Page 25 of Unspoken Rules

We move to the back, and I pull out my pad and pencil as I sit while Chris stays standing.

“Whatcha working on today?” he asks, hovering over me. I shove him away with my elbow.

“I can feel your breath,” I groan.

“At least it smells good.” He blows in my face, and I shove him away again.

“You are so gross, dude!”

He backs up and gives me space so I can open up to the page I was working on last night. Drawing is the only thing that keeps me calm at home. I can so easily get lost in what I’m doing. Hours pass and I don’t realize.

“You did not draw that,” Chris says, gaping at the picture.

The bell rings, and he takes a seat beside me but doesn’t stop staring.

“Yes, I did,” I say, staring down at the drawing I’ve been working on of a dragon curled around the tower of a castle. It’s only if you look close, like really close because the pad isn’t nearly big enough to put the details into it that I want, you’ll see it isn’t just the castle he’s guarding. But the person inside.

Chris blows out a sharp breath, shaking his head.

“You’re going to be the next Beethoven.”

“You are so dumb! Beethoven was a composer.”

“Yeah, he composed pictures.”

I turn to face him, slow blinking. “Remind me why we’re friends again?”

He flips me the middle finger just as the teacher walks in. He quickly yanks his hand away, and I hide my laugh. But throughout class, he sneaks more middle fingers at me. Which makes me laugh. And I remember this is why he’s my best friend.

Bryson

Present day…

Ever since I can remember, the Harpers went out for breakfast on Sunday mornings. I remember Chris telling me about it in school, even when his parents were still together. Cole kept up the tradition with Chris after Tabitha left and happily had me tag along on the weekends I stayed with them. The fact they still do this blows my mind. So much has changed here, yet so much has stayed exactly the same. It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact they can keep something so stable when my life is such a mess.

What’s it like to have a father who cares about you enough to cement things into your life, to make you feel safe? To make sure traditions live on?

“Morning, Cole, Christopher, and…” The waitress trails off, looking at me with a curious smile.

“Bryson,” Chris says, throwing his arm around my shoulder. “My best friend ever.”

“Good morning, best friend ever,” the waitress says with a playful smile. “I’m the best waitress ever—Tori.” She winks, grabs one menu, and leads us toward the back of the diner.

“She has a serious crush on Dad,” Chris whispers, chuckling to himself.

It turns my stomach.

But who doesn’t have a thing for Cole Harper? Anyone with eyes and a brain can see he’s a catch.

Hot. Successful. Handy. Smart. Supportive. Protective. Safe.

Does there need to be more? I could keep going.

It isn’t her wanting him that has my stomach in knots though. It’s that she has a chance.

And I don’t.

“Here we are, boys.” Tori stops at a table in the far back corner, surrounded by windows. We scoot into the round booth, and I somehow end up in the middle. She slides the one menu she has to me. “I’ll give the best friend a minute to look over the menu and be right back.”

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