’s party would be a bad look. Despite what she might have hiding in her sleeve, I have to make nice.”

James made breakfast quietly while Pumpkin swirled around my legs silently asking for attention. No classes today meant I could be a hermit before the party and mentally prepare for the business meeting tomorrow. Evans planned to continue as normal and told us to hold on to the hope that the company would be mine on my birthday.

I was caught up with operations of the business—legal side and non—and hoped toGodI could transition into CEO or at least keep everything afloat while I finished school.

“Basic eggs, bacon, and toast today. I hope you don’t mind.”

Reaper peeked over to see if there was anything for him.

“Reaper?”

“Yes?”

“What’s with the mask thing?”

“What’s with your face thing?”

Reaper, the scary oddball, never took his masks off. We never questioned it much and probably never should. It was curious, though. I had to tryjust once.

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“That’s this week inoperations.” James stood from the table to stretch his legs.

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