Over time, that became all she ever did.
I’ve not been happy for a while and have been thinking of breaking things off, but the night of the school dance sealed the deal.
I wondered how much else she’d done in the past.
Three years ago, Dave Pratt—who was a friend—played a prank on Cassie that horrified me. I punched him in the face for it, and things haven’t been the same between us since.
But now I’m rethinking what happened.
That night, Vicki told me she wasn’t feeling well, so I stayed home and I thought she had too. It turned out that she was there—though she told me she had nothing to do with it and was just a witness.
We still fought because she did nothing to help Cassie.
After our argument the night of the dance, with increasing doubts in my mind, I approach Dave.
He visibly draws in a deep breath, wariness in his eyes as I draw near.
I don’t blame him—we’ve rarely talked.
But I have to know.
“You summoned me?” His attitude has always pissed me off. I sent him a text earlier asking him to meet up in the park, and he was reluctant at first. But I pressed the issue and told him I needed his help.
He takes a seat beside me on a park bench.
“I need to know how involved Vicki was in your prank on Cassie.”
He rolls his eyes. “Oh, now the golden boy is interested in what happened.”
“Please, Dave. It’s important.
His expression straightens. “It was her idea.”
My jaw clenches. I’d half expected to hear it, but him confirming it is a whole other story. “What happened?”
He shrugs. “You hadn’t been together long and she was jealous that you two used to be friends.”
Used to be friends?That makes my heart ache. I’ve never thought about Cassie as a former friend—we just wanted different things.
Dave holds up his palms. “She told me that you hated Cassie. That you’d had some big falling out and you were looking for payback.”
“You didn’t think to askmeabout it?”
“You and Vicki were tight. Vicki said you didn’t want to be a part of it because Cassie’s parents knew yours.” He snorts. “Besides, her bestie, Kelly, gave me a hand job. Thatsealed the deal.”
I shake my head. “I had no idea.”
“Yeah, I got that when you came after me. You never asked, so I never bothered telling you.”
I run my fingers through my hair.
He nudges my arm. “You know that’s not all, right? Vicki barely left Cassie alone at times.”
“No, I didn’t know. She hid it well.”
“Nothing as obvious as that prank. But plenty of nasty words. She might be hot, but she’s a bully.”
I fist my hand in frustration and flex. “I knew that she and her friends gossiped—it drove me mad, but I thought that was it.”
