He rests his hand on my spine. “I should have set an alarm. I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s my fault too. I shouldn’t have closed my eyes.” I pull my shirt over my head and turn round to face him. “Your bed was too comfortable.”
He grins. “When we get our own place, we’ll get a new bed together.”
“I like that idea.” I lean over and peck him on the lips.
“I love you. See you later?”
“I’ll text you.”
I curse myself all the way out of his house and across the road. All I can do is hope Mum and Dad have gone to sleep.
Maybe I’m eighteen now, but I think they’d be disappointed if I stayed out all night.
The house is quiet. I open the front door and make my way in. The kitchen light is on, and I groan.
Mum appears in the doorway. “Want a hot chocolate?”
I could just go to bed. But I get the feeling she wants to talk. Especially since she stayed up this late.
“Sounds good.” I follow her back into the kitchen. “I didn’t think you’d still be up.”
She shrugs. “You might be an adult now and about to leave home, but I still worry. That’s what you do when you’re a parent.”
“I’m sorry. I fell asleep.”
Mum reaches for two mugs as the jug boils. “I’m just glad you’re home.”
I lean on the bench with my elbows. “I really am sorry, Mum. I didn’t mean to stay out so late. We had dinner, and Patrick made a mess of it. So then we had pizza. And then during the evening I fell asleep when I didn’t mean to. I just woke up and freaked out and thought it was better to come home than stay out all night.”
“Like I said, I’m glad you’re home.”
She makes the hot chocolate in silence, and then we take it into the living room to drink it.
Mum studies me closely. “So you two are serious?”
I nod. “We are. Patrick keeps talking about getting a place together in Auckland.”
Mum frowns. “I thought you were staying in the student accommodation.”
“I am. But maybe not forever.” I take a sip of hot chocolate.
She smiles. “I want you to be happy. And if being with him makes you happy, then I’m all for it. Just be careful, Cassie. You’ve got such a gentle heart and I don’t want to see it hurt.”
“I promise.”
If only I realised just how empty that promise was.
8
CASSIE
In the two weeks since we first slept together, we’ve been inseparable.
We haven’t had the opportunity to sneak anywhere to have sex again, but our relationship is at a whole other level.
I’m not sure what Auckland will bring, but we’re together now and I hope we can move in together one day.
