After Everything

Chapter Eighteen: Anything For Cassie

Cassie's mother burst into her room that Sunday morning, drawing back the curtains to let the light shine through the room. Cassie groaned, placing a pillow over her face to block out the light.

"What crazy person goes back to sleep after waking up at noon?" Her mother questioned as she shook her daughter awake as if their house was on fire. "It's three. It's time to wake up. Trevor and Crystal ran three miles today. No more sleeping for you."

Cassie rolled her eyes as she removed the pillow from her face. She hated being compared to her siblings' success. It was constant. "Good for them," she hissed before turning over, her back facing her mother who sat on the edge of the bed.

"Someone's here for you," she informed as Cassie furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. She couldn't tell if her mother was just manipulating her to get out of bed or if someone was actually at her house. She also hadn't checked her phone in two hours to know if anyone was trying to get ahold of her. "What do you want me to say?"

"Well, who is that?" Cassie questioned, thinking her mother was being cryptic. Whoever was at her house depended on what her answer would be. If it was someone she didn't want to see, she suddenly was sick in bed and couldn't hang out.

"Jordan," she answered. Cassie then immediately knew her decision. "He said he tried to call you."

"Tell him to come to my room," she ordered her mother, who nodded her head as she stood for her bed.

"You know the rules. The door stays open," she commanded as she walked through the doorway. "If I hear this door close, I'm coming up with la chancla!"

Cassie rolled her eyes at her mother's behavior. "Mom, just go get him!"

She heard her mother laugh before walking down the staircase. She sighed as she grabbed her phone from her nightstand, turning it on to see a bunch of missed notifications from her friends. She didn't have the energy to read a single text as she turned off her phone and closed her eyes.

"Hey," Jordan greeted as he walked into her room.

"Hi," she replied, her back facing him. She was too comfy wrapped up in her blankets to turn around to see him.

He sat beside her on the bed as he spoke. "Christopher told me you quit," he said, sounding flabbergasted. "If you didn't like lifeguarding, you could have told me."

"I want to work at the restaurant again," she said, not feeling sorry about quitting the job they worked together. "My dad put me on the schedule for this week."

Jordan nodded as he rested his head on her pillow. Her back was still turned to him as the blankets engulfed her small figure. "Are you okay?" He questioned once realizing she wasn't acting herself. "You seem sad."

He expected the usual answer of 'I'm fine' to come from his girlfriend's mouth even though he could tell she was upset. But he suddenly became more concerned when it took for a few moments to respond. He watched as she rolled over onto her back, moving the piece of hair that fell into her face.

"Something happened," she whispered, looking up at the ceiling. Her hands were shaking thinking about the conversation between her and Alivia last night.

He furrowed his eyebrows, growing worried that she was alright. "What?"

She put her hands to her face, shaking her head. She still hadn't fathomed what happened between two people who used to be close to her. She yet again felt sick thinking about the situation. The thought kept playing over and over again in her head. "Alivia came over last night," she started, turning to look into her boyfriend's concerned blue eyes. "And she told me that she lost her virginity to Luke this summer."