Always Be Forever

Chapter 6: Amy

2090, BCE, September

The first piece was being played, and Cashmere was taking a while. I had told her that I was waiting for her in the gym, but I didn't tell her where. Maybe she was already in the gym and waiting in a different spot. I see Tiffany on the dance floor with her younger sister, Julia and their mother, Andrea. Maybe they've seen Cashmere. Tiffany is another one of Cashmere's friends so I go up to them. "Have you seen Cashmere?" I ask once I tapped Tiffany on the shoulder. "I'm sorry I haven't," Tiffany had told me. "Cashmere isn't Tiffany's friend anymore, especially since Cashmere had hurt her," Andrea had told us. "Cashmere never hurts anyone, and I've known her for a longer time," I tell them. I need to know where Cashmere is. "Can you just tell me where Cashmere is?" I had asked them. "Probably sexually assaulting another kid," Andrea had joked around. "Cashmere would never hurt another living soul and you know that!" I yelled out as the piece had ended.

Jasmine had come up to me while Andrea walked away with Tiffany and Julia. "What was all that about?" Jasmine had asked once the next piece was starting to play. "I don't know. I don't know where Cashmere is, I don't know why Andrea thinks that Cashmere sexually assaulted Tiffany, I feel like I just don't know anything about Cashmere anymore," I told Jasmine, sinking my face into my hands. "Leave me alone," I tell Jasmine. I didn't know what to believe anymore. Sitting in front of the stage on the ground, I had quietly sung to myself:

I don't know whom to tell; I don't know what to believe. You were a friend in need. You needed to get away, but I want to come with you. Just stay where you are, and let me find you, cause I just want to help you. You are the one I need, the one that I want.

Crying in the spot, I see James enter the gym through the back door. "Have you seen Cashmere?" I ask, going up to him. The tears were now falling, and they weren't stopping. "I haven't seen her, sorry. Is everything okay?" James had asked me. "No. Andrea, Tiffany's mom thinks that Cashmere sexually assaulted Tiffany," I told him through the tears. James had looked over at Jasmine, who shared a worried look with him. He had gone up to her right away and hugged her. "Don't worry, we'll get through this. We just got to make sure that it's not true and it doesn't go to the police," I overhear James tell Jasmine.

The school that was just playing was Archbishop Macbeth High School, and they were walking off the stage. I remember Cashmere has an ex, Michael, who plays French horn and he goes to the school. I see a French horn player walk down, and without introducing myself; I just go up and ask, "Have you seen Cashmere?" "Sorry, I haven't," he tells me. Sulking, I walk towards the bathroom, ready to cry my eyes out. Walking in there, I hear sniffles coming from a bathroom stall. There was someone already in there. "Hello?" I ask the person. "Amy?" The person asked before opening the stall door, revealing that it was Cashmere.

Cashmere had came up and hugged me right there. I hugged her back. "Where were you? I was getting worried," I tell her, running my hand through her hair. To be honest, I'm bisexual. I say that because I once dated a guy, and I'm into Cashmere now. "I found out a piece of information that I can't get out of my head now," she told me, her voice cracking. "What is it?" I ask her, comforting her. "I found out that I do have a long-lost brother, but he's not so lost. He's Ben Oxford," She tells me. Wait, Ben? My ex? I don't understand. "Let's get out of here," I tell her. "I can't go out there looking like this," She tells me, while drying her tears with her hand. I grabbed her some paper towel to use. She had grabbed it, and then threw it in the garbage. It was in the corner near the entrance. "What else do you know about it?" I asked, hoping that could help her with at least talking about it. "Not much. But I do know that Lucy, Snow's mother is Ben's mother, and that Ben was adopted," she had told me while drying her tears with her hand. Wait, so she's also related to Snow? Damn, this family tree is more complicated than I thought. "And worst of all, I have another step-brother, Jack Strapple," she told me. Wait, THE Jack Strapple? "Jack Strapple? Are you sure about that Cashmere? Cause if you tell people about that, they aren't going to believe you unless if you have evidence," I tell her, shocked with my jaw dropped. "My mom has told me, and I have three other reliable sources confirming it," she tells me. I can't believe it. I just can't. "I think I need to sit," I mutter to myself before sitting on the floor inside the big stall. There's a whole lot of shit going on in my head right now.

"Were you looking for me?" Cashmere had asked as she sat in front of me. "I was, until Andrea, Tiffany's mother, had claimed that you had sexually assaulted Tiffany," I had finally told her. "Wait, what?" She had asked, with the same reaction I had when I had found out. "I don't understand," she started saying, but trailing off at the end. "What happened between Tiffany and you?" I had asked. I need to know what happened between them, cause I don't know what to believe anymore. "No one was supposed to find out, but last year in June when we were on our band trip with the choir, Tiffany and I were just trying to figure out who we are. I don't know if that makes any sense," she started. "I do know what you're talking about," I had cut her off, while grabbing her hand. I had never told her that I had a crush on her, but I think it's about time. "I did not pressure her into it, I had asked if she was okay with it before and she verbally said yes. I was the one who backed away after," she started, but I had stopped her once I had put my hand on her face with my thumb touching her lip. Without asking, I got up on my knees, carried myself to her, and leaned in for a kiss. Cashmere's lips were so soft, I felt like I was caressing them. I want that feeling everywhere. She kissed me back after, but then she went onto my neck. This didn't stop, and I didn't want it to stop. "Wait, there's something I should just quickly tell you," I had told her before she started touching my boobs. I had gone back to sitting on the floor, but this time I was beside her. "Ben Oxford? Your long-lost brother? He's my ex," I had finally got out. 

Sitting there, feeling like a fool, Cashmere didn't say a word to me. "You're crazy," she told me before walking away, out the stall and away from the gym. "Cashmere! Please let me explain!" I had exclaimed, standing up and running out there after her. "What's there to explain?" She asked before heading up the stairs to the second floor. "Cashmere! Please stop!" I yelled after her. She was running now, and was heading for the window. Grabbing a wooden bench, she threw it through the window, smashing the glass to little bits and stepped through onto the roof. Walking after her, I step onto a shard of glass, with my shoes on. "Amy Miranda Lodge, don't come any closer," Cashmere had told, turning around to face me. I paused there for a second, before I blurted out, "Please don't do this." She walked towards the edge, not listening to me at all. "This needs to be done," Cashmere had told in a monotone voice. This isn't like Cashmere at all; she's in some sort of trance. I get through the mess of glass, and I run after her before she jumps over the edge. I grabbed onto her hands before being able to fall, and I had kept my grip. "What's happening?" Cashmere had yelped out with a cry in her voice. "You were in some sort of trance," I tell her as I pull her up from the edge of the roof.

 "How did this happen?" She had asked. "I had mentioned Ben being my ex and then you walked away," I tell her, remembering how after she had looked lost. "Right. Look, I'm okay with that. I really am," she had told me, looking in the eyes with a twinkle in them. A burst of wind came rushing by, and it blew Cashmere off the roof. I wasn't able to catch her, but I didn't hear a smash of the body. I head down, and I realize that she isn't there. I was back to where I was before. Where did Cashmere go?