"We were
Just friends
That spoke like lovers
And that seemed to be enough for
Two teenagers who were scared to love one another"
- k.a.t.
~~~~~~
Lorenzo Berkshire x Cassandra Avery (OC)
A sort of slow burn, childhood best friends to lovers story...
There are two parts to this chapter. Please don't read the first part of this chapter (in italics) if this is a sensitive topic for you. This part is a flashback from Lorenzo's perspective, and takes place just after the Manhood chapter in Filthy. It is a bit about how Lorenzo felt after this and also gives a bit more about why Cassie is the way she is. I've tried to write it so that there is nothing graphic however I appreciate this part could still be triggering for some people. Please feel free to skip to the part with normal font.
I can also delete the first part if it is too upsetting.
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"There are days that I cannot find the sun even though its right outside my goddamn window" - Neil Hilborn
~~~~~~
Lorenzo Berkshire
"Go away Cassie".
"What?".
I looked up at the confused girl in front of me. My best friend. And the last person in the world I wanted to see right now. The last person in the world I wanted to see me like this.
"You heard me", I hissed.
Cassie tilted her head at me. "I just got back, I-"
"I'm well aware that you weren't here". She stopped in her tracks as I started walking towards her. "I've not needed you the last six weeks. I don't need you now".
She stepped backwards as I urged her towards my door. "What are you talking abou-"
"Leave me alone Cassie!". I slammed the door behind her.
What happened wasn't Cassie's fault. I know that. I wasn't angry at her for what happened. I was angry at her for not being here after. And that wasn't her fault either. I had no reason to be angry. But I couldn't stop being angry. Because if I stopped being angry I would start to cry. And if I started to cry I knew I would never stop.
I dragged myself to my bathroom to have my fourth shower of the day. I pulled my clothes off as I waited for it to heat up, avoiding my gaze in the mirror.
I scrubbed at my skin until it was red raw, but it was no use. I couldn't get rid of the smell. That god awful smell of that horrible place. It seemed to have clung to my skin.
The worst part wasn't the smell though. It was the way my skin itched, as if something was crawling underneath it and wouldn't leave me alone, and no matter how much I scratched at it it wouldn't stop.
I stepped out the shower, glancing down at the scratch marks all over my body. I looked like a werewolf or some other monster had attacked me. But there was no monster. There was only me. And the disgusting thing I had done.
