“Shit, Caden. Stop. Please.” The desperation in his voice causes me to stumble, and I falter, turning to face him. Casper raises both his arms, holding them out at his sides. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry I’ve been a jackass.” His arms drop, and he steps forward. I try to look around. The parking lot is littered with puddles, and the sky’s almost black.
“Tell me what you want from me? I need to get home.” I sigh, exhaustion suddenly pulling at every inch of my body.
Casper stalks toward me, stepping firmly into my space. He’s only half an inch taller than me, so as I blink the rain away, his startled amber eyes are the only thing I see. “I…” Opening and closing his mouth, he transforms into a scared little boy, and my heart breaks for him. His gaze drops to my lips then back to my eyes, lips, and my eyes once again. I let my tongue travel across my mouth, and I’m not sure he even realizes it when a groan escapes him. This time, though, this time I’m not saying anything. He’ll have to make the first move. It will have to be him, or I’ll leave.
With a sigh and a small shake of my head, I step away from his pull. “See you around, Casper,” I whisper the words, but don’t take another step before his mouth is on mine.
“Wait, hold up. Now, start from the beginning,” Laura orders, leaning forward and smacking me on the bicep.
“Ow.” I fake pout, and she rolls her eyes.
Morgan sits on her own bed, eyeing us both, but she doesn’t say anything. She’s been quiet since I arrived. When she briefly left to use the bathroom, Laura told me she’s been that way all night.
I only arrived twenty minutes ago but could sense something was wrong. Then, we were discussing movies when I blurted out that Casper kissed me. I couldn’t hold it in anymore, and Laura jumped on the gossip.
“Hold back on me anymore, and it won’t be a limp slap. Trust me, Reigns.”
“Is this how you treat my brother?” I ask with a smirk.
“Only when he’s a bad boy.” She grins and winks at me. I dry heave which causes her to laugh.
My gaze travels over to Morgan again, who’s still sitting quietly disinterested, which is so unlike her. She seems distant, like her body’s here, while her mind is elsewhere.
“Come on, spill,” Laura says, and I look back to her. She shakes her head so slightly I blink a couple of times, and wonder if I imagined it. But her frown confirms she wants me to drop it, to let Morgan be.
“He wanted to give me a lift home, it was raining, and I didn’t have my car.” Running my fingers through my hair, I think back to last night after the game…
He pulls his lips from mine, and I feel like I’ve lost part of myself with that one movement. “I… I’m sorry,” Casper mumbles, stepping back and wrapping his arms around his chest. I’m not sure if it’s for self-comfort, or to put a wall between us. “I don’t know what that was.” He looks at the ground, at his feet, like the answers are all there.
“Sure, you don’t.” I can’t help the sarcasm that spills, like poison from a snake bite. The anger within me vibrates, causing my hands to shake. I dig my finger into Casper’s chest, and his head snaps up. Wide, worried eyes nearly make me stumble, but I’m in too much pain. “You can’t see what’s right in front of you. No. Scratch that. You can’t see what’s fucking inside of you,” I shout ramming my finger into his pec again, pushing him backward with the force. “Your body tells you what you want. What you need. So does your mind… your heart. Everything within you is aligned, but you just won’t accept it.” I hang my head as the fight leaves me.
Casper gently wraps his hand around my finger but doesn’t move it from the position against his chest.
“While you come to whatever conclusion it is, whatever answer you resolve yourself to, remember, every inch you take from me, every inch I give to you…” I take in a stuttered breath, trying to keep my composure, “… you’re breaking me,” I whisper the last word as a tear slips down my cheek.
“I’m sorry.” His hushed tone almost has me falling to my knees because I can hear his sincerity.
“I don’t think it’s enough anymore,” I reply, feeling entirely spent.
Casper, still holding my finger, opens his mouth to speak, but a set of headlights blind us, and he drops my finger like a dirty needle. I nod, understanding this is always going to be how it is for us and take a step back. I walk over to Tarrant’s car, but before I can open the door, I hear him call to me. My shoulders stiffen, and I take a moment to decide whether I want to listen to his empty words anymore, but I turn to face him anyway.
“I’m sorry. This is hard for me, but I’m getting there slowly.” He shakes his head and looks conflicted. “That’s not an excuse… it’s—”
“I have to go,” I say, cutting him off.
“Wait, Caden. I’m reaching for you… I am. Will you wait for me to settle my soul?”
“So what did you say?” Laura screeches as I get to the end of my story.
“I… I didn’t, I just got in the car.”
“You what?” Morgan speaks for the first time since saying, ‘hi,’ when I arrived. She gets up and comes to sit next to me on Laura’s bed. “Why
