Breaking the Rules Page 4

  Adam stood frozen staring at the door as Quinton closed it in his face. What had he done? Adam knew that Connor was struggling to fit in at Ridgemont, and it was his job to make Connor feel at home. Instead, he had made Connor feel so unwelcome that he had packed up and left.

  Chapter 6

  Connor stood in front of the sink doing the dishes in the small kitchen of his grandmother’s house in Saldanha. The smell of the ocean was strong in the air, and Connor could hear seagulls just outside of the kitchen window. It felt like a strange dream being back home, but Connor couldn’t imagine staying in Ridgemont. Not with the way that everyone stared at him when he walked into Initia Nova the night before. Not with Adam possibly being expelled for breaking the rules.

  Connor knew that he needed to be home for a while. Perhaps he would try to find another place to live in Ridgemont when he returned for classes. He couldn’t face being back at Nova.

  Connor’s grandmother walked into the kitchen, her hair tied back into a tight bun and her face lined and weary. She spent most of her days running the shop that Connor’s grandfather had opened in Saldanha many years before, but her age was catching up with her. She had saved money for many years to be able to afford to send Connor to Ridgemont, and he was determined to make sure that he could give her a proper retirement once he got a job after his studies. Now, all he wanted to do was crawl up into a ball in the safety of home.

  His grandmother sat down at the small kitchen table, giving a deep sigh, and said, “Connor, you have to tell me why you came back here in such a state last night. I’m your grandmother. I’ve looked after you since you were a young boy. You know there’s nothing you can’t tell me.”

  Connor’s face was pulled in a tight frown, and he couldn’t even look his grandmother in the eye. “I’ve just caused too much trouble and I haven’t even been in Ridgemont for three days. I was trying to be a different person, but maybe I should just go back to being the same Connor I’ve always been. The one who follows the rules.”

  “You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, Connor. Maybe you made a few mistakes, but that’s all part of growing up. You’ll land on your feet. I know one thing: you won’t accomplish anything hiding here in Saldanha. You have to go back and face your challenges. I always wanted more for you than just living in this small town and working in the shop with me.”

  Connor put down the dish he was cleaning and dried his hands on a cloth nearby. He sat down at the table with his grandmother and rested his head in his hands. “I was trying to follow my heart for once. I’ve always been so careful and guarded. I just wanted to be free. But I ended up ruining everything.”

  Connor’s grandmother had a concerned look on her face and said, “I’m sure it’s not that bad, Connor. You’ve always been way too serious for your own good. You need to loosen up. I was hoping that being at Ridgemont would be fun for you, not cause you more worries. I want you to follow your heart, not overthink things so much.”

  Connor swallowed hard. He felt his heart beating fast, but pushed aside his fear and said: “What if my heart leads me to… a guy?”

  His grandmother seemed unfazed as she responded: “Then you need to trust it. If this boy makes you happy, you need to go to him. I always knew that you wouldn’t be able to live the kind of life that you wanted in this town. You need to be somewhere where you can be yourself and be with someone that makes you happy.”

  Connor felt emotion well up in him. He walked around the table to his grandmother and hugged her tightly. “Thank you, Ma. Thank you for always believing in me. I just wish I had been a little bit more cautious during my first few days at Ridgemont. I might’ve messed things up with this guy for good.”

  “Connor, if there’s one thing I know from experience, it’s that if it’s worthwhile, it’s worth fighting for. If this boy feels the same way about you, then go back there and fix things.”

  Connor and his grandmother both turned their heads with a start when they heard a knock at the door. They hardly ever had visitors. Connor got up and walked through the small living room towards the front door, and his grandmother watched him from the kitchen table. He opened the door immediately took a step backwards; he couldn’t believe what he saw. Adam stood in the doorway, his olive eyes lighting up at the sight of Connor.

