Sometimes

Chapter nineteen

  Cassie’s grip on my arm was so hard that I was surprised she hadn’t pierced my skin through the three layers of clothing that I was wearing.  I’d only just walked through the college entrance when she’d pounced.  I’d seen her lingering by the vending machine with an anxious expression on her face and she’d looked like she was going to explode if she didn’t say something soon.

    Now, she was dragging me back outside, towards the bench where we sometimes ate lunch if it wasn’t too cold or raining. 

    “Cass,” I said, trying to tug out of her grip.  “You’re bruising my arm.”

Her intense expression lifted for a moment, and she lightened her hold, before her gaze hardened again as she pulled me down onto the bench next to her.

    “I’ve got something to tell you.”

I rolled my eyes.  “Like I hadn’t guessed by the way you took my hostage just now.  I’m surprised you didn’t put a gun to my head.”

Cassie shrugged. “It’s important.”

    “So important that you couldn’t just tell me inside?”

She nodded and her hair, that she was wearing down and wavy today, fell into her eyes and bounced around her shoulders.  “I didn’t want anyone else hearing.”

    “You could have just asked me to follow you outside.  You didn’t need to almost yank my arm off.”

    “Sorry,” she muttered.  “It’s just that I had to tell you otherwise I would have exploded if I’d had to wait until break time.”

I shifted on the bench and pulled my jumper back down from where Cassie’s vice like grasp had caused the material to sag.  “Go on then.”

A maniacal looking smile appeared on her face and her eyes were so wide that I was sure they’d fall out of their sockets.  “Mike.”

As soon as I heard his name, everything made sense.  Cassie did everything over dramatically when it came to Mike.  Hence why she’d kidnapped me on my way to class.  She was probably scared that some other Mike Finnegan stalker would hear whatever she was about to tell me, and get to him first.

   “Yes,” I said.  “Mike what?”

Cassie pouted.  “Try to sound interested.”

I plastered on a smile.  “Mike what?”

    “Well, you know that guy on the College football team?”

I sighed quietly so Cassie wouldn’t hear it.  I had a feeling this was going to be the long winded version of the story.  “Uh no, not really,” I replied.  “I only know Brandon and Lance.”

Cassie flapped a hand in my face.  “It’s not either of them.  It’s uh, what’s his name?  The one with the bucktooth.  Aiden’s not brother.”

I bit my lip.  “Maurice Jackson?”

Cassie nodded emphatically.  “Yes!  Him.”

    “What about him?” I asked, feeling as if I was going to have to constantly ask questions to keep Cassie on track.

    “He broke his ankle.”

    “So?”  I heard the bell go for class in the background.  Great.  I was going to be late.

    “So, the team’s short a player.”

    “Don’t they have subs?” I asked.  Then, spotting Cassie’s confused expression.  “You know, extra players.”