I hope you guys enjoy the chapter.

Make sure you vote!!!

Chapter 39

Cassandra sat in her bed. The endless timeline of pictures did nothing to combat the quietness in the house. Aurora left that Saturday morning for band practice while Walter and Michelle worked. She laid on her couch as she stared at the television.

A movie she'd watched a thousand times played to combat the silence. Sebastian was unable to contact her outside of school. She was only allowed forty minutes with her boyfriend. An hour if he took her home. He was to report when he dropped her off and when he picked her up.

A situation that made it impossible for the two teens to have sex or have a real conversation for that matter. A situation that had been going on for an entire month. The teens tried to sneak away at lunch only to be brought back by teachers per Sebastian's parents' request.

She missed his voice. The banter they shared about the littlest of things. Social media did nothing but make her feel worse every second.

Her once friends filled her timeline with the occasional ad. Picture after picture of them having fun, enjoying things she once was invited to. The front door opened, revealing three girls.

Faces with huge smiles plastered on their faces. Amy, Gabrielle, and Aurora. One by one, they entered the house. Cassandra's eyes followed the three girls.

"Hey," she spoke.

They turned to her, "Hey," Amy said first. "We just came from practice, and we were just going to hang out with Vicky."

"Oh...okay."

The three girls looked to one another and rushed up the stairs slamming the door behind them—exiling Cassandra on the other side. Cassandra looked down at her phone, occasionally looking up when she heard a bump upstairs, followed by a laugh.

Cassandra stared at the television in her isolation. No words were uttered her way, just silence. In the peak of her isolation, she found herself going upstairs to listen in on the three girls.

Jokes were said, an occasional instrument was played. They didn't care that she wasn't there. She wasn't even a thought that crossed their minds. She picked up the phone and dialed Sebastian's number resulting in a dial tone. She called again. He didn't answer. She threw her phone on the ground and continued to stare at the television.

Sebastian stared at the screen in front of him, unaware of his ringing phone. The pixilated character jumped when he clicked X and shot when he clicked triangle. With a water bottle in his hands, he was unaware of his girlfriend's loneliness.

His door was opened, standing there was his father. He crossed his arms as he looked at his son, who was too unaware of the world around him. Sebastian cursed under his breath as he died.

"Sebastian," he bellowed, making the young boy drop his controller on the ground. "Do you have a moment to chat?"

Sebastian looked at his game and paused it. He followed behind his father to the study and closed the door behind him. He took a seat while his father did on the other side. He fidgeted before Julian opened his mouth.

"Did you speak to Cassandra about Michelle and me?"

Sebastian raised an eyebrow when he heard the name, Michelle. "Oh, Mrs. Campbell? No, I didn't. I didn't think it was my place or my business to tell."

"Did she seem to know?"

"No, and if she did, she would have brought it up by now." Sebastian no longer cared about his father's past. It was a secret, and secrets were kept best if they were forgotten. "By the way, can I leave the house now?"

Julian ignored his son and rubbed his chin. Since the dinner, his mind was flooded with Michelle and their history with one another. He contemplated contacting her, but he had no idea what to say. 

"Dad?" Sebastian repeated.

"Yes?"

"Can I get off punishment?"

"Huh? No."

Sebastian went silent and got up from the chair. His phone rang, stopping his walk to his room. Cassandra's name popped on the screen. "Hello," he said over the phone.

"Hey," she muttered. Not even the sounds of Sebastian's voice made her feel better from the isolation she felt from upstairs. The three girls were only louder, indicating how much fun they were having without Cassandra.

"What's wrong? You seem down."

"I— it's just that Amy and Gabrielle are here with Aurora."

Sebastian picked up his controller. His phone sat in between his thighs as he stared at the screen. He occasionally looked down at her, but his eyes rested on the screen.

"Oh, that's good," he muttered.

"What's good about it? They're upstairs having the time of their lives purposefully excluding me from everything. It's anything but good," she seethed. She watched him stare at the screen. "You're not even listening to me."

"I am," he reassured her. "You said they were upstairs. Why don't you go there and invite yourself?"