  “I found you!” Adam exclaimed excitedly. “All of these streets look the same! I thought I’d never find the right house. Prof Steyn gave me your home address and I drove over as soon as I could. It took me a few hours, but I’m here. I’ve come to take you back to Ridgemont, Connor. And to apologize.”

  Connor stared at Adam with his mouth slightly open, unable to form a coherent thought. “You came all the way out here to get me?”

  “I couldn’t let you leave. I couldn’t just forget about you, Connor.”

  Connor’s grandmother walked over from the kitchen and put her hand on Connor’s arm as she smiled at Adam. “This must be the boy you told me about, Connor. I’m heading back to the shop. I’ll give you some time to talk. Don’t leave without saying goodbye, okay?” She craned over to kiss Connor on his cheek and turned to shake Adam’s hand. “Nice to meet you, young man. Please look after my grandson at Ridgemont. He’s very precious to me, and it’s hard for me to think of him all alone out there.”

  “Don’t worry,” Adam said, “he’s not alone. He’s got someone there who cares about him.”

  Connor led Adam into the kitchen as his grandmother walked out the door. They sat at the table staring at each other, both of them overjoyed but restraining themselves.

  Adam broke the silence first: “Your grandmother is lovely. And this town is very charming.”

  “Nothing like Ridgemont, is it?” Connor smiled.

  Adam averted his eyes. “I’m sorry, Connor. I’m sorry for making you feel like you did something wrong when I wanted to kiss you so badly. I’m sorry for not making you feel at home at Ridgemont like I was supposed to. I hope you let me make it up to you.”

  Connor looked around the room before turning back to Adam. “This is all I’ve known for my whole life. Ridgemont is like another world to me. I wanted to act like it was no big deal leaving this all behind, like I wasn’t scared of anything. But inside I was frightened. I’ve never kissed a guy before. It was all so new to me. But I couldn’t resist. I couldn’t keep myself away from you.”

  Adam smiled broadly. “Come back with me to Ridgemont. Let’s start over. Prof Steyn assigned you to another mentor. He’s actually a really cool guy.”

  “I don’t know,” Connor said, sighing. “I’m not sure I can face everyone right now. The entire Nova saw a picture of us making out. And Vernon will be out to get both of us now.”

  “I don’t care about any of them,” Adam said. “Vernon is jealous that he can’t have as much fun as the rest of us do. He’s too busy sucking up to the higher-ups, trying to keep me in check. But I can handle him. And the rest of the guys in Nova will forget all about the picture in a few days. We’ll be old news in no time.”

  “Good,” Connor said, feeling a sense of calm descend on him. “To be honest, my grandmother has already convinced me to go back. But it’s nice having you come all the way out here to get me.”

  Adam feigned indignance, and walked around to where Connor was sitting. He put his hand gently behind Connor’s neck, bent over, and pulled Connor’s face close to his own. “I’m just glad you’re coming back with me. I didn’t want to lose you.”

  Connor stood up and faced Adam. They kissed deeply, slowly, holding each other around the waist. Connor said, “I’ve got a feeling we have many adventures ahead of us at Ridgemont University.”

  They went to Connor’s room and began to carry his bags into his car, eager to get back to Ridgemont. Connor felt optimistic as he watched Adam carrying one of his bags. He was lucky to meet someone like Adam, someone who cared enough to come all the way to Saldanha to make sure that Connor was okay and to bring him back to Ridgemont. Connor was looking forward to getting to know Adam better. He was ready to go back, more confident than ever that Ridgemont University was where he belonged.

  _______________

  A final request from the author

  Thank you so much for reading Breaking the Rules. I hope you enjoyed it! Don’t worry – there’s more to come with Connor and Adam.

  I love writing these stories and I appreciate any feedback on what you liked or what can be improved.

  As independent authors, we rely on reviews in order to get readers to invest in our books. Most readers won’t take a chance on a book like this without many reviews to tell them the good and bad of what they’re investing in.

