Page 25 of Changing Rules

I keep my expression even. Only the fast and painful beating of my heart reminds me I’m still alive.

“Audrey!” Xander bites out, frowning.

“What? I’m telling it like it is. If it wasn’t for Miller, who knows what could’ve happened between you two.” She shrugs, unbothered.

“Isabella is not accountable for what he did,” Stacey snaps, crossing her arms over her chest.

Audrey lifts her chin, defiant. “I was just stating my opinion.”

“Still, it’s disrespectful to Isabella.” Stacey turns her gaze to me, her eyes full of compassion. “I’m not after your guy, honest.”

I can’t find it in me to respond. I don’t know what to tell her. It takes everything I have to hold her gaze and not allow the pain to swallow me whole.

So much pain… I’m not sure I can handle it.

“Audrey, if you keep this up, we’re leaving,” Xander grits out. “Stop it.”

“Okay, okay, I get it.” Face contorted in anger, Audrey glares at me. Clearly, she thinks I am to blame for something. In her eyes, I’m evil incarnate.

Thankfully, the tension doesn’t last long. It ebbs, and the atmosphere slowly brightens.

The three of them chat, bringing up funny stories from college, about professors and other students. I sit quietly, willing my headache to fade. I have nothing to add to their conversation since I didn’t go to school with them, and we don’t have any friends or acquaintances in common.

Tired of feeling like the odd man out, and frustrated with myself for being so negative, I stand to go to the bathroom and give myself a minute to recenter. But the second I straighten, my vision goes dark. The pain in my temples sharpens, the sensation like an ice pick, and I drop back onto my chair.

“Bella!” Xander grasps my arm, his lips tugged down in concern. “Are you okay?”

I press my fingertips to my temples. “My headache has gotten worse.”

“And you didn’t say anything?”

“I didn’t want to interrupt,” I whisper. Bile climbs up my throat, but I swallow it back. I don’t want to throw up.

“Babe, I’m so sorry.” He massages my back as he turns to the other women at the table. “Sorry, I need to get Bella home.”

“Of course,” Stacey says with a soft smile. “Take care of your girl.”

He slowly helps me to my feet. All I want is to close my eyes and sleep. No dreams. No worries. Nothing.

Once I’m safely ensconced in the car, I shut my eyes and recline my seat a little. It’s rare for me to have such intense headaches anymore. My last one was while I was in college, so I don’t even have any aspirin with me.

Home, our bed, and Xander’s warmth are what I need. They’re what I crave, especially after watching him reconnect with his ex tonight. I need him to show me nothing has changed between us. That my worries are baseless.

“Were you upset about something?” His soothing voice is like a lullaby, blending perfectly with the hum of the engine.

Yes, your sister hates me and wants to replace me with your ex. Yes, the way you look at Stacey makes my heart bleed. Yes, your first real girlfriend is the epitome of your type, while I, your current girlfriend, am more like an anomaly. A joke.

I can’t possibly say all that, right? It screams of insecurities, and I want to hide those from him.

“Mother called,” I whisper, my eyelids heavy. “I have to go to dinner with them. My grandmother is coming to visit.”

I drift off then, into a blessedly dreamless sleep.

CHAPTER 8

FRIENDS

XANDER

---