( season one, episode four )
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CASSIE PACED back and forth across Haley James' bedroom. "I can't do this, Hales!"
Haley sighed, throwing down her pen. This had been a regular occurrence ever since Cassie began tutoring Nathan. "Why this time?"
"He's so annoying!" Cassie exclaimed. "I swear to god, I don't care if they share a last name, you can definitely tell that Lucas got Karen's personality and Nathan got Dan's. I mean seriously, I'm tutoring him, and his ego's somehow so big, it needs its own room. Someone seriously needs to humble that guy."
Haley groaned. She was about to punch Nathan Scott herself if she had to hear Cassie complain about him one more time. "Remember, your doing this for Lucas."
Cassie scoffed as she crossed her arms. "Yeah well, Lucas is gonna have to return the favor pretty soon because I can't take Nathan anymore."
Haley gave her a pointed look. Cassie sighed as she threw herself down on the James' bed. "Stop looking at me like that."
Haley chuckled. "Like what?"
"Like your right and I'm wrong. If gets very tiring, Hales."
Haley playfully rolled her eyes. "Did you ever try having an actual conversation with Nathan?"
"You're funny." Cassie giggled. "I say hello, he says hello, I tutor him, I say bye, he says bye. That's how our conversation's go."
Haley sighed as she sat down next to her friend. "Yeah well maybe he's not entirely a jerk. Maybe he has a soft spot." Haley cheekily smiled. "Maybe you can find it."
Cassie threw her a sarcastic smile. "Thanks, Hales, but the last thing I want to do is fine any of Nathan Scott's 'spots'."
Haley hit her arm with a pillow. "Ew! You didn't have to make it weird."
Cassie thought to herself. "Maybe I don't have to find his soft spot. Maybe Lucas can."
Haley raised her eyebrows. "Huh."
Cassie began pacing again. "If I can get Lucas and Nathan to just talk it out, then I don't have to tutor Nathan anymore, or it at least makes him less of an ass. It's a win-win, Hales!" Cassie smiled. "Nathan will get off my case and the Scott brothers will reunite! Thanks to me!"
Haley chuckled at her. "Yeah, that's a great ego-boosting plan, Cass. But one question. In what reality will you ever get Nathan and Lucas to sit down with each other without trying to rip each other's throats out?"
Cassie frowned. "You just had to point out the flaw in my plan, didn't you?"
Haley's phone rang from under her. The James girl smiled as she saw the name flash across the screen. Lenny.
"Whose that?" Cassie asked, trying to peak over the James' shoulder. The smile immediately dropped from Haley's face when she remembered Cassie was still in the room, pushing the phone to her chest. "No one."
Cassie rose an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah, why?" Haley asked. She was obviously getting nervous.
"Because you don't just smile at your phone like that from no one." Cassie smirked. Haley looked down. Cassie's smirk grew. "Who is it?"
"Luke." Haley rushed out.
A disgusted look flashed onto Cassie's face. "Huh?"
Haley rolled her eyes. "No, not like that. He's just a little
nervous about the game tonight, so I helped him. He's feeling much better now."
Cassie blew air out of her lips. "Few. You had me scared for a minute there, Hales. I mean, you being interested in Lucas is as weird as if you were interested in my brother."
Haley awkwardly laughed along her giggling best friend. "Yeah, so weird."
Haley's phone buzzed again. Her eyes widened as she tried to stop the smile from breaking into her face. "Um, you have to go."
Cassie was taken aback. "What?"
"My parents are coming home soon and, I gotta clean my room." Haley lied through her teeth. Cassie looked around to the almost spotless room, an arch in her brow. "Uh-huh."
Haley's eyes widened before she shook her head, a fake laugh coming through her mouth. "I don't mean my room. I mean the other rooms. They asked me to clean but then you came over, I got distracted, yada-yada."
Cassie grabbed her bag that was laying on the floor, slinging it over her shoulder. "Okay. Well, text me later."
"Will do." Haley smiled. Cassie giggled at the girls bright smile. "What's up with you? Excited to clean?"
"Yup!" Haley nodded, guiding Cassie to the front door.
"I'll call you later, Cass."
Cassie went to say bye but the James' door was already closed. The girl paused for a second, before turning around. "Weirdo." She muttered as she walked down the steps.
