37. Ties and Chicken

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Chapter 37

Cassandra Campbell was a pothead.

She would make it a habit to smoke before school, during lunch with Sebastian and his friends, and after school. Completely ignoring the pleas of Mr.Bautista's singing lessons. She liked being high. It was easier for her to forget the increased amount of rumors spread about her.

Rumors, being that now she was screwing the basketball team's entirety instead of her boyfriend, Sebastian. It didn't bother him Sebastian for the simple fact he didn't know about it. The seven periods without him felt empty, even more so because she was mildly sober for them.

She sat on the stoop next to Sebastian, listening to the banter of the basketball team. She found their jokes funny. Any other time, she would be uninterested. She enjoyed her time with them. They didn't think she was a whore. She was just Sebastian's girlfriend, who happened to be really gorgeous and could make cool shapes with smoke. A thought that she could live with.

The bell rang, indicating her fun was over, and it was time for her to go back to class. The basketball team players left, leaving Sebastian and Cassandra alone. He placed his lips into the crook of her neck. She bit her lip and touched his chest.

"We should skip the rest of the day. Spend some time in your bed, run the bases. It's so cold, and I much rather be under some blankets holding you in my arms," she murmured as he kissed her and touched her breasts.

"I like that. How about after this next class, I have a test."

"But, you're high," she chuckled, followed by kissing his lips. She tasted the weed on his lips. An acquired flavor that she liked. "You won't do that well, might as well just leave and have sex with me."

He bit his lip. He would always jump at the chance for sex with Cassandra, especially when she was like this. But, a failing grade would result in his mother's nagging and the absence of Cassandra being allowed over for a while.

"After class, besides, I'm not that high. I skipped a few times during rotation."

"Oh," she laughed. "I didn't even notice. The guys were so funny. I didn't even notice." She laughed at the thought of the grotesque joke one of the guys said, whose name escaped her. "But screw the test, what we're going to do is going to be way more fun," she chuckled into his lips.

His eyebrow twang. It was a bad idea that he would surely regret. The back door swung open, making the two teenagers separate. The area smelt like marijuana, and one look down showed the joint. He picked it up; the two teenagers' hearts dropped. Being caught with drugs was surely lead to expulsion on both their ends. Sebastian was the first to open his mouth. They both didn't need to go down for it.

Before he could get a word out, "Cassandra, really?"

He didn't acknowledge Sebastian. The thought that the young star in the making would smoke her voice away irritated him to no end. She ignored the singing lessons he offered in exchange to make her voice worse. He flicked the joint to the ground. Sebastian didn't recognize the teacher.

"Who are you?" Sebastian asked. Faculty made him nervous, especially with the amount of evidence that he was smoking weed behind the school. It wasn't just speculation like usual. The usual red glossy eyes or smell wasn't enough to warrant the paperwork.

"Mr.Bautista, Cassandra's singing instructor. Also, a faculty member here." Sebastian sucked in his breath. He was powerless against him. Mr.Bautista looked to the young couple and sighed. "You two go on to class. I didn't see a thing."

She kept her head low as she walked past him with Sebastian in hand. She looked back at watched him flick the bud over the fence, followed by him taking something out of his own. She couldn't look a second longer before she was rushed to her locker.

"Is he really not going to say anything?" Sebastian asked. He ran a hand through his hair. A single word and the two would be shipped off somewhere else, most likely never to see each other again.

"I don't know, but I have faith he won't. He's young and in college. I can't imagine that he would rat us out. He understands. I'll talk to him after school."

Sebastian nodded his head. He was fully satisfied with her answer. He didn't trust anyone. Especially a stranger he'd never seen before. The two teenagers left, leaving each other with a chaste kiss before going to their respected classes. They didn't skip that day. Instead, Sebastian went to basketball practice while Cassandra met with Mr. Bautista.

He sat at Mrs.Whitecotton's desk alone, grading papers. He wore a button-down shirt that day. Checkered, with a black tie and matching black pants. His tie was loosened, making it visible that he was uncomfortable with the get-up he would call it. He needed to look professional for the job, and it irritated him rather than make him look more distinguished.

"Hey, Mr.Bautista." She tightened the hold on her bookbag.

"Cassandra, hello," he muttered with his eyes focused on the papers. One check after another, followed by a giant X.

Cassandra closed the door and took a seat across from the desk. "About today," she started.

"I'm not going to say anything if that's what you're wondering. But I am going to say something about you being a singer and smoking. If you're going to do drugs, just do the edibles. Inhaling smoke will ruin your voice."

"Really?"

He looked up to the girl. "Really, it sets back years of practice and skills you learn and give you a raspy sounding voice over time and trust me, very few singers do well with a raspy voice." She placed a hand on her throat, immediately feeling guilty about the damage she'd done. On top of the damage, she did to her social life.

"What can I do to fix it?"

He raised an eyebrow and relaxed in the chair. Placing one leg over the other, "you can take up my offer on training you. It's free, and I think by the end of my stay here at this school, we can bring your voice to new heights."

Cassandra looked towards him. She didn't want to say no. Saying no, was idiotic. She wanted to strengthen her voice after the weeks of inhaling smoke with Sebastian.

"When can we start?" She asked with a straighter back and high chin.

"Right now."

