Unwritten Rules Read Online Free PDF

Jonah.
    He’d rescued me.
    I turned onto my back and stared up at the ceiling. He’d knocked on the door earlier, wanting to make sure I was doing al right. I couldn’t answer it; I’d stil been crying and didn’t want him to know how bad off I real y was. I now felt worse for ignoring him. I’d heard him playing his piano shortly afterward. The tune was sad and haunting. The attack seemed to have affected us both. I closed my eyes, hoping his melody would soothe me to sleep, and though it had for a while, I was no longer tired. I contemplated cal ing J.J. and picked up my cel . It went straight to voicemail. She was obviously asleep or busy with Elijah, her latest boy-toy.
    “Hey,” I said timidly. “It’s me. I just wanted to talk. Something happened and I just needed a friend. Can you cal me when you get this message? Thanks.”
    I wasn’t sure how long it would be until J.J.
    returned my cal , but I hoped the sound of my voice would alert her to the urgency of it. I wanted to talk to someone, yet I didn’t want to cal my mom. It would only add to her anxiety about me living here. It wouldn’t be fair to burden her in such a way, because she couldn’t come to comfort me. I had considered going back home, but leaving would feel like defeat on my behalf, and I didn’t come here to give up at the first hurdle.
    Grunting in annoyance, I shoved the comforter off me and climbed out of bed. I retrieved my oversized sweater from the back of the smal chair I kept near my vanity and walked into the living area. It was eerily quiet with only the low hum of the computer disturbing the silence. I wrapped my sweater tighter around my body and padded across the floor. My iPod lay discarded on the floor, stil in the armband; I hadn’t moved it from where Jonah had placed it. I could barely even look at it. I was hurting. I had just wanted to be alone to lick my wounds.
    I shivered at the memory of it.
    Though I wanted to talk to someone, the only
    person who seemed to be awake and available was living above me. I wasn’t sure he’d want me knocking on his door so late at night. In fact, I didn’t know if he’d want me at his door at al . I just didn’t want to be here.
    Alone.
    Meow strol ed out of the bedroom and glared at me. He mewled wanting to be picked up, and without question I did as I was asked. I stroked his head, feeling his purrs vibrate across his bel y. He was a comfort. I wanted more. I needed human interaction right now. I swal owed my anxiety I col ected my keys and cel . Keeping hold of Meow, I walked from my apartment and locked the door. The corridor was dark and horribly quiet, so I scuttled to the elevator as fast as I could. I didn’t want to walk up those stairs alone, and reasoned the elevator was safer. Meow pawed my chest, trying to get comfy in my arms, but he only managed to claw at the skin beneath my sweater. I hissed, adjusting him as the metal doors closed, and tried to get him to retract his claws, al the while attempting to talk myself out of this insane plan.
    It was futile. I knew I was going to see him; I needed to hear his voice.
    I realized, as I exited the elevator and walked up to his door, that I had no idea what I looked like. I’d been rol ing around in bed and must look utterly disheveled. I supposed now was not the time to worry about vanity. Pushing my nerves down, I knocked on the door and held my breath when the piano stopped. When Meow hissed, I noticed how tight I was clutching him and loosened my hold just as Jonah opened the door. He looked confused, rubbing at his naked chest, frowning.
    “Hey,” he said on an exhale.
    His voice was rough but smoothed my raw edges, and before I had a chance to stop myself I said, “I don’t want to be alone, Jonah.”
    He nodded in acknowledgment and opened the
    door, al owing me to enter. I stepped nervously inside, not real y sure why I’d come to him. Then it hit me. It was the right thing to do.

    I cradled the mug of