* * *
HALEY CHUCKLED as Lenny picked the James girl
up, kissing her. "Lenny."
The boy hummed as he pulled away, smiling at the girl.
"You saw me yesterday, why are you acting like you haven't seen me in 6 years?"
The boy dramatically sighed as he fell with her onto her bed. "Because it's felt like it."
Haley giggled.
Lenny sighed as he began playing with the girl's hair. "It sucks not being able to do this kind of stuff in front
of people."
Lenny Heart had always loved Haley James. Ever since Lucas, Haley, and Cassie became friends. The boy remembers the girl calling him over one day to help her catch frogs. They spent an hour doing so. He asked why. She told him that she wanted a prince. She then smiled, a toothy grin even though one of her front ones were missing. And that's when he knew he loved her.
Haley James had always loved Lenny Heart. Although she always played it off like Lenny was her best friends 'annoying older brother' she too loved him just as much. She remembers a couple months after the frog situation (which ended in Haley crying because when she did kiss the frog, it didn't turn into a prince) Halloween rolled around. Lenny refused to tell her what he was.
While Haley pulled up to the Heart residents in her bubble-gum pink princess gown, Cassie and Lucas were peanut butter and jelly (they wanted to go as a trio with Haley but the girl had her heart set on being a princess) Lenny was a prince. With frog feet. Haley never had her eye on anyone else since.
Haley sighed as she buried her head deep into his shoulder. "I know."
"Do you really think people would care? That Cass would care?" Lenny asked, looking down at the girl laying on his chest.
Haley huffed. "Due to the fact she told me today that being with Lucas would be almost as weird as being with you, yes. I do think she'd care."
Lenny groaned. "Who cares what she thinks? I don't."
Haley chuckled. "She's my best friend, I'd listen if she told me she didn't want you to be with me. And I know deep down, you care what she thinks about you too. And you'd do the same thing."
Lenny sighed. "You know me too well."
Haley laughed. "One day, we'll tell her. Who knows? Maybe it'll be soon."
Lenny smiled down at the girl. He wanted nothing more to show off the fact that Haley James was his girlfriend. But the last thing he'd do would be jeopardizing her relationship with Cassie. And Haley was right. All though he didn't like to admit it, he took pride in knowing his sister thought well of him. Even if she didn't want to admit it.
"Maybe."
"Hey, so what's with my sister and Nathan?"
Haley immediately shot up from his chest. "What?"
Lenny sat up too, leaning back on his hands. "I usually wake up earlier than her, but now she's been waking up at the same time as me. I didn't know what she was doing so yesterday, when I was going on my morning run, I followed her. And I saw her meeting up with Nathan. I had to pinch myself, I thought I was dreaming."
The boy chuckled before his smile dropped. "Nothings going on though, right?"
Haley sighed. "Cassie's tutoring Nathan in exchange for Nathan to stop messing with Lucas."
Lenny chuckled. "How did Lucas react when you told him?"
Haley looked down. Lenny's eyes widened. "Lucas doesn't know?!"
"No one does! So you can't tell anybody!" Haley exclaimed. Lenny got up and started pacing around the room.
Haley narrowed her eyes at him. "I see where your sister gets it from." She muttered. "Why are you pacing? This has nothing to do with you."
Lenny sighed. "I'm just trying to think this out. What if Lucas finds out? Do you think he'll be mad?"
Haley shamefully nodded.
Lenny paused. "So is that all he's doing with my sister?"
"Yeah, it's just studying." Haley waved him off. Lenny narrowed his eyes. "Because I know Nathan. He's one of my best friends, sure, but that also means I know how much of a player he is. And he's not going around Cassie if he has other intentions."
Haley smiled brightly at the boy as she walked towards him. "You're so cute when your protective."
Lenny blushed as he locked his lips onto Haley's.
* * *
"SO SHOULD I ask for your name or completely ignore you whatsoever?" Nathan smirked as he talked to Cassie through the phone.
Cassie was adjusting her hair in her mirror, her Blackberry on her shoulder as her head pressed it down. "What are you talking about, Nathan?"
"I'm talking about the party I'm having tonight. You're invited." Nathan said.
Cassie chuckled as she walked out of her bedroom. "Thanks but no thanks, it's suspicious enough your even talking to me about this let alone me actually being there. People talk, Nathan."