  If you liked this story and you’d like other readers to know what they can expect, please consider leaving an honest review on Amazon so that other readers who might be interested can find this book. Simply go to http://getbook.at/breakingtherules

  There are many more adventures from the boys at Ridgemont University to come! Follow my author page to get updates whenever a new novel or short story is released, or to see all of the books already released: http://author.to/meredithtaylor

  (Just click on the button that says “Follow” under my picture).

  Thanks for spending some time with me and the characters I love to bring to life!

  Meredith

  __________________

  You can read more of Zuko’s story in Hot Off the Press: Ridgemont University #1.

  You can read JP’s adventure with Darryn in Against the Tide: Ridgemont University #2.

  Connor and Adam will return in future Ridgemont University stories. For the latest updates and to be the first to know when new novels and short stories are released, sign up for my mailing list at www.meredithtaylorbooks.com

  The Ridgemont University novels are available for only $2.99 each

  Click on a link below to get the novels now.

  Or get the first three novels as a bundle for the special price of $5.99!

  Did you enjoy this book?

  Please consider leaving a review on Amazon if you enjoyed reading this book. Reviews help other readers find the Ridgemont University series. Go to getbook.at/breakingtherules to leave your review now.

  Ridgemont University Book 3

  All-Nighters

  Get it now at getbook.at/allnighters

  Read the first chapters on the next pages!

  Chapter 1

  The small King Air plane was darting through the sky, the sound of the engine a mixture between a muffled scream and a dinosaur’s roar. Luke Brennan sat inside, his palms sweaty but his breathing surprisingly steady. His ice-blue eyes were scanning the clouds through the goggles he wore, and he repeated his mantra in his head: The thrill lets you know that you’re alive. His eyebrows were stuck in a frown on his forehead, and his vision was slightly blurry in the rush of adrenaline. He felt like he was drowning in all of the safety gear and equipment, but he forced himself to focus on the mantra: The thrill lets you know that you’re alive.

  “Don’t look so scared, Luke! We’ve done a lot worse than this before!” the strained voice of his friend Blair was barely audible over the rumble of the engine. Blair’s long hair was tied back into a ponytail and her expression was one of complete calm. Somehow, Blair’s total immunity against fear was always calming for Luke, and he was glad that he had his friend along for his first time skydiving.

  Luke turned to face Blair again, and let out a loud, wolf-like howl which she dutifully joined in on. They laughed raucously and looked over at the skydiving instructor who would be joining them on the dive. He gave them a thumbs up with the broadest smile Luke had ever seen. Luke wasn’t sure who the man was trying to convince. Despite the regular flutter in his stomach that Luke encountered when he went on these crazy adventures, he was never really scared anymore. He hadn’t been scared of anything in over a year… since then, he had gone white-water rafting, parasailing, rock climbing and deep-sea diving. His friends often admired his wild, thrill-seeking nature. The only person who could keep up with him was Blair, and that’s why she was sitting next to him on his biggest adventure yet: skydiving over the Ridgemont Valley.

  Luke took a deep breath, and as he exhaled he felt the entire plane take a dip through the sky. His heart stopped and his stomach felt like it was being yanked out through his throat. Blair grabbed his shoulder as the plane dipped forward and immediately pulled up, throwing them both off balance. Luke wanted to let out a frightened holler, but he tried to hold it together in front of Blair. As the plane steadied again, Luke saw that Blair was completely enjoying the moment, her large, expressive mouth breaking into a guttural laugh. Blair’s sharp features, prominent cheekbones and honey complexion made her very popular with men, and her infectious laughter and spirit for adventure were sure to get her attention wherever she went. Luke enjoyed being around attractive, confident people, especially those who seemed like they didn’t give a damn about what people thought of them. He admired Blair’s features for a moment and joined in her laughter. “That was a close one,” he shouted above the sound of the engine. He turned his pale blue eyes towards the skydiving instructor whose smile had only grown. Was there something he wasn’t telling them? Luke shook away the thoughts of doom and gloom and enjoyed the moment. The thrill lets you know that you’re alive.

