Page 18 of Unspoken Rules

“Thanks, Chris. Seriously. For all of this. I don’t know what I’d do without you guys.”

He scoffs. “Don’t thank me and make it weird.”

I chuckle. “Whatever.”

We get lost in watching TV, and for a while, everything feels good. Normal.

Just stick to the plan, Bryson. Everything will be okay if you do.

If only it were as easily done as said.

Chapter Nine

Bryson

17 years old…

“And I told you I wasn’t going there!” I shout back at my father.

“You live under my roof, you follow my rules,” he bellows, his face turning bright red.

“How the hell is going to law school a rule? It’s my future, not yours!”

“As a Montgomery, and part of this family, you—”

“No!” I scream, throwing my hands up. “I don’t care what you have to say. I’m not going. I. Am not. Going!”

“Then you can get your ungrateful ass out of this house!” my father barks. “For good!”

I should be surprised, but I’m not. In a way, I’m relieved.

“My pleasure,” I say, smiling at him. I turn on my heel to head toward my room.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he shouts.

“To get my shit.”

“The things I bought you? I don’t think so!”

I take a breath, keeping my temper in check. I whirl around. Fine. He wants to be like this, he can be like this. I walk right past my father and out the front door. I make the hour and a half walk to Chris’s house in 50 degree weather with nothing but the clothes on my back and my cell phone in my pocket. By the time I get there, there isn’t a part of me that’s not cold.

I knock on the door because it’s locked, and I don’t want to walk around to the back to get the spare key. Cole answers a few seconds later.

“Is Chris h-home?”

Cole looks me up and down, frowning. “He’s at his mom’s. Is everything okay?”

Shit, I forgot he was going to his mom’s for the rest of the week.

My head falls back on my shoulders, and I let out an annoyed sound. “I’m fine.” I turn and take a step, but Cole grips my arm. When I look back at him, he’s staring at where he’s holding me.

“What’s going on, Bryson?” he asks, giving me that dad glare. “Why are you so cold?” He blinks a few times, looking out at the street. “Did you walk here?”

My bottom lip wobbles, and I suck in a shaky breath.

“He kicked me out.”

Without hesitation, Cole pulls me to him, wrapping me in a hug. God, he’s so warm.

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