1. The Third Rule

CAROLINE

Maverick Thompson and I have been best friends since the day he kicked his soccer ball right into my face in third grade.

I remember everything about that day. The way the ball hit me so hard my glasses flew off and shattered on the concrete. The blood pouring from my nose and how Maverick cried harder than I did, even though I was the one bleeding.

We sat together in the nurse's office while she cleaned my face and called our parents. That's when we made the three rules.

Rule One: Always come when the other calls, no matter what.

Rule Two: Always tell the truth and never keep secrets.

Rule Three: Never fall in love with each other and never confess such.

We were eight years old and we thought we were so smart making rules that would keep our friendship safe forever.

But the thing is no rule can protect you from the inevitable so I ended up breaking two of them.

It happened three years ago during our yearly camping trip. Maverick pushed me into the lake as a joke, and when I came up choking on water, he pulled me out. His hands were on my waist. Water dripped from his hair onto my face as he smiled at me like I was the only person in the world.

And I forgot how to breathe.

Since that day, I've been in love with my best friend. I've watched him date other girls. See him fall in love with Riley Parker and spend two years with her.

And lived with him crying when she moved away and their relationship fell apart. I held him while he sobbed and told him it would be okay.

Because that's what best friends do.

But I was lying to him the whole time. Breaking Rule Two every single day by keeping the biggest secret of my life.

And tonight, I'm going to break Rule Three.

We're both freshmen at Kalewood University now. New school, new life, new chances. I spent the entire summer planning this moment. I ditched my glasses for contacts.

Got a new hairstyle and bought clothes that actually fit my body instead of hiding it. My mom cried when she saw me before I left for campus.

"My baby's all grown up," she said.

I'm standing at the welcome party on the main quad, wearing a black dress I would never have worn in high school. The party is huge, I hear music blasts from speakers set up around the fountain.

There are at least three hundred people here, all freshmen trying to figure out where they fit. And I don't fit anywhere except next to Maverick.

I check my phone again. Maverick texted an hour ago saying he'd meet me here. The swim team had some freshman orientation thing, but he promised he'd come.

"Matthews? Holy shit, is that you?"

I turn to see Mason Rivera pushing through the crowd. He went to our high school and got recruited for the swim team here too. Which means I'll be seeing his annoying face for the next four years.

"It's the contacts," I say.

Mason looks me up and down in a way that makes me uncomfortable. "Nah, it's more than that. You look completely different. Like, you actually look hot now."

I want to punch him. "I've always looked the same, Mason."

"Not like this." He grins. "Thompson's gonna lose his mind when he sees you."

My heart jumps. "Is he here?"

"Haven't seen him yet. Probably still with the team." Mason's eyes are still on me. "You know, if Thompson doesn't make a move, I might have to shoot my shot."

"Hard pass."

He laughs and walks away toward a group of swimmers.

I check my phone again. Nothing new from Maverick. I'm about to text him again when I see him.

He's walking across the quad with a group of guys from the swim team. His hair is longer than it was over the summer, and he's wearing a blue shirt that makes his eyes look even brighter. He's laughing at something someone said.

My heart does that stupid thing it always does when I see him…nothing much yunno, it just forgets how to beat properly.

I start walking toward him. This is it. Tonight I'm going to tell him everything. That I've been in love with him for three years and I can't keep pretending we're just friends.

That I want more.

I'm halfway across the quad when I see Riley Parker.

She's walking toward Maverick from the other direction with her long blonde hair. Her perfect body in a tiny dress. The same girl who broke Maverick's heart when she moved to California junior year.

What is she doing here?

"Maverick!" Riley calls out.

He stops and turns. And his whole face lights up in a way I’ve never seen before.

Riley runs toward him and throws her arms around his neck. Maverick catches her and spins her around. Both of them are laughing. When he puts her down, they just stare at each other.

Then Riley kisses him.

Right there in the middle of the quad in front of everyone.

And Maverick kisses her back.

My drink slips from my hand. The plastic cup hits the ground and beer splashes on my shoes. Several people look at me but I can't move. Can't breathe. Can't process what I'm seeing.

When the fuck did they get back together?

How did this happen?

I leave him to go ahead for what…three weeks? And this happens?

While I’ve been bidding my time patiently…for this perfect moment.

I’ve been dreaming of the day when Maverick would look at me the way he's looking at Riley right now.

I was so stupid.

I need to leave right now. Before I start crying in front of hundreds of people.

I turn and start walking fast toward the edge of the quad. Away from Maverick and Riley and from this party and the biggest mistake I almost made.

I'm not watching where I'm going. So, I slam into someone so hard I almost fall.

I felt someone's hands grab my arms and steady me. I look up.

The guy in front of me is tall, I had to look all the way up to see him properly. He was clad in all black. Black jeans. Black t-shirt. Black leather jacket. His dark hair is messy and falls into his eyes. He has tattoos covering both arms.

He's not a freshman. I can tell by the way he looks like he's seen everything and nothing surprises him anymore.

"Careful," he says. His voice is low and rough. "You okay?"