It takes one single moment to define your life.
Cassie learned it the hard way. She's seventeen and felt like she has the world on her shoulders. Trying to survive and keep going despite the sadness and fear, Cassie finds out that opening your hear...
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Summer was just passing, yet the weather still felt humid and too warm. I grimaced as the warm air caressed my bare cheek; a small trail of sweat ran through my back as I entered the school's grounds. Dad had an urgent meeting earlier so he couldn't drop me off like he'd been doing over the last few days.
In the early hours of the morning, I thought it would be a nice change to walk to school but I had forgotten how warm Cambridge still was. I had chosen to wear a white long-sleeved blouse and was now regretting my choice. However, my scars were pretty evident and I just didn't want to show them to anyone. They were this dark part of me that I wanted to hide from everyone. Even for me.
A few days had passed without any major incident. I'd stayed clear from Marissa and her minions and I'd avoided that Rivers guy as best as I could.
Or so I thought.
My feet stopped and my heart started to race as anxiousness washed over me. He was there. Right beside my locker. Eyeing me with what I assumed a smugly half-smile on his face.
Nathan Rivers made me uncomfortable.
No point denying it. His gaze was way too intense for my taste and his last words still echoed inside my head. It was just awkward.
I studiously ignored him as I opened my locker. Thankfully, he had leant on right side, meaning that my door was covering his face. Purposely, I took my time taking my books out. I was so engrossed in my activity that I didn't notice the other person that walked behind me.
"Hi Cassie," Tom trailed unsure. My whole body tensed as I grimaced. Freaking awesome.
Biting my lip, I grabbed chemistry's book and turned to him. "Hi," a small fake smile playing on my face. His brownish eyes were watching me curiously. His blond straight hair was swiped to the side in a Justin Bieber's style from a year ago. The football's team jacket completed the whole preppy look.
"Are you mad at me?" Out of the corner of my eyes, I noticed that Nathan straightened but didn't seem to be walking away any time soon. Damn it.
"No. Why should I?" I dropped the book inside my school bag and started to roam my locker. My eyes turned to the large clock on the wall and my shoulders slumped seeing that there was still ten minutes to go before class.
In a low voice, Tom added, "nothing really happened between Marissa and me."
Clueless, I blinked at his words. Then, I remembered what Meredith, Marissa's friend told me. They'd apparently hooked up over the summer. "Whatever rolls your boat," I murmured nonchalantly. Inwardly, I cringed at that. Does that even make sense?
Nathan's snort was pretty evident and I wanted to push my locker's door so it could hit him on the face. Maybe he'd get the hint and go away.
"But you and I, we're cool, right?" Tom cleared his throat, the grip on his backpack strap tightening. I could see his knuckles turn white.
