He raises his head. His eyes are glazed over—he’s been drinking, but that’s no excuse.
“Cassie.” He flashes a lazy smile before putting his head back down.
She rubs his back. “It’s okay. I’ll take care of it.”
Meeting my gaze, she shoots me a look so cold that I shiver. “Get out, Cassie. He got what he wanted and now he’s mine again.”
“What did you do?”
“We all bet he couldn’t convince you to have sex with him. It didn’t take him anywhere near as long as I thought it would—I thought you’d be a cold fish.”
My jaw tightens in anger.
“So you can run along now.”
“I was just a joke to you?”
Her lips curve into a cruel smile. “Have you ever been anything else?”
I blink rapidly. I have to get out of here before I faint.
This was all a prank? He won over my trust, and I gave myself to him thinking he loved me.
I thought he broke my heart all those years ago when he moved on from me, but that’s nothing compared with the pain I feel now.
“Get out, Cassie. No one wants you.”
My heart’s pounding as I turn and walk away. I can’t even remember walking down the stairs, but somehow I’m at the base of them and escaping through the crowd in the living room toward the front door.
Once I’m outside, I take in large gulps of fresh air to try and stop myself from crying.
“Cassie. Wait.”
I turn to look behind me. Dave runs out the front door of the house.
“What’s going on? You’re white as a sheet.”
Holding up my palms, I make him keep his distance.
“You are the last person I want to talk to right now.”
He grabs my arm, and I attempt to pull away but his grip’s too strong.
“Stop. I’m not trying to upset you.”
“Since when, Dave? Why do you care how I feel? You never have before.”
He lets me go. “Because maybe I didn’t like you, but I do like Patrick. I spoke to him earlier and apologised foreverything I ever did to you because I realise now how lame it all was. And I know he’s gonna be pissed if someone upset you.”
I shake my head. “I doubt he’ll care.”
Dave frowns. “What’s wrong?”
I close my eyes, tears rolling down my cheeks. “It doesn’t matter. I’m going home. Have fun.”
He calls out as I walk off but doesn’t come after me. As if he really cares. He’s been in the thick of it with Vicki and her mean-girl friends for years.
Mum’s standing in the foyer when I walk through the door, slamming it behind me.