"Because they hate me, and if I go, they'll exclude me or kick me out. You know how  embarrassing that would be?" Sebastian was quiet, too quiet for Cassandra's liking. "Sebastian!" She shouted.

"Cas! I'm listening."

Cassandra stared at her phone. She looked to Sebastian, who didn't care to give her any eye contact.

"Call me back when you're not busy." 

She hung up the phone and rushed up the stairs to her room. She quickly put on her clothes and took an Uber to the movie theater. A movie was the only thing she could think of to get her out of the house and calm her down. She arrived at the movie theater. She instantly recognized the cashier.

Leon, the school drug dealer. The person she watched Sebastian buy weed from countless times. He worked at the movie theater on the weekends to avoid his parents' suspicion of him having his money as a highschooler. A front, he called it.

She approached him, "Hey, can I have a ticket of whatever is playing in the next hour and some... stuff."

Leon raised an eyebrow. He'd never seen her without Sebastian by her side. He'd always made a note of her looks. She was his cup of tea. Long hair, supple lips, and large breasts. A fact that wasn't hidden well under her hoodie she wore.

"Stuff?"

"Please," she rolled her eyes. "You know what I'm talking about."

"Alright, meet me on the side of the building in a few minutes."

"Fine." Cassandra needed something to feel better. Her boyfriend was unavailable to make her feel better for something she thought he caused. A situation she could have avoided if she'd just kept her pants on and her chastity belt tight.

She received her movie ticket and left to the side of the building. Her leg shook to keep herself warm. She tightened her hold of the money in her pocket.

"I'm shocked that you're by yourself. Where's the boyfriend?"

"Nearby," she lied. "Can I have one, pre-rolled," she asked.

He dug into his pocket, smirk coated on his face. He took out one joint and passed it to her. "How much?"

"Ten but for you? Five."

She kept a smile when he mentioned the discount price. "Thank you," she handed him the money. "You have a lighter?"

He dug into his pocket, flicking the lighter to ignite a flame. She placed the joint in her mouth and eased the tip closer to the flame. She inhaled, she felt a marijuana-laced relief when the smoke exited her body. She closed her eyes, "I needed this."

"Bad day?"

"How about bad few months. Well, last week was good, but it went to shit from there."

"Interesting? You gonna hog the entire thing?"

"I bet you have like twelve in your pocket. Let me enjoy this." Her eyes stayed closed.

"Any good businessman knows you can't use your own supply. It's a gateway for losing money."

She shrugged her shoulders, "whatever." She took a seat on the ground and laid against the wall. "You mind me just sitting here while I enjoy this?"

He rolled his neck and placed a hand on the handle. "No problem, I'll make sure no one comes out here. Enjoy your serenity."

She took another hit, "thank you."

He went back into the building, leaving her alone. She listened to the cars' sounds going by as she descended further down into her high state. It was nothing like her first time in the car with Sebastian. But, it was enough to make her feel better.

Mr.Bautista arrived at the movie theater. He wanted to indulge in his weekend movie habits, but a certain girl talking to a certain drug-related boy stopped him in his tracks. He watched as she spoke to him as if it was a whisper. She left the movie theater without noticing him, and soon after, he left as well.

He assumed like any reasonable person who heard the rumors surround her—calling her a whore or the worst person in the world. Cassandra Campbell would be bent over in the alleyway, taking in from behind in the cold December afternoon, days before Christmas. He didn't care until he saw the print of what seemed at first glance cigarettes in Leon's pockets.

A situation that would send his newest singing protege voice on a downwards spiral. He followed the path Cassandra took, leading him into an alley. He watched the cash exchange and the lightning of the joint, followed by her being left alone in the cold. He approached her with crossed arms.

"Are you determined to ruin that voice of yours?"

Cassandra opened her eyes to be met with Mr.Bautista. The teacher was her vocal coach as of late.

"Are you determined to comment on things that make me happy? You know I googled what you said about smoking and singing. It takes years before it ruins your voice, like an entire decade."

"Well, how about we avoid it before it gets that far into the future." 

He took a seat on the curb and sat next to her. He grabbed the joint from her hands and took a hit. Her eyes widen when she saw him smoke. "You know, you're a hypocrite. You're smoking too. Not much of a good teacher if I'm honest."

