RULES WE BREAK

I hate men

Thea's POV;

The cool evening air stings my cheeks, mixing with the warmth of my tears. I clutch the railing, staring blankly at the dark ocean below. The laughter of partygoers in the distance grates my eyes, mocking my misery.

"Careful," a voice drawls behind me. "Wouldn't want you throwing yourself overboard. They'd call it a Christmas Eve tragedy."

I turn around, startled.

A man is leaning casually against the railings, his hands tucked into his pockets. The faint glow of the ship's deck lights casts shadows along the sharp planes of his face - high cheekbones, a strong chiseled jaw dusted with a stubble, and lips curving into a smirk that's both maddening and magnetic. His dark eyes hold a glint of something unreadable, a mix of amusement and intrigue, as if he can see through my defenses with a single glance.

My eyes flicker over him, unwillingly taking in more details. His dark hair is an unruly mess of waves that looks effortlessly styled by the ocean breeze, and his clothes - simply but striking - hinting at an unassuming luxury; a fitted black shirt that clings to his broad shoulders and sleeves that are rolled up just enough to reveal a lean forearm and a leather band strapped around his wrist.

"I'm fine," I snap, quickly wiping at my tears and looking away.

"Sure," he says, his tone teasing. "You definitely look like someone who's having the time of their life."

I scowl, my shoulders stiffening. "Don't you have somewhere better to be?"

He shrugs, stepping closer. Even in the dim light his movements are confident and purposeful. "Nowhere better than here. Besides, you're far more interesting than overpriced cocktails and bad karaoke."

I want to argue, but something about the way he's looking at me - intense, like I'm some kind of a puzzle he's trying to solve - makes me pause.

"Fine," I mutter, my tone flat, almost bored. I lean further into the railing, as if the endless ocean holds answers he can never, ignoring him like he's nothing more than a fleeting annoyance in my evening.

"Boyfriend trouble?" he asks casually, resting his elbows on the railing beside me. "You've got that look - like someone just shattered your world and you're wondering if it's even worth picking up the pieces."

My breath hitches. "How did you-"

"Lucky guess," he interrupts smoothly. "It's the tears and that 'I hate men' energy you're giving off.

I sigh, my shoulders sinking as though his words have knocked the fight out of me. Without a word, I turn back to face the restless ocean, letting the sound of the waves fill the silence. I don't want him to see how close I am to breaking.

"Heartbreak," he muses again, his gaze following mine out to the ocean. "It has a way of driving people to dark waters and even darker thoughts. Want to talk about it?"

I don't speak for a long moment, the tears I was trying to hold in sliding down my face in silence. Finally, I exhale shakily, the words spilling out like a confession. "He was with another woman on board," I reveal, my voice trembling. "I walked in on them. In our room. On this stupid cruise that was supposed to be special. How do you come back from that?"

"Cheating on a cruise? That's special kind of low," he smirks, but his tone softens as he adds. "So, what's the story? Did he tell you why, or is he just a coward who couldn't face you?"

"Three years," I say softly, my voice flat. "We've been together for three years. I told him I wanted to wait until marriage. He said it was fine, that he respected my choice." I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. "But on arriving here, he wanted more and I couldn't do it. We argued. I needed some air, so I walked out." My shoulders sag as the tears continue to flow. "But when I came back to talk it out, he was...he was already in bed with her."

"Three years without s*x? Damn, that's impressive," he chuckles, almost in disbelief. "I mean, I'm all for self-control, but after three years? I'm pretty sure he'd have snapped eventually. Maybe he finally cracked. I bet he tried to convince you he was 'being patient' - but, yeah, that's a hard sell." He gives me a teasing look, the smile on his face both mocking and playful.

I give him a glare so sharp it could cut a glass. I'm not about to let a total stranger mock my pain or make light of the situation and my eyes say as much.

He shifts slightly under my stern glare, lowering his gaze for a moment as if he's searching for the right words. "Alright, maybe I shouldn't have been so blunt," he admits, then looks up at me with a slightly softer expression. "But you need to understand that the way you were going about things wasn't realistic, and I'm sure he didn't want to hurt you. It's just...no man in his right mind will stay in a relationship for that long without s*x. It's like...a basic need, like food or water."

My eyes flash with frustration, but it seems like he's not finished.

"He agreed to that 's*x until marriage' crap with you, right? That was the first red flag. No man who's actually into you would let that slide for long. Hell, I wouldn't. I'm not saying it's right, but it's reality."

He leans forward slightly, taking in my reaction, as though he is daring me to deny the truth in what he's saying. "I'm not trying to make you feel worse or anything, but you're smarter than this. You should have seen it coming."

I let out a soft sigh, a frustrated sigh, my gaze shifting back to the dark ocean as his words linger in my mind. Maybe he's right - maybe I have been naive, expecting something different, something rare. Growing up, I've always believed that love can be pure, that real relationships are not built on physical attraction, but on something deeper, more meaningful. My beliefs, my decision to wait until marriage comes from the books I've read and the ideals I've clung to - the fantasy of finding someone who will understand and respect my boundaries. But now, standing here, in the face of reality, I can't help but wonder; Is it wrong to believe that such men exist? Did I make a mistake in thinking that love can be enough to make someone wait, or am I simply setting myself up for disappointment in a world that doesn't care about my ideals?