Cassie (Book #1 of the "Cassie" Series)

Chapter #21: Consent is Sexy

A/N: So this chapter takes place at the same time as the previous one, just from Cassie's POV. It basically explains how Cassie went from crying in the hallway in Chapter 19 to texting Chad saying things were good between her and Ryan in Chapter 20 and everything between that.

October 7, Friday, 5:01 pm

"So, he literally told you to stop hanging out with Chad?" Hope asked, her hand rubbing my shoulder. After my fight with Ryan in the hallway, I spent the remaining few hours of school trying to hold it together, and then I just exploded with emotion in front of Hope almost as soon as we walked through the front door.

"Basically, yeah. Oh God, Hope, what am I gonna do? I can't stop hanging out with Chad, I can't choose my best friend over my boyfriend, that's not the kind of person I am." I sniffed, crying into a box of tissues that Hope was holding out for me. "And then we have Ryan, who really showed me his true colors today. What the fuck kind of man is that?" I reached for another tissue, but Hope snatched away the box.

"Okay, so first things first-"

"I'm the realest." I interrupted. Even through tears, I still had a sense of humor. Hope chuckled and then put her serious face back on, placing the tissue box down on the table.

"You need to stop crying this instant." she said bluntly.

"But I'm hurt." I groaned. Hope rolled her eyes.

"You're stronger than THIS. One fight with Hercules and you're acting like it's the end of the world? The Cassie I know would have at least loosened his two front teeth before coming home and crying to me." Hope said. She wasn't wrong. I always swore that I'd never be that girl crying over a boy, and yet here I was, with my head in my sister's lap crying off all of my mascara onto her clean blue jeans. Real talk, my emotions have been a mess ever since I started seeing Ryan. At this point, I don't know whether I've just been having an extremely hormonal month, or if I really am softening up. I'd honestly rather it was the former than the latter.

"I guess you're right. What the fuck is wrong with me? I have a boyfriend for a week and suddenly our first fight and I'm in despair?" I sat up from Hope's lap and grabbed a tissue, wiping my soaking wet face with it and half of my makeup off too.

"Exactly. I thought you would have at least kicked his balls back up where they came from first."

"That's next on the agenda if he pulls that shit with me again. Seriously, asking me to stop talking to my friend because he's jealous? That's some weak boy shit." I said angrily, tearing the tissue up into small pieces without even realizing it.

"That's the spirit. Now, I'm gonna put on some Rina Sawayama, get some soda, and we're gonna just dance your feelings away."

"I'd like that." I smiled. My happiness didn't last long, however. The doorbell rang a few minutes later, and Hope rushed to get it. She opened the door halfway and grimaced at the person on the other side, as if someone had left a flaming bag of shit on the doorstep.

"No." she snapped, slamming the door. Whoever was at the door continued knocking, with Hope examining her nails, pretending not to hear them. Eventually, she grew tired of the constant knocking and flung open the door.

"Hey... is Cassie home?" the unmistakable gruff voice of Ryan Park said outside the door.

"Yep. And so am I." Hope crossed her arms, tilting her head upwards to look at Ryan in the eye.

"Please, can I talk to her?"

"Let me think... NO. Adios." Hope flung the door closed, but Ryan quickly put his foot between the door and the frame and slowly forced it back open, he looked over at me apologetically.