Cassidys POV
I reached my hand through the gate and touched her shoulder, giving her a reassuring look.
She smiled at me, but her smile quickly faded, given the current situation.
"Why'd you come back?" She says, looking up at me sadly
"I thought a lot about what happened. Stupid shit. I came by the apartment to apologise. Colby said you were leaving to London, live with your dad"
"Yeah, he texted me the other day. Told him what was happening, he offered a place to live" she says looking down at her feet
"Crystal, you know you can't live with that dead beat asshole. He'll destroy you"
"Don't talk about my Dad like that Cassideana! You have no idea why he was going through!" She snaps back.
I hadn't heard her call me Cassideana in years... literally.
"Crystal you know he is. He chose to leave you and your Mom. He treated you guys like shit"
"He was having a hard time!"
"And you weren't?!" I snap, her eyes dart to me and she stands there silently
"You sat in your room and cried yourself to sleep almost every night. You came to school and had to constantly explain the cuts and bruises to people. You had to watch him tear your mother down, physically and mentally each night Crystal, because of him! He did this to you! He tore your family apart then stood back and watched it burn. He fuelled the fire then walked away like it wasn't his problem!"
"That wasn't him! It was the alcohol!"
"Yeah but he chose to drink that alcohol, even after he promised he wouldn't"
Our argument became in tense. I didn't know how to snap her out of this phase.
He had filled her head with so much shit and convinced her he was the victim.
He was poison and he was turning her against the people she needed.
"You know what, fuck you Cassidy! I'm moving to London! You can stay here and burn in Hell!" She shouts before storming off.
A couple of tourists turn their heads and look at us. Confusion and concern looks were all around.
I sat at the edge of the gate and watched my friendship walk away. I had lost her.
****
"So what happened?" Colby says as he sits on the couch next to me
"I talked to her, told her it wasn't a good idea, now... she's gone for good" I say hanging my head
"I'm sorry Cassidy. I guess that's just a decision we couldn't change her mind on"
"Yeah. I guess"
Colby smiled and put his hand on my thigh. I smile but it fades quickly.
"You wanna... spend the night? We left your room how it was, just in case you wanted to come back"
"Yeah... thanks" I say as I stand up and walk myself into my old room.
I open the closed door and stepped inside.
I look around at the dark walls, the shadows dancing and painting a vivid picture of hell.
I plonked myself down on the bed, looking around at the emptiness.
I felt lonely. Even though Colby was a couple metres away in the other room, without Crystal, I realised how lonely one person can be.
It really was a hard way to fall