Nathan rolled his eyes. "No offense, but I didn't invite you. Lucas did."
Cassie stopped dead in her tracks. "Explain."
Nathan sighed into his phone, his head pressed against it as it laid on his shoulder, just like Cassie a couple seconds ago, as he grabbed stuff out of his locker. "I told him the teams having a party tonight. Which we are, at my beach house. He told me he'd come if he could bring some friends. And I'm pretty sure you and Haley are the only friends he has."
Cassie frowned. "That's not all."
Based of the silence from the other end, she could tell the Scott boy was making a face. Which he was.
The girl faltered a little bit, mumbling. "He also has Skills and Mouth."
Nathan chuckled. "I'm guessing he's gonna call or text soon to tell you."
As on cue, her phone started buzzing, Lucas' name flashing over Nathan's. "Are you sure you guys aren't twins?"
Nathan laughed again. "Bye Cassie."
"Bye. Oh and by the way, you've been coming over to my house for the past nine years, Nathan. If you didn't know my name, it would be weird. Bye."
Cassie hung up, leaving a smiling Nathan to grab the rest of his stuff out of the locker room.
Tim met him outside. Nathan rolled his eyes at the boy, still annoyed he and passed to Lucas. But the smile was still on Nathan's face.
"What's got you all happy?" Tim asked. Nathan's smile dropped. Why was he smiling?
"Nothing, man."
* * *
"THE GUYS kidnapped you, trashed your court, threatened you with bodily harm. Party? Yeah, sure, why not?" Haley sarcastically asked as she, Cassie, and Lucas drove to Nathan's beach house.
Nathan was right and Lucas did ask her to come to the party with him and Haley. The girl quickly slipped into a jean skirt and a simple black tank top. The girls curls remained and she slipped on a pair of Jimmy Choos she stole from her mother.
"Some people are into that, Hales." Cassie shrugged. Lucas threw her a look before playfully rolling his eyes "Okay, listen, I know it's all a setup, alright? I'm not gonna let him screw with me, whatever he dishes out, he's gonna get back double."
Cassie proudly nodded. "I think that's a perfect mindset, Luke. But who knows? Maybe Nathan had a change of heart."
Haley eyed her carefully.
"Requires a heart." Lucas huffed out.
Cassie sighed. "I'm just saying, he invited you to this thing, didn't he? Maybe he's willing to put everything past you two."
Lucas narrowed his eyes as he looked at her through the rearview mirror. "What happened to you practically begging me to let you beat this guy up?"
Cassie huffed. "You didn't have to see him spell the wrong versions of 'there' for an entire hour."
Haley's eyes widened at the girl. Lucas furrowed his eyebrows. "What?"
Cassie gulped a bit. "I sit near him in English, the guys a wreck." She awkwardly laughed.
* * *
LUCAS PULLED up to the beach house, Cassie sighing as she adjusted her lipstick. After Haley hopped out, she pulled down the seat so Cassie could too.
"Thank you, Haley James."
Haley chuckled at the girl as she fixed her skirt. "You already look amazing, you know."
"Oh, I know." Cassie shrugged. Haley let out a chuckle as the girls linked arms.
"I wasn't sure you'd come." Nathan's monotone voice caught Cassie's attention. "Makes two of us." Lucas sighed.
"Hi, I'm Nathan Scott." Nathan 'introduced' to Haley, holding his hand out. Cassie raised her eyebrows. "Don't shake it, you don't know where it's been."
"I'm Haley." The girl nodded.
Nathan turned to Cassie. "Cassie."
The girl narrowed her eyes. "Nathan."
She pulled on Haley to lead her away from him. "You know you can dial down the hatred a little bit. I think it's more suspicious to be at his throat than not."
The Heart girl look confused as she stared at Haley. "What do you mean, I was just talking to him?"
Haley's eyes widened before a smile grew on her face.
The girls walked up the stairs, Peyton Sawyer eyeing Cassie as she did.
Haley whistled as the three walked into the house. "I bet their plumbing works."
Lucas huffed.
"I'm just saying." Haley chuckled.
Cassie's mouth was agape as she stared at the house. "Why would someone only live in this house during summer?!"
Theresa, one of the girls on the cheerleading team, came barging in, newspaper in hand. Brooke took it from her grasp. "The High School 'Fearleader?' A comic strip."
