Gathering Roses

5.

Flashback

"Meet me in the school parking lot right after school. Jed's gonna show us something!" Maya whispered excitedly in Cass' ear as Mrs. Meyer droned on about Hamlet and Ophelia. Cass acknowledged Maya's invitation with a nod but kept her eyes on Mrs. Meyer's face. This was not the first time Maya had invited her to hang out with her and Jed. Cass had conveniently needed to be at work those days and had declined, albeit secretly relieved she couldn't go. This time, however, she couldn't get away— and Maya knew it. 

Cass couldn't understand what Maya found so captivating about hanging out with He'd and his crew. They had set off fireworks in Smith's pasture, terrorized Stacey herself at Stacey's Diner, tricked Aaron into picking poison ivy ("He thought it was a native type of marijauna!")... the list went on. It was only a matter of time before their 'harmless' fun got someone in real trouble. 

The bell rang, and Cass gathered up her books. Only three more weeks and she'd be done with high school. She couldn't wait to move out of her parents' house. 

"C'mon, Cass!" Maya called as Cass moseyed her way down the hallway, dragging her feet slightly. "Pick up the pace!" Cass reluctantly heeded her bidding and quickly caught up. "I'm so glad you get to come this time! It's gonna be so fun! And Aaron will be there!" She teased Cass, but Cass just cringed. Maya had been spending more and more time with He'd and had left Cass to fend for herself on the weekends. Consequently, Cass and Maya had drifted apart. Their rift had especially widened when Maya had told Cass she had confessed her love to Jed and admitted she was no longer considering college in the same sentence. Cass had been furious. They had been dreaming of attending Illinois State together since they were little. They were going to get out of Conley once and for all— together. But Maya had thrown that away to manage her mom's boutique downtown and stay with Jed, who was also not going to college, although this didn't come as a surprise to anybody. 

Cass had swallowed her anger and accepted the loss of her best friend. Oh, she still hung out with Maya, but that intimate bond of companionship had been severed. 

"Hop in!" Maya waved her into Jed's truck— and pointed for her to sit next to Aaron, who looked less than pleased at the arrangement. No sooner had she buckled her seatbelt (at which Aaron scoffed and swore in disbelief) when Jimmy O'Neil himself piled in next to her. Aaron's creepy vibes were blown away by how Jimmy made her feel. 

"Hey— Joe's sister right?" His voice slightly slurred. "Grew up a bit." He snickered, his marijuana breath washing over her. 

"Yep." She forced a smile. It was going to be a long night. 

                    ~            ~          ~          ~

The first half wasn't bad. They ate dinner at Stacey's after climbing the rocks by the lake. The boys had only threatened to push them off once, and they were being civil to the waitress. Cass couldn't help but wonder if they were being tame for her, but she didn't mind. 

"Here, let me get your check." Jed smiled at Maya, who blushed and smiled back, her eyes shining. Cass almost rolled her eyes, but she managed to keep herself in check. Neither Aaron nor Jimmy made a move for her check, but she would have fought them tooth and nail if either of them did. Still, it wouldn't have hurt them to offer. She paid her check with a pile of ones from her tip money, earning a smirk from Jimmy. He refrains from making any comments, though, and Cass breathed a sigh of relief. 

They walked out of the restaurant to Jed's truck. "I think I'll head out," Cass said. "It's been fun." Maya fervently shook her head. 

"No, Cass! I know you don't work tomorrow and the sun hasn't even gone down yet! Come back with us to Jed's house, just for a little bit? Please?" Cass sighed. Maya knew she could get Cass to do whatever she asked when she gave her puppy eyes like that. 

"Fine. But let me get my care from school first?" She answered, defeated. Maya squealed with happiness. 

"Perfect! It will be like old times." She smiled, and put her arm around Cass' shoulders. Cass smiled halfheartedly. She doubted anything would ever be like 'old times' ever again. 

The bad feeling started creeping in the moment Cass pulled into Jed's driveway. His house was the last house sown a long country road, and the driveway stretched a good quarter of a mile from the road. To make matters worse, the house was dark. 

"Parents are gone." Jed grinned, eyeing Maya and confirming Cass' suspicions. Aaron and Jimmy immediately headed for the basement when Cass walked in. "C'mon. The good stuff's downstairs." Jed motioned for Maya and Cass to follow him. Cass' stomach dropped. What did he mean by 'good stuff'? Her misgivings grew. 

She allowed Maya to drag her downstairs, where they found the boys tipping back shots of tequila. The smell wafted over Cass' face and she became nauseous. It was her dad's favorite, the kind that made him the nastiest. Her eyes widened when they set up two more glasses for her and Maya. 

"No, sillies, we're not drinking tonight." Maya smiled sweetly at Aaron. Cass' relief was short-lived as Maya took the blunt from Jed's mouth and put it in her own. She blew smoke into the air, and Cass' mouth dropped. 

"What do you think you're doing, Maya?" She exclaimed. Maya gave her a withered look. 

"Oh, loosen up, Cassidy. It's not good for your cortisol levels to be so stressed all the time. Here." She offered the joint to Cass. 

"No, thank you. I have had enough of this." She turned on her heel and started back up the stairs. 

"Cass, wait! We're just having some fun!" Maya called, but no amount of pleading could get Cass to give in this time. She stormed up the stairs. As she left the doorway, she could hear Jed telling the others about his new gun.

"Just came up from south of the border. Ain't she pretty?" The boys agreed and Maya giggled. Cass couldn't stop the tears from welling up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall as she got into her Civic and drove away, certain she had lost her best friend for good.