AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She squints at me as I hand her the cup of ice water the bartender helpfully provided. “Why do you look so…serious?”
“Probably because I switched to water a while ago, but you stuck with tequila.”
“Ugh.” She drinks most of the cup and then leans into me, resting her forehead on my chest. “Can we go outside for a minute?”
“Uh-huh.” I steer her toward the door, nodding to the bouncer as we step out into air that’s much cooler and quieter.
There’s a bench about halfway down the block that I guide her toward.
“I’m a mess.” Cassia sighs as soon as she takes a seat.
“No, you’re not.” I sit beside her.
“I am.” She drops her head in her hands. “I’m acting like a little kid throwing a tantrum.”
“Little kids throwing tantrums don’t get drunk in college bars.”
She huffs a laugh. “I’m twenty-one, Holden. I’m an adult. I’m all grown up. Who cares if my parents are getting divorced?”
“Youcare, and you should.”
She sniffles, running a hand through her long hair. “I feel dumb for assuming they’d stay together forever.”
“You’re the smartest person I know. That’s not dumb; it’s sweet.”
Cassia wipes a cheek. “You know, if someone had asked me a month ago who would still be together now—us or my parents…” She shakes her head, staring at the ground for a minute longer before glancing over at me. “If I hadn’t grabbed that bottle, would we still be sitting here together?”
“Honestly?”
Cassia nods.
“I don’t know. I’m selfish and self-centered—”
She interrupts. “No. You’re not.”
“Come on, Cassia. Yeah, I am.”
“You spent today cheering me up and discussing what might happen if you donate an organ to save your mom’s life.No onewould call that selfish or self-centered.”
“I guess you’ve been a good influence.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” she says.
“Yeah, I did.I don’t know, Cassia. If you’ve been a good influence on me, I’ve been a bad one on you. The only person who’s ever depended on me at all was Sydney. And she always had it together, so she never actually relied upon me. If I fucked up, I didn’t feel like I was letting her down. With you…I want to be reliable. I wasn’t sure if I could be that guy for you, so I avoided you. Ignored you. Told myself that you didn’t care. And if you’d never grabbed that bottle…never climbed into my lap…there’s a chance I could have convinced myself of that. But you did grab that bottle, and I’m so grateful. I wouldn’t change any of our past, flower, even the messy parts.”
I lean closer to her.
“And if we’re placing odds on couples who will last? I’d pick us every time. Because now that I have you, I can’t imagine ever letting you go.”
She stares at me for so long I’m not sure if she registered a word I just said. At least she hasn’t fallen asleep. Or puked.
“Can we go back to your place?” she asks.
“Yeah, of course,” I reply.
Another surprise.
We usually sleep at hers. She has one roommate, instead of two. And Cassia’s apartment is nicer than mine. Cleaner. Her floors don’t have dirty clothes flung across them. But I don’t question her decision. I’m just relieved we’re leaving and I can stop glaring at every guy who looks in her direction.
