Unbreakable Rules (Too Many Rules Book 3) by G.L. Snodgrass

Hailey's mom had come back and Hailey had returned home without stopping to say goodbye.  Now, here I was stuck once again in Loser Ville, riding the bus, heading to hell in a hand basket.
    Maybe Mark was right, maybe I should get a car. It'd never seemed that important before. I had access to Mom's mini-van if I needed it. But, things felt different. A girl like Hailey would never go out with a guy driving a mini-van. I shuddered to think of picking her up on a date, pulling into her driveway in a mini-van. God, could there be anything worse?
    Mom's bills were caught up. I had enough in the bank, maybe I should get a used car instead of saving it for college. I had a full scholarship after all. I could afford to splurge a little.
    "Okay you heathens," Mr. Stewart yelled from the front of the bus as he slammed the doors open. "Go forth and learn new things. Fill those little brains of yours with wondrous knowledge."
    He'd said the same thing every morning for the last ten years. Always before, it had been no big deal. Now it sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard sending a sickening shiver down my spine.
    Today! I was getting a car, today. Or, this week at least. Never again would I set foot on that bus. Relaxing, I stood up and joined the crawling line as we left the bus. I smiled for the first time in two days. 
    The school halls buzzed with stories about the great Black Out. Each student and most of the teachers seemed to have a story about what they did and how they were impacted by the power outage. You'd think they'd made it through six episodes of Survivor on some deserted island. - - Oh the hardship.
    I turned the corner, headed for my first period Trig class when I spotted Hailey down the hall. She was talking to Brittney Marshall. Holding a textbook to her chest. Both arms wrapped around it like it was a life jacket in a hurricane.
    How I envied that book. The woman was a picture of perfection. Her eyes sparked like precious gems. She wore a black skirt and a pink fitted shirt. Most of the other girls in school tended to tight jeans. Nothing wrong with that, but Hailey always stood out.
    Laughing at something Brittney said, she tucked a strand of luscious hair behind her ear and looked up. Our eyes locked, my heart stopped, as it always did when I saw her. She smiled slightly and nodded. I smiled back and returned the informal nod.
    Brittney's head whipped around to see who had caught Hailey’s eye. The look of surprise and disbelief in her eyes let me know all I needed to know. Hailey hadn't spent the last few days telling her friends about the wonderful time spent with Ryan Hardy. It had probably never even crossed her mind.
    Sighing to myself, I continued on to class. My head down, and a heart so heavy it felt like it was pulling me into the floor.
    I spent the morning staring off into space analyzing my problem from every side. My teachers ignored me. They knew I'd ace their tests. In fact, I could have skipped the last six weeks of school and still aced the final exams.
    Okay Ryan, face it, I desperately wanted to go out with Hailey Martin. I wanted way more than that, but would be satisfied with a simple date.
    It seemed to be all I could think about. I fantasized different scenarios. Rescuing her from a rampaging bear, or pulling her off the street, away from some out of control car. Something, anything that would make her see me as someone worth knowing. Someone worth being with.
    Sighing to myself, I left my fourth period AP Chem course and headed to the cafeteria for lunch.
    "Face it," I mumbled to myself, "she's out of your league."
    Hell, there isn't a boy within a hundred miles of there who was in her league. On the other hand, I knew that in fifty years I'd deeply regret the fact that I hadn't asked Hailey Martin out.
    My stomach hurt thinking about it. I almost turned around and skipped lunch. Instead I grabbed a tray and started sliding it down the rails, looking for something good to eat.
    I