Page 230 of As the Rain Falls
“So, I hear things between Caleb and you are really over.” He takes another long sip.
I shove lettuce into my mouth, refusing to speak to Mateo Pereira. “Mn.”
“Bad move to pick him over the gang, by the way, but what’s your final review?”
I frown. “Review on Caleb?”
“On me, Cassandra.” He points at himself. “As your next potential best friend. I mean, besides Kayla, of course.”
Mateo is a weird guy. But what the hell, I might as well play along.
“To be honest, I’m very confused,” I admit, shaking my head. “I don’t get why you’d act like his friend and then admit you aren’t to me. He still believes you’re cool with him, by the way.”
“I know.” Mateo pauses, staring at me for a beat before adding. “I want him to think so.”
I wave my fork around his face. “Any explanation as to why?”
He sighs, “Look, I could try to explain to you why I said what I said, but you wouldn’t get it.”
“Try me.”
Mateo wets his lips, hesitating. I’m almost offended that he’s taking that long to do it. I’m not stupid. Besides, if he wants so badly to be my friend, he needs to give me more than just half-truths.
“It makes everyone’s life easier,” he admits, eyes drifting down towards his plate. “Caleb was the first friend I made when I got here, so I didn’t know any better. But then, Angelina and I got to talking again, and I realized who Caleb really was.”
I freeze.
Again?
Mateo continues, unaware of what I’ve just picked up. “I just couldn’t stand him anymore, you know? But if I cut him off, I’d be selling Angelina out, and she doesn’t want any drama this year.”
I nod at first, knowing he means well.
Mateo is a good guy. But I mean,still, something about the way he handled this situation doesn’t feel right.
My words come out more defeated than I was aiming for. “Couldn’t you just have told me about this weeks ago?”
“I tried to. Cassandra, I even texted you about it on Instagram. I did warn you about it several times, don’t you remember?” Mateo leans closer, whispering like an old lady. “Was I supposed to force you to dump him, too? Where’s the free will in that?”
“I…” I trail off, not remembering a single thing.
“I’m a good friend, or at least I try to be.” Mateo smiles awkwardly. “But I don’t push people around, Cassie. That’d be Antony, and he’s not talking to you now, is he?”
But I do realize that no matter what he said to me, I probably wouldn’t have listened anyway. Angelina was way more upfront about Caleb, and I didn’t care. I honestly didn’t give a fuck about what he’d do to me.
The bell rings.
Everybody around us starts to move, rushing to get to class.
“What do you want from me, Mateo?” I bite out, feeling suddenly very exhausted. “I really have to go to class, and I’m tired of talking about Caleb.”
And then, just then, Mateo drops the final bomb.
The thing that definitely ends up ruining my day.
“I don’t think you’ve been paying attention, but everybody’s talking about you going to his cousin’s Christmas party,” his voice is softer, almost apologetic.
“Right.” I swallow hard. “What are they saying again?”
