My Don't Date List

Rule Number Two

There are certain moments when your brain stops working.

For me, those moments usually involved Brax Hunter.

Which was irritating.

Because I had a perfectly functioning brain.

Most of the time.

So, I decided to use that good part of the brain to use my vacation days intelligently. I was planning to visit the nearest arcade and bookstore that was known for selling hand painted postcards of Coast End.

But before starting my well-planned day, my first stop was the diner where Parker worked. Obviously not because I was hoping to run into Brax.

I just wanted to have a delicious breakfast.

But there he was again.

Outside the diner.

Leaning against the wall.

Smoking.

I stopped.

He noticed me immediately.

"Running away, Sugar?"

"No."

"You're standing very still."

He gave me an almost amused look.

"I'm deciding whether to leave."

"That's running away."

I rolled my eyes.

"I told you. It's Bethany."

He took another drag.

"Bethany."

Hearing my name in his voice made it sound completely different, very pleasant.

I hated that.

"Why are you here?"

"Because I like the view."

I looked around.

There was an ocean behind him.

A road.

A parking lot.

Nothing particularly impressive except the ocean and the sunlight sparkling through the water.

Then I realised he wasn't looking at the scenery.

He was looking at me.

My cheeks warmed. He was definitely making fun of me or he thought I was a naïve fool.

Not after Lucas, I was definitely not a fool.

I stepped backward.

"The smoke is making me nauseous."

His expression changed.

Only slightly.

But I noticed.

He took the cigarette from his mouth.

Looked at it.

Then dropped it onto the ground.

He crushed it beneath his boot.

I blinked. Is this some sort of revenge technique of his, stolen from some rom-coms of making a girl fall in love and break her heart.

Is he doing all this just because of a single punch?

"You didn't have to do that."

I said cautiously, even though If I was being honest, I found him really charming.

"I know."

"Then why did you?"

He shrugged.

"Maybe I was finished."

"Convenient." Lie.

"Very."

He didn’t seem to elaborate and just stared at me with a slight head tilt.

I didn't know what to say.

So naturally, I said the worst possible thing.

"I still think you're dangerous."

His smile disappeared.

"Good."

That single word changed the atmosphere. His head straightened and look in his eyes hardened. Again, no explanation, just a single worded answer with hundred different emotions in his eyes.

I looked at him.

For the first time, I noticed the tiredness beneath his eyes.

Not physical tiredness.

Something deeper.

Something that didn't belong on the face of a twenty-two-year-old man.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you want people to be afraid of you?"

His jaw tightened.

"You ask too many questions."

And yet he didn’t leave.

"You're avoiding the question."

"Maybe."

Instead, he stepped closer.

I should have moved.

I didn't.

He stopped just far enough away that I could still breathe.

"You're nervous."

"I'm not."

"You blink more when you lie and you should be, I am dangerous.”

My eyes widened.

I blinked.

He smiled.

"Exactly."

I hated him.

I absolutely hated him.

And the worst part was that somewhere between his stupid smile and his storm-grey eyes, I had forgotten to remember why.

He leaned closer.

I could smell the faint trace of smoke on his clothes.

I swallowed.

"You're still failing my list."

I blurted because with this proximity, the functioning part of my brain switched off.

His eyebrow lifted.

"Your list?"

I froze.

Oh no.

"Nothing."

He smiled slowly, looked really intrigued.

"Interesting."

I turned to leave.

"BETHANY."

I stopped.

It was the first time he'd used my name without teasing me.

I turned around.

He was watching me.

"Stay away from me."

His voice was serious now.

No smirk.

No teasing.

I wanted to tell him, that he came to find me first. Instead, I asked the most obvious question in my head.

"Why?"

"Because you don't know me."

"Then let me." I blurted it out, aloud.

His expression hardened. I don’t understand why I said it and how I kept forgetting about my list that was supposed to protect my heart. I can hear my friends shouting in my head and Lucas scoffing at me.

"No."

He walked away.

I stood there watching him disappear.

My heart was beating too fast.

I pulled out my phone.

Opened the photograph of the list.

THE DON'T-DATE LIST

1. No drinking

2. No smoking

3. No tattoos

4. No arrogance

5. No violence

6. No beard

7. No gang

8. Doesn't hate reading

9. Good grades

10.Not born in December

I stared at it.

Then added a little mark beside number two.

FAIL.

I had no idea that the boy I'd just met was about to make every single rule much harder to keep.

And I definitely didn't know that he'd already started breaking the one rule I'd never written down:

Don't fall for someone you should be afraid of.