Living Again

Chapter 19

Cassie's POV:

"Here" it was lunch time and Jake  handed me a Tupperware. I looked at it then back at him. He smiled. "Take it"

I looked back at the tupperware, unsure of what to do.

"Seriously Cassie, just take it" he put it in front of me.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I'm giving it to you" he answered, looking towards the lunch line.

I glanced at the tupperware. Reluctantly, I opened it. Inside was a wrapped sandwich and an apple. I looked back at Jake. He was watching me.

"I noticed that you don't eat lunch, so I thought that I should bring you one" he explained.

"Oh"  was all I could say as I grabbed the apple. Then I noticed that he doesn't have any food. "Here" I pushed the tupperware towards him, urging him to take the sandwich.

"No, I'm fine. I brought this for you" he refused.

"It's alright. It's the least I can do." I told him. "Besides, the apple's enough for me"

"Well, if you insist"

We were silent while eating. I was feeling awkward because this was a first for me. I was eating with someone. I never had that luxury ever since.....my sister died.

"Something wrong?"

I was pulled back to reality. "Yeah, I'm fine" I reassured him,glancing away. Unintentionally, I noticed that several boys from across the cafeteria was looking at me. No, at Jake. "Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know them?" I asked.

"Who?" I looked towards the guys' table. He turned to look. "Oh, them. They're my friends" he answered nonchalantly.

"Why aren't you sitting with them?"

"Because I'm having fun talking to you" he said.

My brows furrowed in confusion. "We're hardly talking" I told him.

He sighed. "Then it's because we're friends"

"We are?" I was surprised.

He looked at me incredulously. "Of course we are! Didn't I told you that I'd like to be friends with you?"

I vaguely remember someone saying that to me. So it was him. "Right..."

"Seriously Cassie, you hurt my feelings" he took a bite of his sandwich.

"Sorry" I apologized.

He glanced at me. "Hey, I'm kidding" I just nodded. "You know, for us to be friends, we need to hang out"

"Hang out?" I repeated.

"Yeah, you know, doing fun things during our free time. If we did then you'll start to call me your friend" he smiled.

I shook my head. "I can't" I have no free time to have fun...How do you even have fun? I thought.

"Why not?" he asked.

I didn't know what to say. "I just....can't"

He sighed. "Then the least we could do is talk. And now that I think about it, I hardly know anything about you"

"There's nothing to know" I replied. "There is nothing special about me"

He frowned. "That's not true. There is something special in everyone" he argued.

I stayed silent.

"Fine, then I'll start telling you my story" and Jake proceeded to tell me about himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day, I bumped into someone.

"Sorry" I mumbled, my head hung low.

"Wait" the person said when I continued. past him. He grabbed my arm. His grip wasn't hard but it was enough for me to flinch a little. "Can I talk to you?"

Lifting my head, I recognized the person as one of Jake's friends who was staring at us yesterday. I looked around but no one was paying any attention to us and it was still early so there were only a few students. Seeing no other choice, I nodded.

He turned and walked ahead. I followed. He led me to an empty classroom.

"I'll just get down to the point Cassie" he started, turning around to face me. I stayed silent, thinking what he wanted with me. "Could you please stay away from Jake?"

"Why?" I blurted out without thinking.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know why he's suddenly spending time with you but it has to stop"

"You didn't answer the question" I told him.

He looked away. "You're bad for him" was all he said.

"How?"

"I heard about it,you know. Your sister's gone, isn't she?" I froze when he said that. "Your mom left and your dad's an alcoholic. I think you know where I'm going with this"

I remained frozen. "I didn't know anyone knew that"

He walked past me. "I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who knows. Anyway, just stay away, alright? I don't know why but I have a feeling that you're trouble and I don't want my best friend to be caught up in it" he opened the door and left, leaving me alone in the room.

I still couldn't move. That guy had a point. I knew that Jake and I were very, very different. I always knew that we would have to part. That person just made it sooner rather than later. It was inevitable.