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Chapter 66: Cassidy
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##Chapter 67: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveNinety minutes.That's how much time I have to hit the books before I'm supposed to meet Cole for a quick dinner. He has a hockey scrimmage tonight, and Brooklyn and I are planning on being there to support the team.I still haven't worked up the courage to tell him that his mother is my psychologist. I keep putting it off. How familiar does that sound?Unfortunately, all too familiar.And here I thought telling him about all the meaningless hookups and failing out of school would be the hard part. I'd really thought we were past all the secrets, lies, and omissions.Turns out, we're not.With one last glance at my phone, I turn off the ringer before shoving it back into my messenger bag. Then I head up to the second floor. There's a quiet area buried behind the stacks. I always gravitate there because no one else ever uses the space.Imagine my surprise when I find someone camped out at the table I usually park myself at. Annoyance f
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##Chapter 68: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveI suck in a breath before deciding that I can't keep all this to myself. It feels like I'm going to explode. Once I turn on the spigot, the floodgates open and everything comes pouring out in a torrent.After I've told him the story, my shoulders slump as his dark blond brows shoot up across his forehead and he releases a low whistle.I can't help but wince.Apparently, this situation is just as bad as I suspected it was.Perfect."And you haven't told Cole yet?"I shake my head."Yikes."When a smile trembles around the corners of his lips, I crumple up a piece of notebook paper and throw it at him. For a moment, he looks stunned, as the wadded-up ball of paper hits him square in the chest, before he bursts out laughing. A few of the students working close by glare in our direction.As my attention returns to him, he stifles his laughter before angling his body forward and resting his elbows on the table. "Sorry. That is a completely s
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##Chapter 69: CassidyBook Two: Don't Leave"Are you going to tell me what's wrong? You've been all mopey since you came back from the library," Brooklyn asks as we sit in the bleachers, waiting for the game to get under way.Unable to stand the way she continues to eyeball me, I mutter, "No." I keep my gaze trained on the Zamboni as it slowly sweeps water over the ice to smooth out all the rough patches while my mind tumbles back to the ride home with Cole.None of this would be happening if I'd found my own table to work at. I wouldn't be sitting here in the stands with a pit the size of Texas at the bottom of my belly, feeling as if Cole and I are on the precipice of something terrible.Brooklyn refuses to take the hint. "No, there's nothing wrong? Or no, you're going to keep it all to yourself and not tell me what's going on?""I'll go with what's behind door number two, please."Before she can respond, the Zamboni disappears into a garage-type door at the far end of the rink,
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##Chapter 70: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveHe's playing with a lot more aggression than normal. Over the past few months, I've learned that Cole is a smart player who understands the fundamentals of the game. He hits when it's necessary and advantageous for the team. And his hits are always clean and legal. He's not one to draw a penalty for being a cheap shot.Just as I think that, Cole slams into one of the other team's forwards. The sheer force of his hit sends them both crashing into the boards. The crowd winces at the reverberation that ripples throughout the chilly arena. I freeze and watch as the other player drops to the ice.It's not a surprise when Cole receives a penalty for roughing.To make matters worse, he argues with the ref as he skates over to the penalty box before throwing himself inside. After he slumps onto the bench, one of his coaches rips him a new one.Stunned, I watch with wide eyes as the older man's arms cut through the air.Brooklyn leans toward m
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##Chapter 71: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveI suck in a deep breath as my thumb hovers over the screen of my phone.I'm scared.Scared to see him.Scared to hear what he has to say.But I know he's right. We need to talk about what's going on between us.OkTwo letters.That's all I'm capable of typing before I hit send. Even though our dorm room is tiny, I pace as I wait. It only takes a few minutes before there's a soft knock on the door. I grab the handle and open it to find Cole standing on the other side of the threshold."Hi." Barely can I force out the greeting. Already, everything feels different between us.He jerks his head as his whiskey-colored eyes collide with mine.As they do, I realize with a sinking heart that whatever is happening between us is much worse than I originally suspected. Cole's hands are shoved into the front pockets of his jeans. He's wearing a Western Timber Wolves sweatshirt with the hood pulled up over his head. His mouth is a tight slash acr
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##Chapter 72: CassidyBook Two: Don't Leave"Cass, I know you're hurting, but you have to snap out of it." Brooklyn shoots me a concerned glance as we walk across campus before adding, "You're beginning to scare me."Snap out of it.If only I could.If only it were that easy.It feels like I've been sleepwalking through a dense fog for the past ten days. Other than breaking up with Cole, I don't think I could tell you what else happened. And everything in my life has suffered because of it.I keep telling myself that I need to pull it together. There is no way I can fail out of school for a second time. Especially when I'm starting to make progress with my parents. Meeting with both of them last week and having everything go smoothly was the only bright spot in an otherwise crappy week.If I'd held out a tiny scrap of hope that this breakup with Cole would blow over, that hope has been fully extinguished. I've barely seen him. There hasn't been one single text or call exchanged
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##Chapter 73: CassidyBook Two: Don't Leave"Hi, Cassidy," he murmurs.His gaze holds mine captive for a heartbeat. Before I'm able to think of a way to extend the conversation, the moment ends and I realize other students are piling up behind us, waiting to enter the lecture hall.He holds open the door as I continue staring up at him like a lovesick puppy. My fingers itch to plow their way through his tousled strands. Instead, I tighten my hand so I won't be tempted to reach out and touch him the way I want to.I've missed him so much more than I realized.It's almost painful to be this close to him. To have his masculine scent slyly wrapping its way around me.It takes effort to shake myself out of the trance that has fallen over me as I force myself to break eye contact and step over the threshold. "Thank you.""No problem."As I walk down the thinly-carpeted steps, I feel him shadow my movements. A tiny spark of hope flares to life within me. Is it possible that he'll sit
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##Chapter 74: CassidyBook Two: Don't LeaveEven though I've arrived early for my lunch with Cole, I couldn't be more aware of Luke's presence beside me. It doesn't escape me that his friendship is the reason Cole pulled away in the first place. The last thing I want to do is exacerbate the situation by being seen with him.From beneath my lashes, I glance around the open space but don't see Cole anywhere.As much as it makes me feel like a crappy friend, I want this lunch to go smoothly.I pause.When he does the same, I say, "If you don't mind, I'm going to wait for Cole alone.""Sure." His lips curve into a smile as he leans over and presses a kiss against my cheek. "Text me later and let me know how it goes."Grateful for his understanding, I beam. This is the first time since Cole walked out of my dorm room that I've allowed myself to be hopeful that we could hash out our issues."I will."After we say our goodbyes, he disappears, getting swallowed up by the thick crowd. The
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