Shadows of Dusk

Semi Confessions

Chapter Eleven

-Grace-

I wondered where Cas could possibly be. I hadn't seen her arrive, and she wasn't in calculus, which wasn't good because of our test. Was she sick? No, she would have texted me. Was it whatever was preoccupying her over the weekend? That could be an option with how she had acted.

Christie, a fellow classmate, sat opposite of me at lunch. "Did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

She gasped, excitement on her face. "Oh my gosh, you didn't!" she pulled out her phone, then showed me a video.

It was in one of the hallways, and it was of Cas and Jake. It depicted her punching him, Mr.Riddle intervening, and then a fight, and then Mr.Riddle and Miss Julia intervening.

I was shocked. This was not Cas. Sure we both hated Jake, but this did not seem like her. "Oh my gosh, what happened, when was that?"

"Between first and second period. Rumor has it that they've been in the principal's office since,"

"Yeah, but what sparked the fight?"

She shrugged. "I didn't hear exactly what, but I think Jake was teasing her and she just was done, so she punched him. I'm kinda glad she did, no one else really wants to stand up against him,"

I was speechless. "Did you say that they were in the principal's office?"

"Yeah, but they could have been released by now,"

"Thanks a lot Christie, I have somewhere to be," I quickly got up, heading for the office. Sure enough, both Cas and Jake were there. Thankfully, they were separated and the secretary was keeping an eye on them.

I went over to Cas. "What is going on?" I demand. She needed to do some explaining.

She tightened her crossed arms. "Got in a fight,"

"Yeah I saw, care to explain,"

She turned to look at me, and I noticed how red and puffy her eyes were. "No, I'd rather not,"

I lower my voice. "Cas, are you okay, you look like you've been crying, please be honest with me,"

She glanced around, then slowly shook her head. "I am far from fine, Grace," she looked like she was teetering on the edge of breaking down.

I look over at the secretary. "Miss? May I speak to Cas out in the hall for a second? I promise we'll be quick,"

She sighed. "Sure,"

I walk Cas out of the office, and to the girls bathrooms. "What's going on?"

She looked at me, tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. "It's really difficult to tell you,"

"You can tell me anything,"

"I know, it's just," she looked at the wall, as if thinking what to say, "I'm sorry, Grace. I haven't been honest with you,"

"I know," I tell her. "It's fine, only if you promise to eventually tell the truth,"

She nodded. "I know, and I do. But I can't. At least, not here, not now. To put it simply for now, someone came into my life, and even though I knew they were going to leave, I caught feelings and then they left without saying goodbye,"

I was a little confused, but I nodded. "So it's heartbreak?"

She nodded again.

I had dealt with heartbreak before. Twice. It wasn't lovely, it was ugly. "Cas, was this person in your room when I came over Saturday?"

She bit her lip, the nodded once more. "She was,"

I let out a sigh, slowly connecting the dots. "Oh my gosh, your parents didn't know did they,"

She shook her head.

"And that's why you ran Friday, that's why your mom said a different car dropped you off, oh my gosh," I was in complete shock.

"Grace, please, this stays between us," she kept her voice lowered, panic was shown on her face.

"Of course, just between us,"

She gives me a small smile and hugged me. "Thank you,"

+++

After school, Cas and I sat in the back of her car in silence.

"I'm such an idiot," she mutters.

I place my arm around her shoulders. "No, you're not, you just fell in love,"

"That's the thing, I fell in love with someone I shouldn't have, and I lied to you, and to my parents," her breath hitched, "There's one detail I still haven't told you,"

"What's that?"

"You know how in French, Claire came in and showed us a news video saying how a known criminal went to Baklava and stole a car, and authorities are suspecting her to head to either Las Vegas or Arizona?"

"Yeah, Maria Luca, right?"

She nods. "Well, when I went to the backyard at the party, there was someone new there. When the cops showed up, she told me to run with her, and so I did. I later found out she was Maria. And after some time, I decided to let her stay at my house. It was supposed to be for one night, she was supposed to leave as soon as possible in the morning. But that didn't happen, and now we're here,"

"That's why you had the door shut. That's why you didn't want me in your room," I say.

"Yeah, and she left when I went to get my car fixed up,"

"Cas?" I began, even though I was already hating what I was about to say.

"Yeah?"

"You ever wondered that she was manipulating you?"

She looked at me, a little taken aback. "Grace, no. She wasn't like that, at all,"

"Usually when you're manipulated, you don't realize it," I continued. "And plus, I've seen articles about her, she's a criminal, she's apart of the mafia, for all you know she could've been trying to get close to you for awful reason,"

Cas glared at me. "How long have you known me? I can tell when something's off with a person, and did you ever meet Maria? No! I got to know her, and she's a good person,"

My shoulders drop, there was no hope of convincing her otherwise. "There's a good chance you'll never see her again,"

She looked away, playing with a new ring on her finger. "I know,"

We sit there in silence for a few more minutes.