Burn Out (ONC 2021) ✔

Chapter 6.5

18th February 1996

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"It's beautiful," Cassie exclaimed with a brilliant smile on her face as she stepped into the cozy, almost empty apartment. She could already picture a bed and wardrobe, bringing the place to life.

Trisha smiled and nodded beside her. "It really is. At least, for the price."

Cassie turned to face her. "Thank you so much for helping me rent out this place. I think we're going to find some peace here." She placed her palm on her belly and rubbed it gently.

She'd been struggling to conceal the pregnancy from her foster mother for fear that she'd be compelled to give the baby up but had put on so much weight now and it was almost impossible. That was why with the help of Trisha, she'd run away to start a new life in a new environment. She longed for this nightmare to be over. 

"Sure," Trisha replied. "So... Have you tried contacting Logan?" She inquired and earned an eye roll.

"I went to his house." Cassie frowned and stepped forward. "That woman didn't even let me in. She told me Logan was not there anymore. I asked if there was any way I could reach him, and..." She sniffed, struggling hard to hold back the tears.

It was about time she stopped crying and feeling bad about herself.

"And?"

"She told me he would never accept my baby. He doesn't want to have anything to do with me. It... It hurts."

Trisha shook her head in devastation as she closed the gap between them and pulled Cassie into an embrace.

"We are going to get through this together," she whispered into her ears as she stroked her hair gently.

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20th April 1996

"Trisha..." Cassie groaned in a silent whisper as she shuffled her eyes open. The contractions were back and even more frustrating.

She struggled to sit up and turned on the light on her lampstand. Turning over to Trisha's empty bed, she sighed in disappointment.

Her eyes traveled to the wall clock and she observed that it was already 4:00 am.

She used her fingers to massage her temples, trying to relieve herself from the pain, anxiety, and anger she was feeling.

Why was it almost impossible for Trisha to act responsibly? How could she be out partying till this late, completely disregarding the fact that they had a job to get to in the morning.

She reached for her cellphone and dialed Trisha's line.

"Hey, you better get back here right now. Have you bothered to check the time?" Cassie scoffed, hating to babysit a twenty-year-old girl.

"Hellooo..." A rather slurred voice replied from the other end.

Cassie frowned and there was a look of confusion on her face. The voice sounded nothing like Trisha's.

"Hello?"

"Hey... I don't know what's going on... I just wanted to use the bathroom. There's this lady lying here... I don't... I don't know if she's breathing. Do I need to call the police? Oh my God! Oh my God!"

Cassie sat up on her bed and placed a hand on her chest to feel her heart that had begun pounding hard against her chest. "Can you calm down and please tell me what exactly is going on? Who is lying there... Where?"