Second Chances, Kimberly Berryhill [best short novels of all time .TXT] 📗

felt as hard as brick.
* * * *
Derek woke up early the next morning preparing for a jog. He left his dorm feeling lost. He had never felt anything like this before. He felt excited to see her again, but at the same time, didn’t want too. He did not want to start to get his hopes up in this place, then have them come crashing down when he was handed a moving box. Although, he knew he shouldn’t Derek felt himself worrying about things like what he should wear that day, should he wear his cologne or does she even like guys with cologne. His thoughts were crowded with the girl he met only the day before. How can such little time with Cassie cause him to totally change his point of view? He pondered.
He started his sprint outside into the woods that were out back behind the girls’ and boys’ dorms. He was guessing on where certain assessable running trails were and was pleased to find out he had taken the right one. Look at here, it’s only the second day and I’m already getting comfortable with the place. He thought to himself. That thought was interrupted by a dark one. Why was he getting comfortable? He wasn’t staying here long. He frowned to himself and found a bend that led to an opening. The ground leading to the crevice did not look as worn down as the regular path. Derek’s adventurous instinct got the better of him, and he started jogging down into the break in the woods. It didn’t look like much. Disappointed, he continued down the rough terrain, running more than jogging. He ran around a sharp curve. All in one moment it happened so fast. One minute he was running free, and the next he was atop of someone he had toppled into.
“Hey, watch it!” a girl’s voice squealed from under him. Derek quickly rolled over onto his feet. He held his hand out to help the young women with whom he collided with. “Don’t bother!” she snapped, pushing his hand away. She was in the middle of wiping off her knees, and mumbling something along the lines of how if jerks watched where they were going the world would be a lot safer place when Derek noticed the familiar brown hair and body shape.
“Cassie?!” The girl immediately responded to her name, and stood up. He saw recognition dawn in her eyes. Of course, when I go somewhere to figure out what I’m going to do about Cassie. Who’s going to show up? Cassie! Derek thought. He had to admit to himself he was much more pleased than annoyed.
* * * *
Of all the people on this campus that Cassie could have ran into it just had to be him! She did not want him seeing her with her bed head in a ragged pony-tail, her in sweats, and while she was sweating! As soon as he said her name she knew it had been him. She didn’t have to look up to see who that all too familiar voice came from. The same voice that had been in her dreams the night before. Now, Cassie stood straight up facing Derek. She was tongue-tied.
“Fancy running into each other here, literally.” His joke caused her to giggle nervously. Derek laughed at her expression. “You’re as white as a sheet. I didn’t scare you that much did I?” he teased. Cassie finally composed herself.
“Whatever, I didn’t expect anyone to be shooting around the corner like that.”
“So you think I’m fast?” he challenged.
“Not in the least. I just didn’t assume a person would be coming that’s all.”
“Ha, okay. You’re just saying that because you don’t want to admit that you were impressed.” Cassie raised her eyebrows at his remark.
“Not even. I could lap you around that whole campus.” she shot back playfully.
“Oh, you’re on. Race you back to the dorms?”
“On three.” was her reply. They got into position beside each other, and started counting off together.
“One, two...”
“Three!” Cassie finished. Off they went. Both were fast indeed. Cassie pushed herself more. She glanced sideways and saw that Derek was also impressed by her speed. This gave her confidence. She started running at her full speed. Derek noticed the change immediately, and pushed himself to his maximum velocity. He pulled ahead of her, snickering slightly at the surprised look that sprang on Cassie’s face. Apparently, she heard his laughter, because a moment later she had pushed herself in front of him. He caught up beside her with much effort. They were about to be to their dorms. They both realized this at once, and speed up even more. With one last stride they tumbled onto the campus simultaneously. They were both breathing hard and were leaning on their knees. Derek was the first to straggle out a sentence.
“Good race. I admit I didn’t think you could be that fast.”
“Thanks. You were good too.”
“Well, we tied. We need to settle the score somehow.”
“You’re on.” Cassie challenged.
“We need to come up with how else we can compete. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like going through that again for another couple of days.” he sighed.
“True. We know we have some things in common now.” she suggested.
