The Replacement Boyfriend

Chapter 18

Tace

Cassidy's last class on Friday got cancelled so before I left for class, I listened to her complain about how she didn't have time for anything anymore and even though it was the first time one of her classes were getting cancelled, she was going to take a nap instead of doing anything. I even watched her fall asleep, taunting me that I still had classes left for the day even though I badly wanted to curl up in my own bed and nap the way she was. But I couldn't, so I got my butt up and went to class. I listened to the teachers drone on and on until finally, I was done, too. But it was Friday and I was supposed to be going back home with Zayne so I had to pack.

I entered the apartment, getting ready to complain to Cassidy about how I didn't feel like driving all the way home because I was so tired already. But when I neared my room, I could hear sniffling sounds. I paused outside the door for a minute to figure out what was going on before I heard a soft sob. Confused, I pushed open the door to find Cassidy on the floor, her phone lying next to her as she silently cried into her palms.

I let out a gasp before running and falling to the floor beside her. I held her by the shoulders until she looked up at me.

"Cass, what happened?" I asked her, my eyes wide and my chest filled with fear and worry. "What's going on?"

"I can't lose-" she choked and then let out another sob.

I didn't know what she was trying to say but I couldn't watch her crying like that. I could feel my heart breaking. In the time Cassidy and I had become so close, I had never seen her cry the way she was crying at that moment and I never felt so useless. I put my arms around her and she let me hug her. She buried her face in my chest and cried herself into a breathless mess.

"Cass, please tell me what's wrong," I begged her.

"I can't lose any more people, Tay," she cried into my chest, her words muffled by my shirt. "After Johan-"

"What do you mean?" I asked her. "Why would you lose anyone?"

Before Cassidy could explain, Jax burst into the room, a mix of emotions smeared across his face. Then he saw the two of us on the floor and his face crumbled.

"Cass-" he choked and she looked up.

I swear my heart stopped beating the moment I saw the tears escape his eyes at the sight of Cassidy. I didn't even know what was going on but it felt like someone had grabbed my lungs and was squeezing all the air out of it.

"Jax?" I asked as he knelt in front of Cassidy, taking her face in his hands.

"It's going to be okay," he told her and she shook her head. "It is. It is."

It sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than convince her. And I was still had no clue as to what was going on.

"We have to go home," she told him and he nodded.

"Jax, what happened?" I asked, giving up on the hope of Cassidy being able to explain.

"Amelia and Erin were in an accident," Jax explained, sitting cross legged on the floor. "Amelia is okay but Erin-"

I watched him even though he was unable to finish his sentence and personally, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to hear the rest of it.

"Is she out of surgery?" Cass asked him and he shrugged. "Jax, tell me that she's okay."

"We're not going to lose her," Jax said firmly and I felt his arms go around Cassidy even though mine were already around her.

"I don't understand," Cassidy shook her head. "Amelia knows how to drive-"