GODDESS OF WAR

Chapter 4

CASSANDRA ARIA

"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have had to deal with this if it wasn't for me," Sage said sadly, her fingers gently caressing my wrist The skin there was still marked by the brutal imprint of Amara's grip.

I had to admit, I was taken aback by Amara's strength. Looking at her slim, elegant frame, you would never guess she possessed that kind of raw power.

We were sitting in the mini-park near our campus. It was late at night, and fortunately, Sage doesnt have her shift tonight so we could stay out without worrying about the time.

"You know it's not your fault, right?" I said, offering her a reassuring smile. She smiled back, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"The rumors are really true, aren't they?" She let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh. My brows furrowed as I reached out, gently wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "You know..about Amara being an absolute bitch."

I sighed softly. "I've told you that a million times, haven't I?" She merely nodded, looking down at her lap.

"But still..." She shrugged her shoulders, her voice barely a whisper. "I still believe there's a reason behind why she acts the way she does."

I rolled my eyes, a wave of annoyance washing over me, and slowly pulled my arms back. "Oh, come on, Sage."

Sage Adalee Bermeo. My painfully shy friend. To the rest of the campus, she was just an invisible outcast, someone they walked past without a second glance. But to me, she was a sweetheart. Honestly, I felt like the lucky one for being the only person she let close. I stared into her beautiful, doe-like brown eyes, which looked incredibly large behind her oversized glasses.

"You can't be friends with someone like that. She is the absolute worst," I added firmly. Sage bowed her head.

I knew she was still aching from the humiliation earlier. Amara had publicly dragged her in front of a crowd, just because Sage had accidentally spilled juice on her shirt.

That evil bitch. I didn't know exactly when or why it started, but a deep, burning loathing for Amara had taken root inside me. She always threw these dead, icy stares in my direction. I used to think she was just bitter and jealous because I was more popular on campus, but sometimes, the malice felt much deeper than high school rivalry.

"But she saved my life once, Cassie. She's not entirely heartless," Sage murmured. Even I was stunned by the revelation.

Hearing that Amara had actually saved someone felt entirely detached from reality. It was almost impossible to believe.

"I just wanted to thank her but I never really knew how to approach her," Sage continued, looking sheepish.

"So I thought of offering her a drink and just say hi. Pretty stupid idea, right?" I shrugged, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and we both shared a quiet laugh. "But being me.. being so clumsy all the time. I completely messed it up."

Reaching out, I softly cupped her chin and lifted her head so she was forced to look at me. I brushed her cute bangs out of her eyes, framing her face with my hands, and gently tapped her cheeks.

"But look at how she treated you in return. Isn't that enough of a sign to realize she doesn't want to be your friend?" She nodded, letting out a heavy sigh.