Page 93 of As the Rain Falls (Sainte Madeleine #1)
KEEP THE LIGHTS OFF
Beckett
Angelina hops off the car, her long brown hair flying behind her as she rushes to the gates. Her mother welcomes her home with a tight hug and a kiss on her forehead, and I wave at them awkwardly after she calls out my name to tell me goodbye.
Feeling a little less anxious now that my friend has set things straight, I turn the car around and drive back to Port des Ondes. But when I get home, the feeling of tightness in my chest returns, a little heavier than before.
Her bicycle is still there.
Same spot.
Same angle.
It’s like she dropped it days ago and never bothered to pick it up again, and the thought deeply unsettles me.
I park the car in a rush, then step out into the night.
The air is humid, sticking to my skin, and the streets are empty. Everything is dark, except a faint light coming from the living room. I knock on her door, pushing the thoughts about her brother and her parents aside.
No answer comes.
I knock again, louder this time.
“Come on, baby.”
Still nothing.
The lack of response leaves me hanging, and I take a few steps back, checking through the windows to see if there’s anyone there. Regret comes to mind, once again. I should have done more than texting. I should have been a real good fucking friend for once, but it’s too late to cry about it now.
I knock a third time instead, and only then do I hear the sound of steps dragging closer. Cassandra only cracks the door open enough to show me half of her face, bare of any makeup. The tension in my shoulder eases, turning into a tight pinch, but it doesn’t go away entirely.
“Oh, thank God,” I breathe out. “You’re okay.”
“Beckett?” she says my name like she’s surprised to see me there. “What are you doing here?”
I touch the handle, silently urging her to let me in.
“I’m here to see you. You won’t answer my texts.”
“Oh.” She bites her lower lip guiltily. “Dad and Nathan went out for dinner. I didn’t want to go. Do you… Do you want to come in for a sec?”
I nod quickly.
She steps aside, giving me just enough space to walk in. The house is dark, the only light in the room spilling from a lamp, and our shadows stretch and merge together. I slip my hands into my pockets, my fingers itching for me to do something.
“Sorry.” Cassandra glances down before turning her back to me. “I get paranoid when I’m alone at the house. Port des Ondes really creeps the shit out of me at night.”
A weak smile tugs at the corner of my lips.
“Lucia and I used to hide underneath the covers and tell each other horror stories all the time when we were kids.” I look around, trying to see something through the darkness. “Why don’t you turn the lights on?”
“I have a headache,” she explains, sounding a little tired. Her hands fly up, fixing her hair around her face. “Might be migraines.”
Now that my eyes have adjusted a little more, I make out what I assume to be pink-and-white striped pajamas and a pair of fluffy bunny slippers covering her feet.
Cassandra is way too covered for the kind of weather Le Port has to offer, but I think she might be feeling cold because the windows of the house are all closed.
“I was making myself some tea. Do you want something to drink?” she adds after a beat, her steps hesitant before she walks me to the kitchen. “Peppermint? Camomile?”
“Peppermint. No sugar.”
I lean on the counter, watching her move around the kitchen with proficiency.
Then I see it—Pepé’s bed—the one she’d made to welcome him in her home.
It’s layered with at least ten different pillows.
The light of the lamp shines softly, a book forgotten in between the covers. She’d been reading before I came over.
“Cassandra?” I say.
“Yes?”
“Angelina told me about what’s been happening at school.”
The kettle slips from her hand, crashing abruptly into the sink. Hot water spills everywhere.
“Fuck!” Cassandra hisses, yanking her hands to her chest. “Fucking hell!”
I motion towards the light switch, but she snaps.
“Don’t you dare turn the lights on, Beckett, or I swear to God, I’ll never speak to you again!”
My steps falter.
“Why?”
“Just…” she exhales sharply. “Don’t.”
I angle my head, trying to see her clearly, but she keeps her face turned away. My fingers hover over the switch. I don’t press it immediately because I don’t want to push her, but something feels wrong. Something feels really fucking wrong.
“Cass, let me turn them on.”
“This was a bad idea.” Her voice cracks, making her sound more nervous than before. “I need you to leave.”
“Cassandra, please,” I insist, my thoughts starting to spiral.
My fingers linger over the surface of the switch now, but for a second, I just stop and listen to her breathe. It’s steady at first, but eventually, I hear her gasping and making sounds like that of a child in pain.
“I need you to go!” she whines, her breath coming out in chopped bits.
There’s something she doesn’t want me to see .
I blink hard, knowing my mind is racing to figure out what’s happening. Cassandra doesn’t move away; she reaches out instead.She holds out her hand, tapping the counter, leaning against it as if it’s the only thing she can hold onto.
A sob comes out of her, long, anguished and desperate. It takes me less than a second to make the final decision, and and everything feels so quiet inside of me.
“Cassandra, I’m turning the lights on.” I warn her, swallowing hard before I press the switch.