Broken Promises

Chapter 15

December 24th. Christmas Eve. My favourite day in the year on which I used to wake up excited and full of happiness but this time, it was different. I looked out of the window to see if it was still snowing but just like I thought, it stopped. And maybe it was all in my head. Maybe the snow was only an illusion that my creative mind has created. And maybe - even though I hated to think about it - Blake was the illusion himself. 

"No! He's really here. He's real." I said to my reflection in the mirror as if I was trying to convince myself. However, the girl in the mirror didn't seem so sure.

~*~

"Thank you for coming guys!" I greeted everyone with hugs. "My aunt is in the kitchen she'll tell you what to do." 

Spencer walked in last. "Hi." He said to me when everyone was in the kitchen.

"Hey," I smiled. "How's your eye?" 

"Good. Still hurts a bit, though." He forced a little laugh. 

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the police?" I asked. He hasn't said much about that night and he didn't tell me anything about the people that attacked him. Why would a group of strangers attack a random guy? Maybe he wasn't as innocent as he seemed. I had a feeling he knew more about the attackers and the reason why they attacked him but for some reason, he didn't want to talk about it. And the fact that he didn't want the police to get involved made it even more suspicious. I wanted to ask more about that night but it was none of my business. He wasn't obligated to tell me anything and it might make him angry if I question him too much, and so I decided to fight the urge.

"No, Cassie!" His voice sounded very defensive. "Can we just forget that night ever happened?" He took a step closer to me and stared down into my eyes, in his hypnotising way. There was just something in his eyes that was so mesmerising and mysterious.

I felt my body shiver a little as I hesitantly agreed to his request, "Yeah...Okay." 

The spell broke. He looked away and it almost seemed as if he was avoiding eye contact now. "We should go and help the others." He suggested.

I nodded and he walked away leaving me in the decorated hallway. I was surprised that he didn't mention Blake. Not a single- are you okay? or how are you? Nothing. It was like I never even told him. The truth was that I was worrying, all morning, about having to answer all his questions. The typical questions that everyone asked after I told them. But Spencer wasn't like everyone. There was something about him that was different. As soon as I told Savannah, I noticed quite a subtle change in her behaviour around me. Questions like Are you okay? were starting to become more common in our daily conversations and she also became very careful about everything she said, just that I don't get hurt. I appreciated her looking out for me - I really did - but I was starting to get tired of people treating me like a fragile, delicate, little flower. If everyone started acting like that around me I would be in a much worse state than I was now. That's exactly why I wanted to leave Roseville, and it's also why I didn't want to tell the story to my new friends here. 

"Cassie? Are you coming?" Vanda appeared by the kitchen door, wearing a Christmassy apron and a Santa hat. It was only now that I noticed the Christmas music coming from the kitchen and soon I heard people singing along. I smiled at the sound of them. 

I nodded and then replied with a, "Yeah...let's go!" 

The kitchen looked like something you would see in a Christmas movie. My whole life I've dreamed of having the perfect looking Christmas and finally, it happened. Marissa preparing the turkey, Savannah making gingerbread men and cookies, Vanda mixing all the ingredients for the pumpkin pie, the boys preparing the vegetables and roast potatoes. They were all wearing either a Santa hat or reindeer antlers and they were all singing along to All I Want For Christmas by Mariah Carey. It sounded so out of tune but to me, it sounded beautiful and almost immediately, I joined in and started to make some decorative, Christmas-themed cupcakes.