It was a little after seven when my iPhone buzzed, letting me know I had a text message. I had it set on silent ring, since I was studying in the university library, which had been my practice for the past several weeks. Courses were getting much more difficult since I'd gotten into my major. The first two years were a breeze, but now I really had to study.
The text message was from my sister, Cassie. She's in her first year at the same university where I'm a third year student. We're only one year apart in age, but I skipped a level when I first entered high school. We were both home schooled until then, and when I tested for high school I went from eighth year to tenth. Our mother taught us at home, but she died of breast cancer that year, thus we both started attending public schools. I liked that, and I think Cassie did as well, but we did miss all the time we were able to spend together while mom was teaching us at home; but, I digress. The text message was from Cassie, and she was texting me later than normal. I usually hear from her right after she finishes dinner with her roommate, which is around five thirty or six. I'd almost given up on hearing from her tonight.
Her text asked if I was studying in the library again tonight, and if so, could she join me. She had a test coming up and could use some library time with her brother. I said sure, and she texted back that she'd be right over, which meant about fifteen minutes. The library is about that far from her apartment. I texted back to tell her which study room I was using so she could find me.
In all honesty, I looked forward to having Cassie study with me. I really missed her last year after I left for school, and was really pleased that she decided to come to the same university I'm attending. We've always been close, and became closer after the death of our mother. Our dad is a great guy, too. We have a younger brother at home, so at least he's not alone with both me and Cassie away at school.
It was about fifteen minutes exactly when Cassie showed up. She's so much fun to be around, always positive about everything, has high energy, is outgoing, and has a great personality. She has many friends at home and here at the university. I, on the other hand, am more of an introvert. I have fewer friends, but a couple close ones. I'm not as outgoing as Cassie, and she's good for me in that department. Even in high school she was always dragging me along to parties, school dances, football and basketball games, you name it. Several people at school thought we were dating, as have some here. Yeah, if Cassie wasn't my sister, I imagine I would try to date her. Not only is she fun to be with, she's also easy on the eyes. She's about five feet eight, has long black hair, which comes from our Native American blood, has a great figure, and a beautiful face.Yeah, she's everything anyone would want in a girlfriend. I don't understand why she isn't dating now that she's away from home, but as far as I know, she hasn't dated anyone at all this year. Like I said, if she weren't my sister.
"What have you been up to?" I asked as she walked into the study room and dropped her back pack on the table. "Your text was a little late tonight."
"Am I really that predictable?" She asked.
"Yeah, I usually hear from you before six, and tonight it was after seven. I'd almost given up on you."
Cassie walked over and gave me a quick sisterly kiss on the cheek, and said, "Don't ever give up on hearing from me, Tim! I've sent you a text every evening since you left home! That's what, going on two years now?"
"Yeah, you're right. I was only kidding. I do get worried when I don't hear from you, though."
"Well, I was a little late tonight due to the drama at the apartment."
"What happened now?" I knew she was referring to her hypochondriac roommate, Niki. There was always drama when Niki was around.
"Oh, Niki, as always. She's been feeling ill all day, and decided that she needed to go home for the weekend. She called her mother, and she got Niki an appointment with her "favorite" doctor in the morning, so she's heading home for a couple of days."
"I bet you're looking forward to a little peace and quite, then, with her gone."
"Yeah, I am, but she is good company, that is, when she isn't sick, which is most all the time. It gets a little quiet when she's gone, though, and I hear every freaking noise in the apartment."
"Well, at least she's good for something, then. You really do get along well with her though, don't you?" I asked.
"Yeah, we get along well, and she has eyes for my brother, too!"
"Oh god, don't encourage her!"
We both laughed at that comment. Cassie knew that Niki drives me crazy as much as she does her. She's nice, and hot, but she's always complaining about something.
Cassie sat down at the table and was directly across from me. She opened up a book, took out some paper, and started reading and taking notes. I'm not sure what she was studying, but she seemed engrossed in it. Cassie and I are both good students, and we both feel it's because of the years our mother worked with us. Cassie could have skipped a grade along the way, too, but she decided to stay back with her friends.
Every so often, I would just sit back and look at Cassie, admiring her beauty, and remembering how hard it was on her, especially, when our mother died. Cassie was only in the seventh grade. Way too young for a girl to lose her mother. She took it hard. Many nights back then she would come into my room after everyone had gone to bed. I can still hear her soft, sweet voice asking if she could sleep in my bed for just a while. I always let her, too. I enjoyed being around her, even back then. I never said no to Cassie. Not about sleeping in my bed, or anything else for that matter. I couldn't say no to her. If she's spoiled, it's because of me.
"What are you looking at?" Cassie asked, startling me a little.
"Just you," I replied as Cassie smiled at me.
"So, why are you looking at me like that?"
"Just thinking back to when we lost mom. You look a lot like her, especially in her younger pictures. You have her eyes, hair, and complexion. She was a beautiful woman."
Cassie's eyes were watery now. I shouldn't have brought mother up, that always gets Cassie upset.
"Thank you for saying that. Mom was beautiful, and I never thought I resembled her that much. That was a wonderful compliment, Tim," Cassie replied as she reached over and placed her hand on mine. "You miss her too, don't you?"
"Yeah, I miss her so much; but I really like having you so close, now that you're here and all."
"What else were you thinking about when you were staring at me?"
