"Why are you siding with Diana on this? You've always been the one to jump to the defense of Outsiders."
"Cassie, what's going on with you? Come here." Adam tried to reach for her, but she pulled away.
Cassie knew she was overreacting - this was Adam, the guy who stayed up all night on her front porch just to protect her. And Adam and Diana had been friends their whole lives; of course Diana went to him for advice. But she still didn't want him to touch her.
"I'm not siding with anyone," Adam said. "These aren't normal circumstances. You know that."
But all Cassie could hear right now was Diana in Adam's words, and she couldn't help but be a little hurt.
"I feel with my entire being that Scarlett is safe," Cassie said.
Adam looked like he was about to reach for Cassie again, but then he thought better of it. "I just want you to be careful," he said. "I'm always on your side. You know that." He carefully moved in closer to her. "I'm sorry I raised my voice. But I feel strongly about this. We have no way of knowing that Scarlett isn't a witch hunter. She arrived in town the same night Constance died."
"You're being ridiculous," Cassie said.
"No, you're being ridiculous. And stubborn." Cassie took a deep breath and tried to settle down.
"Let's just drop it, okay?"
But Adam refused. "I know you really like Scarlett," he said. "And I get it, I do. She seems nice and funny and pretty. We all like her, but it's not a good time to let your guard down."
"It never is when you're one of us."
"You say that like you don't want to be one of us, like it's some kind of curse."
"Let's just finish the movie," Cassie said.
"Cassie, look at me."
"I'll stop hanging out with her, okay?" Cassie shouted. "I ran into her by accident, but I'm sure Diana didn't mention that part."
Cassie clicked the TV back on. She stared straight ahead and sat as far away from Adam as the couch would allow. She was done talking for the night.
Chapter 12
Cassie slept late into the afternoon the next day, which was unlike her. Normally she was an early riser, whether she wanted to be or not. But she must have needed the rest, because she woke up feeling refreshed and with a clearer head than she had the night before. Cassie's argument with Adam had left her feeling confused and upset last night, but today was a new day. And it was beautiful and sunny, not a cloud in the sky.
After getting dressed in her most comfortable jeans and favorite blue sweater, Cassie decided to head out for a walk. She wasn't quite ready yet to talk to Adam, or anyone really, but hopefully while she walked, the words would start coming to her, and she'd return home knowing just what to say to make everything right again. What Cassie needed was to better understand her own feelings. She wasn't a jealous person, and she didn't want to be. But she also couldn't ignore what was bothering her about Adam and Diana. She owed it to both of them, and to herself, to be honest. She knew they had a history together that she couldn't compete with.
Cassie tied her sneakers tightly and went out the back door. She trudged through the maze of her grandmother's herb garden and across the surrounding acre of swaying green grass. She stepped over a few soggy piles of stray leaves and along the path of sand and dirt that led to the leaves and along the path of sand and dirt that led to the bluff.
There she found Nick out by the water's edge. He'd taken his leather jacket off and tossed it on the ground beside him. The wind off the water was blowing through his white T-shirt as if he were flying. It fanned his dark brown hair up from his sober face. Watching Nick when he didn't have his defenses up was like overhearing a secret. It made Cassie feel special to witness it but also a little bit guilty.
Cassie had wanted to be alone, but now she wanted nothing more than to be with Nick. Not in a romantic sense, of course. She loved Adam, but that didn't mean she and Nick couldn't be friends. So she went to him, preparing herself the whole way for his rejection of her company. But she felt she had to try at least. Nick may have been dark and brooding, he may have been unpredictable, and most days he could even be called rude - but there was a solid center beneath all that, and it was pure, like the crystal ine core to a rough rock. Cassie had seen it, and she was determined to break through his tough exterior to reach it again. She missed his friendship - even though she knew she was pushing him to be friends when their breakup was still so fresh.
"Hi," she called out to him from a few steps back, not wanting to startle him.
He turned slowly, unsurprised to see her, almost like he was expecting her.
"Hi," he said, which was invitation enough for Cassie to join him.
"How are you?" Cassie asked.
"Okay. How are you?"
"Good."
It was awkward, definitely, but as they persevered through it, they began to slowly settle into their old habits.
Nick teased her, pretending to be cruel, and Cassie rolled with his punches, laughing too loud. She'd wanted this for so long, she didn't want to mess it up, but there was one thing she couldn't let go.
"Can I ask you something?" she said, when there was a lull in their conversation.
Nick nodded, his jaw strong. "You can ask me anything, but it doesn't mean I'll answer you."
Cassie grinned. "Did you come out here hoping to see me?"
"Wow, you're conceited." Nick cracked up laughing.
"Is that a yes?"
Nick stopped laughing then and just smiled. He was so stingy with his full-toothed smile, Cassie had forgotten how beautiful and bright it was when it happened. Its scarcity only made it that much more valuable.
"Maybe the thought of you coming out here vaguely crossed my mind," Nick said. "I have missed this between us."
At last. This was the Nick she knew.
"Me too," Cassie said.
"Now I get to ask you something." Nick flashed his bad-boy grin. "Is Adam driving you crazy yet?"
"Nick!"
"Nick!"
"He is. I know he is. Don't even try to deny it."
"No comment," Cassie said, laughing. But then she added, "I guess I'm still getting used to his - "
"Smothering?"
"His goodness," Cassie scolded. "Now be nice." Nick suddenly appeared lighter, happier. Maybe all he needed to feel better was to take a good shot at Adam.
Cassie let her eyes go soft on the ocean. "I promise things will go back to normal," she said. "For you and me.