Page 27 of Rule Breakers Fall Hardest

There’s a group of girls outside the dorm. As a collective unit, they turn and look at me.

“Hey, Daire,” one of them says.

I turn, vaguely recognizing her. “Hey,” I answer as I close in on the door. “You mind letting me in?”

“I guess that depends on if you’ll answer something for me or not.” She flashes a flirty smile. “Is it true you’re married? Some people are saying you were dared to say you were.”

I wasn’t expecting that, though I guess I should have been.

With my stomach in knots, I dip my chin. “It’s true.”

“That’s too bad.” She frowns, adjusting the strap of the bag on her shoulder. “We had some good fun.”

Did we? I can’t remember.

“Mhm,” I hum. “Do you mind letting me in now?”

She puffs out her lips, which is entirely unnecessary given the amount of filler injected into them. “I don’t think I will.”

I bite back a grunt of annoyance.It fucking figures.

Normally I have zero problem getting anywhere I want to go. I’ll need a little more patience today, but someone will come along eventually and let me up. So I step off to the side and take a seat around the corner on one of the many benches that dot the campus. Even though it’s pointless, I send another text to Rosie, asking her to come down and let me in. She might not even be here, but I have to try.

Try for what?

To apologize?

An apology isn’t anywhere close to enough in this situation, but it’s all I have.

I spoke with Nina Voss, my lawyer, this morning and admitted to what a fucking idiot I am. Then I sent her the video. Understandably, she wasn’t pleased. She can join the damn club, because I’m not happy with myself either. My life is an absolute clusterfuck right now. That’s why I’m doing stupid shit. Nina wouldn’t get it, because now definitely isn’t the time for me to be pulling stunts like this.

So why did I?

Fear. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m terrified. And when I’m scared, self-destruction is my default.

I’m scared of graduating—of what I’ll do with a future I’m still not certain about. I’m not like my older brothers, who’ve always had a clear path laid before them.

I’m terrified of being a dad, of fucking a kid up. I want to be agooddad. Like mine. Getting wasted and going on a drunken rant doesn’t really align with the whole wanting to be a good dad thing, but I wasn’t exactly thinking logically in the moment.

And now I’m scared of Rosie.

She’s the only girl I can trust with this—and what does that mean? Does it mean deep down I never actually stopped caring about her? Do I have feelings for her after all this time?

To say I’m fucking confused is an understatement.

I’ve got my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands when I’m startled by a high-pitched voice. “Well, don’t you look like a pathetic piece of shit?”

When I look up, I’m met with a scathing look from Bertie. She’s clutching a textbook to her chest, her knuckles white like she’s gripping it hard to keep from beating me over the head with it.

“I saw your childish meltdown.”

I nod, eyes on the ground. “You and everyone else, apparently.”

“How could you embarrass her like that?” She snaps her fingers in front of my face, forcing me to look at her. “Rosie is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. She’s kind and caring and better than you could ever be. You two had me convinced you were madly in love, but youbothlied.” She clutches the book again. “Why did she really marry you?”

I look away, jaw clenching.

“Not as talkative as you were last night, huh?” Her glare burns a hole in the side of my face.

---