Page 115 of As the Rain Falls
Be good.
Be kind.
Not enough, never enough.
Not good enough for them.
I type the words, then I press send.
Me: hi. this is caleb’s number, right?
Two minutes later, Caleb texts me back.
STOLEN KISSES IN THE LIBRARY
Cassandra
NOVEMBER, 2016.
My father’s first decisionafter being selected as principal was to build Sainte Madeleine its very own library. It’s his second-best decision, if I do say so myself, and including chocolate cake in our Wednesday menu is the first.
Before that, we relied on Le Port’s public library, which is still severely small and underfunded. The budget for ours was reallytight, and I vaguely remember the stress stretching over months, making our family brittle, ready to snap at every little thing, but the end result was, well, is still totally worth it.
“I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
A small smile tugs at my lips. “You were?”
I place the French poetry book back on the shelf and turn around, crossing my arms over my chest. Caleb approaches me with a lopsided, cocky grin, hands buried in the front pocket of his sweater.
“You’re a hard one to find, Rivera.” He wets his lips, touching his chin like he’s deep in thought. It must be hard, for a boy like him, to be thinking this hard. Caleb is nothing like Beckett.
“Am I?” I tilt my head to the side, my ponytail swinging behind me. “I don’t think I am.”
A single black strand falls over his forehead, and I fight the urge to touch it.
“You are.” He steps closer. I step back. The wooden shelves creak behind me. “But a little bird gave me a tip. Made things a whole lot easier.”
“Kayla did this?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
She’s determined to push us together, acting like my very own cupid. It’s sweet, but unnecessary. He’s all over me already. They all are.
“She needs to stop mingling.”
Caleb’s hand finds the sides of my face, bringing me closer. “I kind of like her mingling.”
“Not here.” I shake my head, stepping aside.
He follows, and it’s a weird dance between us. One where he’s chasing me, and I’m all set on avoiding him, until my back hits the very end of the aisle.I’m not opposed to kissing boys, especially ones that look and sound like Caleb does. But the library isn’t the time or place. I mean, my father is always nearby, and I don’t want him to catch us making out.
“Stop!” I giggle, trying to keep my voice low.
“One kiss,” he begs me, sounding playful and kind, but his eyes aren’t.
There’s something sharp in them, as he drags my face closer to his, something I’ve learned to recognize all too well.
“Not here, please,” I repeat myself, pressing my lips together, my voice softer this time.
Caleb groans dramatically, “Why not?”
