said.
“Well?” Cassie said.
“I thought I mentioned it last night,” Bryan said.
Cassie gripped the phone tight to her ear.
“Mentioned what?” she gasped.
“That Zoe-” Zoe! The wench has a name! “-has a son,” Bryan said.
“How old is he?” Cassie said. “What’s his name?”
“I’ll talk to you about this at home tonight,” Bryan said. “I really don’t have time to-”
“No, please,” Cassie said. “Tell me now.”
“All right,” Bryan said. “He’s your age. His name is Aaron. Look, I have to get going. We’ll talk about this more tonight.”
The phone fell from Cassie’s hand struck the floor, and though it had fallen, her hand remained beside her face. She stared ahead, at the corridor wall. It was some time before she regained her faculties.
Her phone was bleeping. Her father had hung up. Cassie picked it up, turned, and headed back toward the classroom. She was about to push on the door when she stopped, looking through the glass at Aaron sat on the front row.
Mrs. Rae was saying something to the class, who were already busy packing up their things. Cassie’s life suddenly felt like this, like she was an observer, peering in from the outside. She needed to retake control. She girded herself and entered the classroom.
She picked up her notepad and pen and whispered in Aaron’s ear.
“Meet me on the playing field behind the music room,” she said. “And come alone.”
She blustered past Pete.
“What was all that about?” Pete said.
“I’m sure I don’t know,” Aaron said.
12
It had occurred to Aaron that Cassie had taken the revelation of his mother and her father dating rather well. Too well. And the fact that they were going to be stepbrother and sister, or at the very least eventually living under the same roof as if they were, had made him don several layers of extra clothing that morning for fear he was going to get hammered. He relaxed during chemistry when Cassie seemed unaffected by the news. But now Cassie had insisted on them meeting alone out in the quieter area of the school grounds, suggesting his fear of violence was perhaps not entirely unfounded.
He poked his head out of a door and looked down toward the corner of the music room that backed onto the playing field. Cassie was smoking a cigarette right under a No Smoking sign.
“What’s up, sis?” Aaron said.
Cassie tossed her cigarette on the ground and stamped on it with her heel.
“Don’t you ever call me that,” she said. “I’m not your sister, and I never will be. How long have you known about our parents?”
“Since yesterday,” Aaron said. “I didn’t know your father even existed before then. Well, obviously I knew you had a father, but-”
“Well, that’s very convenient,” Cassie said, crossing her arms.
“Convenient how?” Aaron said.
“We get partnered up in chemistry,” Cassie said. “And then this happens?”
“I didn’t want to be with you any more than you wanted to be with me,” Aaron said.
“And I suppose this ridiculous idea our parents have of getting together has nothing to do with you?” Cassie said.
“Of course it doesn’t,” Aaron said. “If you can get over yourself for one minute you’ll realize I don’t want you for a sister any more than you want me for a brother! My life’s hard enough with you and Clint at school, never mind in my home life too.”
Cassie looked Aaron over. She seemed convinced Aaron’s anger was genuine.
“This cannot be allowed to happen,” she said. “My reputation is at stake. No one is to know about this. This is between you and me. That’s all.”
“Believe me,” Aaron said. “This is every bit as embarrassing for me as it is for you.”
“Somehow I find that very hard to believe,” Cassie said.
“It’s true,” Aaron said.
“What do you have to be worried about?” Cassie said. “The worst you’ll get is the rep that your stepsister is a total fox.”
“You’re so
“Well?” Cassie said.
“I thought I mentioned it last night,” Bryan said.
Cassie gripped the phone tight to her ear.
“Mentioned what?” she gasped.
“That Zoe-” Zoe! The wench has a name! “-has a son,” Bryan said.
“How old is he?” Cassie said. “What’s his name?”
“I’ll talk to you about this at home tonight,” Bryan said. “I really don’t have time to-”
“No, please,” Cassie said. “Tell me now.”
“All right,” Bryan said. “He’s your age. His name is Aaron. Look, I have to get going. We’ll talk about this more tonight.”
The phone fell from Cassie’s hand struck the floor, and though it had fallen, her hand remained beside her face. She stared ahead, at the corridor wall. It was some time before she regained her faculties.
Her phone was bleeping. Her father had hung up. Cassie picked it up, turned, and headed back toward the classroom. She was about to push on the door when she stopped, looking through the glass at Aaron sat on the front row.
Mrs. Rae was saying something to the class, who were already busy packing up their things. Cassie’s life suddenly felt like this, like she was an observer, peering in from the outside. She needed to retake control. She girded herself and entered the classroom.
She picked up her notepad and pen and whispered in Aaron’s ear.
“Meet me on the playing field behind the music room,” she said. “And come alone.”
She blustered past Pete.
“What was all that about?” Pete said.
“I’m sure I don’t know,” Aaron said.
12
It had occurred to Aaron that Cassie had taken the revelation of his mother and her father dating rather well. Too well. And the fact that they were going to be stepbrother and sister, or at the very least eventually living under the same roof as if they were, had made him don several layers of extra clothing that morning for fear he was going to get hammered. He relaxed during chemistry when Cassie seemed unaffected by the news. But now Cassie had insisted on them meeting alone out in the quieter area of the school grounds, suggesting his fear of violence was perhaps not entirely unfounded.
He poked his head out of a door and looked down toward the corner of the music room that backed onto the playing field. Cassie was smoking a cigarette right under a No Smoking sign.
“What’s up, sis?” Aaron said.
Cassie tossed her cigarette on the ground and stamped on it with her heel.
“Don’t you ever call me that,” she said. “I’m not your sister, and I never will be. How long have you known about our parents?”
“Since yesterday,” Aaron said. “I didn’t know your father even existed before then. Well, obviously I knew you had a father, but-”
“Well, that’s very convenient,” Cassie said, crossing her arms.
“Convenient how?” Aaron said.
“We get partnered up in chemistry,” Cassie said. “And then this happens?”
“I didn’t want to be with you any more than you wanted to be with me,” Aaron said.
“And I suppose this ridiculous idea our parents have of getting together has nothing to do with you?” Cassie said.
“Of course it doesn’t,” Aaron said. “If you can get over yourself for one minute you’ll realize I don’t want you for a sister any more than you want me for a brother! My life’s hard enough with you and Clint at school, never mind in my home life too.”
Cassie looked Aaron over. She seemed convinced Aaron’s anger was genuine.
“This cannot be allowed to happen,” she said. “My reputation is at stake. No one is to know about this. This is between you and me. That’s all.”
“Believe me,” Aaron said. “This is every bit as embarrassing for me as it is for you.”
“Somehow I find that very hard to believe,” Cassie said.
“It’s true,” Aaron said.
“What do you have to be worried about?” Cassie said. “The worst you’ll get is the rep that your stepsister is a total fox.”
“You’re so
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