Sink: The Lost World (6 page)

Why her own father,
the CEO of a large and growing company, would be nervous about telling his own daughter about his decision to start seeing someone was a surprise to Cassie. She never expected a man like her father to be afraid of anything. But it turned out he was afraid of something: of losing Cassie, or at least her favor. Her mind turned to ways she might be able to exploit the situation. There was a nice pair of heels she had her eye on. Maybe if she spun her father the right way…

Mrs. Rae entered the classroom and addressed the students.

“Okay class,” she said. “Get into the same pairs you were in yesterday.”

“Aw,” Clint said. “Do we have to?”

“Yes,” Mrs. Rae said. “I’ve found this is the best way to encourage students to make friends outside their usual narrow groups. Take your seats please.”

Take
your
seats, not take
a
seat. Cassie made a face at Clint as she sat down at the front of the class. Aaron was already hunched over his microscope, peering at a slide.
What a nerd.

“Morning, Poindexter,” she said to him.

“Morning,” Aaron said. “Have a nice evening?”

“Not bad,” Cassie said. “Nothing to write home about.”

“Looks like we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other from now on, huh?” Aaron said.

“Yeah well, what can you do?” Cassie said, glancing at Mrs. Rae. “They’re in charge.”

“I never thought I’d hear you say that,” Aaron said.

“They’re in senior positions,” Cassie said. “What can I do but complain during PTA meetings?”

“So, you’re okay with this?” Aaron said.

“There’s nothing to be okay with,” Cassie said. “But the world is the way the world is.”

“That’s very philosophical,” Aaron said.

Cassie shrugged.

“At least now maybe you won’t think of me as such an idiot,” she said. “Let’s just make the best of a bad situation.”

“I don’t think you’re an idiot,” Aaron said. “I think you’re very smart.”

“You do?” Cassie said. She couldn’t hide her surprise.

“Sure,” Aaron said. “You’re in the top set for everything. Your grades are high enough to stop you from going down a set, low enough to make sure you don’t look like someone like me to your friends.”

“You noticed, huh?” Cassie said.

“I don’t understand why you think their opinions are important enough to hold yourself back though,” Aaron said.

“That’s something that will forever prevent you from entering my group of friends,” Cassie said.

“Thankfully,” Aaron said. “I’m surprised you’re taking this so calmly. I would have thought you’d go crazy at the damage it might do to your reputation.”

Cassie snorted.

“You’re not that important,” she said.

Aaron smiled at the gentle rebuke.

“I have some cool stuff you might like in my room,” he said. “Maybe I can show you sometime.”

“If this is your way of coming on to me, it’s not working,” Cassie said.

“I’m not coming on to you,” Aaron said. “If things go as my mom hopes, we’ll practically be family.”

“Wait,” Cassie said. “What?”

“Our parents are dating,” Aaron said. “Mom seems happy about it, and your dad too, by the sound of it.”

“What do you mean they’re dating?” Cassie said, panic rising in her chest.

“They’re going out,” Aaron said. He frowned. “Mom said your dad told you. They’re an item. Which means we’re probably going to end up being stepbrother and sister.”

“No!” Cassie said. “You’re wrong!”

Her voice had risen, getting the attention of other pairs close to them.

“Wrong about what?” Aaron said, lowering his voice. “It’s nice to have someone to talk to about all this. I can sense us getting closer already. By the way, if you think I’m going to be letting Clint come over and use my stuff, think again.”

Cassie rocked back in her chair like she’d been dealt a knockout blow. She stood up and walked toward the door.

“Cassie, where are you going?” Mrs. Rae said.

“To the toilet,” Cassie said.

“Have you finished your work?” Mrs. Rae said.

“We’re almost done, Miss,” Aaron said. “Cassie did most of the work. I’m just finishing up now.”

Aaron winked conspiratorially at Cassie.

Mrs. Rae pursed her lips.

“All right then,” she said. “Be quick about it.”

Cassie left the classroom, the world seeming to spin underneath her. The moment she was through the door, she hit speed dial and called her father’s cell. She was redirected.

“Angelo Industries, Bryan Angelo’s office. Rosetta speaking, how can I help?”

“Rosetta, this is Cassie. I need to speak to Dad right now.”

“I’m afraid he’s in an important meeting at the moment,” Rosetta said. “Would you like to leave a message?”

“This is far more important,” Cassie said. “Get him on the phone!”

“If you leave a message I’ll get him to call you as soon as possible,” Rosetta said calmly. Duty first, as always.

Cassie ground her teeth.

“I’ve been involved in an accident,” she said.

“An accident?” Rosetta said. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Cassie said. “Just a few bumps and bruises. But it might turn critical. I’m heading to the hospital now. I need Dad’s insurance number so I can pay for treatment.”

“I can give it to you if you want,” Rosetta said.

“No,” Cassie said. “I’d like Dad to know I’m okay, to hear my voice. I know he’ll worry to death about me otherwise.”

Please, please, please.

“
All right,” Rosetta said. “Give me a minute and I’ll get him for you.”

Cassie heard the phone being put down, and then movement in her office. A door opened, followed by muffled voices. Finally someone picked up the phone.

