“Cassie? What’s wrong.”
I shake my head. “I can't …”
She frowns. “Did something happen at the party? Does your father need to go over there?”
“No. Just please, leave me alone for a bit.”
I run up the stairs two at a time, closing the door to my room after I enter it.
As soon as I’m safe, I let out a sob and bite down on my fist.
How could he do it?
I was in that bed with him two weeks ago.
He told me he loved me—he told me it was his first time too. Was any of that true?
In a few days, he’ll be gone, and I’m not sure what I’ll do when I see him again. Will he even care?
I’m notsure what time I fell asleep—I think I cried until Ipassed out from the pounding headache and the wet pillow, but a tap on the door forces me to open my eyes.
“Cassie? Patrick’s here to see you,” Dad calls.
“I don’t care.”
The door clicks, and he steps into the room. “Your mother told me something happened. What do I need to do?”
“Tell him to go away.” I sniff. My body’s so dry I think I cried out every bit of moisture in it, but somehow tears well. “I don't want to see him.”
He nods. “Whatever you want, love.”
The door closes again, and his heavy footfall disappears into the distance.
The sound of the front door opening floats up to my window.
“I don’t know what you did, but she doesn’t want to see you.” My dad sounds so serious. But I guess he’s never had to deal with me being so heartbroken. At least he’s not interrogating me to find out why—just swinging in to protect me.
“Cassie,” Patrick calls. “I know you’re up there. Please, baby, talk to me. I don’t know what’s going on.”
“Doesn’t know what’s going on,” I grumble.
“I’ve got to go, but I’m not giving up on us,” he yells up at my window, and I smack the back of my head against my pillow. “I love you.”
It’s quiet for a little while before the door opens again, and I turn my head as Mum approaches my bed.
“Cassie?” She sits on the edge and raises her palm to my cheek. “He sounds heartbroken. What happened?”
Tears spill down my cheeks. “He cheated on me.”
Confusion crosses Mum’s expression before she shakes her head. “No, I can’t believe it.”
“I saw him. He was in bed with Vicki when I got to the party.”
She wraps her arms around me. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. He was acting like he didn’t know what happened.”
“He knows. He looked straight at me and said my name. He’d been drinking, but that’s no excuse.”
“No. No, it’s not.”
