Late (Draft 1)

16 - First Fallout

I always knew that couples fought, but I hoped it wouldn't happen to us. Cassie and I seemed like we would never fight, but I hoped that we wouldn't. It started when we were at her house, just sitting there, as usual. Talking this time though, which might have been my fault.

Curiously, I realized that I'd never actually met her parents. "Where are they anyway? I never see them."

I didn't get much, just that they worked all day, and were only home for a short while at night. She said they traveled a lot too. That's where they were the first time we'd met - traveling to Arkansas. She dismissed them coldly, but timidly, as if she were scared of them. She seemed like she wanted to change the subject, but I pressed on. I asked if she was okay, if her parents had ever done anything to her.

"No! Don't you get it? They've never done anything to me! That's just the point! They completely ignore me, and they've never talked to me a day in their life. To them, I'm just another thing taking up space!"

I tried to apologize, but the attempt was fruitless. Cassie was gone now, trying to talk was pointless. I listened for almost an hour, about how her parents had never done anything with her, how she'd been left on her own as soon as they realized she knew how to walk on her own.

I wanted to comfort her, but I had no idea how. I was on the brink of tears, wishing there was something I could do.

Cassie finally finished. She looked down, biting her lip. It began to tremble, and she let out the slightest whimper. Her eyes were shiny, nearly spilling over with tears. She brought her hands up to cover her face, almost as if she were ashamed for me to see her cry.