Chapter 16

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Albert's P.O.V

I was an idiot.

How could I have been so stupid as to kiss her? Her question had caught me completely off guard and, of course, the first thing that came to my brain had to come out of my mouth. 

I was currently sitting a park bench, my face buried in my hands. If only I could take back the last five minutes. 

She hadn't pushed me away, which, if I was honest, surprised me. But this was Caz. She would never push someone away if she knew it would end up hurting them. 

And my actions did hurt because I knew that we could never go back to the way we were before. No matter how much each of us pretended it didn't happen, I couldn't forget it. I was even sure if I wanted to. 

She had been so beautiful, standing there, the afternoon sun flooding her features with light. The gentle dusting of freckles that dotted her cheeks were more prominent than they usually were, and the dimples in her cheeks when she smiled were so perfect. I couldn't describe the feelings that coursed through me when she told me what she had been thinking about. 

I let out a groan. 

"Albert!" I heard an all-to-familiar voice call out. 

"If you've come to soak me, I'm really not in the mood." I glanced up at Race.

"Soak you? Why would Is do that?" I groaned again, dropping my face into my hands.

"Cause I kissed your sister and then ran away from her like the coward I am." He was quiet, but I was too busy dwelling in my self-pity to care what he was thinking.

"I thought you loved her." My head shot out of my hands, my eyes meeting his in surprise. "Really Albert? Just cause Caz is oblivious doesn't mean everyone else is."

"Are you sure it's love?" Race took a seat next to me and leaned into the back of the bench.

"Why'd you run?" 

"What?"

"Why'd you run?" He repeated.

"I heard the question, nitwit. I just don't see the relevancy that it has." He rolled his eyes.

"There was a reason you ran. What was it?"

"I don't know," I spouted. He raised his eyebrow, disbelief written across his face. "Ugh, I was scared, okay. I like Caz, a lot. More than I planned. Heck, I may even love her, but apparently you knew that. And I don't want things to change. At least being her best friend means keeping her in my life. I ran because I destroyed all hope of things staying the same. I can't... I, I don't want to lose her," I finished, my voice dropping.

"What makes you think you're gonna lose her?"

"She hates me."

"Albert, you're an idiot."

"Thanks," I scoffed. "You're real great at this motivational thing."

"Albert, for crying out loud!" Race leaped off the bench, throwing his hands up and glaring me in the face. "Cassandra Higgins is in love with you. For some miraculous reason, one of which I can't understand, but she is. She could never hate you. Did she push you away?" I kept my mouth closed. "Did she slap you?" Still closed. "Did she-"

"Okay, I get it. But this is Caz we're talking about."

"You two really were made for each other," he muttered. "How dense can you be?"

"I'm sorry that I-" A scream ripped through the streets, one that sounded awful familiar. 

"What was that?" Race mumbled. My eyes widened in horror. Caz.

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