Free LIKE RAIN by Leen Elle Page B

early," he said coming to sit down next to me. "What's wrong babe? Why are you crying?"
    I shook my head. "I don't know. Everything is just falling apart."
    He put an arm around my shoulders. "Don't cry baby. I hate to see you so sad," he said. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk earlier. You're right, you shouldn't have to do anything you don't want to."
    I wasn't sure I believed what he was saying, but I wanted to remain in his arms. I could hear Maddy's voice in my mind. Don't listen to him, she was saying. You're supposed to be with Cael.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter Twenty
     
     
     
    I could never get away from Cael, not with him as my Physics partner. "Your dad came asking for you again, Nev," he said that morning during homeroom. "I couldn't just not tell him where his daughter was."
    "What?" I said. "You told him where I was?"
    "Well he kind of already knew. He saw you go off with that guy. He just doesn't know how to contact you."
    "Well good," I replied. "I don't want him to contact me."
    "Nevaeh, you can't just hide from him forever," Cael argued. "You're his daughter. You're only sixteen years old. Besides, what happens when you and Nathan break up?"
    I shot him a look. "Who says we're going to break up?" I said defensively.
    "Come on," he said. "You really think you're going to be together forever?"
    I glared at him. "Oh, like you and Kyla are really going to last," I said sarcastically.
    "Hey, what we have is real," he replied. "She likes me for who I am. Can you say that about Nathan? I'm sure he's already tried to get something from you."
    My mouth dropped. I didn't know what to say. "Of course he hasn't!" I lied. "Nathan loves me for who I am, not what I can give him. He would never pressure me into doing something I wouldn't want to do."
    "Maybe he didn't have to pressure you," he said suspiciously.
    I stared at him with widened eyes, amazed at what he said. I could tell by his face that he wished he hadn't said that. He knew instantly that he had went too far.
    "Nevaeh," he said with regret in his voice.
    I picked up my books and stood up. "I hope you and Kyla have a very nice life." I turned and walked out of the room.
    I didn't know where to go, all I knew was that I didn't want to stick around. I got my backpack from out of my locker and left the building. When I got outside I saw a familiar car sitting in the parking lot. I looked at the woman sitting in the driver's seat. It was Jasmine.
    She saw me before I could run away. She opened her car door. "Nevaeh!" she called. "Come here!"
    I shook my head. "I'm not going with you!" I yelled back.
    Despite the distance, I could tell she was crying. "It's your father," she yelled. "He's been in an accident."
    It took me a moment to process the information, but once I did my head began to ache. "He's what?" I asked.
    "Come on," she said. It didn't matter that I couldn't stand her. I ran to her anyway. "Get in the car." She got in the driver's seat and I ran around to the passenger side door.
    "What happened?" I asked.
    She wiped her tears. "He was in a car accident on his way home from work last night," she said shakily.
    "Is he alright?"
    She shook her head. "He fell into a coma early this morning. Even if he wakes up it's possible he could be paralyzed."
    "Oh my God," I exclaimed. "Have you been to see him yet?"
    "No," she replied. "I was too afraid to go alone." We arrived at the hospital 10 minutes later and were directed to my father's room. We found a nurse and asked if we could go in to see him. She told us it was fine.
    "I'll let you go in first by yourself if you want," Jasmine said. It surprised me. It was like she acted normal under pressure, almost likeable.
    I went in my father's room and saw him lying on his hospital bed, bandages on his head and arms. It was weird seeing him so helpless. I could hear the steady beeping of the heart monitor, and I watched his chest rise and fall. I had never been very close to