✶ ━━━ CHAPTER FIVE.
【 05. 】the carnival.
❝ I DON'T CARE ABOUT
HIM. ❞
THE CAR RIDE TO the carnival had basically been a karaoke carpool for the three girls in the back. While Matthew had been driving, the girls were practically singing their hearts out to whatever played on the radio. As they sang, Matthew turns to the side where he sees Rue singing and smiling. Part of him wondered if it was genuine happiness or was it drugs.
Rue truly did mean the world to the boy. Of course, him being close to Fez automatically meant he had a soft spot for Rue who tagged along to anything the two boys did. He would kill for her, for her happiness. To ensure her safety. That wasn't blood but he sure as hell loved her more than he loved his own.
With his eyes now back on the road, he pulls into the parking lot where the group gets out of the car. He walks up to the girls as he looks around.
"So meet me back here by 11. I'll give y'all a ride back." Matthew tells the girls. "Stay safe, check in with me." He glances at Lexi. "You're in charge."
Lexi snorts. "Got it."
Rue and Gia roll their eyes. And with that, the group splits up. Matthew searches around the park, of course looking for one person and one person only.
You guessed it.
Cassie Howard.
He walks towards the Chili booth which his parents had set up for the contest. As he's pushing past everyone he bumps into Cassie. She had teary red eyes, her mascara had almost been running.
"Cass, hey how are y— woah what happened?" He takes hold of her by her arms gently as he could take a good look at her. He slowly brings his hands up and wipes the tears from her eyes. "What happened? Was it McCay? What did he do?"
Cassie sniffles. "Nate asked McCay if we were in a relationship and he said 'we were just chillin' like he just said he loved me and then says this to his friends."
Matthew scoffs. "That fucking asshole. I'll beat his ass Cassie I prom-"
"—No! No." Cassie cuts him off. "No, it's okay. You know what, fuck him. I don't- I don't care about him."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Matthew clicks his tongue while looking around the park. He hears his name being shouted, he turns to see his family. They had already announced the winner of the chili cook-off and of course, it was their father, Cal.
"Wait for me okay? I'll be right back."
Cassie nods and watches as the boy walks away. He makes his way towards the chili booth where he was greeted by his parents and Nate. They took pictures as the crowd cheered, congratulating Cal. As the clapping died down, there was still one person in the audience making sure they had been heard.
Still slowly clapping while coming to a stop, Maddy pushes past the crowd making her way to the front.
"This is going to be good," Matthew mumbles under his breath.
"Yeah, I'm not supposed to be here right now because I'm dressed like a hooker." Maddy starts as she walks toward the Jacobs family. "And none of you like me. But I just wanted to say congratulations—"
"Maddy get out of h—"
Before Nate was able to finish his sentence, Maddy knocks over the entire pot of Chili, and oh boy mama Jacobs was livid.
"What in gods name is your problem!?" She exclaims.
"You, cunt." Maddy snarked.
Matthew jumps off the table hearing the crowd gasp in shock. He went to make his way toward Maddy but Nate seemed to have beat him to it, grabbing her by the arm and snatching her away from everyone.
Matthew sighs under his breath, he felt his phone vibrating in his pockets. He pulls it out and sees Rue had been the caller.
"Hey, what's up?" Matthew's first words were as he answered the call.
"Have you seen Gia?"
"Recently? No, not at all. I thought she was with you."
Rue curses under her breath.
"Is everything okay? Don't tell me you lost your sister, Rue."
"I didn't lose my sister."
The line goes silent.
"Okay, I lost my sister."
"Shit Rue—" He looks at his watch. "It's almost 11, we need to find her."
"Smart thinking, why didn't I think of that?"
Matthew rolls his eyes. "Keep me updated, I'll keep an eye out for her." With that, he hangs up the phone.
Clearly frustrated and now worried about Gia's whereabouts, he begins to walk around the park hoping that he'd find her. But rather than running into her, he passes by the Carousel where he sees Cassie and Daniel. He keeps his eyes glued to them.
His ears focused on the sound of Cassie laughing. Seeing as she and Daniel shared several kisses. And to top it all off, he notices the blonde beginning to grind against the ride.
"What the hell.." He says to himself.
She continues grinding herself against the carousel. Literally riding it. He cringes and looks away for a moment and sees how kids and their mothers had the same disgusted yet shocked look on their faces. Matthew then looks back over at Cassie who at this point had been moaning. Seeming like she is finally finished she opens her eyes and looks around, slightly embarrassed.
Daniel just stared at her in awe, as if she had been some type of object. It disgusted Matthew. The ride came to a stop and Cassie had her walk of shame while walking toward Matthew.
"What the hell was that Cass?" The boy asks her.
Cassie stays silent, tears had been forming in her eyes.
Matthew didn't want to raise his voice at her, so he inhales sharply, biting his tongue. "You can't just do stuff like that. Especially on a children's ride. Do you know what people would say about you if they found out? You already have a bad history when it-" he pauses.
Cassie tilts her head. "When it what? Hm? Say it, Matthew. We both know what's going through your mind. You think I'm so sick cheap whore. You and your brother. I heard what you and your little friends say about me."
Matthew's brows furrowed. "Me and my friends? What are you talking about? I don't ever speak down on you. If anything I'm the one who always defends your name."
"You're a liar."
"I'm not lying Cassie."
"Yes, you are!" She exclaims. "You just want to get in my pants, don't you? Is that what you want Matthew? To fuck me? Go ahead, come on I have a spot. Let's go to the back—" she says while grabbing his arm.
Matthew pulls away, pushing her off of him. "What the hell is wrong with you? Do you hear yourself right now? I don't want to have sex with you, Cassie. That's not my intention at all I just wanted to be a friend." He scoffs. "I don't get why you're acting this way towards me right now. But trust me when I say I am not like those other guys. I don't want you intimately." He lets out a sigh, looking down at his phone, now seeing the time. "I have to go. I've got to drop off the girls. I'll see you in class."
Without giving the girl a chance to speak, he walks away.
Now in the parking lot, it was 11:02, he meets with the girls, they all seemed exhausted. No one says a word, they just get into the car.
"Why does it smell like weed?" Matthew asks.
A giggle escapes Gia's mouth. Matthew instantly puts two and two together and looks over at Rue. They both burst out into laughter.
And seconds later the groups hit the road, ending the night.