2 months

22

Cassie

We had a fun night, the three of us. Lukas, Jaden and I. We were three musketeers or something. A dream team. Best friends, you might say.

But two of the three musketeers had feelings they didn't wanna admit to each other, or even them self's. Feelings that weren't just best friends feelings.

Prom was right around the corner, and I ordered my dress online but I had to pick it up at the store, so I decided to ask Jaden. I wasn't in the mood to go with Olivia, we would have to take an Uber, and I always feel uncomfortable taking one, and I was uncomfortable because Olivia insisted to pay for the ride. And I always feel so rude when she does that, like I'm just using her. And I wasn't in the mood to talk to her, not that she did anything, I just wanted to be with Jaden I guess. So I asked him to drive me there.I mean he doesn't have anything better to do anyway. So I called him.

"Can you pick me up later? I have to go to the city to pick up something." I said.
"No hello? Am I just your Uber now?" He said and laughed.
"Yeah, I thought you might be bored since you don't have friends and hobbies." I said to mock him.
"Woah, you're rude now? Everyday I get to know a new side from you." He said and laughed again. He seemed off.
"Yeah, there are some sides from me that you'll never know" I said trying to sound, mysterious?
"Oh, I'll pick you up at 2?" He said and I heard him smiling. Jaden has that kind of smile you can hear.

He picked me up and we drove to the city. On the way there we got milkshakes, as usual. I got vanilla and he got strawberry. I really don't get how he likes strawberry milkshakes.

It was quiet in the car again, so I decided to to pick up our old question game.

"Do you want to play that question thing again we did when we first skipped school?" I asked. I actually just wanted to play it so Jaden would tell me why he was so weird the whole day.
"Yeah sure, you're first." He said.
"Okay, why are you so weird today?" I asked right away. My heart was beating so fast I heard it all the way in my ears. My hands were shaking, cold and hot at the same time.
"What? I'm not weird!" He said. He was weird.
"No, you can be honest with me. Really. Did I do something wrong?" I asked concerned.

I looked over to him and he looked sad. Sad, concerned. He looked me in the eyes and they looked dead. Sad. Tired. He had bags under his eyes, he always kind of has them, but they were more prominent than usual. His black eye Cole gave him kind of faded, but it was still there. The scratches almost healed, but you could tell he scratched them.

"Jaden? Tell me. Please." I was so nervous. What was it? His parents? Lukas? Me! I did something wrong. 100%.
He wasn't talking. Was he doing it on purpose? Was he trying to scare me? Was he just joking? I knew he was an asshole sometimes, but come on.
I was shaking and I think he saw it. He held my hand. Then I remember our kiss again. Was it that? Was that the reason he was being so weird? But he was so normal the days after it happened, we agreed is was a mistake! My thoughts faded away, I zoned out.
He squeezed my hand at I felt it again, I didn't even realize I had no feeling in it.

Hundreds of thoughts went through my head. Why was I so scared? Nothing bad could happen. The worst thing would be that our favorite milkshake store closed, or that he just wanted to mess with me and it was a prank. I was praying that it was a prank.

Silence. Deadly, killing silence. Silence that choked you, chewed you up and threw you up, and let you bleed. Bleed until you're dead.

"The thing that Cole said, was he lying?" He finally said.