Brooke skimmed over it. "Wait, this is insulting, right?"
Vegas came over, peaking over Brooke's shoulder to look at the paper. "My dog can draw better than this." He scoffed.
"Really, what guy keeps his hat on during sex?" Brooke asked. "Who is this 'Saki' person, anyway?"
"Yeah, I wonder." Nathan sarcastically spoke as he looked at Peyton.
"It's just a stupid comic strip. Who cares, right?" Peyton asked. "It's more like sucky." Brooke corrected. "Whoever it is doesn't know the first thing about it. They make it seem so..." The girl trailed.
"Shallow?" Lucas asked, looking at Peyton.
The girl rolled her eyes. "Where's the keg?"
* * *
"SO, I know you're like, having the time of your life but can we please make like a tree and get out of here?" Haley asked as she, Cassie, and Lucas walked around.
Cassie sighed. "I'm with Hales. You know, everyone hyped these party's up but when your actually here, it's better on paper."
"We just got here." Lucas spoke. "Whatever. You let us know when you proved your point. I'm gonna go to one of the 18 bathrooms in this place. Gonna come with me?" Haley asked, turning to Cassie.
The girls attention was on something else.
The girl was staring at Jake Jagielski down the hall, laughing with one of his friends. "Actually, I'll see you guys in a bit."
Lucas and Haley gave each other knowing looks. "Meet back in five?" Lucas smirked to the girl walking away.
Cassie waved her hand, not even looking back at the two. "Yeah, yeah."
Lucas and Haley chuckled as they watched the girl walk towards Jake.
Cassie smiled. "Hey, Jake."
Jake matched her smile. "Hey, Cassie. What's up?"
Cassie shrugged. "Oh you know, nothing much. Praying to god something actually happens at this boring party."
Jake chuckled. "Yeah, everyone always hyped these things up."
Cassie smiled. "I know! So, how's basketball been going?"
Jake nodded as the two began to walk. "It's been good. A little different now that Lucas is on the team but, that's not a bad thing."
Cassie smiled. "Yeah. Thank you again, for having his back. Those other duchies can't fight the fact that's it's just a game about a ball that goes into a hoop."
Jake smiled down at her. "I wish they saw it like that too."
Cassie shrugged with a smile. "At least you do."
Jake nodded. "Yeah, I do."
Jake shrugged. "Hey, Cass. I don't know if your busy or anything but, if your not, would you like to hang out something this week?"
Cassie smiled. "I'd love to."
Jakes smile grew. "Great. I'll text you about it."
"Can I talk to Cassie for a second?"
The girl's head whipped to see Nathan, staring at the two with furrowed eyebrows.
Jake looked at Cassie. The girl nodded.
Jake nodded too. "Sure."
The Jagielski boy walked away, leaving Cassie frowning.
She hit Nathan's shoulder. "What was that about?"
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know I interrupted you and your boyfriend." Nathan smirked.
Cassie scoffed. "What do you want?"
Nathan furrowed his eyebrows. "Do you like Jake?"
Cassie scoffed again. "What? What makes you think that?"
"Because you were flirting with him before I came over?" Nathan asked like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Why does it matter, Nathan?"
"Because maybe I can help set you and Jake up."
Cassie's eyes widened. "You'd do that?"
"Yup." Nathan nodded. "Why?" Cassie narrowed her eyes.
Nathan shrugged. "I need some extra tutoring lessons. Consider this an addition to our contract."
Cassie rolled her shoulders back. "Thanks, I guess."
"Your welcome, I guess." Nathan sighed.
The two looked at each other.
"Bye?" Cassie asked. The boy scoffed as he walked away. The girl slightly smiled.
* * *
"GOTTA PEE, gotta pee." Cassie muttered to herself as she made her way to the bathroom. She frantically knocked on the door. "Hello?"
"Hold on a second!" Peyton scolded.
A few seconds later, Peyton emerged from the bathroom. "What's your prob- oh, hey, Cassie."
Cassie smiled. "Hey."
Cassie was about to go in when Peyton spoke again. "How's the tutoring going?"
Cassie's head whipped to her.
"Your tutoring Nathan, right?" Peyton asked.
Cassie nodded.
"It's okay, he tells me everything." Peyton reassured.
