Just Friends...?

I Forgot My Wallet

"What the fuck are you wearing?"

Cassie froze halfway down the stairs, seeing her boyfriend stood at the bottom, his arms crossed and a look of disgust on his face.

"My outfit for the show...Val helped me pick it out" Cassie frowned a little "what's wrong with it?"

Brandon scoffed.

"What's right with it?! You think I'm gonna want to actually tell people you're my girlfriend when you look like a two cent hooker?"

"it doesn't look that bad..." Cassie glanced down at her combat boots, fishnets, black shorts and cropped Slayer shirt, and then back up to her boyfriend. "Val said the shorts make my butt look good..."

"Please. Val can barely dress herself. I don't know how Matt lets her run around in barely nothing." Brandon stepped onto the first stair. "Cassie, you know you're never gonna meet somebody who loves you as much as me, so believe me when I tell you...that outfit is horrible. It's tacky, it's slutty and...you can tell you've gained weight"

Cassie exhaled slowly. She blinked back tears and nodded.

"Yeah, you're right, baby. I'm sorry, I'll go change" she stuttered, turning around to head back upstairs, but turning back around when a knock sounded at the door.

"It's open!" Brandon yelled, and Val, Matt, Zacky, Jimmy, Brian and. Johnny walked in. "woah, didn't realise we were having a fucking party" Brandon spat

"We're here to pick up our guitarist" Zacky growled, glaring at the taller man. The group turned and looked up at Cassie on the stairs. She waved meekly. "Hey Cass"

"Hey guys" she said quietly, looking a little disheartened.

"Well you better wait, she was just about to go change" sneered Brandon. "weren't you babe?"

"Yeah" she agreed meekly. Val frowned.

"What?! Why? Cassie you look amazing, sweetie, besides, we don't have time, we gotta get you guys to Chain Reaction like, now" the platinum blonde barged past Brandon and grabbed Cassie's arm, pulling her down the stairs and out the door. The guys quickly followed, leaving Brandon in the house, still scowling.

"That guy is such a fucking asshole, babe, why are you still with him?" Zacky questioned his friend as they piled into the bands van.

"Zack, don't" Brian warned "just leave it man, we need to focus on the gig"

"Are you okay?" Valary asked Cassie as the two girls settled into the back seats. Cassie nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine...but...he's right, I look ridiculous" Cassie sighed, pointlessly trying to pull down her cropped top to cover her flat stomach. Val look at her friend sadly.

"You look beautiful Cassie, you really do" she whispered, leaning over and kissing her on the cheek. This had been going on for far too long now, and everyone could see it. But as much as it pained them all to watch, nothing they said or did could help. Brandon had gotten inside Cassie's head so much, she was convinced that she would never, ever find anyone else, and she'd much rather be with someone and miserable, than be alone.

Cassie wrapped her arms around her torso, catching Zacky's eye in the rear view mirror. He sent her a small smile, which she returned, but it was short lived as Brandon barged into the van, shoving himself in between the two girls.

The ride to Chain Reaction was tense and silent, each one of the band members feeling sick to their stomachs as they prepared to play their first show to a real crowd.