For A Brief Moment

Chapter 5: Devil's Den

School seemed to drag on and on, something that Cassie was used to, it was the period before lunch and Cassie knew that she would be roped into sitting in the hall with everyone now that Sebastian was back. The school bell echoed through the science class, as everyone scrambled to grab their stuff and leave. Cassie took her time, trying to avoid the crowd that had now formed at the door. Once it had settled down, Cassie walked out the door and turned only to be greeted by Chrissy. 

"Hello, stranger." Chrissy hooked their arms together as they began to walk towards the hall. Correction: Chrissy walked as she practically dragged Cassie with her. 

"Can't we eat outside, it's nice and it's quiet." Cassie pleaded in hopes of changing her mind, but it was too late, they had entered the devil's den. They walked over to the most crowded table in the hall, where Sebastian, Jaxen and Brody were, along with other basketball players and cheerleaders. Two seats remained empty for the girls, as they walked closer. The boys standing around the table, moved, forming a small path towards the empty chairs for the girls. They both hesitantly walked through and sat down. Cassie could already feel the tension between the two members of the basketball team. Brody and Sebastian. Brody sat on one side of the table, drinking a vomit-looking smoothie. Sebastian walked round towards Cassie and stood behind her.

 "How was your morning shorty?" Why did everyone have a nickname for her? She was so confused by this but would never say it.

"Yeah, not too bad, can't complain," she said turning her neck and looking up at him. She shot him a small smile before turning back to the table.

"So, what did you get up to last night Cassie? Sorry again for stealing Chrissy from you." A voice said from beside Chrissy. It was her boyfriend, Jaxen. He wasn't the nicest of people, but he had the right morals, and he was kind to Cassie.

"Wait you didn't have cheer practice?" Sebastian asked in a protective manner.

Cassie's eyes widened. She had gotten back the usual time she would if she did have cheer practice. She felt Brody's eyes on her, along with other basketball players and cheerleaders. She wasn't going to lie, but she wasn't going to tell the complete truth either. If she was to do that, she would be in more trouble and probably get Dylan and his friends in trouble as well.

"I was with Greg. He had an essay and was worrying so I said I would stay after school and tutor him some more." She said towards Jaxen, rather than towards Sebastian. He couldn't tell by her voice if she was lying, but if he looked at her face, he would have known immediately.

"Girl, you need to have time to yourself as well, go shopping, have a spa day, ooo how about a girl day at some point?" Chrissy said to her enthusiastically, as Jaxen admired her, "After all our movie night was put on hold by Jax." She giggled as she looked at him. She turned back to Cassie who smiled at her, "We will have to plan something." By this point, the rest of the table had started up their own conversations, and Chrissy had turned back to speak with Jaxen. Cassie could still feel Brody look at her, she looked up gently from the table and saw him, eyes fixated on her. He analysed every feature on her face and smiled smugly. Sebastian was too side-tracked by other conversations to see. Cassie half smiled back and looked down, playing with her food, and taking small bites from time to time. She scanned the hall and all its different features. She saw familiar faces at other tables and saw new art fixtures on the wall. Her eyes scanned the different tables on the opposite side of the room until she stopped at a table, where the figures sitting at it were already staring back at her. Dylan, Greg, Max, and Elijah were all staring at her. Her uncomfortable expression clearly noticeable to them. She smiled gently at them before she met eyes with Elijah who had a sympathetic look at her. He pointed to an empty seat next to Dylan, offering her to sit with them. She shrugged before jumping slightly as someone grabbed her shoulder. She turned her head rapidly, to look at Sebastian who had moved his face to be level with her. Looking around the room. "What you staring at?"

"Huh. Oh nothing, just thinking."

"Well, stop thinking and listen to our amazing idea." He placed his other hand on her other shoulder and turned her body around, to face the group at her table. Sebastian looked once more in the direction she was analysing, before seeing a familiar face. Dylan. He shot him a small smile, before turning back to the group also. Cassie sat silently as the group all spoke about different ideas.

Elijah and Dylan still stared and the young girl. "Did you really just offer her a seat with us?" One of the boys said to him, in a somewhat disgusted tone.

"She's clearly uncomfortable with them," Elijah responded, pointing in her direction.

"I doubt she would be more comfortable with us," Greg expressed as he took a bite of his food. All the boys turned to him to continue his explanation.

"Did you not see her at all yesterday, at the car, at the club, she was terrified. No offence but I think she would be more scared with us. Just a thought." They all fell silent and considered for a second before turning to the girl, whose back was to them. Her legs bounced next to her chair. She was clearly uncomfortable. Her head moved multiple times as she turned to look at whoever was speaking. The boys from the table watched her, confused, and saddened for her. They snapped out of their stares when they saw her get up. Not her whole group, just her; she grabbed her bag. "Dylan," Elijah said, not taking his eyes off her, as she packed her bag.

"What?" Dylan questioned, turning his head to him, seeing the look on his face he already knew what to do. "On it." He spoke.

Cassie began to walk, turning backwards to say goodbye to everyone. Dylan took the opportunity to leave his seat and walk towards the centre of the hall. Cassie walked up the hall towards the exit as Dylan caught up to her. "Cassie, Cassie." He called. She turned to see Dylan's red face behind her. "Hey, what's up?" She said, he looked at her for a moment, not realising he didn't really have a reason to be there, he just wanted to know if she was okay. There were multiple sets of eyes on the pair, coming from her table and his table.

"Romeo and Juliet." He abruptly said. She tilted her head slightly in confusion. He pointed at the book in her hand. "It's a good book, I like the play."  She didn't quite know how to respond to his statement, so she simply smiled and nodded gently. "Are you okay?" he said sincerely. She didn't know how to respond to the question also. She looked behind Dylan and saw all the different looks she was receiving. Greg watched concerned, Elijah watched as if he too was waiting for an answer, Sebastian watched confused, Brody watched in anger and Chrissy watched with the sweet smile she always had, with no judgement. There were others watching but these people stood out most to her. She looked back at Dylan, his eyes also looking concerned.

"I'm okay, why do you ask?" She said, almost forcefully.

"No reason just wanted to check up on a friend."

"We're friends now?" she said in a playful tone, in order to shift the conversation.

"If you want to be." He smiled.

"I would love to Dylan Hawk." She smiled at him.

"Great, see you around, friend." He poked her shoulder.

"See you around, friend," she poked him back. He watched her hand, her sleeve rolling up slightly. He quickly moved his gaze to her wrist, red and bruised. Her father has a strong grip but still, that was a nasty bruise even for a strong grip. She turned around and walked off as he stood for a moment, more concerned for her than when the conversation first began. He turned back around, and walked carefully back to his table, still being watched by Brody.