When We Write the Stars

Chapter 7: Cassie

      "Okay girl, I get the rage, but give him the benefit of the doubt here. He was just trying to do the right thing, imagine if things hadn't gone the way they did. It might've been nice of him to scare away that asshole with some muscle," Adri says.

     I sigh, "I know, you're right, but my annoyance with everything Hayden does is too strong, just let me have this please."

     I go to the kitchen and grab a bag of frozen strawberries to put over my wrist, I'd done a pretty textbook punch, but it was still a little sore. A small part of me was hoping I'd have a bruise and would look all badass when I walked into physics tomorrow.

     The girls keep talking, and we fully dissect Lyra's date, then make her show us as she deletes all the dating apps off of her phone. She tends to have terrible luck on them anyhow, but tonight was especially awful. After that, I head back into my room to watch the last few minutes of When Harry Met Sally. Right as the credits begin to roll, my phone buzzes with a text from Hayden.

Hayden West: I'm sorry that I upset you by following you tonight.

Cassie Bennet: that's such a half-ass apology, but I'm sorry too I shouldn't have reacted like that.

Hayden West: I gotta know though, where'd you learn to hit like that?? That guy's nose looked so broken

Cassie Bennet: I kickbox at the campus gym

Hayden West: FR? Damn, I guess you really did have it. Guess I gotta watch out now don't wanna be next on the hit list

Cassie Bennet: Oh you're definitely at the top of the list don't worry though I'll only hit you if you say something I don't like.

Hayden West: So I can just never speak again got it.

Cassie Bennet: Sounds like heaven

Hayden West: Nah, you'd get bored, if it weren't for me you'd never get through these boring ass movies you keep picking

Cassie Bennet: Hey don't blame me, blame the genre. I doubt even you could find a romance movie you'd enjoy

Hayden West: Okay, bet. I'll pick the next movie.

     I continue texting with Hayden for a little longer until we decide to meet up again on Sunday afternoon to watch the next movie, at his place again. It's kind of unbelievable that he and I are having a civil conversation. Sure it's over text, and we have been insulting each other, but it feels more like joking around than actually arguing. Maybe it's just because over text you can't read tone, but it feels different like maybe he and I are going to turn over a new leaf. The thought nearly makes me laugh. As if.

     The next few days were relatively uneventful, I got a high five from Mel when I told them about punching that guy, then went to classes and lab. Hayden didn't show up to class on Thursday, which was somewhat disappointing, and I try not to think too much about 

     Friday night, the girls and I had big plans. Adri was going home for the weekend, and since she was the only one of us not planning to go through more school after graduating, we were ordering pizza and baking cookies, and starting our applications together. I know it sounds very lame, but we all thought it'd be more fun to get it all started together, plus the later it got the more ridiculous our essay ideas were sure to be.

     The three of us spent nearly thirty minutes debating how much and what type of pizza to order, then another twenty baking cookies until everything was ready and we brought all the food into the living room where we had a whole thing set up.