Until We Meet Again by Renee Collins Read Free Book Online Page A

minutes.
Ten minutes pass.
Then fifteen.
Twenty…
A knot sits heavy in the pit of my stomach. I’ve been stood
up. Was this all some kind of sick joke? The thought makes
me queasy. He doesn’t seem like the type. Or does he? Didn’t I
see the warning signs right from the start? But I ignored them
because I was attracted to his brooding, poetry-reciting self.
Which is probably exactly what he’d planned.
Feeling sick, I stare up the street yet again, hoping against
hope that I will see his dark outline appear. My pathetic hope
fills me with a surge of shame. He’s not coming. I must look so
stupid waiting here on an empty street. My face goes hot, and I
dash back to the house. I can’t get inside fast enough.
As I head upstairs, I hear Mom’s voice.
“Cass? You’re back?”
My promises of sweet, cheerful behavior taste like salt on my
tongue. I want to yell at her. I want to act out. I want her to
know I’m in pain. But I swallow the words down.
“We’ve decided to meet another time,” I call, trying my best
to sound normal.
“Oh.” Mom’s voice is unbearably gentle. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. Just tired. I’m going to go to bed.”
“Okay… Good night.”
I don’t respond. I drag myself up the stairs to my room and
push the door closed.
Chapter 5

Cassandra
feel inexplicably calm when I wake in the morning.

I
    Maybe “numb” is a better word for it. Either way,
I’m absolutely determined not to waste another ounce of
emotion or thought on Lawrence Foster. I glide down to
breakfast with my head high. I am calm. I am relaxed. I
am unmoved.
    As I approach the table, the glance Mom and Frank exchange
does not pass my notice. Is that a glint of pity I see on Mom’s
face? I sigh and flop down at my seat. Even Eddie seems to
be tentative as he munches his sugary cereal. There’s only the
sound of hesitant chewing. I roll my eyes.
    “Mom,” I say calmly. “I have a request.”
“Sure, dear,” she says overly cheerfully. “What’s up?”
“Let’s do something. Something that will take up the whole
day. Something fun.”
    Frank sets a hand on my shoulder. “Anything you want to
talk about, Sassy—”
“Nope. Not even remotely.”
“Right,” Mom says. “I know what we can do. Shopping.
    Shopping fixes everything.”
“There’s nothing to fix,” I say in a swift, defensive way that
negates what I actually said.
Mom plays along anyway. “Let’s go shopping. And take
the convertible.”
I lift my glass of orange juice. “Cheers to that.”

h
    My diversion plan works perfectly. It’s not as if it’s hard.
Lawrence was an intriguing (and okay, fine, very goodlooking) guy that I knew for about three seconds. Nothing
more. The sting of humiliation passes fairly easily.
    Or so it seems. The crack in the facade comes two days
later. Eddie and I are playing catch in the backyard while
Mom and Frank clean up after a barbecue. Project Cheer
Up Moody Teenager has included all manner of diversions.
And I’m not complaining. In fact, I kind of love my family
for it.
    I help Mom and Frank finish cleaning. They bring in the
last of the plates, and I’m going out to make sure we haven’t
left any watermelon rinds for the yellow jackets to swarm over
when Eddie runs up to me, dismayed.
“Cassie! I can’t find my football!”
    With an eyebrow raised, I point to the red toddler-sized football in his hands, and he sighs with exasperation.
“My green one, Cassie. I lost it!”
I ruffle his curly, little mop top. “Easy, kiddo. I’ll help you
find it.”
    Mom’s voice drifts out from inside the kitchen. “Who wants
ice cream?”
Eddie’s eyes brighten like twin comets. I can’t help but
laugh. The kid has got to be the most easy-to-excite human
being on earth.
“Go get some ice cream,” I say. “I’ll find your green football.”
He trundles off, nearly falling over in his eagerness. Shaking
my head with a smile, I survey the lawn. It takes a minute of
looking before I spot