~

Sebastian waited in his car for the young girl to exit the school. He was now showered and fatigued thanks to the suicides he had to run for practice. Sebastian was a starter for JV basketball and was expected to work as such. His body ached with pain.

His phone rang three times before he answered it. "Hello," he said over the phone.

"Sebastian," Julian said over the phone. Sebastian's body stiffened; his father never called unless it was important.

"Yeah, dad?"

"When will you be home tonight?"

"Um, I was gonna drop Cas off at her house and then come home so maybe in thirty."

"Good," he coughed over the phone. "Your mother was wondering if we should get enough groceries for you. You haven't been eating dinner with us lately."

It was true, he'd spend his time after school time with Cassandra in the backseat of his car with a pizza in the front seat. He didn't care to go home for dinner when Cassandra was enough to fuel his hunger.

"Sorry, I'll come home for dinner tonight."

"Good, good." He hung up the phone without letting Sebastian get another word in. Since the conversation about his old love life. Julian had taken small strides of being more attentive in Sebastian's life. He'd knock on his door before bed or converse with him when he saw him in the halls.

He didn't want him to end up like him.

Cassandra walked out to the parking lot. Her voice was hoarse from the training and all she wanted was a cup of tea and a good night's sleep. A combination that she was prescribed by her new vocal coach. "Hey," she said, her voice raspy. "I can't talk much," she whispered. 

"You okay?" She only nodded her head and pointed to her throat, which was enough to indicate her a hard lesson. "So, in exchange for not ratting us out, he's giving you vocal lessons?" She nodded her head again. "Well, that's good. It's nothing but positives coming out of this."

She opened her mouth, "also. I can't smoke weed anymore."

He kissed the top of her head, "sorry beautiful." 

A part of him was happy about this newest rule. He no longer enjoyed his once angelic girlfriend with a joint in her hand, as if she was one of the guys. Before, when they would sit in the front seat of his car and enjoy a bowl followed by sex was fun. But, Cassandra's newest habits were expensive with the addition of showing a new side of her. 

A new side that he didn't know if he enjoyed or not seeing. 

"But, I can still do edibles so whenever you're willing. I'm game," she smiled. 

"Yeah... I'll tell you when."

"You know, these past few weeks. You've made them bearable, with everything going on." He opened the door for her and quickly got in. 

"I'm glad."

Ivy read over the packet of chicken. She couldn't decide between the more expensive chicken and the usual one. She placed a hand on her stomach as she read over the number of calories in her usual chicken. She placed the healthier option in her cart. 

"Aurora, what was that snack you wanted called? Does Cassandra like it?" 

Ivy looked over when the name Cassandra was uttered. She was met with a woman, who looked like a mirror image of Cassandra—with shorter hair and in scrubs. Ivy sucked in her breath, there was no doubt in her mind. This woman was Cassandra's mother. 

Ivy approached the woman, "excuse me," she smiled. 

"I'll call you later," she smiled over the phone. "Hi, can I help you?"

Ivy extended her hand to Michelle's. "Hi, I'm Sebastian's mom." 

Michelle's eyes widen when she heard the name, Sebastian. The young man who broke his daughter's heart. She shook her hand, "hi, I'm Cassandra's mother."

The two women stood in the middle of the frozen aisle, unaware of what to say to one another. Ivy cleared her throat. "I knew you were Cassandra's mother just from looking at you. You two look identical."

"Yeah, we get that a lot." She held back the seeth in her voice. 

"I'm glad I got to meet you. Since Sebastian and Cassandra got back together I've wanted to speak with you but Sebastian thought it would be weird if we all got together." 

Michelle's forehead scrunched, "back together? When did that happen?"

"Huh? A few months now. You didn't know?"

"No...Cassandra never told me. I didn't even know she was dating anyone."

"Yeah, I didn't either until I—" she stopped before she could say the truth. The truth that her daughter got into a fight on her lawn resulting in a black eye. It wasn't her place to tell. "Until I heard her and Sebastian on the phone together."

"Oh..." Michelle tightened her hold on her cellphone. She needed to call Cassandra and ask her questions. When, how, and why she decided to get back together with Sebastian after their breakup that left her teenage daughter in tears every night. 

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come to dinner tomorrow night. You and Cassandra. Cassandra said you worked a lot because it's just you but we can reschedule for a better time."

"No, I'm married now so I have a lot more time. Yes, Cassandra and I would love to come for dinner tomorrow."

"Great," she smiled. "I'll tell my husband."

The two mothers smiled and exchanged numbers. When Ivy was out of sight, Michelle dialed her daughter's phone. 

"Hello?" Cassandra said over the phone. 

"So, when were you going to tell me you and Sebastian were back together?" 

"Mom..."

"Because I thought we told each other everything. Especially when you get back together with a boy who made you a wreck for months." 

She couldn't put into mom appropriate words why she got back with Sebastian. "Mom... I can't explain it."

"Is he the reason you and Phillip broke up?"

"Part of it," she admitted. "I just couldn't get him out of my mind mom. When he asked me to get back together with him. I just couldn't say no. Mom...I love him."

She listened to her daughter and the strong emotions that she had for the teenage boy. A situation she knew far too well. "I know Cas, I know. Well, perk up we're having dinner with them tomorrow."

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