Page 25 of My Rules

Knock, knock.

“Someone’s at the door,” I snap, annoyed. Now is not the time. “Go. Away.”

“Might be him.”

“Shut. Up.”

Knock, knock.

“Fuck it.” I run into the bathroom, grab a towel, and wrap it around my neck.

Nobody can see this.

Rebecca

I stand and wait at Blake’s front door. I know he’s home; I saw him come over from Antony’s earlier. I knock again.

The door opens in a rush, and Blake comes into view. He seems surprised to see me. “Rebecca.” He smiles; he has a towel around his neck.

“Are you going swimming?” I ask.

“What?” He wraps the towel tighter around his neck. What is he doing with that towel?

“The towel.”

“Oh . . . yes.”

I hear Henley and Antony’s loud laughter coming from inside. “Am I interrupting something?” I ask.

“Not at all.” Blake glances inside to where the laughter is coming from, then steps out onto the front porch and closes the door behind him. “What’s up?”

“I just wanted to talk about last night.” I twist my hands in front of me nervously.

“What about last night?” he replies quickly.

“I just wanted to thank you for being so honest. I’ve been thinking about it ever since.”

His eyes widen. “Honest . . .”

“Yeah.” I smile. “When you told me about your old girlfriend and what she did.”

Blake’s eyes narrow as he stares at me. “Go on ...”

“And ...” Ugh, he’s not making this easy for me. “I just ... I think I want to do it.”

“Right ...” He frowns as his eyes hold mine.

“Well, not that I want to, but I feel that I need to.”

“Oh . . . kay.”

“But I don’t want anyone to know. You have to promise to keep it a secret.”

He opens his mouth to say something and then closes it again before he does.

Loud laughter erupts from inside his house.

“What’s so funny in there?” I frown.

---