BODYS ; M. MUNROE

CHAPTER ONE

★彡

WHEN CASSANDRA'S sister, Olivia, died, Josh did his best to make sure she was okay. He looked out for her, in his own way, that being asking if she wanted to have movie marathons with him. She was grateful for him, grateful for the fact that she was partnered with him for a science project all those years ago, giving them a chance to become friends. She sometimes wondered what she'd be doing if she was partnered with someone else, she pondered this thought with Chris once, who eagerly began the butterfly effect, to her.

When it became Cassandra's turn to comfort Josh, she made sure to be there for him the same way. 

She called him, checked if he was eating, taking his meds, kept her distance when he wanted to be alone; she didn't know if what she was doing enough, she didn't think if she'd ever do enough to truly help.

"Josh's been doing a lot better, Cass." Ashley said, as the two made their way to the rest post adorned with a bench and a binocular stand. "We wouldn't be here if he wasn't."

Cassandra hummed, nodding to herself, her hand absentmindedly messing with the ends of her scarf. "Yeah... I guess so." Her voice distant.

Ashley paused, turning to face her friend. "Cass. You're being weird, what's really on your mind?" She folded her arms, Ashley had a habit of being able to read Cassandra like a book.

Cassandra sighed, burying her face into her gloves hands, her hair falling forward. "I'm trying to keep my mind off of Will and Jess... Mission failed." She groaned into her hands. Sometime during the year, Will and Jess had become an item, something that Cassandra should've seen coming, knowing his affliction for fun blondes.

With the little stop buried away behind trees came into view, the girls trudged up the snow covered steps, Ashley eager to peer through the binoculars. "Yeah, that seriously sucks, can't believe Josh let him come."

"I let him come, Josh asked me, and I said it was fine, he's still friends with you guys, especially Matt. I'd just of felt bad for him..." Cassandra looked to her boots, tapping the tips of them on the ground to get rid of the snow on them, she hated that she felt anything but resentment for him, but she couldn't help it, he had a place in her heart. Even if she didn't in his.

"You're too kind for your own good, Cass, you need to start— woah what the hell?" Ashley's head was still buried in the binoculars, Cassandra lifted her head. "Someone needs to check the expiration date on their breakup, look!" Ashley pulled back, pointing.

Interested, Cassandra hurried over, her gloved hands grasped the sides of the binoculars, and she gasped at the sight of Emily and Mike having a talk, then a comforting embrace. "What the..."

Six months ago, Emily and Mike had split, not long after that, Emily had started dating Matt; surprisingly, Mike had yet to start dating again, which was a record for him. Neither of them had mentioned what the reasoning was, other than Emily calling Mike 'a cowardly moron'.

Behind her, Ashley screamed, Cassandra quickly turned, heart racing, and ready to scream herself, but she relaxed seeing a chuckling Matt, bent over, and clutching his knees.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" Ashley grumbled, lightly hitting him on the shoulder.

"Geez, Ash... Sorry. I-I didn't mean to upset you." He said between chuckles. Standing straight, he nodded a hello to Cassandra, before looking behind her and at the binocular stand. "See anything good on there?"

Cassandra opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. She wanted to tell him, she'd want someone to tell her, someone had, and it broke her heart. "Uh-"

"It's busted," Ashley blurted. "I told her it was, but she wanted to look anyway, I think it's making my head hurt, actually, what about you Cass?" Both Ashley and Matt turned to look at her.

"Y-yeah-" Cassandra put her hand to the side of her head. "Already got a headache."

Matt nodded, buying the combined lie, then shrugged. "Damn, seems like nothing on this mountain works, huh?"

"Right? Can't believe I had to climb over the stupid wall." Whined Ashley, wordlessly the three had decided to continue their journey to the lodge together.

Cassandra didn't know how Matt felt about her, before her break-up with Will, she was actually quite close to Matt, he was kind and, although aloof, made up for it with how strong he was, something she knew Will secretly envied. After their break-up, Matt stopped speaking to her as much, he would say hi if they happened to be in the same room, but he didn't text her, or send her songs he'd found like he had in the past. She hoped he didn't hate her, she couldn't think why he would, she hadn't done anything wrong. Unless not being ready for sex had become a crime.

"I just really need to be warm, I think I'll die if I'm not sat directly in front of a fire soon." Ashley's voice cut through Cassandra's thoughts, and she glanced at the brunette.

Matt laughed, hands deep in the pockets of his letterman jacket. "You're that cold? I don't really feel it much. I'm just looking forward to getting wasted." Surprising Cassandra, he looked down to her, with raised brows. "What about you, Cass?"

She pouted in thought. "I think... I'm just looking forward to seeing Josh." She shrugged slightly, her answer seemingly making the two go quiet. Good job, Cass. "And... I could do with some food."

The two laughed, and Cassandra felt her body relax immediately. "Please do not mention food, my stomach's been screaming for hours." Matt groaned, patting his stomach.

In the distance, the pointed roof of the lodge slowly became visible, the rest hidden by the blowing snow and mist.

Humour: Increased
Honest: Decreased

and of course, olivia's
casting is the amazing
melissa barrera 🩷