Page 273 of As the Rain Falls
I stiffen, embarrassment making me want to disappear into my seat. “God, Kayla. Can you just let it go? Please?”
Her face falls, and I instantly regret it.
“I know you’re, like, a very good student,” I explain, feeling awkward. “But there’s no need to flaunt it.”
“That’s…” She frowns, confused. “Cassie, that’s not what I’m doing. I know you care about college, okay? I just want you to succeed.”
“I don’t care about college,” I say, my voice beginning to rise. The lie tastes bitter in my tongue. I know I don’t sound very convincing. “You’re the one who won’t stop obsessing about it!”
“Okay, Cassie,” Antony intervenes, pulling Kayla’s hand back. “You’re going at level ten right now, so let’s take it down to a two.”
“She’s being pushy!” I snap, anger exploding.
Antony’s eyes soften, watching me like he can tell I’m about to fall apart. And though he understands my side of things, I can also read between the lines.
He is against me.They all are.
He doesn’t appreciate me snapping at her. They’re becoming closer, growing some kind of bond that I don’t totally understand or know enough about.
“By telling you to write your essays?” He tilts his head, unconvinced. “The one you know you’resupposedto be writing?”
“I’m not saying I won’t…” I roll my eyes, feeling them start to sting.
Kayla avoids my gaze now, probably feeling rejected. But before I can swallow my pride and apologize, a crumpled piece of paper lands on my desk. I unfold it and freeze. It’s a crude drawing of me bent over a desk.
Angelina sees it first.
It makes her gowild.
“I’m going to fuck you up!”
She starts to rise out of her seat, but Mateo snatches her waist and pulls her back before she can lunge at whoever sent it.His jaw tightens, dark eyes flickering back to Caleb, who’s grinning in the back of the class.
I drop the sketch over the table, my fingers suddenly burning.
“Real funny, Monteiro!” Mateo deadpans, checking to see what was drawn in it. Then, he claps with fake enthusiasm. “Congratulations! You’re a real fucking piece of shit!”
“What is your problem?” Angelina curses, her voice sharp.
“What’s wrong, baby?” Caleb leans back, looking pleased with himself. “Can’t take a joke?”
Antony is on his feet now, hands clenched into fists. He steps forward, with a voice that’s dangerously calm, but his eyes won’t leave Caleb. It’s like he wants to jump him.
“No, she’s right. Whatisyour problem?”
My vision blurs.I swallow hard, trying to soothe the tightness in my throat, but only feeling it close even further. I feel like I’m back in his bed again, just as small and weak.
“Aren’t you tired of acting like everybody needs to suck up to you? Like we’re all supposed to laugh at your jokes? My god, you’re really fucking pathetic, Caleb.” Antony drops his head to the side. “Maybe that’s why Cassandra got sick of your ass!”
“I know somebody who sucked something else.” Caleb’s gaze flickers to me, then to his girlfriend beside him. He makes a motion with his hand, bobbing his head back and forth.
I flinch, like I’ve been slapped. He’s talking about what happened in his cousin’s car.Maria stiffens next to him, but doesn’t say anything else. Of course, she doesn’t. Why would she ever defend me?
I move before I can stop myself.
“You know what? I’m done.”
“Cass, no.” Antony grabs me, pulling me back. “Hold on.”
