THE THIRTEENTH DAY - BOOK 1

Beautiful enough to die

The sun shone brightly and passed its rays through Cassie's window and into her purple room, causing it to be beautifully lit. But somehow even with the light coming in, Freetown still managed to keep its idiosyncratic gloomy feel.

Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!

Cassie slammed her hands on the alarm to stop its irksome noise; it was it was a parrot incessantly urging her to wake up-- it did the job every time.

She stretched her arms as though she were trying to elongate it. She let out a long yawn and scratched off any sleep from her eye with the back of her hand. After much hesitation, she dragged her body off her bed. She picked up her phone, glanced through a few messages and then set up her shower playlist. Once she was done with her mini concert in the shower which lasted a gruesome fifteen minutes, she dried herself up and slipped on a romper which she had placed out the night before. She accessorized with a heart-shaped pendant and some bracelets which constantly clinked together to produce some musical sounds. Once she was done putting up her makeup she stared at herself in satisfaction in her vanity mirror.

"Morning Cassidy," her mother greeted her cheerfully, as Cassie made her descend into the kitchen.

"Morning momma," she replied and walked to her mother to plant a kiss on her cheeks.

"Would you like to have breakfast? I've asked Martha to make some pancakes," her mother asked with a smile plastered on her face.

"Yeah sure," she replied as she carelessly shuffled her feet through the wooden floor of the kitchen. "And why do you have that smile on your face?" she asked with her eyebrows pulled together.

"Oh it's nothing," her mother shrugged her shoulders.  "It's just that you remind me of myself when I was young and in the industry, that's all." Cassie rolled her eyes, picked up her phone and bag and walked towards the door. 

"Cassidy! Where are you going? you haven't even had breakfast yet," her mother chased after her..

"Mum, I'm going to school okay, I don't feel like having another 'modelling vs criminology' conversation with you, I promised myself that today will be a good day, and I'm not letting you," she said pointing her index finger at her mother, "ruin it for me." With that, she turned around, pushed open the door and walked out, not bothering to wait for her mother's usual apology.

She searched her bag for her keys and finally located them in a side pocket, she pulled them out and unlocked her red 2015 mustang GT premium convertible. She inserted the key into the ignition and started the car. She listened as her car roared heavily to life and then she connected her Bluetooth to her car. She chose to play music from her Celine Dion playlist and the first song that came on was 'I'm Alive,' and that was the perfect song to match her mood because she truly felt alive and on top of the world as she drove to the first day of her final year in high school. 

She parked her car at her usual parking spot and stepped out of the car and walked straight into her high school. As soon as she got in, she spotted her best friend Phoebe from a distance, leaning against her locker while blabbing something to Danny. The poor boy, boredom was written all over his face. 

Phoebe spotted Cassie through her peripheral vision and let out a child-like squeal as she ran towards her, leaving a relieved-looking Danny alone. He let out a sigh of relief and dramatically wiped some invisible sweat off his forehead. 

Phoebe hugged Cassie tightly, as though they had not seen each other just the day before. They locked hands and walked to Danny who was now smiling like an idiot as they approached him.

"Hey Cass baby," he greeted cheerfully while pulling her in for a hug.

"I've told you to stop calling me that," she scowled at him playfully and flicked his round nose lightly.