“Yeah, we both like to run, we both like to win, and we both have an untied shoelace” Derek pointed to her right shoe, then back to his. They laughed at the coincidence, and bent down to tie they’re laces. However, as they were bending down they bumped heads which caused them to topple over each other shaking with laughter.
“Don’t mind us, Cass.” Nicole shouted from a few feet away. Both Derek and Cassie, quickly untangling themselves from one another at the sound of the voice, looked up at Cassie’s two roommates who looked like they had just got back from jogging as well.
“Yeah, just pretend we’re not even here. We’ll be in the dorm when you say goodbye to your…friend?” Nicki posed the sentence as a question as if she was not sure if Derek and Cassie were just friends. They walked off into the girls dorm, giggling. They stopped before they went in; however, and gave Cassie a ‘you’ve got some explaining to do!’ look. After they had gone, Cassie gave a little groan of exasperation. She could tell they already had a million questions for her dancing in their minds.
“I guess that’s my queue to go and get ready for my second day here at Nestle Seed, huh?” Derek guessed.
“Yeah, I better get in there.” He could tell she wasn’t really looking forward to being ambushed with questions today. Derek gave her an understanding and pitied look.
“I’ll see you in science then.” he called as he strode off into his dorm. Cassie waved until he disappeared behind the glass doors. What was she going to tell her roommates?!
Chapter 5

It had been a long time since she has ever found someone who she clicked with so easily. The thought made a new break along her heart. She didn’t want to remember that time when he was in her life. Those wondrous years were stripped away quite awhile ago. Although she didn’t want to remember, she found herself unwilling to forget. It happened four years back, Cassie was thirteen and in love. Michael was fifteen and a bit more experienced. They met on a hiking trip arranged by their families. Michael and Cassie didn’t know it, but their relatives had hoped they would fall in love. They grew up right next to each other.
The first year they were together was the best in Cassie’s eyes. It was the honeymoon faze; although, they had not been intimate yet. She thought this was one of the reasons it was the happiest year, but she was still wondering where it went wrong. The year that followed had a few fights, but they always found their way back to each other…back together. Year number three was where it got a bit complicated. Michael was developing a need to change things up, and Cassie agreed. They were intimate and fell deeper in love.
The final year was the turning point of Cassie’s entire life. One day in March, Michael did something Cassie never thought he would do. He cried in front of her. He wouldn’t tell her why even though she wouldn’t stop insisting for him too. He explained the next day that he had had a lot on his mind, but Cassie didn’t buy it. One faithful summer day that year, came the abrupt end. She thought things were going great, that tear-filled day forgotten. They sat on her family’s porch swing laughing and talking about everything they loved. Michael’s face turned serious. He asked her to take a ride with him, and she agreed willingly. She didn’t know the road they were on, and they had been driving for quite awhile. She tried to ask where they were, but he assured her she would be ok.
She remembered coming around the corner and seeing a large building and others, slightly smaller, surrounding it. She saw the sign in the front lawn. Nestle Seed Academy. Michael had stopped the truck, and stepped out. Cassie followed him down to the campus. He walked her up to what appeared to be the girl’s dorm, and she followed him all the way up to room 24C on the third level of the building.
“You’re not mine, anymore.” Michael’s words sent a shiver up her spine. “This is your home now. Please, stay. This is for the best. I can’t.” He walked out of her new dorm, and out of her life. That’s when Nicole and Nicki found her, with tears streaming silently down her face. They took her in and explained that the school was here for people that have a hard time or that need to get away. It helped them realize their full potential, and it helped them with their life. Cassie just nodded. They left her alone. Cassie spent the first months in a deep depression. Her parents had one to study in Fiji, and she never heard a word from Michael. She slowly adjusted to her new life. She didn’t mention anything to anyone about her past. She didn’t want them to know. It wasn’t their business. Michael never came, but his words still whispers in her head. She was broken, but wasn’t unfixable. She would always have the internal scars and breaks, but would be able to move on, eventually.
“Spill!”, Nicki and Nicole squealed out simultaneously, breaking her out of her revere. Cassie was sitting between her roommates on her single bed in their room. She relayed her morning story to her wide-eyed friends.
“Coincidences like that don’t just happen, Cassie!” Nicole explained. “You two already have so much in common and even you said it was like you were the