I'm jolted awake by the incessant blare of Lin's alarm. Every movement sends a sharp pang through my head, as if it's on the verge of exploding. Glancing at the clock, I realize it's already 1 pm, and Lin's alarm has been ringing for far too long. Surprisingly, the phone hasn't shut down from the noise.
Taking in my surroundings, I spot pills on the bedside table with a note from Dad: "Take these and you'll feel better." Dread washes over me; he must have been disappointed to find me drunk last night. I hope he's not too angry. But how did I end up here? Did Will bring us home? And where's Lin?
After swallowing the pills Dad left, I receive a message from Will.
Will: You were so drunk last night.
Me: Uh-oh. How bad was it?
Will: You got onto the balcony and started dancing while taking your clothes off. I had to lend you mine.
I check, and sure enough, I'm wearing his clothes. Damn! What was he wearing then?
Lin enters, humming a tune, and sarcastically greets, "Good morning, sleepyhead."
"How are you feeling fine, while my head's still spinning?" I groan.
"I've sneaked sips of Dad's whiskey before without asking, so I might be used to the feeling, or at least I know how to handle it," Lin replies casually.
"Okay, did we just skip school?"
"Duh!"
"Shoot! That's what happens when you have a party on a school day."
"Yeah, okay. Your dad told me to tell you that he's not mad about the drinking thing."
"Of course not, he's the one who insisted I go to that party in the first place," I say, relieved. "So... what do we do now? There's nobody at home, and we're not at school."
"How about you talk to Rose?" Lin suggests.
"Oh yeah." I reach for my phone, then remember she blocked me. "How am I supposed to talk to her? She blocked both of us."
"Don't you have anyone's number who can help you contact her?"
"I have Katy's number."
"I thought you didn't like her?"
"I don't."
"Then why do you have her number?"
"So if she calls, I know it's her and I can ignore it," I explain, scrolling through my contacts.
"Smart," Lin remarks.
"I know," I say before dialing Katy's number.
"Hello!" she answers.
Ugh! "Hi Katy," I say.
"Who is this?"
"It's Cassandra."
"Oh hi, why are you calling me I thought you didn't like me?"
"It's not that I... ugh, can you tell Rose to unblock me?"
"I don't think she wants to talk to you."
GIRL! Just do what I tell you to do!
"I know, but I want to apologize to her. Please, just tell her to unblock me, I just wanna talk to her."
"You can tell her that yourself."
"What do you mean?"
"She's in the kitchen making breakfast."
"Ok-ay and why are you at her house?"
"We we're having a sleepover."
Of course you are. "Isn't it a school day?"
"Don't be silly, we closed like two weeks ago."
Oh yeah they always close after the Snowball, I forgot.
"Okay give Rose the phone."
"Okay hold on."
"Hello," Rose answers.
Before answering I take in a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Hi," I say.
"Cassie?"
Oh she recognized my voice? Of course she did, get it together.
"Yeah."
"Why did you call?"
Why did you not?
"I'm sorry for the way I treated you and for all the things I said. I should never have doubted your loyalty to our friendship. It was wrong of me, and I'm really sorry. I hope you can forgive."
"Cass, you're my best friend and no one can ever change that," she says.
"I know I was just jealous and thought you had moved on with the twins and didn't need me in your life anymore. I only wish I realized it sooner."
"Well now you do and I've missed you."
"I've missed you too but I couldn't talk to you."
"Why not?"
"Uh, you blocked me remember?"
What! No I unblocked you an hour later after that phone call."
"Huh?"
"Yeah."
"Oh man why don't they notify people about these things," I whine and she laughs.
"Since you guys have now made up how about I take my phone and she can call you on your phone," Katy says.
"Bye and be online I have a lot of things to tell you."
"Okay bye." She hangs up.
I put my phone down and turn to face Lin, who has been next to me listening the whole time. She is very excited, I can tell by the popped eyes and big smile on her face.
"You did it!" She yells repeatedly.
"I did it," I join in and we both jump up and down in excitement.
"Wait, wait, wait," Lin says. "William is taking you out at 4pm."
"Where?"
"He didn't say, he just said that he needed to talk to you about something important."
"Okay."
He can just text or call me, why is there need for a date. I don't even know what I am going to wear. Anyway I don't have time to worry about that, I have so much to tell Rose.
I spent a lot of hours talking to Rose. She was upset about the Chloe drama and I felt stupid to have considered her my friend but when I told her about the kiss and fake dating stuff she was over the moon. She started screaming on the phone and singing. She told me that she had watched a lot of fake dating movies and that in the movies she had watched the characters who are fake dating always fall in love and there is a possibility that Will and I will, but I know that it is impossible. Will is after Bianca and me, I don't know, my feelings for Conrad are not completely gone even after everything he did but I also think that I am starting to like Will.
Which reminds me, he is picking me up in... holy shit less than thirty minutes. I have spent all day talking to Rose that I didn't bother to check the time. I haven't taken a bath nor picked out any clothes to wear. Fuck!
"There is less than thirty minutes left," I tell Lin who is watching some TikToks on the kitchen counter. Why is she always in the kitchen?
"For what?" She asks.
"For Will to arrive."
"What! Shit go bath I will pick out something for you to wear."
"Okay," I say hurrying to the bathroom.
In less than ten minutes I am already done, I hurry to Lin's room and find her taking out her favorite sneakers from the box. She has worn them twice only on special occasions and would return them immediately after taking them off. Its been a little bit cold and windy today so Lin chose a neutral, ribbed sweater, a blue jean and her yellow, black and pink colored sneakers.
Without wasting time I put it on and look at myself in the mirror after I am done. "Wow," I breathe out amazed with the results.
"This outfit is kind of supposed to be worn with heels but I know you don't like them so I chose sneakers instead," Lin says.
"Your favorite sneakers?"
"Only the best for my favorite cousin," she says making my eyes water.
"Thanks you are the best." I drop a tear.
She wipes it off and says, "Not yet, I still need to do your make-up and don't worry it won't be anything extra."
"Okay hurry up he might come any minute now."
After she was done I looked at myself in the mirror and felt like an African Queen. I looked and felt pretty.