The rulebreaker ✔

Chapter 10: No hugs

(Above: Austin's tattoo)

As much as I tried to ignore Austin and not think about what happened, it wasn't possible. He seemed to be everywhere. Sitting behind me in the lunch hall, next to me in English, flirting with my legal studies practical partner, I wondered how I had never noticed before that he was everywhere.

However, he completely ignored me. In a way, I was relieved, but a small part of me was also sad and disappointed. I had thought he would have made at least one attempt to have talked to me by now.

Though I would never have admitted it to him, he was one of my best friends and I did feel lonely here without him. He was annoyingly perfect but at least he cared about me.

I sat up in bed and shook my head to get rid of these thoughts, then had a glass of water and went back to sleep.

In my dream, I was back in the old neighborhood tree house tied down to the floor. There was Aiden, cold and sneering standing right above me. I jerked my head as he came close and woke up sweating and gasping; I screamed.

"What in fuck's name!" Olivia shouted.

She threw off her blanket and walked over to my bed.

"What happened?" she asked irritated.

"Nothing," I snapped though I was still shaking. I just wanted to go and talk to Austin. I knew I would be fine if I spoke to him, but I couldn't bring myself to.

"Here, drink a glass of water," Olivia said pouring me some from the jug. I took it from her hand and gulped it down and took a deep breath then lay down again.

Olivia sighed and went back to her bed and was snoring in no time.

I was terrified. I picked up my phone. Then put it down again.

Turning over and erasing all thoughts of Aiden, I fell asleep.

The next morning, I quickly dressed up and headed down for breakfast, and sat down at my usual spot alone. Though Abbey had called me a couple of times I hadn't gone to sit with them.

As I ate in silence, I turned around and looked at Austin. He was lying down on the bench with his head on Abbey's lap, who was attempting to push him off.

She caught my eye and smiled at me as I hastily turned around.

Not feeling hungry anymore, I dumped my tray and went off for my next class, business studies. Halfway to my class, I realized that I had left my textbook back in my dormitory.

As I climbed up the staircase to my room, a door opened on the third floor and Ryan's blond head swung out.

"Heather, would you mind coming in here a minute?" he asked.

I was reluctant. Ryan had been nothing but rude to me ever since I had come here, but then it was probably because I hadn't shaken his hand on the first day and yelled at him for spilling my coffee. Besides he was Austin's best friend.

I nodded and cautiously stepped inside. It was a dingy brown room with the curtains pulled together and there were two double beds across each other. The room had a damp smell and it smelled of cigarette smoke and..... marijuana.

That smell stirred my memory back to that night, but I gripped the railing of the bed and sat down on the chair.

Ryan sat on the bed and motioned for me to sit next to him.

I reluctantly got up and sat next to him. I was not comfortable being this close to anybody except Ash and maybe Austin.

"So, is there anything going on between you and Austin?" he asked.