“Hello?” Bryan said.

“Dad, it’s me,” Cassie said.

“Are you all right?” Bryan said. “Rosetta told me you were in an accident.”

“I’m fine,” Cassie said. “There was no accident.”

“No accident?” Bryan said.

“I needed to get you out of your meeting,” Cassie said.

“I’ll see you at home,” Bryan said, his tone gruff.

“It’ll be too late by then,” Cassie said. “I need to talk to you about your new girlfriend.”

“What’s happened?” Bryan said.

“Nothing,” Cassie said. “I just have a question. This woman you’re seeing, you said she doesn’t mind about you having kids. Is there a reason for that?”

“A reason?” Bryan said. “Like what?”

“Like maybe she doesn’t mind because she has one herself?” Cassie said.

There was a pause on the end of the line. Cassie found herself hoping it was a problem with the line, not that her father was thinking.

“Hello?” Cassie said.

“Yeah, I’m here,” Bryan said.

“Well?” Cassie said.

“I thought I mentioned it last night,” Bryan said.

Cassie gripped the phone tight to her ear.

“Mentioned what?” she gasped.

“That Zoe-”
Zoe! The wench has a name!
“-has a son,” Bryan said.

“How old is he?” Cassie said. “What’s his name?”

“I’ll talk to you about this at home tonight,” Bryan said. “I really don’t have time to-”

“No, please,” Cassie said. “Tell me now.”

“All right,” Bryan said. “He’s your age. His name is Aaron. Look, I have to get going. We’ll talk about this more tonight.”

The phone fell from Cassie’s hand struck the floor, and though it had fallen, her hand remained beside her face. She stared ahead, at the corridor wall. It was some time before she regained her faculties.

Her phone was bleeping. Her father had hung up. Cassie picked it up, turned, and headed back toward the classroom. She was about to push on the door when she stopped, looking through the glass at Aaron sat on the front row.

Mrs. Rae was saying something to the class, who were already busy packing up their things. Cassie’s life suddenly felt like this, like she was an observer, peering in from the outside. She needed to retake control. She girded herself and entered the classroom.

She picked up her notepad and pen and whispered in Aaron’s ear.

“Meet me on the playing field behind the music room,” she said. “And come alone.”

She blustered past Pete.

“What was all that about?” Pete said.

“I’m sure I don’t know,” Aaron said.

It had occurred
to Aaron that Cassie had taken the revelation of his mother and her father dating rather well. Too well. And the fact that they were going to be stepbrother and sister, or at the very least eventually living under the same roof as if they were, had made him don several layers of extra clothing that morning for fear he was going to get hammered. He relaxed during chemistry when Cassie seemed unaffected by the news. But now Cassie had insisted on them meeting alone out in the quieter area of the school grounds, suggesting his fear of violence was perhaps not entirely unfounded.

He poked his head out of a door and looked down toward the corner of the music room that backed onto the playing field. Cassie was smoking a cigarette right under a No Smoking sign.

“What’s up, sis?” Aaron said.

Cassie tossed her cigarette on the ground and stamped on it with her heel.

“Don’t you ever call me that,” she said. “I’m not your sister, and I never will be. How long have you known about our parents?”

“Since yesterday,” Aaron said. “I didn’t know your father even existed before then. Well, obviously I knew you had a father, but-”

“Well, that’s very convenient,” Cassie said, crossing her arms.

“Convenient how?” Aaron said.

“We get partnered up in chemistry,” Cassie said. “And then this happens?”

“I didn’t want to be with you any more than you wanted to be with me,” Aaron said.

“And I suppose this ridiculous idea our parents have of getting together has nothing to do with you?” Cassie said.

“Of course it doesn’t,” Aaron said. “If you can get over yourself for one minute you’ll realize I don’t want you for a sister any more than you want me for a brother! My life’s hard enough with you and Clint at school, never mind in my home life too.”

Cassie looked Aaron over. She seemed convinced Aaron’s anger was genuine.

“This cannot be allowed to happen,” she said. “My reputation is at stake. No one is to know about this. This is between you and me. That’s all.”

“Believe me,” Aaron said. “This is every bit as embarrassing for me as it is for you.”

“Somehow I find that very hard to believe,” Cassie said.

“It’s true,” Aaron said.

“What do you have to be worried about?” Cassie said. “The worst you’ll get is the rep that your stepsister is a total fox.”

“You’re so humble,” Aaron said, folding his arms.

“See?” Cassie said. “The king of all dorks. What was all that ‘sis’ stuff?”

“I thought we might as well get used to the titles, if that’s what we’re going to end up being anyway,” Aaron said.

“We can’t let our parents do this to us,” Cassie said. “I won’t allow it.”

“Sounds like they’ve already made up their minds to me,” Aaron said. “Anyway, what do you plan on doing, exactly?”

“I don’t know,” Cassie said. “But I’m going to do something. Are you in if we come up with a plan?”

Aaron was silent a moment, running the issue over in his mind.

“Yes,” he said. “I’m in.”

“Good,” Cassie said. She pinched her lips together between her index fingers. “Let’s think this through. We’ve got a dinner to go to tonight, did you know?”

