Given Up

Chapter 35

The chatter from the dining hall sounded like clashing symbols in my head as I paid for a fairly anaemic looking pasta bake.  I didn't care. I wasn't going to eat much. Today had been all about going through the motions. I had made it through my classes without much more than a few, short words.

I rocked up to the table, disappointed that the person I was looking for wasn't here. I plonked my tray down and slid across from Drew who was showing Jax something on his phone.  I pulled my own out and frowned at the lack of reply from Cassie or Mr Evans. He had sent me a short reply this morning after I had tried Cassie's phone a few times. "Cassie doing better. Still resting."

I stabbed a piece of pasta with my fork and glared at it.

"You ok Ky?" Both Drew and Jax were now looking at me intently.

"No, I am most definitely not ok," I replied heavily.

Before they could ask follow up questions, a voice interrupted from behind.

"Kyle?" I turned to see Ciara and Lauren, the school bitches who had been winding Cassie up. I had seen them dance yesterday, they weren't a fraction as good as Cassie. They were obviously jealous.

"You go out with Cassie Evans right?" Ciara popped her chewing gum as she finished speaking and waited for me to nod.

"We saw the ambulance taking her away yesterday. What happened? Is she going to be okay?" The faux concern on their faces made me what to slap it off of them. They probably just wanted to spread gossip.

"What do you care? You haven't exactly welcomed her," I growled.

'Look, just let her know that the dance teacher has her trophy, ok?" Lauren had gone a little red.

"Her trophy?"

"She won first place in the Contemporary section," explained Ciara.

Of course, the competition. It seemed like it had happened a lifetime ago. I nodded at them as they backed away.

"What happened to Cassie?" Jax and Drew said simultaneously, both their dark brows curved over their eyes.

I gulped down bile.

"She is in hospital. She collapsed after her dance competition; started having fits." I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the memory. "Doctors reckon she was taking drugs - speed - to help her dancing or something. She admitted it to her parents. I haven't spoken to her yet."

"Drugs? Cassie doesn't seem the type..." Jax's voice trailed off.

"I dunno..." Drew looked serious. "She hasn't really been herself the last few weeks."

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno, she looked really tired a lot of the time, she was a bit moody."

Jax nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, I thought that too, but I thought maybe it was 'girl stuff', you know?"

A fresh wave of anxiety passed over me. I hadn't noticed any of this and she was supposed to be my girlfriend. I had been so wrapped up in what was going on at home, that I hadn't noticed that something was not right with Cassie. She probably didn't tell me because she knew I was loaded up with my own stuff. Oh God.

"I didn't even notice," I murmured, pushing my plate away.

Drew's hand gripped my forearm.

"It's not your fault Ky." I couldn't accept that: I shook my head and looked down.

"Can I get in on this love fest?" My head snapped up at his voice. I twirled my body around and out of my seat.

"Where have you been? You never replied to my messages." My voice was loud and sharp.