The rulebreaker ✔

Chapter 9: Don't regret

"Come in," Olivia shouted as Austin knocked on our dorm door. He was still carrying me, despite my insistence not to. He opened the handle and walked over to my bed and laid me down.

"Thank you, Austin," I told him.

"Call me up if you need anything," I nodded and before he could walk out, I snatched the donut box from his hand.

He rolled his eyes and left.

Before I could lie down, Abbey burst into the room and hugged me tightly. I could smell her floral perfume as I struggled to breathe.

As gently as I could, I pushed her back. She didn't seem to notice.

"Heather, are you alright? Is your head ok? Should I get you a painkiller?"

I really appreciated her effort to help me out, despite barely knowing me for one day.

"Thank you, Abbey, but I'm good," I told her.

She gave me a small smile and I saw her glancing at the donuts. I offered her one and she shook her head, "I'm dieting," she smiled wistfully, "Feel free to call me up or the twins if you need anything,"

I never understood girls' obsession with dieting. Leaning against my dresser I carefully stood up in front of my full-length mirror and stared at my reflection.

I wasn't a typical blonde hair, blue eyes, tall Barbie doll pretty. I wouldn't deny the fact that I was pretty. A lot of boys had liked me before the Aiden incident. In fact, some girls had been envious too.

I was about five feet three inches and had long brown hair that came till my mid-back. I had the same hazel eyes, a small nose, and tanned skin as mom. I also had long legs and a narrow waist; thus, I never felt the need to diet.

I sat back down on my bed and thought about Aiden. His dreamy black eyes, bronzed skin and ripped physique. The feel of his soft blond hair an-

Stop. I told myself firmly. He's dead.

I rolled across my bed and lay down. I saw my phone lying on the side table with seventeen missed calls from mom.

I immediately picked it up and called her up.

"Heather?" I heard her relieved sigh, "Are you ok?"

"Hi mom, I'm feeling way better, it wasn't that bad,"

"Thank god dear, you have no idea how worried I've been. Why were you up climbing trees? Who put you up to this?"

"Mom relax it's nothing, I was with a friend, and I decided to climb up, and accidentally fell down. Besides I'm alright now, so it's nothing to worry about."

"Which friend of yours could be so careless?" I heard the anger in her voice.

"Mom his name is Austin, he's a second-year and it wasn't even his fault; In fact, he was the one who took me t-"

"I don't want to hear anything. You will stay away from him. These older guys are nothing but trouble."

"But m-"

"No buts do you hear me, Heather? You will stay away from him. Besides your principal had already informed me that it was his fault. If you have even the slightest respect for me, then listen to this one request I have for you, and trust me I have more experience than you."

I couldn't argue anymore; my head was throbbing again, "Ok mom," I told her wearily, "Take care, dear," she said as she hung up.

I buried my head in my pillow and tried to shake out the pain. The pain of my memories and the pain of my pounding head.

The next day Austin came to pick me up for my class. I had no idea what I would say to him after what mom told me. I really didn't want to be rude to Austin; I just couldn't, not after everything he had done for me, not after he had called me his best friend, not after how nice he had been to me.

But I knew how protective mom was. If she somehow found out through the teachers that I was still friends with Austin; well I didn't want to cause him any more problems. Besides, it would probably be better for him also if I stayed away from him. I would talk to him calmly about this after classes.

As I lay thinking about this, I heard Margaret open the door and wave hello to Austin who waved back. I pretended to be asleep so that he would go away.

"Brown?" he called. Then he placed his hand on my back and shook me gently. I kept my eyes shut tight and my breathing even. He sat down on my bed right next to me and leaned close to my ear. His long brown hair tickled my face and I struggled to keep a straight face, "Wake up Heather," he whispered.

I pushed his face away from mine and turned around, "Let me sleep, I'm sick, go away from here,"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ava look at me jealously. She had a crush on Austin and despite my continuous denials, she refused to believe that Austin and I were just friends.

"Are you feeling fine? Should I get you something?" he asked.

Fuck him. Why did he have to be so nice when I was trying to be rude and distant. It wasn't fair.

"No, just tell my teachers that I won't be attending lessons today," I said and pulled my blanket back up again.

"Ok," he said, and he walked out, closing the door behind him.

I sat up immediately and opened my laptop. Then I binge-watched the whole season of Lucifer before Austin came back after all his classes.

"Hi hot and spicy," he said when he saw me. Ignoring the nickname, I shut my laptop and sat up.

"Austin, can we talk?" I asked him.

"Sure," he shrugged and sat down.

I shut the curtains even though it meant that I was confined alone with him in a very small space.

I scooted back so that there was some space between us and then took a deep breath, "Austin I just wanted to say once again that I am very thankful to you for everything that you have done for me since I have come here, but I think we should," I swallowed thinking of how I could say it politely, "uh stay away from each other for a while,"

I saw the confused expression on his face.

"My mom thinks you were the reason I got injured and she's very protective of me, especially after my father died. Since the principal also thinks the same, she has told me to stay away from you otherwise I have no idea what she will do but-"

"So you want us to break our friendship?" he asked.

I slowly nodded my head. I saw the hurt flash in his eyes but he ignored it and got up. He was just going to walk out but I grabbed his wrist.

"That's a first," he said turning around, "What do you want," there was no warmth in his voice.

"Austin I really don't want to hurt your feel-"

"Oh, shut up will you," he told me, "Why do you think I sacrificed being on the swim team for you? Why do you think I would give up the one thing that I care about the most for someone who I've known for not even a month? Because I want to hurt you? Because I don't care about you?

"I know that Austin but my mom s-"

"So? Couldn't you tell her that?" he asked me.

I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to.

He just turned around and strode out of the room making me hate myself and severely regret my descision.