The Rule Breakers

Chapter 34

Riley

Skylar's fingers play with mine as we sit in our group circle as we do every lunch period. Today's different, though. It's time we come out to our friends about our new relationship. Not that they don't suspect anything; we're not that secretive. But still, if we want to be able to hold hands casually in public, we have to at least let those closest to us know that there's something going on.

There's only one person I'm worried about.

"What?" Kammy asks, her voice shaken as though she can't believe it's real. 

Claudia gets to her feet and points at me. "The minute you started actually hanging out with us was when I realized something was up."

Had I been that neglectful in the past? Sure, there had been times when the group invited me out and I rejected them. I rarely let them come to my place, but that meant nothing. I never invite people over.

Until recently.

Oh, wow.

I let out a short laugh as though I've been caught, but really, I feel kind of bad. Did they see me as a terrible friend? I didn't even consider them my friends until this year. Just acquaintances. School alliances. People I hung out with because nobody else was good enough. 

"I'm not surprised," Taylor says. "Claudia's right."

"I'm always right."

Taylor glares at her. "No, you aren't. But you're right to say that the minute Skylar joined our group, Riley started to actually hang out with us more." 

Kammy says, "What?" again, but nobody answers.

TJ stays quiet, a soft smile on his face. He's known. 

"How did it happen? It was the principal's office wasn't it?" Claudia asks and sits back down, her elbows on her knees. She leans in as though she needs to hear everything. 

I want to say that it kind of just happened. Whatever rules we broke at the beginning of the school year contributed to us getting closer. But Skylar hated me back then. She'd roll her eyes at anything I'd say and then argue just for the sake of arguing. And I loved it about her, but I don't think she realizes that was when I started to feel things more strongly. It should've been obvious – the day at the abandoned Rascal's World carnival should've given me away. I don't think I even knew back then.

Except I did because I had liked her before then. Back when we were in middle school.

Skylar's the one to answer: "It was a combination of things." And then she side-eyes me before saying, "It might've really happened at Taylor's birthday party."

"The pool," TJ answers as though he's been in the loop since the beginning. 

"The pool," Skylar confirms. "It was our first kiss."

Claudia throws her hands in the air. "I so knew it!" Taylor whispers something in her ear, and I watch as their eyes glance over to Kammy. The entire group falls silent.

I can see Kammy's face turning a brilliant shade of red, and I'm worried she's about to ask the same question again. I've known for years she's liked me, but I've never reciprocated those feelings. And now it's clear by her reaction that she's not taking this well. She's not even trying to hide her feelings as I can see tears build in her eyes. 

Kammy clears her throat before standing. "I'll be right back," she says and sprints faster than I've ever seen her run before.