ASSHOLES | scream au

12. dry it off

Amber had been spending a lot of time at Tara and Sam's place lately, but she still maintained her own dorm room, albeit with a roommate she hadn't mentioned much—Cassie Turner. Cassie was an anomaly; she was young for a college student, having skipped a whole year of high school to enroll early. Amber found her to be incredibly bright and ambitious, with a sweetness that made her instantly likable. Rumor had it that Cassie might even harbor a tiny crush on Chad, but Amber was only piecing together this information from casual conversations and observations.

As Amber stepped into their shared dorm room to grab some fresh clothes and dry off, she noticed Cassie hunched over her textbooks, absorbed in studying. The warm glow from the desk lamp illuminated her focused expression, and Amber felt a twinge of guilt for interrupting her concentration.

"Hey," Amber greeted, trying to sound casual despite the chaos swirling in her mind.

Cassie looked up, her brow furrowing slightly as she took in Amber's disheveled appearance. "Hey! What happened to you? You look... damp."

Amber let out a small, self-deprecating laugh. "Just a little splash zone incident at the party. Nothing major." She paused, noticing Cassie's curious eyes. "Why didn't you come to the party?"

"I don't know. I thought it'd be weird since I'm the only 17-year-old there," Cassie shrugged, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well, I'm going back to Sam and Tara's. Do you want to come with?" Amber asked, attempting to sound enthusiastic. She added, almost as an afterthought, "Chad will be there..." Her voice trailed off as she felt a flutter of uncertainty, wondering if Cassie would even be interested.

Cassie's eyes lit up at the mention of Chad, and she hesitated for a moment, clearly weighing her options. "Uh, sure! That could be fun," she replied, a hint of eagerness in her tone. "Just give me a minute to grab my jacket."

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After Amber changed into some actual clothes, she headed to the apartment where Chad, Mindy, Anika, and Annabeth were already gathered. The lively atmosphere buzzed with laughter and music filtering through the air, a stark contrast to the tumultuous feelings Amber had just left behind. Ethan and Quinn were also there, visiting their brother, which added a familial warmth to the mix.

As Amber stepped through the door, she caught sight of Richie lounging in the living room, and she waved at him, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "Hi, Richie!" she called out, her voice rising above the chatter.

"Tara's in her room!" Quinn chimed in, a grin spreading across her face as if she were letting Amber in on a secret.

"Thanks, Quinn," Amber replied, feeling a sense of urgency as she moved toward the back of the apartment. Each step felt heavy with anticipation, the muffled sounds of laughter fading as she approached Tara's room.

Pushing the door open gently, Amber stepped inside and found Tara sprawled out on her bed, gazing up at the ceiling as if searching for answers in the plaster above. The room was dimly lit, shadows dancing across the walls, and for a moment, Amber hesitated at the threshold, taking in the sight of her girlfriend lost in thought. Tara's expression was distant, her usually vibrant demeanor dulled, making Amber's heart ache at the sight.

"You didn't have to come back; you could've stayed at your dorm if you wanted," Tara said, her voice edged with regret. She knew her words would sting, and she wanted to take responsibility for that. "I'm pretty sure the fighting's done for the day anyway."