Page 321 of As the Rain Falls
She’s not evenlivinganymore.
“Him too,” I answer simply, seeing through her fear. My lower lip trembles as I let out a shaky breath. “Can I take you home now?”
Cassandra nods and answers slowly, “Yes, please.”
CONFUSING EMOTIONS ABOUT GIRLS
Cassandra
FEBRUARY, 2017
Kayla keeps sending meglances from across the room. She and Antony sit on opposite sides of the room from Angelina, Mateo, and me, but every time I glance over my shoulder, her eyes are already on me.
It’s the kind of look that puts me on edge, guilt pooling in my guts because she can read me like no one else does.
Cassandra sends picture: blowing kisses at the camera
i miss you <3
school is boring and i wish we’d been on the same class
i would’ve stolen all your markers by now
Beckett: I miss you too pretty girl
Keep sending me pictures
I’m saving every single one of them
Me: jdjdjdjd
don’t say that
i got ALL red
literally flushed
“Are you and Kayla fighting?” Mateo stage-whispers, leaning in to steal a piece of chocolate from me.
“No.” I shake my head. “Why?”
“Oh,” he snickers. “What’s with all the longing glances?”
I shoot him a glare before raising my hand.
The teacher looks up from his book.
“Yes, Cassandra?”
“Can I go to the bathroom?” I ask, already halfway out of my seat. He gives me a thumbs-up and goes back to his reading. We’re supposed to be working through the assignment in groups, but I can’t focus. “I’ll be right back.”
“We’ll wait for you,” Angelina says, before muttering something in Portuguese to Mateo, who gives her a lost-puppy look before burying his nose in the textbook again.
I step out of the classroom, tugging my t-shirt as I walk.
The boy’s bathroom is right next door, but the girl’s bathroom is at the other end of the hallway. I make my way there, absentmindedly adjusting my bracelets, rearranging them in my preferred order.
Just as I near the bathroom, a classroom door swings open abruptly. Maria walks out, cheeks flushed, clothes wrinkled, followed closely by Noel Martin. They look like they’ve just had sex, and the thought of it makes me want to laugh.
