Page 43 of Rules for Rule Breaking
“Probably no worse than I deserved.”
She read over each word. Each maliciously written word. “Why did you really keep this?”
Bobby exhaled deeply. “It’s in there with our original rules and all the many amendments. I figured we’d laugh about them one day.”
It felt like a string snapped in her chest. She was having a hard time reconciling who this person in front of her was, this person who apparently girls loved; who had an interest in his culture; who was thoughtful, intelligent, loyal, dutiful, and sensitive almost to a fault. She knew so much about him, but she didn’t actuallyknowhim. She wasn’t sure that she even wanted to know him. They had been getting dangerously close to friend territory all day, and the realization wasn’t agreeing with all the seafood in her stomach. The letter didn’t help her sick feeling—it was like a mirror reflecting back all the bad parts of herself.
“Maybe we should end the moratorium now,” Winter said, and Bobby silently agreed.
Winter folded the letter carefully, put it in her bag, and spent the rest of lunch not drawing dicks in Bobby’s notebook.
Bobby,
As you know, the Spring Fling dance is in two weeks. Normally this is something I would go to alone, but our mothers would like for us to go together because they think it’s safer that way. I didn’t want to disappoint them, so I agreed to ask you.
Obviously we will have to abandon some of the rules currently in place for the night. Here are some additions so that we can enjoy this dance as best we can:
1. We will promptly shut down any questions about us liking each other.
2. We will not dance together.
If you are to refuse, you’ll be the one to tell our parents this, and that I did my part by asking. But if you accept, please sign below.
Winter Soon-hee Park
Bobby Bae
17. WE WILL PRIORITIZE COLLEGE VISITS
After spending a few quiet, uncomfortable hours on the road in his filth, Bobby was anxious to get to the next hotel and shower.
They kept their reservation in Philadelphia since their next stop was Princeton. This time they had two adjoining rooms, so he didn’t have to share a bathroom with Winter, which was nice.
An entire beach fell out of Bobby’s shorts onto the white-tiled floor as he peeled his clothes off. He set the shower todracarysand stayed under the water until he was sure his eczema would bother him, and then stayed some more to wash the day away. He had promised himself never to tell Winter about his desire to connect with his culture. She had beaten him by a fraction of a point for the top of their class last year, and now this. She had all the ammo she needed to make his life a living hell if she wanted to.
Kai was calling, so he dried his hands and answered it on speaker.
“Dude, what’s that noise?” Kai asked. “You hear that? You think the government is listening?”
“I’m in the shower.”
Kai giggled. “Oh. Word. What’s up, Bae?”
Bobby held back a laugh. “You called me, man. What’s up with you?”
“Right. I have to tell you something.”I have to tell you somethingwas right there withWe need to talk. He sighed. “Jacqueline came into the store today.”
Bobby’s chest hollowed out. It wasn’t until that moment that he realized he hadn’t thought about Jacqueline all day. “Did you talk to her?” he asked.
“For, like, two seconds. She asked how you were doing, and I told her you were on a trip with Win—”
“Why’d you tell her that!”
“I didn’t know it was a secret! I didn’t expect to see her. I panicked.”
Bobby took a deep breath. “What did she want?”
“She literally bought the first book she saw and left. It was a copy of Malcolm X’s biography.”
