𝐈'𝐝 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐭 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐜𝐞

𝒕 𝒉 𝒊 𝒓 𝒕 𝒚

chapter thirty

Cassandra's pov

"We'll talk about this in the morning, you hear me?" Fantasia, Hailey's mother, tells her as she throws a purple quilt over the drugged out girl. I didn't even mean to call her drugged out, but it's true. Hailey is off that shit. It's prescribed shit, but still. She mumbles a 'yea' and Hailey's dog jumps onto the couch and snuggles up next to her. "She'll be alright, Dexter." Fantasia tells him and she comes and joins me at the table in the huge kitchen. I'm eating on my microwave heated Torta, awkwardly sitting in one these chairs. I am not prepared to be yelled at by this lady, but it is my fault I had her daughter out late at night on pills.

"Are you mad?" I ask after awhile.

"Mad at what?" She furrows her brows, taking a sip of her tea.

"That Hail snuck out. I would have just came to California later if it wasn't the right time. I didn't mean to get her in trouble."

"You can't get Hailey in trouble, she does that on her own." She laughs softly. I don't really see the resemblance between Hailey and Fantasia. I never seen her Dad, I only know his name. Duke. Maybe Hailey favors him instead of her mom. Eric looks like Fantasia though. "That's the reason she's in trouble now. Her ass hardheaded, and she don't know how to sit down nowhere."

"Right," I nod. My Torta is almost gone. It's not that good because I accidentally let it get cold, but I wasn't gonna let food go to waste. I glance over at Hailey. She's still soundly asleep and her dog is as well. That was fast. I couldn't shake the feeling in my stomach seeing her out like that. "Is she gonna be okay?" I ask.

"Of course. The doctors have her on a higher dosage of medication than usual for the ADHD. It just tends to upset her Tourette's at times." She explains and I nod again. She looks a little tired and just as I think that she announces she's going to bed. "You're free to sleep in one of the guest rooms." She offers with a yawn.

There's more than one guest room?

I shouldn't be surprised, it's a big house.

"Thanks," I say with a weak smile and grab my purse. "So it's any door in the basement?"

"You can choose between the two doors on the left. The other two are the arcade, and the pet room."

"The pets have a room?" I furrowed my brows.

I didn't have my own room till I was eleven.

Dogs be having so much privilege.

All they gotta do is don't poop on the floor, give their owners love and comfort, and don't bite children.

Then they'll just live free.

No rent.

No bills.

Don't gotta get a job.

They like the white people of the animal kingdom.

Well, them and Cats.

I really want a Cat.

I asked my Dad for one when I was thirteen but he told me no. I kept asking, he kept declining. Eventually I just gave up.

Anyway, Hailey told me she had more than one dog but so far I've only seen one.

Dexter, a yellow Labrador Retriever, who was snuggled up and asleep with her.

I remember Hailey also mentioned she owned a white Siberian Husky named Lion, and a German Shepherd named Tucker. I haven't seen or heard them and I've been here for almost two hours.

Maybe they're just somewhere asleep in the house.

"It's just filled with dog food, dog toys, basically random stuff like that. My grandfather is allergic to dogs so the boys will stay in there until he goes back home. But you should be good to go. The TV is a little outdated but it works fine." Fantasia explained picking up her mug, getting ready to go upstairs.

"It's fine, thank you. Sleep well." I say walking to the basement stairs."You too." She calls after me.

My basement looks like something in a horror movie. This basement the complete opposite. Furniture, mini fridges, a huge coach, fish tanks, dimmed LED lights. The whole basement attractive. I hope that don't make me sound weird, but oh well.

I push open the first door on the left. I'm greeted by a cool air conditioner. It's a huge Roku TV on the wall. A carpet on the ground, a huge closet, a dresser, and it's a bathroom in here. Let's not getting started on the big ass bed, with the pretty lookin' headboard. I step in seeing a light behind the door, it's a bathroom. Dang.

It's lowkey a mini house down here.

Oh, to be this rich.

I close the door behind me and fall onto the bed with a smile. I get comfortable under the sheets, and snuggle up with one of the pillows. I do a little research for the next hour on my phone, until I feel myself getting real sleepy. I put it on the charger, and relax. I stare up at the blue dimmed lights and my eyes eventually get heavy enough, I fall asleep.

I don't know how long I was asleep, it honestly felt like twenty five minutes. I'm woken by footsteps. I'm still really sleepy so my eyes not all that good. "Whose there?" I call out.

"Calm down, bro." Hailey voice rasps softly.

"What are you doing up?" I ask wiping my eyes and sit up to look at her. She's carrying a pillow, and her hair is messy.

Bed hair looks good on her honestly.

"What are you doing up?" She furrows her brows, turning the question on me.

"If you really want to know, you woke me up. Thanks for that." I tell her sarcastically with a smile.

"You are so welcome. My services are available anytime." She smiles rolling her eyes.

"Girl, whatever." I mutter turning away from her on my side, trying to go back to sleep.

Silence for awhile.

"I can't sleep." She mumbles and I feel the bed dip in a little. I turn around and see Hailey cuddling up next to me.

"W-what are you doing?" I question, my eyes widening a little, and I think I feel my heart beating a lil too fast.

"I can't sleep." Hailey repeated burying her head into one of the many pillows, and tightening her hold on my waist. I feel her twitch a little and sense her trying to relax.

"You can't sleep in your own room?"

"Don't front and act like you don't like this, dude." She laughs a little.

This is actually the first time I'm relaxed and calm in a bed without thinking of Brian. I feel safe like this.

She's right.

I do like this.

I like it too much.

That's the problem.

"You're thinking too much, stop it." She says and interrupts my thoughts.

"But-"

"Go to sleep, Cassandra."