GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

chapter nine.

january 18, 1989. sunday.

MORNING LIGHT SHONE THROUGH cassandras bedroom window. the two girls had slept through the rest of the day, snuggled close together.

danny had told natalie that they were just tired from staying up late, knowing that cassandra didn't want her aunt to know what happened.

natalie slowly crept into cassandras room, a couple plates of food in her hands. she wanted to do something nice for the girls, given that was just the kind of person she was.

as soon as the door opened, cass shot up at the sudden noise. she looked over to her aunt, expecting to see henry or patrick there to hurt her again.

"cassandra! what happened to you?!" natalie yelled, running towards her niece and setting the food down. beverly stirred at the noises, and sat up slowly.

"n-nothing aunt natalie, i-i just fell, thats all." cassandra lied. her throat ached, along with her face.

"that doesn't look like you 'just fell'! who did this to you?" beverly looked over at cass, who seemed as if she was about to cry.

"just someone from the arcade, i pissed them off so i got punched. its not a big deal."

"who was it, do you know?" cassandra shook her head, and natalie sighed. "did someone clean the cut up at least?"

"yes, danny did. i promise, it's okay." beverly smiled at natalie, and she smiled back.

"okay hun, i brought you girls some food." natalie sighed, and walked out of the room. she could see her niece was lying, she wasn't an idiot, bur she wasn't going to make her talk if she didn't want to.

as soon as beverly heard natalies foot steps go down the stairs, she spoke.

"why didn't you tell her the truth?"

"because henrys dad is a police officer. do you think he'll believe me, or his son?" beverly sighed, and pulled cass into a hug.

"you know, me and danny are never going to let you go anywhere alone ever again, right?" beverly paused, and took in a deep breath. "i really care about you, i don't want you to get hurt anymore."

cassandra felt her cheeks heat up, and she nodded. "i care about you too, bev." they pulled away from each other, and cass bent over to grab the plates of food. they both dug in, and finished quickly, neither of them speaking.

"my dad is going to have a fit, i should probably leave." cassandra nodded, and sighed. "i'll call you later, alright?"

"you better!" cass joked, and pulled bev in for another hug. "thank you for being here."

"anytime. i got you some licorice by the way."

"you're the best."

"i know. bye cass." beverly left cassandras room, and cass laid back down, sighing.

she didn't want to get out of bed. she felt so emotionally drained, and she had tried not to let her fear and anger show when bev had been there.

but she was so angry. she was angry at herself for letting it happen.

she was scared it was going to happen again.

she groaned and pulled herself out of bed, grabbing a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans along with a new bra and underwear. she left to the bathroom to shower, hoping to wash off the feeling of patricks hands on her face, in her hair, on her hips.

she shuddered, and locked the bathroom door. cassandra glanced at her reflection and immediately regretted it. her left cheek and eye were bruised, and a long red cut stretched across her cheek. she tore her eyes away and stripped out of her clothes.

she turned the water on and stepped in, the hot water rushing over her body. her hair became drenched quickly, and she stood there motionless for a couple minutes before she began to wash her hair and body.

she spent extra time on the places patrick had touched, scrubbing hard until the skin was raw. she rinsed off and turned the water off, stepping out of the shower and grabbing her towel. she dried off and pulled on her clothes, wrapping her hair in the towel. she examined her face in the mirror and decided no amounts of makeup could hide the bruises, and closed her eyes tightly. she pushed back the tears that threatened to spill, and mentally slapped herself.

she wasn't going to cry over him anymore. she wasn't going to let him ruin her.

cass brushed her teeth, scrubbing her tongue for a long time before spitting. she brushed her teeth three more times before deciding that was better, now the only evidence was the bruises on her face, the roughness of her voice, and the memory.

she pulled the towel off of her hair and brushed through it before blow drying it. she threw it up into a messy bun and walked out of the bathroom.

she walked downstairs, hoping her aunt wouldn't ask her more questions, and that danny wasn't there so she could leave the house without a babysitter. she entered the kitchen, and poured herself a glass of water before rifling through the drawers for a phone book.

after minutes of searching, she had a phone book, a piece of paper, and a pen.

she was going to write down the numbers of all of her friends, she she was able to call all of them whenever she wanted.

first, she found bill. then stan. then richie, eddie, ben, beverly (although she wrote a small heart next to bevs name), and mike. she called bill first, hoping he would pick up.

"h-hello?" the boy spoke after a couple of rings, and cassandra sighed with relief.

"bill? its cass."

"o-oh." he answered, his voice filled with, anger?

"can i by any chance come over?" she asked, taking her lip in between her teeth.

"s-sure. i'm th-the only one h-h-home."

"okay, i'll be there soon. whats the address?" bill gave her the address, and she wrote it on her hand. "got it. see you soon."

she hung up the phone and yelled to her aunt that she was leaving before running out the door, hoping danny wouldn't hear her and protest.

meanwhile, bill was confused. she had ditched them yesterday, hadn't she? he would have called the others to tell them, but stan was more than likely at the temple. richie was at church by this time, and eddie would be too.

but not bill. after georgie had disappeared, his parents were rarely home. they were always at separate bars, not wanting to be near each other.

this upset bill, but he knew if his father were home half the time, he would yell at him, and if his mother were home she would be in her room.

bill threw on a shirt and a pair of jeans, and made his bed quickly. he had only woken up an hour ago, so he was still in his pajamas. he was just finishing brushing his teeth when the sound of his doorbell ringing sounded throughout the house.

he raced down the stairs and opened the door, cass waiting on the other side.

he immediately saw the bruises on her face, and the large cut on her cheek.

"o-oh shit! wh-what huh-happened to yuh-you?"

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