Page 189 of As the Rain Falls
Can I still be a good friend?
“Another time, if that’s okay?” She winces. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell you; it’s just that this is really hard for me. I needmore time to understand what I’m thinking before putting it out there.”
I nod reassuringly, trying not to let my disappointment show. “Sure, Kayla.”
Whatever is bothering her, whenever she’s ready.
I’ll be there.
I have to be.
LET'S NEVER FIGHT AGAIN, OKAY?
Cassandra
DECEMBER, 2016
I finish oiling theends of my hair, getting ready to go out with Caleb and some of his friends. The blowout is making the long strands shorter and bouncier than usual. I still don’t know if I quite like the look of it, but it’s too late to shower and get ready all over again.
Just as I get down the stairs, the bell starts to ring.
I freeze, slowing down my steps before unlocking the front door and opening it. The face I’m greeted with almost makes me take a full step back. I feel like I haven’t talked to my neighbor in forever, and it’s a total surprise to see him standing at my door.
Beckett waits patiently, his damp hair now looking a few shades darker than usual. Water drips onto the welcome-home carpet, and a few stray drops darken the fabric of his shirt too. The pink flush of his sunburnt skin brings out the few freckles beneath his eyes, making them pop more than usual.
Something about the way he keeps pulling his lower lip between his teeth makes my chest tighten. The small, nervous habit turns him into someone younger, more vulnerable, if not a little guarded.
I hate how easily he can pull off the messy look. If I went to the beach without putting a good conditioner on first, my hair would fall off.
Before I can say anything, he starts to spill out, pressing a fruit basket closer to his chest to hide the nerves.
“I know that maybe you don’t want to talk to me because I ignored you first, and that’s fine, but I came here to apologize, and now that I’ve made up my mind, I’m sure as hell going to.”
“Okay.”
“I was a real jerk that night, and maybe I had my own reasons to act that way, but I could’ve handled it better. I miss my friend. I want her back.You. I want you back, Cassie.”
I blink, still caught off guard.
For someone who has a bit of trouble flirting with people, Beckett doesn’t realize that sometimes, his words give off a different idea or should be used in a totally different context.
It’s what got me to misinterpret his affection as a friend for something more that night at the fundraiser. I won’t be making the same mistake again, not unless I feel brave enough to make a move on him, which is definitely not the case right now.
Fool me once, shame on you.
But fool me twice? Well…
“My brother insulted your family and you.” I hesitate before adding, “You don’t need to apologize to me if you don’t feel like doing it.”
“But you are not your brother, are you?” He takes a step closer, wetting his lips nervously. “And I got angry.”
“I would’ve gotten angry too,” I admit quietly, trying not to let the way his guilt shows in his eyes affect me. “What I said was so uncalled for.”
“It wasn’t that bad.”
“Yeah, but I don’t even know why I went there, and I understand completely why you felt the way you felt, Beckett. I don’t mind it.”
A flashback comes to mind.
