 by Christina Lauren.jpg)
Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 18713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 94(@200wpm)___ 75(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 94(@200wpm)___ 75(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
One typo, and a boy and girl connect by chance. Wishing each other a happy Valentine’s Day isn’t the end. In fact, it becomes a friendly annual tradition—with rules: no pics, no real names, nothing too personal. As years pass, the rules for their email “dates” are breaking, and they’re sharing more than they imagined—including the urge to ask…what if we actually met?
Christina Lauren’s The Exception to the Rule is part of The Improbable Meet-Cute, irresistibly romantic stories about finding love when and where you least expect it. They can be read or listened to in one sitting.
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter One
2014
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2014
Subject: Missing Assignment
Hi Ms. Solyom,
I am a student in your first period Calc class. Based on midterm grades, it looks like I have a missing assignment under the Unit 4 Math packet. I believe I turned this in. Is there any way you can check? Alternatively, I can redo the packet.
Thank you.
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2014
Subject: Re: Missing Assignment
Hi c.sun,
I’m not Ms. Solyom. I’m a student. The teacher codes for our high school district emails are 88, so Ms. Solyom would be t.sol88@ipsd.edu.
Also, you should probably sign your name at the bottom of an email to a teacher so that she knows who’s emailing her.
T.
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2014
Subject: Re: Missing Assignment
Hi T,
Sorry about that. Typo. Thanks for answering.
C.
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2014
Subject: Re: Missing Assignment
Hi C,
Don’t worry about it. Tbh, it was the only note I got from a guy on Valentine’s Day, so I’ll take it.
T.
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2014
Subject: Re: Missing Assignment
That sucks. But also, how do you know I’m a guy?
C.
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2014
Subject: Re: Missing Assignment
I just took a wild guess since you didn’t use any exclamation points and any female in this city would use several.
T.
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2014
Subject: Re: Missing Assignment
Smart. So from your lack of exclamation points you must also be a guy.
What school do you go to?
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2014
Subject: Re: Missing Assignment
I am the exception to the rule.
And didn’t your parents tell you not to share personal information with strangers on the internet?
Happy Valentine’s Day,
T.
Chapter Two
2015
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2015
Subject: Happy Valentine’s Day
Hey T,
Wanted to make sure you got at least one Valentine’s note this year.
Happy Valentine’s Day.
C.
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2015
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day
C!
You are the mythical unicorn who remembers dates and conversations.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, too.
T.
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2015
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day
What can I say? I’m the exception to the rule.
Chapter Three
2016
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Happy Valentine’s Day!
C,
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!
I didn’t want to forget. It feels like a tradition now!
xo
T.
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!
T,
DAMN!
I was going to send this when I got home tonight, and you beat me to it.
And look at your egregious exclamation point usage, Miss Exception to the Rule.
Happy Valentine’s Day,
C.
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!
Egregious? I think you mean spirited! Today is a holiday! About love! Aren’t we supposed to be enthusiastic?
(And yes, in case it isn’t obvious, this is the first Valentine’s of my life where I’ve actually got a boyfriend, so let’s hope he doesn’t shank it on the date plans.)
T.
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!
Lol, have some faith. I’m sure Mr. Boyfriend will blow your mind.
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!
I’m a simple woman: forget flowers; give me a cupcake and it’s a perfect date.
Are you seeing anyone?
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!
Is this an actual personal conversation we’re starting? Didn’t your parents warn you against sharing information with strangers on the internet?
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!
We aren’t strangers! We’ve known each other for two years now. And how’s this: we won’t give names or other identifying information.
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!
Sounds like a plan.
I do have a girlfriend, and we’re getting dinner at Din Tai Fung later with a group of friends.
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!
You’re not supposed to give me specifics like restaurant names! What if I had plans at Din Tai Fung as well with my date and I walked in to see someone who looks exactly like he’d be named c.sun16?? The mystery would be ruined.
From: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!
I guess we could use acronyms only, but then I’d be telling you that my girlfriend and I are at DTF with a group of people, and that seems like something that could land me on a sex offender list.
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2016
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day!
Omg fajdks;afsjksfa go eat your soup dumplings, you filthy animal, and I’ll see you next year.
T.
PS: I also want to say because our district email addresses make this secret impossible to keep: Happy early graduation, C, and I hope you’re feeling good about whatever comes next.
Chapter Four
2017
From: c.sun16@email.com
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2017
Subject: Happy Valentine’s Day
Yoooooooooooo
I win.
C.
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@email.com
Date: February 14, 2017
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day
I’m sorry, DID YOU START A NEW EMAIL ACCOUNT WITH THE SAME USERNAME
From: c.sun16@email.com
To: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
Date: February 14, 2017
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day
I am nothing if not the laziest.
From: t.sol18@ipsd.edu
To: c.sun16@email.com
Date: February 14, 2017
Subject: Re: Happy Valentine’s Day
Lazy people don’t email at exactly midnight just to win a race to wish someone Happy Valentine’s Day.