When Sparks Fly (in editing)

Chapter 10

"Are you two gonna stop making eyes at each other or are we gonna keep enjoying the conversation?" I glared at Alyssa, breaking eye contact with Drew.

"Shut up." I mumbled. The other chuckled at my reaction.

"In all seriousness though, are you good? You look...upset."

"I'm not upset."

"Then sad?"

"No. I'm not sad. My mind is just occupied by stuff." Alyssa nodded at my statement and went back to talking about the new shoes she wanted. Drew leaned in my ear.

"Why don't you tell them?" He whispered.

I looked back up at him. "Drew...I can't."

"I know it is hard, but they can help. It is better to say something than hold it in." I nodded and began fiddling with my thumbs and twisting my fingers. "Guys." Drew said to the others. They stopped talking and looked at us. Then to me. "Cassie."

I took a breath and took one last glance at Drew before settling my gaze on the table in front of me. "My mom left me when I was 8. I went to school one morning, came back, and she was gone. Changed her number so we couldn't contact her, and never gave word where she would go so we couldn't follow her. Two weeks later, we got divorce papers in the mail. My dad broke. He never like hit me but he did start drinking. He just wasn't the father I knew. Finally, my dad realized mom wasn't coming back and he had to be there for me. We moved on but memories are still there." I felt my eyes start to water, and Drew held my hand, intertwining our fingers.

"Why did she leave? To up and run with no warning?" Elizabeth asked.

"She hated our life. The constant moving, not being able to be a teacher like she's always wanted, it got to her. I never forgave her. We all hated moving, but she left. We were a happy family, and she broke it. I hate her for that."

Alyssa reached across the table to grab my other hand and squeeze it. "I'm sorry."

"For what? You didn't make my mom leave. You aren't the reason my family moved all the time. You did nothing wrong. None of you did. Thank you, by the way.

"Bout time we were thanked." John said, making everyone laugh, including me.

~~~

"Okay time for me to head home. I'll see you guys at school." I slid out of the booth and grabbed my phone. As I turned, Drew stood up himself.

"I'll walk you home." He said. I looked at him, surprised, and then smiled.

"Smooth dude." John muttered. Drew rolled his eyes and walked with me out of the diner.

We walked for a minute in silence when I spoke up. "Thank you. For helping me out."

Drew shrugged. "It was nothing. I know what it is like to try and keep everything inside. Eventually you break. That happened to Alyssa."

"Out of curiosity, why did you want to walk me home?"

"Can't a guy just be chivalrous in his life without being judged?" I chuckled and gave him a questioning look. "I actually wanted to take to you about..." He didn't need to finish.

"Oh. Yeah." Our almost kiss.

"I overstepped, I'm sorry. I'd understand if you didn't want to see me as much..."

"Drew, it's fine. We just got caught up in a moment. You didn't overstep. And last I checked I didn't try stopping you. But let's just forget it ever happened. Okay?"

Drew looked hesitant but then nodded. "Right. Forget." Silence washed over us for the rest of the way home and when we made it to my driveway, I turned and smiled at him.