Page 350 of As the Rain Falls
I don’t think I was paying attention before, when we went to the beach together. Mateo kept the past wounds hidden under his shirt, and by the looks of it, he wasn’t showing off his body to the girl standing next to me either.
“It was a long time ago,” Mateo reassures us, voice almost rehearsed. “My sisters had it a lot worse than I did. Especially Fernanda.”
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, not knowing what else to say. “You don’t need to—”
“I’m really not, Cassie.” He cuts me off gently. “It’s not that big of a deal. You asked me. I answered. Addiction runs in my family, and I don’t want to risk it.”
“So you’d never even had a beer before moving here?”
“He hadn’t,” Angelina answers before he can, with a tone that leaves room for interpretation.
I nod, keeping a kind smile as I look at her.
“How did you two meet each other again? I don’t think you’ve ever told me, Angie.”
She shakes her head. “Secret.”
“Oh.” I pout, feeling left out now.
“But it’s kind of impressive, honestly,” Angie swallows hard, and I can hear how sincere she sounds. “Keeping a promise for that long, I mean.”
“If you’re impressed by very little, I guess.” Mateo shrugs, glaring at the ceiling. “And it’s not like I’m still keeping it.”
Angelina’s expression shifts, and I can’t follow exactly why she’s getting upset, but she is.
“God, now I can’t even compliment you?”
“Oh, come on, Angelina.” Mateo scoffs. “You weren’t actually complimenting me, but whatever.”
She looks at me, then at him, trying to maintain her usual indifference, but it’s slipping. Watching her defenses come up is not a pretty sight to witness.
Is this how I look when Beckett makes me feel jealous?
“You’re reading way too much into this,” Angelina tries to laugh, but it falls flat. “Come on, let’s not fight. We’re being ridiculous.”
But Mateo isn’t listening anymore.
He’s not like Beckett; in fact, they’re very different people.
He isn’t able to pinpoint that Angelina is getting upset or that this conversation is pointless. I don’t know enough about them,about their relationship, to intervene without making a mess of things. I am frozen in place, watching the fight unravel.
“Are we?” Mateo snaps, a little too insistent. “Or were you just trying to rile me up just now?”
“I wasn’t,” she denies it, but with the way her arms are crossed over her chest and her gaze is avoiding mine, I can tell she’s lying.
Does she…
Does she like this?
Why?
Fighting him is clearly hurting her.
“Stop acting like I don’t know you, angel.” Mateo chuckles slowly, but I feel there’s lingering hurt in his voice, too. “It seriously pisses me off.”
“Oh, you’re pissed?” Angelina asks, dragging her fingers under her eyes, but her face is dry in spite of the theatrics. “Look how bad I feel about it, Gabriel! Look!”
He looks away from her, jaw tight.