“Mom might have mentioned it,” Aaron said. “So?”

“So, we’re going to make sure it doesn’t go well, capiche?” Cassie said.

“How?” Aaron said.

“We’re going to make sure we don’t get on well with each other’s parents,” Cassie said. “I’ll tell you everything my dad hates, and you’ll tell me everything your mom hates. That way, they won’t be able to stand us, and they’ll split up.”

Aaron thought for a moment.

“That’s actually not a bad plan,” he said.

“Of course it’s a good plan,” Cassie said. “It’s one of mine. Now, listen. The number one thing my father hates is this…”

Aaron didn’t think
people his mother’s age could
have
boyfriends. They were either single or married. But yet here he was, appraising himself in the mirror, checking his tie was on straight to meet him.

It was important to make a good first impression, his mother had told him. She was obviously nervous. Aaron was too, though for another reason. He knew more about Bryan Angelo than he cared to. He only knew the things that made him angry and annoyed – Cassie refused to tell him what kind of person he was in a positive light – but in knowing his dislikes, Aaron could piece together the kind of man Bryan was. He was quick and to the point, not the type to waste time. He was someone of influence and expected to be listened to. Aaron let out a sigh. Despite his best efforts he already liked Bryan. But he couldn’t let that get in the way, not tonight.

Aaron descended the stairs and saw his mother. He froze, his breath taken away. She wore a long black cocktail dress with a million sparkles. She had her hair done up, her makeup sparse save for around her eyes, which had a complex arty design. She looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her before.

“Well?” Zoe said. “What do you think?”

“You look good,” Aaron said.

“Only good?” Zoe said.

“You look amazing,” Aaron said, descending the final few stairs.

“That’s more like it,” Zoe said with a smile.

She bent down to straighten his tie.

“You look very handsome too,” she said.

“I know,” Aaron said with a shrug.

A car pulled up outside their home.

“That’ll be Bryan,” Zoe said. “I want you to be relaxed and your usual lovely self. Okay?”

“Okay,” Aaron said.

Though for him, it was impossible to be one without the other.

They approached the door. Zoe let out a deep breath.

“Aren’t you going to take my arm?” she said.

Aaron linked his elbow through hers. The doorbell rang. Aaron had never feared the sound so much in his life.

“Are you ready?” he said.

Zoe nodded.

“Are you?” she said.

No.
But what choice did he have?

Aaron opened the door. A man stood on their front step with a bouquet of flowers. Aaron cast an eye over him. He had a square face, with wavy blond hair that hung limply across his forehead. He was tall and handsome.

“You look incredible,” Bryan said to Zoe.

He took her hand and kissed her on the cheek. It was weird for Aaron, seeing that.

“Thank you,” Zoe said. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

Then Bryan turned to Aaron. Aaron didn’t know anything about suits, but even he could tell it was one of quality, maybe even tailored. It made his own look cheap by comparison.

Bryan’s eyes swept over him.

“You’re going to have to give me the name of your tailor,” he said.

Aaron smiled. He knew he wasn’t supposed to, but he couldn’t help himself.

“You must be Aaron,” Bryan said, extending his hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”

He shook the hand. It was warm and soft, not the hands of his father which were always rough and worn. He was suddenly swept with emotion, and he let go of the hand.
Judas.

“This is my daughter, Cassie,” Bryan said, sweeping his arm. “I believe you both already know each other from school.”

“Vaguely,” Cassie said.

She too wore a beautiful dress. Hers was made of a pink/purple cloth that highlighted her figure.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” Zoe said to Cassie. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Cassie said without emotion. She did not return the compliment.

Then Bryan and Zoe looked at Aaron, waiting for him to do something. Zoe glanced at her arm he was holding. Aaron stepped forward and extended it to Bryan. It was a simple movement, but it conjured up all kinds of deep emotions in Aaron, chief among them a sense of loss.

“Thank you,” Bryan said.

Bryan and Zoe approached the stretch limousine parked in front of their house. Cassie joined Aaron, following behind their parents.

“My father’s a fan of tradition,” Cassie said. “I think all this stuff is over the top.”

Aaron shrugged. He actually quite liked it.

The limousine was at odds with the slightly battered vehicles parked along the street in either direction. Aaron thought he caught sight of more than one set of curtains twitching.

A pretty woman in her mid-twenties, wearing a smart jacket and chauffeur’s hat, opened the car door for them.

“Rosetta,” Zoe said, nodding to her.

“Miss Tate,” Rosetta replied.

Bryan broke his connection with Zoe and helped guide her into the car. He waited, and helped Cassie in next. Then he nodded to Aaron.

“After you,” Bryan said.

“Age before beauty,” Aaron said.

Bryan smiled and got into the car. Aaron followed. Rosetta closed the door behind them, and then moved around to the driver’s side door.

Aaron was rather enjoying being waited on hand and foot. He broke into a broad grin. He caught the glare Cassie aimed at him, and stifled his smile. He had to remember why he was there. He and Cassie were going to sabotage the evening. His insides twisted like a pit of snakes.