The Reason Why
//chapter eleven//

     There was an awkward moment of silence after Stephanie left.
     "Hi, I'm, uh, Cara. Cara Evans. Really Caroline Evans, but I hate that name, so its... Cara." I rambled, trying to break the ice between us. 
     "Dominick. Dom for short," he said with a smile.
     Which made me smile.
     It was then that I realized, I hadn't really smiled a real smile in... hell, a really long time!
     Dom chuckled. "I hate when Steph calls me Dommie," he remarked. I laughed. 
     "Yeaah, I wasn't so sure about that," I agreed, still grinning. "So, uh... you and Steph are, like, dating?" I asked uneasily, gulping. I could feel my smile fade and a Texas-sized pit grow in my stomach.
     "Yupp." He clarified with a sigh, but smiled again. "Five months."
     "Wow, nice." I managed to reply. 
     "Look, I've been trying to find a way to say this... but I'm really sorry... about, well you know... your parents..." Dom said, shifting his feet nervously. His green eyes watched me, waiting for my reaction.
     It felt as if a forty pound weight had been dropped on my stomach. Stephanie told?
     Well, I guess she had to. How else was she supposed to explain why her cousin had suddenly come to live with her? A cousin she never knew?
     I opened my mouth to speak, but words refused to come out. Suddenly mute, I jabbed my thumb in the direction of my locker.
     "G-Got-Gotta go," I literally forced the words out, then quickly shut up to avoid bawling. My legs felt like they were on auto-pilot as I speed-walked to my locker.
     "Cara, come on, I'm sorry," Dom said trying to follow me.
     "It's okay," I swallowed hard. "Not your fault." 
     He stopped and sighed, turning as I fumbled with my lock. Opening it after several attempts, I heard the shrill bell ring as first period started. But I didn't care. I stuck my head in my locker and tried to calm myself down. Everything had been going great, until he brought up Mom and Dad. Students hurriedly got to class, leaving me standing there, alone at my locker.

poor Cara... :P
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