Out of Reach

Chapter Sixteen

I hurled my body against the dorm door, swinging it open, wiggling the stuck key out.

"I am not letting you pay for me, again..." I said, placing my backpack down on my desk, "...let me just grab my wallet, and then we can eat all the diner pancakes that we can handle."

"This is where you live, huh?" Cassidy said, closing the door behind him.

"Yup, one of the finest freshman dorms this campus has to offer."

My sarcastic tone didn't go unrecognized as Cassidy chuckled, moseying over to my side of the bed and taking in the room. He placed his backpack down on the floor and sat on my bed.

"You live off-campus, right?" I asked, looking under some clothes on my desk chair for my wallet.

"Yeah, at my mom's house."

"That's nice! I didn't realize you were from around here."

I found my pocketbook, took out my wallet, made my way over to the bed, and sat down next to Cassidy.

Cassidy looked over at me, "Yeah, I grew up in the area. My mom lives around ten minutes from here."

"You're lucky," I said, "being so close to home."

Cassidy's lips pierced as he hesitantly nodded, looking around the room as he spoke, "It has its moments. I don't know if I would go so far as to say I'm 'lucky.'"

"Do you have any siblings?"

"No, it's just me. I stay home for her. She needs me." Cassidy's eyes flickered back towards me.

There was something else, something more than he wasn't telling me. I could see it behind his eyes. My gaze lingered on Cassidy's as I tried to figure out what he meant by that. She needs me.

"I'm sure she appreciates you being home."

Cassidy nodded, standing up and walking over towards the door.

"Ready for pancakes?" He asked, placing his hand on the doorknob.

I nodded, grabbing my jacket and heading out the door.

"Do you have any siblings? I mean, besides your brother?" Cassidy asked, continuing our conversation as we walked across campus towards the diner.

I hesitated thinking about Tyler.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"No, it's okay," I clarified, Cassidy now observing me as we continued to walk.

I continued, "It's just me now. No other siblings."

"That must be hard on your parents now that you're here. There's no one home."

"Well, my parents got divorced shortly after Tyler's passed, and now I just found out my dad is getting married to some girl who's not that much older than me, only knowing her for about a month."

"Shit, sorry. That's rough."

"Yeah...I've adapted though," I admit, "Had to. It's the only way to cope."

Cassidy and I made eye contact before I looked down at my feet. I hate having people feel sorry for me.

Before Cassidy could say something, I changed the subject, "Let's head out."

We made it to the diner, and each ordered chocolate chip pancakes.

"I would die for these pancakes," I mumbled, taking another bite.

Cassidy smiled, watching me as I took another bite of his. The only seat available in the diner was a small corner booth towards the back. Our shoulders grazed one another as we continued to eat our pancakes.