A second chance: Sequel of Against all odds (34 page)

“
Hey
Cas, have you had a fight or something?” Lexie whispered.

“
What?
Why makes you think that?”

“
I
don't know; he hasn't looked once over here, and when he was doing
the attendance he gave you a meaningful look.”

“
Well,
it's a long story, I'll tell you afterwards OK.”

She nodded. Lexie was a very
perceptive girl. David had explained various things and then stopped
and said that he wanted to talk to us about something very important.
He mentioned a competition to which our college was participating. He
urged us to write a piece of poetry or literature about one of the
themes presented to us. A jury had to select a male and a female from
our class to go and represent our college at the national day of
poetry and literature. He was explaining the various things about
which we could write, and he also informed us that he would be the
chaperon and would accompany the two students selected. The
competition was going to be held out of town during the weekend. I
saw Claire Morrison getting all exciting asking a sequence of never
ending questions to which David answered patiently and with her same
enthusiasm. Didn't he realise that all her enthusiasm was for the
possibility to be able to pass a  weekend with him far from home
if she managed to be selected and not for the contest itself? I felt
a pang of jealousy at the thought that that could happen. I had to do
my best to write the best piece of literature in the world if I
wanted to be the one to leave with him. When the lesson finished, I
put my things in my bag slowly and let the other students go away.
Lexie looked at me and whispered that she'll see me later. I looked
up to see that David was talking to Claire. Again! Oh, how much I
hated her. She kept talking to him, and he seemed to be interested in
what she was saying. I grabbed my bag and walked towards the desk. 

“
Sir
after you've finished with her can I speak to you please?” I
asked looking at him in eyes.

Before he could reply Claire
did for him...

“
I'm
sorry Cassidy, but this will take long and I'm sure you have a lesson
to go to.”

“
Don't
you have one as well?”I asked pissed off.

“
Oh
no, not today and Mr Bayne has a free so no need to hurry, now if you
excuse us we have important matters to discuss.”

I looked at David with
pleading eyes.

“
We'll
talk later Cassidy, don't worry,” He said. I smiled weakly and
left the classroom. I was so sad. I wondered what she had so much
important to tell him. During the next lesson I couldn't concentrate,
I kept thinking about David, but also about Tyler. I had fallen in
love with him in the past, how come now he gets on my nerves? Maybe
he wasn't the person that I thought he was, maybe he was just wearing
a mask to cover his pain and problems. He had said that he had
problems, and this was the reason he hadn't been with me in hospital.
What type of problems? Maybe I should ask, maybe I could understand
him better. Finally, the lessons finished, and I could go and take a
break. I went in the canteen searching for Lexie but she wasn't
anywhere to be seen. I decided that maybe I could try and look for
David. I returned in his classroom, but he wasn't there...

“
Oh
no, where could he be?” I groaned.

“
Hey
Cassidy, looking for Mr Bayne? He's at the library with Claire,”
a voice said from behind me.

I turned around to see Blake
looking at me and smiling.

“
Oh,
OK thanks Blake.” I said annoyed at the fact that he was still
with Claire.

“
She
can be really stubborn sometimes.”

“
Who?”

“
Claire
obviously, especially when she wants something so much.”

“
Or
rather say someone.” I said with a sad tone. He smiled again.

“
Hey,
don't tell me you're in love with Mr Bayne too?” He chuckled
showing me a glimpse of his perfect white even teeth.

“
What?
Oh no.. I... But how do you know so much about Claire?”

He came closer and bent down
to whisper in my ear..

“
Can
you keep a secret? She doesn't want anyone to know.”

I was all ears.. a secret
about Claire Morrison, that no one had to know?

“
Sure.
I'll keep my mouth shut promise.”

He laughed.

“
Pinky
promise?” He asked.

I smiled; we were acting
like two little children. I nodded and pulled out my small finger and
entwined it with that of Blake.

“
So?”

“
Well,
Claire is my step sister. We live together at out parent's house; my
father married her mother five years ago, so I know everything about
her.”

“
What?
Really.. Oh..”

“
Yeah,
I know she can be a real pain when she wants to. She thinks she can
rule the world, but believe me she's not mean.”

“
Oh,
I have my doubts about that..” Before I could realise I said it
aloud it was too late. I put my hand on my mouth and Blake couldn't
stop laughing. “Sorry, I didn't mean to.. it's just that..”

“
No
problem. Listen Cassidy would you be interested in taking part in the
school play?” He asked diverting the subject.

I met his gaze and smiled.
He was looking at me with his puppy blue eyes.

“
Well,
I don't know. I don't think I'm good in acting.”

“
Why
not? Oh, please come on, there will be the auditions today; I'm
taking part if they choose me obviously. The school is doing this to
raise money for the orphanage we have in town.”

