Chapter 44

Cassie woke up with a smile on her face. She moved her head left and right but Peter was not in the tent. She sat up and started looking for her clothes. She was slightly disappointed because of Peter’s absence as she was expecting to wake up in his arms or at least his presence around her in the tent.

After slipping herself into clothes she waited for a few minutes and then decided to go out. Peter was coming towards her. “When did you wake up?”

Peter while showing her icy attitude. “I couldn’t sleep.”

Cassie sensed the change in his demeanor but she ignored and smiled. “I sleep very well.”

Peter tucked his hands in his pockets. “I am heading inside.” and he walked away from her. Cassie didn’t like his insensitive behavior but she refrained to ask anything or follow him this time.

Cassie walked over to her tent and sat down. Cassie covered her face with her hands and realized she had fallen for a stone-hearted person last night. She should have warned him and stormed out of his tent. She kind of locked herself in for the rest of the trip and only got out when needed.

Cassie was expecting for the first few hours that Peter would come and ask or talk about what had happened between them but he didn’t do anything like this. Instead, Cassie didn’t see him whenever she got out of his tent. All the time she was thinking how could she feel everything real between them? Cassie remembers everything so vividly that Peter confronted his feelings for her and then he was the one who took the first step and now he is avoiding her like nothing had happened.

Cassie's bag zipper broke on the way back, letting all of her stuff fall out. Peter tried to help her, but she stopped him. He ignored her and started picking up her scattered stuff. Cassie threw everything and stood up.“What the fuck are you doing now?"

Peter picked up her stuff along with her bag. “Just trying to help you when you need it.”

Cassie yelled. “You know what I need the most is an explanation of your insensitive behavior towards me.”

Peter sighed. “Cassie, can’t we forget whatever happened?”

Cassie’s eyes widened. “So, it is WHATEVER for you now?”

Peter shook his head. “Just think of it as a mistake or heat of the moment and forget it because it meant nothing to me.”

Cassie's chest tightened as she felt both angry and sad. "How do you say that?" How could you just brush it off like it wasn't a big deal?" Her voice was shaking, and tears were coming out of her eyes.

Peter didn't give her the bag back yet. "I'm not ignoring it. I just believe both of us should move on. We can't keep thinking about one night."

Cassie shook her head and wiped a tear off her cheek. "Peter, it wasn't just one night for me. It had meaning. Everything changed."

Peter looked at her, and his face became a little less serious. "I am sorry to hurt you." "I just... I thought it would be easier if we both set it aside."

"Easier for who?" Cassie lost it, her anger rising again. "You? Because clearly you don't want to deal with it. you cared a damn about me.”

He took a deep breath and slouched his shoulders. "No, Cassie, that's not it. I only care about you as a friend."

Cassie asked. "Then why the hell did you tell me that I have become for than a friend to you?"

Peter clenched his hands around what he had in his hands. "I told you it was a mistake and I can't share what is mine so I don't fit in your life in any way possible except as a friend."

Cassie sarcastically laughed. “Are you jealous of Steven and Daniel?”

Peter immediately shook his head. “No, not at all. They are my friends and I don’t want to do anything to hurt them. They are the reason I am not planning to snatch you from them.”

Cassie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She raised her hands in the air and then opened her eyes. “Just tell me one thing do you want this thing to end between us or not?”

Peter nodded. “Yes, I only want to be your friend and that's it.”

Cassie snatched her stuff and bag from him and walked away. She sat on a bus and closed her eyes until she reached her place. After the trip, Peter and Cassie didn't talk to each other at all.
Daniel and Steven sensed their cold war, but neither felt it was appropriate to intervene. They also believed that exams were the reason Cassie and Peter became adversaries.

Peter knew he had hurt her deeply, but he continued to tease Cassie in class, just like they used to, about securing the top spot, as a way to divert her attention from her sadness and into a competitive mindset.

One day before exams after the class Peter looked at Cassie. “Are you ready for second positions?”

Cassie looked right into his eyes. “You know you’ll die and take this wish with you to the grave.”

Peter laughed.”So, now you are so scared of me that you wish me to die?”

Cassie crossed her arms against her chest. “I am not scared of you because no matter how much you try you’ll not come first if we share the same class.”

Peter held out his hand. “Challenge?”

Cassie shook hands with him. “Challenge accepted.”

Cassie didn’t share anything with Steven and Daniel because she saw what they did with Ryker and she didn’t want them to do the same with Peter. Cassie didn’t want to be the reason behind their broken friendship.
During the fall break, Cassie had no contact with Peter. She started doing it over time on her job and earned good money. Daniel came to meet Cassie at her place and sometimes Cassie went to meet Steven in his dorm. She heard about Peter from them that he joined his mom’s business during the break.

Steven and Daniel finally started talking about Cassie in her absence and they set a time for each other who would go and meet her. Steven was okay that Ruth only knew about Daniel. He understood it was not easy to tell your parent about your multiple love interests.