Page 160 of As the Rain Falls
Pushitdownpushitdownpushitdown.
He isn’t going to kiss you.
He isn’t going to do anything.
No.
No.
No.
No—
“Stop!” The words slip out recklessly, my last resort hanging between us. I push him off, and he stumbles back towards the bed, a shocked look on his face. “Prove it!”
I don’t even know what I’m asking for right now.
I just need him to stop.
God, I can’t do this again.
“If you really care about me at all, tell me how you got the drawing.”
My brother stands still.
Our game.
“You really want me to prove it?” Nathaniel drops his arms along his body, like a puppet. “Who even cares about the drawing?”
“I do!” I snap, thinking of Beckett again.
If I find out what really happened, maybe I can fix things. Maybe the truth is how I get out of this mess.
“What the fuck did you do to her? I swear to God, if you lie to me again, I will never forgive you for it.”
“Fine,” his voice is flat, more distant than before. “If I have to, I’ll do it.”
The room is too quiet, too cold.I cross my arms over my chest protectively as a cold breeze slips through the window. It knocks the decorations I keep hanging on the walls, the one that’s made out of seashells. I stuck it near my bed frame a year ago, and now the wind is making it spin slowly.
Nathaniel’s smile stretches slowly.
“Well, actually…” He tilts his head, considering his options. “I might as well just show you.”
“Show me what?” I choke out, unable to breathe.
And then he answers, softly—almost sweetly—like this is a secret I’m supposed to be impressed by.
“I’ll show you exactly how I got rid of her.” Nathaniel pauses, arching a brow. “How I got rid of Lucia Evans.”
DECEMBER, 2016
WHY DON'T YOU TRY DOING SOMETHING STUPID?
Cassandra
DECEMBER, 2016
Sainte Madeleine is aschool full of secrets. Of course, normally you only learn about the most interesting ones if you’ve been around long enough, but if you talk to the right person and ask the right questions, a whole new world opens up to you.