She snatched the joint from his hands and took a drag. In her high state, she didn't realize how strange their interaction truly was. Sitting on a curb, in the middle of an alley, enjoying a joint with her teacher.

"I'm not really a teacher. Just a guy who is interning at your school and wants to preserve your voice. If doing so is smoking pot with you? So be it. Besides, I don't think being a teacher is for me."

"I can tell. You look miserable when everyone sings."

"Yeah, because a lot of you suck, and it's hell sitting in a smelly classroom for eight hours a day. Then with the addition of all you kids making me feel like I'm pushing forty."

"You're not?" She laughed.

"Comedy is not your strong point Cassandra. I just turned twenty-two when I started there. The only good thing about this internship has been you. The girl who is dead set on ruining her voice for whatever reason that doesn't matter."

"It does matter," she muttered. "I'm having a horrible day, and my boyfriend doesn't care."

"Oh, that Sebastian, right? The rich kid?"

"Yes, and he's not rich. High middle class," she reiterated.

"High middle class? The dream wage for any American family, which, in short, is rich to many people. But what am I spouting about? Everyone's rich to me! I live in a one-bedroom apartment that I pay for with school refund checks and a part-time job." He takes another puff, "this pretty good stuff. When I was your age, everything they sold was shit."

"Don't make it sound like I'm some kid."

"You are a kid," he laughed. "You're here sulking because there some rumors about you and your boyfriend not caring about your mundane problems."

"They are not mundane. These are serious issues I have. My friends aren't talking to me because of him, and he's not talking to me because of his stupid ass game."

"Then break up," he said. 

"What? No. Mr.Bautista."

"Vincent," he corrected her. "Call me Vincent when we're alone."

"Vincent," she seethed. "I'm not breaking up with him. Not over this," she looked down at the joint that was now in her hands. "Not, after all, we went through." 

"Suit yourself. I'm sure it'll solve most of your problems." He snatched the rest of the joint from her, "and keep you away from this. I'm taking the rest of this." Vincent walked off, leaving her alone. Ruining her high that she once had. 

Cassandra went into the movie theater and watched the movie. She wasn't too interested in the story of the female assassin and her group of friends. She was too focused on how she would gain back the ones she lost. 

Cassandra arrived home to the group of girls sitting in the living room. After three hours, they still crowded her home. "Hey," she muttered. Her high was now gone, and all she wished for was for it to be back. Her neck began to sweat when she saw the three girls look at one another, unsure what to say to her. 

"Hey," Amy said. 

"Can we talk?" Cassandra asked as she sat her bag down. 

"About?" Aurora spoke up. This was the first time the two teens spoke since her rekindling with Sebastian.

"Us, our group. I- I want us all to be friends again. I miss you guys. I miss my sister," Cassandra spoke up. "I know what I did was pretty fucked up but, we've been friends since we were little girls, and Aurora, we're sisters. You guys shouldn't exclude me just because of who I'm dating. It's not right."

The three girls looked to one another, "well, it wasn't right what you did to Phillip either, Cassandra," Aurora spoke out. "You cheated on him for a manwhore."

"He's not a manwhore," she grumbled. 

"He is," Gabrielle intervened. "Have you heard the number of girls he slept with or was sleeping with before you?"

She was aware. She was constantly aware of this by the amount of dm's he received from girls, topless, wanting another round with him. 

"That doesn't matter," she insisted. "But regardless of who I'm with, you guys shouldn't abandon me because of that."

"Cas, we're going, being honest with you," Amy spoke up. "We don't want to watch you get hurt. Sebastian is just a ticking time bomb, and we don't want to be there for when it explodes in your face."

Gabrielle looked down at her phone, "we have to go now, Amy. Our ride is outside."

The two girls walked past Cassandra, not sparing her another glance as Auorua went upstairs, leaving her alone once again. 

Not a single call came in that bight from Sebastian, further adding nails into the coffin that was Cassandra's heart. 

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!

Make sure you guys Comment, Vote, and Share.

I hope you all have a super, amazing, splendid, awesome day, night, evening, and afternoon.