Absquatulate

Chapter 33:

It's really getting late now and Cassie has been in my car for a while listening to my pleads and apologies. She's asked her date to leave and she added that she was terribly sorry about the inconvenience even though it was quiet clear in her voice that she'd rather prefer to be with me than him.

"No like seriously. I am sorry." I pause and look into her eyes. Her eyes are quiet visible despite having no light around. "I can't promise i won't do it again. But i will stop myself when i can." She smiles and looks out the window, "Nic, you are a really nice guy and... your good at kissing but i don't think you and i could ever go back to being 'nornal'."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean....that our relationship or whatever this is can't go on. I don't want to have any deep relation with you."

I'm pounding on the every word she is saying and waiting for her to finish off her point.
"I want a basic friendship. I want to see you at school and not feel as if you and i have unfinished business. Just being schoolmates would be even better."

"I get your point." I lie and make a promise that that's exactly what I'll do even though i know that's not me.

I need her to stay.

I drop her off to her house after spending the whole way driving there talking about so many different topics, at some point we talked about the weather. I wasn't really paying attention anyways.

The only thing that was running in my mind was the fact that after this, we are just classmates and nothing more.

She waves me goodbye as she enters the house.

As i pull away from the driveway, i realise that maybe Cassie deserves better than me. She needs a gentleman that doesn't express his anger on her the way i did,
A man guy that isn't me.

She'll be better off that way.

Riley's POV

Everyone is still waiting for a response as i strugle to answer the simple question mother had left hanging.

'Do i want an adopted sibling or not?'

Mom mouths out 'it's ok' towards my direction but i know nothing's ok. I don't want to dissapoint them by voting to not have one or two adopted siblings even though that's exactly what i am afraid i might say.
I've always been bad at keeping whatever i disagree with to myself, so I'm afraid i might spill the tea and break the little remaining love they had for me.

I nod.

Then look at mom and Pete again -and nod. No matter how much i don't like this whole idea, i can't say no. "You're sure?" Tony noticed my uncertainty way sooner than everybody else did but i respond to him with another quick nod.

I'm afraid to open this mouth or else i might give myself off so i smile and force myself to quickly say, "i think I'm cool with it."

Everyone gives me the smile and the response i had imagined way before this crazy debate started in my head.

Once the meeting is fully over, i stroll my way to my room with no intentions of doing anything interesting actually. I just want to sit in silence for a while.

As i lay on my bed, i feel a corner of a paper beneath me, prickle me. I reach out for it and look at it carefully, hoping i would remember how it even got there.
I can't seem to recollect anything so i open up the paper and read it.

It's written an address, a date and time. That's when it hits me, "I am so dead."
This was the same paper i was supposed to give Cassie and it's right in my hands right now.

I bet Nic was at the place of the address he had written, patiently waiting for Cassie to show up. I'm pretty sure I'm screwed this time.
I go through my phone for his number and sigh of relief when i see his text:

You better be glad Cassie was also planning to be there or else i would've fucked you up.

I sit up straight, beaming, as i remind myself of the time i thought i was screwed when i accidentally talked about Adelaide. Or that time when mom was mad because i didn't tell her about Dave's illness.

Somethings were crazy (take Maria for example)...actually ever since Dave's come around, things changed for me. From hating my mom to loving her unconditionally. From being a lower class family to a higher classed family. From being neglected to being the most cared about.

And not only that, i got to learn a few life lessons. I also got to make new friends throughout this whole phase of my life -kinda almost lost a friend too.

From dragging my feet through a rough road, i can finally see the light at the end of it. And as for mom, i still feel guilty for not understanding her actions sooner but i am also very proud she got to marry a loving husband like Pete and that soon she will having a new member to the family.

I'm proud of myself.

Sorry for the typos or broken english in the previous chapters. This is the final chapter (Chapter 33) of the book.

I really hope y'all enjoyed and got to learn a few things here and there.