Cassie stared out the classroom window with a sigh. Her fingers picked at the golden charm bracelet on her wrist. Today was the day it all happened so long ago. It was the anniversary of what could have been.8964 copyright protection612PENANAsuZyJ2YcPR 維尼
“Cas,” she could remember him calling her name. “Wait up!”8964 copyright protection612PENANATJzvanvdV0 維尼
She kept on walking. He’d blown her off again for someone else.8964 copyright protection612PENANAsdYy91CQLm 維尼
“Cas,” he wined. “Don’t be like this.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAvwnO6yBHPQ 維尼
Cassie rolled her eyes, turning around on her heel to face him. He was so hot on her tail that he almost ran into her when she stopped. Cassie frowned and pointed out a finger to his chest. “I swear, Alec, I’m this close to hitting you.”8964 copyright protection612PENANA2LIcdyI0gm 維尼
“You’d hit me?”8964 copyright protection612PENANAR9KEhoXVxQ 維尼
“I’d love to.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAx8ExlewH5W 維尼
Alec smiled. “Tough girl, are we? Oh, you’re toast.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAh2R2fgyrzc 維尼
Cassie narrowed her green eyes. “So, that’s what you see in Erica?” she said and began to walk toward her locker.8964 copyright protection612PENANAPu3z1FBZUc 維尼
“Erica’s just a friend,” he said, following her. “She’s not my girl.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAL33CtT6Kyf 維尼
“‘Your girl?’ What kind of delinquent talk is that?”8964 copyright protection612PENANAfJFpI1sAtZ 維尼
Alec threw his head back in laughter. “So that’s what you think of me.”8964 copyright protection612PENANApeOKHNHiUw 維尼
“I think a lot of things,” she turned to open her locker. “You don’t know the half of it.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAOSx0YjLkdL 維尼
“I’d like to.” He said a little too quickly.8964 copyright protection612PENANAMz2p5CMmC9 維尼
Cassie shoved her books into her locker. “Yeah, well, you apparently want to know what every other girl in this school is thinking too,” she said, slamming her locker shut. “I gotta go.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAnjf0aNj4yv 維尼
Cassie remembered not looking back to see the expression that was on his face. She couldn’t bare it.8964 copyright protection612PENANAYesmlMPIfl 維尼
The final bell rang and Cassie gathered her books to head home. Her house was a short distance from school in their small now, so walking was her favorite way to get to and from school. She liked the breeze that carried the scent of cherry blossoms in the spring. She liked he freedom of letting her mind wonder as she walked through the same park every day to get home. One time she even let Alec come to the park with her, she let him enter her safe place.8964 copyright protection612PENANArB3RqdxggR 維尼
“This feels good.” He whispered to her as they laid under the trees.8964 copyright protection612PENANAmkhTMPRezF 維尼
Cassie took a deep breath. “I know.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAi8gGU1OYDG 維尼
They had brought a blanket to sit on while they watched the clouds that afternoon. Cassie remembered feeling how near he was. Their heads were side by side, arms touching, feet tangled together. Her safe place was nothing compared to how he made her feel as she laid next to him. She could feel his warmth in the fall chills and she could smell his hair in the dry air.8964 copyright protection612PENANA6UKn6BOB0Q 維尼
“Why did you bring me here?” he asked.8964 copyright protection612PENANA2N4GmDtX7H 維尼
Cassie shrugged. “I thought it would be nice.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAV2YhZOQp8t 維尼
“It is.” She could hear the smile in his words.8964 copyright protection612PENANATB8llMWzBF 維尼
They picked out animals and shapes the clouds. They found unicorns and hearts, Alec even managed to find a dragon. But, for the longest time that day all they did was lay there together. They didn’t speak, didn’t move, they just enjoyed each other’s company on that small piece of temporary paradise.8964 copyright protection612PENANArGt33BLoua 維尼
Thinking back on the good times made Cassie’s chest hurt. She and Alec were never perfect, they just were. He seemed to help her live in the moment, which was hard for her. He had always helped her get out of her shell, he made her feel safe when she did.8964 copyright protection612PENANANCgUDzeWMH 維尼
“Here,” he had said. “It’ll keep us close.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAm3FpoYhzrW 維尼
Cassie looked down at the bracelet that he had just put on her wrist. It was golden and had golden charms dangling from it. Some of the charms were a book, a sun, a rose, a moon, and her favorite seemed to be the little golden heart with her name engraved onto it.8964 copyright protection612PENANA2kHJXu9iRz 維尼
Cassie held back tears. “Keep us close,” she looked down. “So, it’s decided, you’re moving four thousand miles away from me.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAqwCV66E0Ha 維尼
He grabbed her face, making her look at him. “Only until I turn eighteen, then I’m coming back for you. In two years, I promise.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAk9OxgRzIIb 維尼
Cassie grabbed his hands, taking them off of her. “No, I don’t want you to feel obligated to come back for me. You’ll make a new life across the ocean and forget about me. You’ll meet somebody else and get into trouble with her instead of staying safe with me.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAsVKHuoWNr2 維尼
Alec grabbed her arm. “Cassie, no. I want you. I… I love you.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAi2W0XXgdja 維尼
She gasped. She squeezed her eyes shut so she couldn’t look at him when she said it. “You don’t! It’s over!” she yelled and took off running. She ran and ran all the way home. It was for the best. She didn’t want him to live the next two years worrying about her. She wanted him to live and have fun where he was going. She didn’t want to burden him.8964 copyright protection612PENANAI6Hu6IhQc1 維尼
The next two years had been a lifetime to Cassie. Most days she forgot to think of him. She wondered if he forgot to think of her too. Cassie spent so much time thinking about Alec on her way home from school, she didn’t even realize the duffle bag in the middle of her sidewalk that lead up to her house. The next thing she knew she was falling face first toward the cement. Before she hit the pavement she felt someone catch her waist.8964 copyright protection612PENANAxmX5Tlxf9J 維尼
“Watch what you’re doing there, Cas.”8964 copyright protection612PENANAawEvOaKVVm 維尼
Cassie didn’t even have to turn around to know that he was finally home.8964 copyright protection612PENANAyvJfUpaQZ8 維尼
“I love you too.” She whispered and hugged him so tightly that she promised herself she’d never, ever let him go.8964 copyright protection612PENANAnUTnO0O7c2 維尼
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