Page 62 of Rule Breaker

Shit.

“I want to know how he did on the econ test.”

“Aren’t you in the same class?”

“Yeah,” I muttered.

“Then why didn’t you ask him when you saw him?”

"We didn’t talk to each other. Not today. And not for the past few weeks.”

My face heated, and I bit my lower lip in frustration.

Jackson paused and stared at me. “You guys were getting along the night of that party. What happened?”

“Nothing happened,” I snapped. Nothing and everything. “And we weren’t getting along.”

Unless shoving my tongue down Kayden’s throat and stroking him off, counted.

“Okay.” Jackson held his hands up. “I’m just making an observation. You left the party, and Kayden followed you home. I thought that maybe?—”

“Maybe what?” I bit out and stared at him.

Jackson paused, but his eyes told me he had more to say. Had Kayden told him about the kiss? The hand job?

“I thought you guys were friends,” Jackson added.

“We’re not. I mean, sort of,” I paused, searching for words that took forever to say. “Look, I really need to talk to him.”

Then I glanced around. I didn’t know which room was his. Fuck, I was an idiot.

“Kayden’s room is 333,” Jackson smirked.

“Thanks.”

Jackson nodded. “Well, I have to get to class. See you around.”

I nodded and walked down the hallway, searching for Kayden’s room. When I found it, I knocked once and waited. Sweat pooled in my pits, my lower back, the base of my neck. Fuck, even my hands were clammy. I swiped a hand through my hair and shifted from one foot to the other, waiting, my nerves riding high.

But when Kayden finally opened the door, nerves gave way to concern. His bright golden eyes were red-rimmed. Bloodshot. There were dark circles underneath, too. And his smile was nowhere to be seen. He looked how I felt.

“What’s wrong?” I blurted out.

“I got sixty on my econ midterm. And I got sixty-five on my social policy one. That’s what’s wrong. I’m fucked. If I don’tget at least eighty-five on these finals, I can say goodbye to my scholarship, and that means goodbye to hockey, and?—”

Kayden started to hyperventilate, and I stepped into the room, closing the door quickly.

“Sit down. Head between your knees.”

“Why don’t you j-just l-leave,” he gasped. “I don’t want you here.”

He went so pale, so fast, I thought he was going to pass out.

“Sit down, Kay. Now.”

Kayden sat down on his bed, and I headed for the bathroom.

He needed water, and maybe a towel to breathe into? That would do since there wasn’t a paper bag around. I grabbed the glass that was sitting on the edge of the sink, filled it up, and plucked a hand towel from the rack.

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