“
Well,
I guess that since it's for a good cause then maybe I could give it a
try, but when will the rehearsals be done? After school, I can't.”

“
Well,
probably during breaks mainly. Oh, come on Cassy.. we'll have fun.”

“
Cassy?”
Only Tyler called me that.

“
Sorry
does it bother you if I call you that?”

“
Well
no no.. it's just that.... oh never mind.”

“
Listen
I'll wait for you at the canteen during the next break, so we could
go for the audition together, what do you think?” He asked
excitedly.

“
OK
Blake.”

“
Great..
see you later Cas, I have to run to the gym.”

Before I could say anything
else, he disappeared. I kept looking at the empty classroom. Why had
I accepted to go for the audition? And why Blake had asked me with
all the girls there were at school? I felt a little anxious; I didn't
know If I were good in acting, I couldn't remember if I had ever done
it or not. I began to walk while I ate my sandwich. I was heading to
the library, Blake had said David was there. When I arrived I looked
in but no one seemed to be there. Just as I was about leave, I heard
Claire's irritating voice saying something and then laugh. I walked
on tip toes inside and peeped from behind the corner. David was
seated with his back facing me while Claire was just in front of him.
She was saying something about forbidden love and how this would make
a great story and that it would surely do well at the competition.
Then all of a sudden she stood up and put her hand on his palm. I
felt my stomach twisting into a tight know. what the hell did she
think she was doing? And why David had not retrieved his hand? I
froze when I saw her other hand reaching his face. My God no.. I felt
bad, and I didn't want to see anymore. I turned around and ran away
from there. I tried not to cry, but I couldn't help it. I ran
outside; I needed air. Tears were streaming down my cheeks and my
sight got blurred. How could he fall for her? Was he still angry with
me? Was this the reason he had let her touch him, or was it something
else? Was she going to win after all? I ran as fast as I could until
I felt without breath and had to stop. I leaned against the wall
trying to breathe, as I cried like a baby. Just then I heard some
noise; some guys were coming out of the gym, I looked up and I saw
Blake. He looked at me with concern and said something to his friend
and then came near me.

“
Hey..
everything OK?”

I nodded as I couldn't even
speak.

“
No
you're not OK.”

Saying this, he sat down on
the step near me.

“
You're
crying why?”

“
It's
nothing..really.”

“
Does
my sister has something to do with this?” He questioned, he
really seemed concerned.

“
It's
personal... it's ...”

“
Heart
problems I assume. Mr Bayne?” 

“
No..I'm
fine really. I don't want to keep you from where you were going.”

“
Why
don't you trust me?” He insisted. I met his gaze head on which
I immediately averted by looking down.

“
I
just got to know you, I don't know anything about you and you're
Claire’s brother.”

“
Stepbrother.”
He corrected. “With regards not knowing anything about me,
you're right but we can change that in no time at all. So what do you
want to know? Ask, and I'll answer.” He reached out and grasped
my hand pulling me to sit next to him.

“
Why
are you doing this?” 

“
Doing
what?”

“
Being
gentle to me, trying to be my friend. There are other girls at
school.”

He shrugged.“Well, I
know, but I like you. You are older and you seem more mature, and you
don't really pass out or pull your hair when you see me.” He
grinned.

I looked up at him, and I
couldn't help but laugh.

“
Hey,
that's much better. Don't get me wrong I like being popular, but not
for the reasons I am with most girls. They just look at my good
looks; I'm much more than that. I'm good at school and a very good
basketball player.” He said proudly.

“
And
you're kind as well” I added. He smiled.

“
Well,
thank you. I'm nearly 23; I'm single. I'm still searching for my soul
mate and I'm studying to become a lawyer. What else can I tell you?”

“
You
said enough for today I think.”

“
So
aren't you telling me who is that bastard who made you cry?” He
asked again.

“
He's
not a bastard. He’s a gentleman.” I said in David's
defence, I hated when someone offended him.

“
Not
much since you're in this state.”

“
It's
all your sister's fault.. I saw her...” I snapped.

“
Oh,
so it's about Mr Bayne after all.”

I looked horrified at him. I
bit my lip and grimaced. How stupid of me.

“
Don't
worry Cassidy, I can keep a secret. What did she do to Mr Bayne?”He
asked curiously.

“
I
saw them in the library, she grabbed his hand, and touched his face.”

“
And....”

“
Well,
I don't know... I just ran away from there.. I didn't want to see..”

“
Well,
than you can't really tell what happened later, probably he rejected
her..” he said calmly.

“
How
can you be so sure?" 

“
Well,
this is not the first time she tries, but he always rejected her.
He's in love with someone else.”

I felt relieved. So he had
told Claire about me. I felt happy.