Page 276 of As the Rain Falls
Do people even know what an hour is?
Each minute passes slowly, dragging onto the next.
When you’re doing something you hate, an hour feels like the end of the world, doesn’t it?
It felt exactly like that.
“Healwaysprotects you, and you don’t even have the courtesy to—”
Before I can say a single word, the door swings open, cutting Antony off.
Mateo steps out first, dragging Kayla with him, followed by Angelina, carrying all of our bags, and Alice, who’s carefully cupping the left side of her own face. He drops the tall dancer on the ground. Her hair is disheveled, her face tear-streaked.
Kayla’s voice so wobbly, but still strong.
“I would… I wouldneverthink of Cassandra like that!” she stutters through each word, looking at me. “I don’t know why he would even say that! She’s like a… a sister to me!”
I blink hard, trying to keep my composure, but failing. “Yeah, Kayla.I know that.”
The six of us stand in silence, and I don’t know what else to say to ease the tension I’ve created. I should’ve never texted Caleb that night. I should’ve just gone to sleep.
Mateo, who seems ready to kick someone’s ass any second now, is the only one to point out the obvious.
“Caleb is just…” he groans, brushing his hair back like he wants to hit something, or better yet, someone. “He’s just such a fucking idiot!”
Antony spares me one last glance, and I can see the wheels turning inside his head. I wait for him to say something, but he drops the ball entirely, shaking his head dismissively.
“Let’s get out of here. I really need a cigarette right now.” He sighs, eyes still dark and lost as he glances to the empty hallway, before addressing Alice. “Are you coming with us?”
One by one, our heads snap towards her.
I watch her hesitate, eyes fixed on Kayla.
“I have a lighter in my back pocket,” she offers.
Antony shrugs, seemingly too out of it to go for his usual reaction and tell her to fuck off somewhere else.
“Good, because I think I lost mine.”
TEXT CHAINS BETWEEN FRIENDS: PART SIXTEEN
JANUARY, 2017
Beckett: Your lights are still on. Are you not sleeping well?
Cassandra: no
i mean, yes
im just scared he’ll knock on my door
Beckett: Is he still messing with you?
Cassandra: no.
Beckett: I swear to God, Cassandra
If he even touches a single hair of yours again
