jealousy, jealousy | luis mendoza

TWO: ROSES & APOLOGIZES

"FIVE MORE MINUTES," Connie's voice came over the phone, causing Cassie to stop her pacing and plop down on her bed. She sighed deeply as she stared at her best friend's faces that were lighting up her laptop.

"Make sure the window's unlocked," Dean teased, not paying much attention to the situation since he was playing video games. Cassie rolled her eyes and decided to change the subject while she waited.

"Has Luis been acting weird to you guys?" She asked her friends. Connie looked up from her history textbook and frowned. Dean glanced over and shook his head before cursing at the screen and continuing his game. Cassie sighed in frustration. "I guess he's just been acting extra annoying. Maybe it's senioritis or something."

"I'll keep my eyes and ears open for any information. Trouble in paradise, you think?" Connie suggested and Cassie shrugged her shoulders.

"Connie, how can you keep your ears open?" Dean asked, not even looking at his laptop. Connie glared at him anyway before Cassie spoke up.

"Even if he and Mindy are having problems, why is he taking it out on me?" Cassie asked.

"You know how he gets. He takes it out on everyone but the source of the problem," Connie explained and Cassie nodded, knowing that he got in a mood every time they started fighting to during their every other month breaks.

"He should just break up with her. All she does is bitch and moan," Dean said with a disgusted look before it was faded into one of happiness as he cheered, probably winning whatever game he was playing.

No one on the team was very fond of Mindy. She was your usual bitchy cheerleader that was in every single teenage rom-com. Cassie had no idea what Luis saw in her. Maybe he just stayed with her for the popularity points even though they won't mean shit after they graduate.

A soft tap on the window made her jump. She glanced down at the time on her laptop. 8:00. He was right on time.

"Guys, mute yourselves. He's here," She whispered. Connie shut her book quickly and Dean even put his controller down. They both gave her a thumbs-up as they went completely silent. She grabbed her laptop and rushed over to her desk, setting it down and closing it slightly.

She rushed back over to the window and looked out, finding Adam standing on the cement below with a bouquet of roses in his hand. She took a deep breath before she opened the window, motioning him to climb up the fire escape like he always did. He did so quickly, making sure the flowers didn't get ruined.

He carefully stepped into the room, not wanting to ruin the roses or make a lot of noise. They stood there for a moment, looking at each other. This was nothing new for them. Adam had snuck in the window so many times during their relationship, usually bearing gifts as well.

"Hi," He breathed out and she smiled before muttering back a small, "hi."

"Brought these as a peace offering. Thought that you wouldn't brutally attack me if I brought you your favorite flowers," He said as he handed her the bouquet with a cheesy smile.

She laughed as she took the flowers, "thank you, they're beautiful."

"I'm really sorry about how everything happened," He admitted. "I was childish and I know that you would have never cheated on me. I wasn't being a good boyfriend toward the end and I'm really, really sorry, Cass."

"It's okay, really. I know that you didn't mean what you said and I understand why you were so upset. I forgive you and I'm sorry that I ignored you for the entire summer. I should have just talked things out with you instead of dragging it along," Cassie said, giving Adam a small smile.

Jealously was something Adam Banks had a problem with and toward the end of their relationship, he let it show freely. At their junior prom, the team decided it would be fun to drink before going so that they would be drunk for the entire prom.

Alcohol wasn't the best idea considering Averman was puking his guts out of the window in Guy's car. However, being drunk brought out a side of him Cassie had never seen before. He was just downright mean to her and she had no idea why.

She eventually found out why by the end of the night. He was jealous of Dean. Dean Portman, her best friend and basically her second brother. He was jealous of the relationship they had. They had a huge argument in the parking lot which led to an ultimatum: drop Dean or break up with Adam.

She was so incredibly pissed that he would assume she was cheating on someone she thought of as a brother but because he was genuinely telling her to choose between him and her best friend. So, she told him to fuck off and walked all the way home. She spent that entire night crying and drinking with Charlie. It was one shitty night.

"So, I was wondering if maybe we could start things again. Like really slow. No rushing. Just hanging out and working toward what we once had?" Adam suggested and Cassie smiled. Maybe giving him a chance wouldn't be so bad. Besides, they were just friends possibly working toward a relationship again. She could work with that.

"Yeah, sure. But I'm not dropping Dean, alright? That's my only rule," She explained, pointing a finger at him.

He smiled and nodded, "I'd never ask you to do that again. It was so wrong of me."

"At least your self aware," She smiled, earning a laugh from him. Things became quiet again and she swayed back and forth, hoping to get rid of the tension.

"I'll see you tomorrow in class, okay?" He asked and she nodded. He smiled as he leaned down and kissed her cheek before climbing out the window. She locked the window and rushed over to her desk, opening her laptop fully to find Connie and Dean staring at her with wide eyes.

"He bought you roses?" Connie squealed with happiness.

"You got back together with him?" Dean asked shocked. After the summer of swearing, she would never even look his way again to going back to him on the first day of school was something Dean didn't understand. Clearly, he had never been a teenage girl.

She rolled her eyes as she showed them the roses, "maybe this is for the better. Things have been resolved and there's no more tension. And if he goes crazy jealous again, then I'll just end it right then and there."

"You got back with Banks?" A voice boomed through the room, not coming from the laptop. Cassie jumped, gasping at the new voice. She glare as her brother came in and sat down on her bed with a teasing smile.

"You scared the shit out of me, Char!" She said as she threw a pen at him, laughing as she watched it bounce off his head. "how long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to know that you and Adam got back together, he got you roses, and Dean is the most confused he has ever been," He said, laughing when he saw Dean's face.

"I just don't get girls," Dean shrugged before he went back to his video game.

"We're not back together! We're just taking things slow considering the last time we talked he told me I was a whore and that I had to drop my best friend so that we could continue to date," She said crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're right. Take things slow and if the spark is still there, great! But if not, that's totally okay too. If he tries that shit again I'll kick his ass, alright?" Charlie warned, making Connie and Cassie laugh.

"Yeah, me too!" Dean shouted with a little too much enthusiasm. Cassie shook her head before turning back to her brother.

"Thanks, Char," She said as she got up and gave him a hug. He hugged her back before they pulled away.

"Goodnight guys," Charlie called out to the people on the screen who waved and shouted goodbye to him. Cassie kissed her brother on the cheek before closing the door behind him. She walked back over to her laptop.

"I gotta go. I have to finish reading this chapter and call Guy back before I go to bed," Connie frowned.

"Bye, Con!" Cassie said as she waved. Dean just waved and muttered a goodbye before slamming the controller down and began shouting at the TV. Connie gave Cassie an amused look before she blew her a kiss and left the call.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, C?" Dean asked after he finally calmed down a few moments later.

Cassie sighed, "I hope so, D."