Hate vs. Love ✓ [Original Version]

Chapter 51 Cassie's My Greatest Regret

You guys are gonna love and hate me for this chapter. Mostly hate me but I still love ya guys. Drama in books is life. Chapter unedited. I am lazy. You should know that by now.

Chapter 51: Cassie's My Greatest Regret

I was crying even when I got home. Gramma was the only one home. One look at my face and she took me in her arms.

"What happened, Sandy?" she asked as she sat down on the couch. She put her arm around me and tried to get me to shut up.

"They lied to me," I said. Slowly, I told her everything that happened today. Everthing that Lucas and Julian lied about. She was so surprised to hear about Brandon but chose not to push it. My best friend was dead. Gone. Forever.

I cried my heart out in Gramma's arms.

The long time flicker of hope of things improving I had after seeing him at the cemetry was gone with Brandom himself.

"They were trying to do something well but that did not seem to work in their favor. Lucas and Julian--"

"Julian," I said bitterly. "I expected better from him! He was supposed to be the reasonable and the good one! He just goes along with the lie. He knew me! Damn it!" I sobbed in my hands. It really hurt me with Julian, for some reason.

"Julian's a nice boy. He doesn't want to hurt--"

"No, Gramma! He has hurt me. He always thinks he can save and please everybody," I said shaking my head. "There's a limit! A limit to doing things like these. Lying about someone's death and then covering it up is not acceptable! Especially when it's about someone close to me! Lucas might get carried away, but I expected better from Julian!"

"So, you're hurt because Julian lied too?" Gramma slowly asked. She had a weird look on her face.

"Yes! He was the better friend!"

"Friend," she repeated after me. "I know you were closer to Julian, but you went on a date with Lucas. Why do I see you feeling more betrayed by Julian than Lucas?"

Now, I frowned in confusion. What was she getting at? "Julian was . . . he was . . . I don't know! He's always supposed to be there for me!" I blurted out. It was the truth. After all these, this was true enough.

"I see," Gramma nodded. "Do you not think Lucas will be there for you?" Her eyes searched mine for an answer and I had a feeling I wasn't going to enjoy this talk.

"Stop," I said standing up. "I don't want to talk about this." I marched my way up to my room. Over my shoulder, I shouted, "I'm going to sleep early. No dinner for me." Gramma shouted something back but I ignored her.

I spent an hour in the shower until I finally had cooled off. I came back into my room from the bathroom in my pajamas and a tank top. Turning the lights off, I settled in my bed and waited for sleep to come in. That didn't happen.

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The next two days were full of apologies from both Lucas and Julian. I was giving them the silent treatment. My best friend's death was kept hidden and they felt the right to deny me that information. Screw Julian and his cousin. Both of them were equally at fault but it was a matter of who I had better expectations of.

Lucas had this tired look on him and he simply told me that he made a mistake. He didn't expect me to forgive him easily. At least he knew. As for Julian, I was beyond pissed off at him, and he was well aware of that.

In school, I avoided both of them at all costs. Lucas had talked to me in calculus but that was it. Julian tried to make me listen to him in the library, but I plugged in my headphones the whole time and worked.