Lahat ng Kabanata ng Rule No 1:No Strings Attached : Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

Summer’s Pov “Taylor, would you make me the happiest man alive, and marry me?” Brooks said while on his knees. I watched Taylor press her fingers to her lips, and then she extended her hand and Brooks slid the ring on. I had held that ring. And I had thought — even for just a second — about what it would feel like on my own finger. Now I stood there and watched it happen to someone else, and something in my chest folded in on itself. The room erupted. Applause, cheering. Brooks pulled Taylor in and kissed her in the middle of all those candles and flowers while everyone watched and celebrated something that was quietly breaking me apart from the inside. I smiled. I don’t know how. My face just did it on its own, some old, well-trained reflex that knew how to perform even when the rest of me had stopped working. I still had the letter in my hand. I hadn’t realized I’d been gripping it the whole time. My knuckles were pale around the folded paper, the edges crumpled from how tight I

Ace POV The project didn't interest me. The partner did. I'd walked away from that notice board knowing one thing for sure: Summer Quinn and I had unfinished business, and a whole semester working together was the perfect excuse to settle it. She'd slapped me in a freezing parking lot and then strolled off like I was nothing. That wasn't going to stand. There was something almost funny about it, if I let myself think about it too long - the one girl on this campus who'd never once looked twice at me, and she'd done more to get under my skin in thirty seconds than anyone had managed in years. I changed and headed straight to the gym, because that was the only place my head ever actually went quiet. Miller was already there, wrapping his hands. He gave me the usual nod. I taped up, rolled my shoulders, and stepped into the ring. We started light, circling and throwing easy shots, just finding our rhythm. The familiar smell of sweat and canvas, the creak under our feet - it was the on

Summer's POV I stood in front of my mirror the next morning, turning sideways, then turning back, trying to figure out why I even cared what I looked like today. It wasn't like today was different from any other Tuesday. Except it was, because somewhere out there, Ace Hunters was walking around acting like we were actually together, and I still hadn't figured out how to survive being seen next to him without my whole face giving me away. I smoothed down the front of my sweater for what had to be the tenth time. *You're overthinking this. It's fake. It's a project. It's nothing.* I said it to my reflection like repeating it enough times might actually make it true. The TV was on in the background, low, more noise than anything else. I wasn't even really listening until the anchor's voice sharpened, and I caught the tail end of it. "...found early this morning near the east side of campus. Authorities have not released the identity of the victim, but sources close to the investigatio

Summer's POVI turned, bracing myself for Taylor to be attached to his side like usual, but it was just Brooks, hands in his pockets, that familiar easy smile already tugging at his mouth."Hey," he said, falling into step beside me like we did this every day. "I've been trying to get a hold of you.""Sorry, things have been busy.""You never replied to my text. The one about the engagement party." He tilted his head, studying me the way he'd studied me a thousand times before, like I was a puzzle he already knew the answer to. "I figured you forgot.""I thought I did reply," I lied, smooth enough that it barely stung on the way out. "My bad. Of course I'll help. You know I'm good at this stuff.""The best." He grinned, relieved, and something in my chest twisted at how easy it was for him, how none of this cost him anything at all."Come grab lunch with me? Taylor's stuck in the library working on notes for our class, so I'm free. We can start talking about colors, venues, whatever i

Summer's POVI made it to the library a few minutes before four, claimed our usual table in the back corner, and had my books stacked and ready by the time Ace strolled in, bag slung over one shoulder like he had nowhere better to be."You're early," he said, dropping into the seat across from me.He smirked and pulled his textbook out, and for about four minutes, it actually looked like we might get somewhere. Then someone at the next table whispered something that wasn't nearly as quiet as they thought it was, and three heads turned our way at once.I tried to ignore it. I really did. But it kept happening, in waves, a group of girls near the periodicals section who kept sneaking glances and giggling behind their hands, a couple of guys from the team who'd apparently decided our table was more interesting than their own assignment, someone's phone camera angled a little too obviously in our direction, and something in me curled up small under all that attention, tired of being looke