  The curly-haired instructor walked over to them, still smiling his oafish smile, and patted Luke heavily on his shoulder. “Okay, time to fasten the parachutes. Make sure that you remember where the emergency cord is. I will be right there with you so you don’t need to worry about anything.”

  Luke sharpened his gaze at the door, his plump, ample lips filling with blood from the cold of the wind rushing into their cabin. His lips had always been his most prominent feature, something that guys commented on when they were flirting with him. The full lips gave his face a feminine, earthy quality that contrasted with the cold blue eyes that might have been enough to scare people away. His sharp jawline and jet-black Caesar cut hair always got him noticed when he walked into Percy’s Pub on campus, or one of the other gay nightclubs in Cape Town. But the lips betrayed something more vulnerable, often flaring bright red in contrast to his pale skin. As he stood up from the seat in the small plane and walked towards the jump doors, his lips were redder than ever.

  Blair fastened her skydiving goggles over her face and made sure that her parachute was secure. The instructor stood behind them as they moved closer to the doors. Luke could feel the chill draining all feeling form his cheeks, and the wind blowing through his hair in all directions. His jumpsuit was loose and heavy on his frame, and even though it was freezing cold, he could feel a light sweat on his chest. He saw the clouds and blue sky turn into the horizon as he walked towards the opening. Blair was in her zone, Luke noticed, her stare vacant as she walked beside him. She turned to him suddenly and said, “I heard a story about someone’s parachute that wouldn’t open on one of these dives. Splat!” She gave a mischievous smile and winked at Luke through her goggles, and he laughed half-heartedly in response.

  “Here we go! We’re right above the landing zone! Are you ready?” the instructor hollered. Luke could finally bring himself to look down and appreciate the scene in front of him. There was a stunning landscape of green and gold as he looked down at the farmlands of the Ridgemont Valley. The area was famous for its wine farms, and the neat rows of vines below them offered a spectacular view. In the distance Luke could see the tall towers of Ridgemont University, where he was a final-year undergraduate student majoring in Psychology. He tried to take a mental picture of all of the beauty in front of him, and just as he was deep in thought savoring the magnificent sight, the instructor yelled out, “Jump!”

  For a moment Luke felt complete weightlessness, like the world around him had shifted into the realm of nonreality. His head was completely clear; he didn’t even feel the cold anymore. Then, like being jerked down by a giant fist at his collar, he was falling through the sky. His mind raced uncontrollably, an exhilarating rush overcoming him. It felt as if his blood was pumping through his veins at ten times the normal rate. He felt that same feeling of being alive that he felt every time he went on one of his wild adventures. The same feeling he sometimes felt when he met a new guy at a bar. For a few minutes at least, he was invincible.

  Luke tried to concentrate on the scene around him, seeing the ground approaching and feeling the push of air against his body as he fell. He could see Blair in the distance, her mouth wide open as though she were screaming euphorically, but he couldn’t hear her at all. The buildings looked like children’s toys on the horizon, and the roads around the Ridgemont Valley looked like the tiny trails of an anthill. Below him were the dazzling colors of the Ridgemont farms at autumn time. He wanted to take it all in and make the moment last.

  But he couldn’t keep his mind on the moment. He had flashes of all of the things he was trying to forget. He remembered how he felt when he got the message from his sister Stephanie that morning, asking him to meet her. He remembered the anger he felt as he threw his phone across the room. He thought of how much pain he endured one year before, and how hard he was fighting to forget his past. Why did it creep up on him even in these moments of pure abandon? Luke closed his eyes tightly and felt lightheaded. He knew that it was almost time to pull the cord so that his parachute would open. He reached up and held his hand over the cord, regretting that the moment would soon be over. In the distance he could see the instructor moving towards him. Blair had already released her parachute and seemed to be shooting up into the sky as her parachute countered the force of her fall. Luke pulled the cord, and… nothing happened.