Out of Reach

Chapter Seventeen

My foot involuntarily tapped the floor over and over and over again as I waited for Cassidy. I looked down at my watch and realized there's only one minute until class starts. 

He's not coming.

Just before I walked into class, I noticed Cassidy walking through the front doors of the building.

"Hey-"

He walked right past me and to his usual seat. Instead of sitting in my unassigned chair, I followed him, sitting in the one right next to him.

His gaze shifted over to me momentarily, probably wondering what I was doing sitting next to him before turning his attention to the professor who was starting class.

"Are you free after class?" I leaned in, whispering

Silence.

I looked back at the teacher, who was preoccupied, writing something on the board.

"Cassidy," I leaned in even more, "I need to talk to you."

"Is there a problem, Ms. Reign?" The teacher's voice boomed.

I sat up straight, bringing my attention to the teacher, whose attention was now on me, just like the rest of the class' was.

"No, um, no sir. No problem."

I could feel the heat flooding my cheeks as the teacher's gaze sternly lingered before nodding, returning to his spiel about the materials for the next test.

I hear Cassidy chuckle beside me at my embarrassment.

My eyes flicker up at Cassidy, who is trying to conceal a smile. His gaze falls on his notebook in front of him.

I looked down to see him write the word "YES" at the top right corner of his page, causing a smile to creep across my face.

——

After the class was over, Cassidy quickly made his way out the door. I threw my things in my bag and hurried after him.

"What did you want to talk about, Amber?" Cassidy said sternly, continuing to walk his usual path towards the parking lot briskly.

"Right, um, I just wanted to say sorry and that I should've told you about Tom. I just-" My thoughts intruded my mind as I realized where we were heading, "Wait, where are we going?"

I asked now as we reached the same car he picked me up in the other night from the hospital parked in the student parking lot. My feet halt as Cassidy looks at me, opening the driver-side door.

"My place." He stated, getting in the car.

"What?" I breathed, wearily opening the door and peering into the car.

"You asked if I was free," he clarified, "I am, but my mom has to use the car for a few hours. So, we have to go there ."

"Oh," I said, looking down at the car.

"Is that a problem?" He asked, grabbing my attention.

"No, not at all," I said, sitting in the car and closing the door.

As soon as we got in the car, my phone buzzed. I looked down and saw it was a text from Tom:

*Want to hang out before our dinner with your mom tonight?*

Oh shit, I forgot the dinner is tonight.

I typed:
*I can't. I am meeting with my study group*

My thumb hovered over the send button, biting my lip before sending the text and locking the phone.

I noticed a pack of cigarettes thrown on the middle console.