Out of Reach

Chapter Fifteen

After a short time, I see the same car that has picked Cassidy up from the parking lot pull in front of the hospital doors.

I run out and get into the car, looking over at Cassidy.

"Thank you," I shudder, my breath irregular from standing in the cold A.C. of the hospital lobby.

Cassidy's eyes sharpened, "What were you waiting outside?" His voice was firmer now.

My eyes followed his gaze, looking down at the wet material clinging to my skin.

"Not exactly," My teeth chattered, "I was waiting at the bus stop-"

"Here, put this on," Cassidy interrupted, taking off his sweatshirt and handed it over to me.

I pulled the sweatshirt on, the fabric still warm from his body heat.

"Better?" He asked, turning the heat up in the car.

"Yes," I exhaled slowly, the warmth comforting me as his familiar aroma encased me.

"Thank you," I said after a few moments, finally regaining my breath.

"Stop thanking me," He teased, putting the car in park and driving away.

As we drove down the road, we passed by the bus stop, where the guy was still standing, waiting for the bus. He watched us as we drove by.

There was a quiet, unsettling feeling in the air as we made our way back to campus. I was trying to figure out a way to bring up what has been eating me alive naturally, but no time felt right.

Before I could say anything, Cassidy began talking, "Listen, Amber. I want to apologize for earlier..."

His gaze flickered over to mine before looking back at the road.

"I've been trying to work on my anger ..." He spoke slowly, each word said more carefully than the next as if he was trying to prove his point.

An involuntary chuckle escaped my lips, "You have?"

A grin crept across Cassidy's face as he turned into the parking lot on campus and pulled up right outside of my dorm building.

"Amber, why did you call me?" Cassidy asked, his smile fading.

"What?" I asked curiously, not sure what he meant.

There was a brief moment of silence, the only noise coming from the windshield wipers ferociously wiping back and forth. We looked at one another as if the answer was clear without either one of us stating it.

"Why did you call me?" He asked again, this time his voice steadier, lower than before.

"I-I called because it was raining, the bus wasn't coming, and there was this creepy guy, and..."

My eyes fluttered shut as my voice trailed off, trying to unscramble my brain and come up with a logical explanation.

I paused, looking back up at Cassidy, only to see his bright blue eyes piercing into me, waiting for an answer.

"I called you because you were the first person I thought of,"  I looked down, my fingers playing with the hem of the sweatshirt.

Cassidy tilted his head ever so slightly, leaning in, "Is that the only reason why?"

I took a deep breath in, but the heavy air filled my chest, my heartbeat quickening. My eyes trickled down to his lips, which rested perfectly on top of one another. A slow burn began to fester in my stomach, creeping up towards my chest, causing my lips to part slowly as I drew in a sharp breath.

I leaned in, closing the distance even more between us.

The sound of rain lashing down on the roof of the car and the screech of the windshield wipers filled the silence as we sat there.

"Amber, I think you should go," Cassidy said, sitting back in his seat and facing forward.

"What?" I gulped, sitting upright.

His gaze remained straight ahead, "I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"Cassidy, I-"

His gaze shot over to me, "Please."

I nodded, getting out of the car, and ran through the puddles towards the building. The sound of the old vehicle humming as he drove out of the parking lot and off into the night as I reached the front door.

—-
I shot up out of bed at the sound of my alarm, getting ready and leaving as soon as possible.

I looked over at Jacq's perfectly made bed, knowing that since she never came home last night, she would be here in the morning to get ready for school.

Walking up to the building, I spotted the tousled chestnut hair and tall stature a few people ahead of me.

I jogged over to him, reaching out for his shoulder after we made it into the building.

"Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" I asked, stepping to the side out of the direct line of students walking back and forth.

Cassidy looked over to the lecture room door and then back at me, his feet taking a few steps in my direction.

I guided us over to a nook of couches around the corner from the room, in a quiet hallway.

"I don't like how we left things yesterday," I said, sitting down on the couch, Cassidy following my lead and sitting next to me.

Cassidy's eyes flickered towards mine and then away again.

"Cassidy-"

"What do you want from me, Amber?" Cassidy rubbed his hands over his face, pushing back his hair before leaning in.

I gulped as his gaze remained fixated on me, "I want to be friends."

"Why are you so insistent on getting to know me?" Cassidy breathed his voice now a whisper.

"Because I think you're someone worth knowing."

His posture straightened, glancing back towards me, pausing before answering.

"You're not going to stop trying to be my friend, are you?"

"Nope," I beamed up at him.

He laughed, shaking his head. This was the first time I heard him audibly laugh, instead of his usually chuckle or scoff. His laugh suited him. I couldn't help but smile, watching his lips curl upward and his eyes squint.

Cassidy paused and looked in my direction, the corners of his lips slowly dropping, and he observed me.

"What now?" 

"You have a nice smile."

After a long pause, Cassidy exhaled, looking around and standing up, "We should probably get to class, don't want to ruin your perfect attendance record," He mocked.

Without giving me a chance, Cassidy began walking to class before I could even stand up.

"Let's not go in," I said after him, still over by the couch.

He halted at the sound of my voice, turning around.

"Amber doesn't want to go to class?" Cassidy smiled.

"Come on, let's hang out and go do something instead."