Lexi's Final Year

Chapter 25

Cassie settled into the second semester with ease. She quickly got used to where her classes were and prepared for the upcoming assignments and tests that came with each one. This semester was shaping up to be a little easier than the previous one, much to her relief. She wasn't about to get cocky and act like it was going to be a cakewalk. But she also didn't anticipate the usual amount of stress that she had experienced the past several semesters.

It had been almost two weeks since school had started back up again. Cassie was in the library working on some readings after a long day of classes. Mariana had texted her earlier to let her know that a couple of her classmates would be over at their apartment to work on a group project. They wouldn't leave until almost five o'clock that evening, which wouldn't be for a few more hours.

After working on several readings for over two hours straight, Cassie decided to take a well-deserved break. She stretched her arms up over her head and yawned. Her eyes darted around her surroundings, where students either walked around or sat elsewhere to do schoolwork. Some students stood at computers to type up papers or print off whatever they needed. The library wasn't empty, but it also wasn't crowded.

Her phone screen suddenly lit up with Johnathan's name attached. They had texted off and on since returning to New York University from break, but not much. Both of them were busy adjusting to the new semester. She grinned upon reading his message.

Johnathan: Hey, what's up???

Cassie: Doing schoolwork in the library, you?

Johnathan: In class, ugh

Cassie: Nice

Johnathan: Wish you were here so we could chat lol

Cassie: Sorry

Johnathan: It's ok. You're well tho?

Cassie: I'm good, I promise. You?

Johnathan: I'm great. But I gotta focus back on the lecture before the prof throws a fit. Talk later?

Cassie: Sounds good!

Cassie carried on smiling from the brief text exchange. She set her phone down to look towards the library's entrance, only for her heart to drop.

Isaac had entered just a second ago all alone. He began looking around the place, presumably to find a table to work at. But he spotted Cassie staring at him a minute later.

FUCK, why did he have to come here while I'm here??? I don't want any problems, she thought.

For Cassie, it felt as though time froze while they stared at each other. But she quickly collected herself and looked back at her laptop. She pretended to resume her schoolwork in the hopes that Isaac would leave her alone.

She finally risked looking back up a few minutes later. A huge sigh of relief left her when she didn't see him anywhere. Her heart stopped pounding a moment later.

I'm glad he didn't come up and give me any trouble, she thought. Then again...it would've been nice to just catch up with him. He's always been so nice to me. But I had to go and shit all over his kindness for years.

Cassie raked one hand through her dark brown hair with a sad frown. They hadn't spoken at all since she had apologized to him months ago. The only times they ever interacted since then had been earlier that month when she tagged along with Mariana for lunch at The Bean's Knees. He had spoken in her presence during the hangout, but he barely uttered one word in her direction. It stung, but Cassie had expected it.

She grabbed her phone off the table and prepared to send Isaac a text. He had blocked her during their sophomore year after one of her many uncalled-for outbursts; which one exactly, she couldn't remember. She hadn't bothered to text him again once she learned of this— until now.