"Yeah, he needed some help and I needed some leverage to know that he'll leave Lucas alone." Cassie sighed.
Peyton's eyebrows furrowed. "Is that why he invited Lucas?"
Cassie shrugged. "From what I'm guessing, yeah."
"Well if he listens to you so well , can you teach him to stop being such a jackass?" Peyton asked.
Cassie laughed. "Trust me, I'll try but I don't think anyone can chip the iceberg of an ego Nathan has."
Peyton smiled. "Just be careful, okay?"
The girl seemed actually concerned for her. Why was Peyton Sawyer worried about her?
Cassie nodded. "I will."
"Does Lucas know?" Peyton asked.
"No, that was kind of the deal. If I help him, he leaves Lucas alone and Lucas never finds out." Cassie said, tugging a piece of hair behind her ear.
Peyton quirked her eyebrow. "That's really cool of you."
Cassie shrugged. "He's my best friend, if people hurt him, I consider them to hurt me too."
"Well, the deal with Nathan, is that he tends to drag people down with him. Don't let that be you." Peyton said. Cassie nodded. "I won't."
Peyton smiled one last time before walking away.
Cassie quickly hurried into the bathroom.
* * *
The girl sighed as she walked downstairs, walking up to her best friends. "Hey tweedle dee, and tweedle
tutor. What are you guys up to?"
"Oh you know, trying to keep Luke from lunging at Nathan." Haley sighed.
"Uh-oh. What did he do now?" Cassie frowned. Lucas scoffed. "The usual, took a jab at me about Dan."
Cassie rubbed his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Luke."
"It's whatever." Lucas shook his head. Cassie sighed. "You know, I think if you guys just sat down and actually talked you guys could work some stuff out."
Lucas furrowed his eyebrows at her. "Maybe we could enjoy some tea, too."
Cassie rolled her eyes. "I'm serious, Luke. Maybe you guys would get along better if you decided to talk once in a while. I mean have you guys actually ever done that?"
"Not on my bucket list, Cass."
"Luke." Cassie huffed. "I'm just saying, you guys are, biologically, brothers. That must count for something, right? I mean, you don't even know what's happening on his side. Dan could be totally blowing up at him, making sure he's the best. Maybe that's why he takes it out on you. Because you don't have to deal with him."
Lucas gritted his teeth as his face became hot. "Why are you defending him all of a sudden, not less then a week ago you were ready to get this kid kicked off the team and now you have a soft spot for him?"
"I don't have a soft spot for him. But not everything's one sided all of the time, everyone has layers. Maybe you just have to get past his." Cassie crossed her arms as she tried to stay confident, but she didn't like Lucas yelling at her.
"I'm not listening to this right now." Lucas shook his head, Cassie grabbed his arm. "Obviously you are. You've never been to a party once in the amount of time we've been friends. And now, you come? Say all you want Lucas, but you wanted Nathan to want you here."
Cassie let go of his arm. "Now if you excuse me, I think I'm going home."
Lucas furrowed his eyebrows. "I was your ride here."
"I can find another." Cassie huffed as she stomped away from the two.
Lucas looked to Haley with wide eyes. "What has gotten into her?"
Haley sighed. "How should I know?"
Cassie grumbled as she walked through the hallway.
Nathan caught her arm. "Hey, what's wrong?"
"I just got into a fight with Lucas defending you, after you decided to break our deal." Cassie gritted through her teeth.
Nathan was taken aback. "You defended me?"
"Save it, Nathan. It's not gonna happen again."
The girl went to walk away when Nathan pulled her back. He got onto eye level with her. "Take a breath, tell me what happened." His voice was soft but not quiet. Chilling enough to send goosebumps down Cassie's back.
Cassie sighed. "You promised you wouldn't say anything. He said you took a jab about your dad?"
Nathan shook his head. "I didn't mean it to be mean. That's just how the guys and I act towards each other."
Cassie scoffed. "Yeah, well when you've been non stop hazing the guy, those jokes don't seem like jokes."
"I should've known, I'm sorry." Nathan sighed.
"Yeah, me too."
The girl walked away with a huff, leaving Nathan to watch her walk away.
* * *
CASSIE WAITED outside on the dock. Maybe the tides could take her away.
She told Haley that she'd gotten a ride home from Lenny, which was a total lie since Lenny was there for all of fifteen minutes. She didn't even speak to Lucas.
