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“Sorry about that,” Will apologizes. “Hadn’t seen Luke since winter break.”
“It’s fine,” I reply, injecting a little extra cheerfulness into my voice as I hear footsteps grow closer.
“We were talking about how much some people suck, right?”
I let out a loud laugh as the footsteps reach their crescendo and then start to fade away, ignoring the puzzled look my unexpected mirth earns me from Will. He misses the irony of the timing. “Yes, we were.”
“Hey…” I let out a sigh of relief when I see Cassie has finally reappeared. She looks surprised to find me standing with Will rather than waiting alone.
“You know Will, right, Cassie?”
“I think we had gym together last semester,” Will supplies helpfully.
“Yeah, we did.” Cassie smiles. “Nice to see you, Will. Did you have a nice break?”
“Yeah, I did. You?”
“It was good,” Cassie replies simply, and then silence falls over our trio.
“Well, we’d better get going,” I say when it becomes clear neither of them are going to say anything else. “Have a good night, Will.”
“Yeah, you too,” he replies. “And thanks for coming, Lennon. It was really nice to see you.”
I smile at him before I head toward the main doors. Cassie follows me.
“He likes you,” she informs me as soon as we emerge outside. Dusk is just beginning to fall. I watch our shadowy shapes stretch alongside us as we head toward the parking lot.
“Yeah, I know,” I admit.
“Did he ask you out?”
“What? No!”
Cassie deflates. “Bummer.” Seconds later, she perks back up. “He’s definitely interested, though. I bet he will next time you talk.”
I blanch. “I hope not.”
“Why? He’s cute! And he seemed really nice.”
“Maybe you should date him.”
“I wasn’t the one he couldn’t stop staring at.”
“He’s too nice.”
“You won’t go out with him because he’s too nice?” A mixture of confusion and amusement fills Cassie’s voice.
“Yes,” I reply simply, unwilling to delve into the other reasons.
None of my classmates—the few who might care or the many who wouldn’t—are aware of the fact I’ll be staying in Landry after graduation. Watching everyone else embark on their exciting futures will be difficult enough without getting romantically attached to someone.
I owe it to Cassie to tell her about my lack of college plans. But I definitely won’t ever tell her—or anyone else—the second reason I avoid dating.
My mother had a certain reputation when it came to men, one that is still associated with my last name. Part of the scandal my father heaped onto. People already find plenty to gossip about. There’s no need to give them more fuel.
“You guys could be perfect together,” Cassie says, oblivious to my inner thoughts. “He could make you a little friendlier, and you could make him a little more…intimidating?”
I shoot her a mock-glare, and she laughs. “I like that he’s nice. I just don’t want to date someone I feel like I can’t be myself with.”
