Page 22 of Roman and the Hopeless Romantic
Cassie pictured three kids causing trouble back when everything seemed so easy. “He was the best friend I’ve ever had.” She leaned back against her pillows.
“You miss it?”
“I miss a lot of things.” She hadn’t talked about these things with anyone other than Annie. The past belonged in the past, but she couldn’t help the words. “Before I became such a weirdo, things were pretty good.”
“Cassie, you aren’t a weirdo.”
Cassie shrugged. She’d heard that many times before, didn’t make it any truer. She felt weird when all she wanted was to be normal, to go to school with her brother and reserve Fridays for skipping school to go to the beach, not the therapist.
When was the last time she’d felt sand underneath her feet?
A crash of thunder made both girls jump. Cassie put a hand to her chest and started her breathing exercises.
Charlotte looked to the door before leaning toward Cassie. “For the record, I’m not the only one who wishes you’d be with us.”
Cassie didn’t get a chance to ask what she meant because her door swung open. The boys stood on the threshold.
“We should head to Hadley’s before the storm gets too bad.” Jesse glanced from his girlfriend to his sister.
Charlotte jumped from the bed. “Aye aye, Captain. I’m ready to walk the plank.”
“The party won’t be that bad, Charlie.”
She stared at him like he was stupid. “Says you.” Grabbing his arm, she pulled him from the room.
Roman didn’t leave, so Cassie met his gaze in question.
As if reading her mind, he shook his head. “Headache.”
She nodded and slid her Kindle onto her lap, tapping the screen to wake it up. Roman eventually left her to her romance, and she used Cade to try to forget about him.
The front door slammed, signaling Jesse and Charlotte’s departure. Lightning lit up her room before throwing it into darkness once more. She sank further beneath the covers, as if they could keep her in her own world a little longer.
