Page 260 of As the Rain Falls
Angelina nods, looking a little relieved that I’m finally hearing her out. “Yes. You’re not seeing it from an outsider’s perspective, but they already think she’s an easy girl. If anyone else had caught you two, that could’ve been easily used against her.”
I grip the steering wheel a little tighter, my defenses coming down. “Why would anyone even think that? She was feeling terrible, Angie. I swear, it was not at all how it came across.”
She hums, understanding my position a little better.
“Well, for what it’s worth, I don’t think Cassandra means to act that way, but it just so happens that what she does makes her come across as a little messy.”
I blink slowly, letting her words sink in.
“I think I really like her,” I admit.
My chest tightens with pain. I want so badly to protect her, even if only as a friend.Regardless of my crush, I’d do the same thing for Angelina, Antony, and anyone else I care about.
But if I have a chance at something more, I want that too eventually. I just have to be careful about it so it’s not another reason why she’s drowning.
“There’s nothing wrong with playing the long game,” Angelina grins, sounding a bit more excited about the possibility now. I sometimes forget she can still be a romantic. “I’d love to have someone who wants to do the same thing for me, you know?”
KEEP THE LIGHTS OFF
Beckett
JANUARY, 2017
Angelina hops off thecar, her long brown hair flying behind her as she rushes to the gates. Her mother welcomes her home with a tight hug and a kiss on her forehead, and I wave at them awkwardly after she calls out my name to tell me goodbye.
Feeling a little less anxious now that my friend has set things straight, I turn the car around and drive back to Port des Ondes.But when I get home, the feeling of tightness in my chest returns, a little heavier than before.
Her bicycle is still there.
Same spot.
Same angle.
It’s like she dropped it days ago and never bothered to pick it up again, and the thought deeply unsettles me.
I park the car in a rush, then step out into the night.
The air is humid, sticking to my skin, and the streets are empty. Everything is dark, except a faint light coming from the living room. I knock on her door, pushing the thoughts about her brother and her parents aside.
No answer comes.
I knock again, louder this time.
“Come on, baby.”
Still nothing.
The lack of response leaves me hanging, and I take a few steps back, checking through the windows to see if there’s anyone there. Regret comes to mind, once again. I should have done more than texting. I should have been a real good fucking friend for once, but it’s too late to cry about it now.
I knock a third time instead, and only then do I hear the sound of steps dragging closer. Cassandra only cracks the door open enough to show me half of her face, bare of any makeup. The tension in my shoulder eases, turning into a tight pinch, but it doesn’t go away entirely.
“Oh, thank God,” I breathe out. “You’re okay.”
“Beckett?” she says my name like she’s surprised to see me there. “What are you doing here?”
I touch the handle, silently urging her to let me in.
“I’m here to see you. You won’t answer my texts.”
