Page 2 of No Rules

“Everything is fine, Agnes, okay? Just listen to me. Take a deep breath.”

“Mom was supposed to drive me for my first day of school.”

I grip the steering wheel tightly when she mentions my mom and try to cut off any thoughts other than my little sister.

“I know, honey. But this year, Aunt Emma is going to take you, okay? It’s going to be okay.”

“No, I have to take the bus alone.”

Damn it.

I put the car in reverse, unable to afford to be any later, and pull out of the parking lot of the off-campus housing. I put on the speakerphone as I search my bag for my schedule.

Criminal Science, lecture hall B4. Nine to eleven o’clock.

Me, who was looking forward to start this class, which was unknown to me until then…In fact, when I was choosing my elective, this subject was the one that intrigued me the most. However, when I saw this word, a lump in my stomach and an urge to vomit instantly came over me.

How could I be attracted to this class after what had happened?

But I thought about it, heard a few students praising the teacher on the first day of school, and finally signed up. It’s going to give me something extra for my third year of psychology and it might finally help me understand the behavior of a criminal. I may have high expectations, but if it helps me understand what went on in the mind of the man who killed my parents eight months ago, then I want to be in it.

“You’ll make it, Agnes,” I continue as I turn a corner, wondering if I’ll make it. Fortunately, I’m only ten minutes away from the main campus.

“I wish you were here,” my little sister whispers, gradually calming down.

I purse my lips as I finally reach the campus. “I’ll see you soon,” I tell her. I pull into the parking lot and sigh when I can’t find a spot near the entrance. “You know what?” I continue as I finally see a free spot a little further on, the only one. “During the fall vacations, you’re going to come here, right?”

“Really? I’m going to come to Denver?”

Her tone squeezes my heart a little more as I pull into the parking spot. Even if I don’t get her custody, Aunt Emma will let her come to my house for a few days. “Of course—hey!”

A pickup truck pulls in at the same time as me and nearly rips the front end of my car.

“You bastard!” I shout as the car stops at the same time.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to say bad words, Iris?” asks Agnes with a surprised tone.

I mumble between my clenched teeth and look out of the window, trying to see the obviously blind driver who almost killed me, but his windows are tinted. One of them slowly rolls down as I squint, furious.

“Are you a complete idiot?” I yell, opening my window as well.

As the truck starts to move again, I zip into the parking space before them.

I saw it first!

“I have to go,” I say to my little sister. “Everything is going to be okay. I’ll call you tonight, okay?”

“I love you,” Agnes answers me just before hanging up.

I breathe a sigh of relief as I turn off my engine, collect my things, and check in my rearview mirror that my red hair is still in place. The advantage of having a bob, rather than wearing my hair long as it used to be, is that it’s much easier to style.

The dark circles under my hazel eyes are quite pronounced due to my lack of sleep, but I’ll have to deal with it. As I rub a trace of toothpaste under my lower lip, I notice something in the back of my vehicle. The black pickup still hasn’t moved.

I open my door and decide to ignore the dumb person driving it; they’ll move eventually.

I start to walk away from my vehicle, but a husky, unmistakably male voice stops me.

“That was my place.”

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