HAZEL'S POV
I threw my bag on the floor, the adrenaline of the day still coursing through my veins, and I jumped onto my bed, burying my head in the soft pillow. "AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, I SANG HER A SONG!" I screamed into the pillow. It was a scream of exhilaration, of doing something I had never done before for anyone.
With a rush of excitement, I quickly got off the bed and grabbed my phone. Scrolling through my contacts, I found Josie's name and tapped on it. "TODAY WAS AMAZINGGGGGGG," I texted her, a wide smile still plastered across my face as I relived every moment I had shared with Cassie earlier. Her knee brushing against mine, the lingering scent of her vanilla essence, the sound of her laughter, and the warmth of her presence — all of it replayed in my mind.
But then reality hit me like a ton of bricks. Cassie had a boyfriend. I couldn't help but frown as I came to this sobering realization. I groaned in annoyance, tossing a pillow onto the floor. One moment, I felt on top of the world, and the next, I felt like the most idiotic person she'd ever come across.
I couldn't shake the memory of that text message Cassie had received, the way her smile had faded. Who could it be? Joshua? I couldn't help but notice the way she said his name, as if it were a burden.
With a sigh, I shook my head to snap out of my daydreams. "Whatever," I muttered as I shut my eyes tight, attempting to put the conflicting emotions behind me.
CASSIE'S POV
I nervously tapped my feet while sipping from a glass of ice-cold water, the chill stinging my throat uncomfortably. Seated in a cozy booth, I gazed outside through the café's enormous window. The clock was inching toward 5 PM, and today, I hadn't stayed after school with Millie and Jessie. The sky outside had painted itself in shades of orangish-red, an almost surreal beauty that captivated my attention. It was the only thing that soothed my anxious thoughts.
As I stared at the sky, a particular lyric played on a loop in my head, "Look at the sky, it's the color of love." A smile flickered on my lips as I remembered the moment I'd shared with Hazel earlier.
"Hey." I flinched and turned around, and there was Joshua. He took a seat across from me, his expression as plain as I expected. "Hi," I greeted with almost no emotion, my eyes still fixed on the captivating sky.
"Uh, you look upset," he began, but I cut him off abruptly. "I can't do this, Joshua."
He blinked at me, clearly taken aback. "What?" he stammered.
"Yes, I don't think I'm happy in this relationship, Joshua. I'm done," I declared, a tear trickling down my cheek. His eyebrows furrowed, and his face reflected shock. "You're not just... you aren't going to leave me like this, are you?" he asked, his voice trembling.
I had once admired this guy, but now, the fact that he was about to cry didn't even faze me. "I'm sorry," I mumbled as I looked away.
"Cass, I love you. I only love you; you're my only—"
"Don't. Don't say something you don't even mean, Joshua," I interrupted, my gaze piercing him. It infuriated me that he professed to 'love me,' when it sounded like a lie.
"I mean it—"
"No, you don't," I insisted, wiping away the tears from my cheek. "Why?" he implored, his eyes locked on mine.
"We both know why, Joshua. Don't act like you don't know," I said, my words fading into a whisper. "I don't want another set of promises that are wrapped in lies, Josh," I added, picking up my bag and my guitar and leaving the booth.
"Goodbye," I whispered as I walked out of the café. The waitress might've given me the 'oh, yet another breakup' look. I sat in my car, sobbing uncontrollably, to the point of feeling breathless after a few minutes. I checked my phone and noticed a notification from Millie. "Are you okay, babygirl?" I read her text, my vision blurred with tears. I quickly responded, "Can we meet, please?" I waited for her response, and it didn't take her more than a minute to reply, "Yes, we can. You can come over." I put my phone aside and drove towards her home.