She felt bad but at the same time, she didn't.
Maybe she shouldn't have pushed it on him all at the same time but, it wasn't anything he didn't need to hear.
"I thought you left."
The girl turned to see Nathan walked down the pier. She rolled her eyes. "I thought you'd leave me alone."
Nathan chuckled. "Can't get rid of me that easy."
"I can see that." Cassie huffed.
"What's up? Why didn't you leave with Lucas and Haley?" Nathan asked as he took a seat next to her.
"I couldn't." She sighed. "Why not?" He asked.
"I didn't want to face Lucas." She muttered.
Nathan laughed. "And here I was, thinking you were fearless. Maybe you shouldn't defend me."
"Trust me, I'm not going to. I must be coming down with
something."
The two laughed at that. "Is he really that mad at you?" Nathan asked.
"His face was as red as a tomato." The girl spoke, her eyes tranced on the waves. "Nathan, maybe this tutoring thing isn't the best idea."
"Maybe not." Nathan sighed.
"What? No begging at my feet until I say yes?" Cassie furrowed her eyebrows.
Nathan shrugged. "I mean it would be easier wouldn't it, if I get kicked off the team."
"With your dad?"
Nathan turned his head towards her. "I think so."
Cassie frowned.
She cleared her throat, trying to make this less awkward then it now was. "Well, if I want to be home by sun down tomorrow, I should probably start my hitchhike now."
"Cassie, your not walking." Nathan sighed.
The two began walking towards the front yard. "I'm fine, Nathan. I'm a big girl."
"Yeah, a 'big girl' who's only 5'4, and with the traffic at this time? I'm not gonna have you on my guilty conscience if you get hit by a tow truck."
The boy opened Peyton's passenger door for her. Cassie raised her eyebrows. "I'd be on your conscience."
"Not by choice."
Cassie chuckled as she hopped into the car.
* * *
NATHAN PULLED up in front of the Heart household. "Well, thank you Chauffeur Scott, hope you understand that I am not giving you a tip." Cassie spoke.
Nathan's mouth was a agape. "What? I got you home totally safe."
"Didn't you almost get arrested for stealing a school bus?" Cassie furrowed her eyebrows. "Touché." The boy nodded with a laugh causing Cassie to laugh too.
Cassie paused for second. "Do you really feel that much pressure from your dad? That you want to quit?"
Nathan sighed. "I can't quit. I don't want to. I'm really lucky to have basketball, it just sometimes sucks when your dad latches onto you like a leach."
Cassie nodded. "I get that."
"Well then, I guess I'll see you tomorrow at 9:00?" Cassie asked as she opened the door.
Nathan furrowed his eyebrows. "I thought you said it was a bad idea?"
Cassie sighed. "Well, you said the easiest option would be getting kicked off the team, can't let things get to easy for
you, Nathan."
Nathan smiled. "Thank you so much."
Cassie shrugged. "It's whatever."
She peaked her head through the window. "Leave him alone."
Nathan nodded.
"I'm serious, Nathan. Or this is over." Cassie spoke.
"I promise."
* * *
LENNY WALKED into Cassie's room. "So, saw that Nathan dropped you off."
Without looking up from her phone, the girl responded in a monotone voice. "Get out."
"Anything you want to tell me?" Lenny sat down on her bed, grabbing a throw pillow to lay on his lap.
Cassie still didn't look up. "Go away."
"I also saw that you were at that party, talking to Nathan as well as Jake Jagielski.
Cassie put her phone down as she stared at her brother in annoyance. "What about the different variations of 'leaving me alone' did you not understand?"
"You'll get rid of me when you start talking."
Lenny sang.
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Fine. I got invited to Nathan's party, I talked to a few people while I was there, Jake was one of them. Nathan, kindly gave me a ride home since I was about to hitch hike. Lucas couldn't because he thought I left, so he left too. Now, would you like for me to give you a run down tomorrow or do you plan on following me around all day?"
Lenny scoffed. "You kidding? I'm paying Mouth to film you throughout the day."
Cassie narrowed her eyes. "Mouth would do that for free."
Lenny chuckled before releasing a sigh. "I just feel like we don't talk anymore. But we should. And sorry but, you have hated Nathan Scott ever since we were kids, do you remember that one time on the slide?"
*
A nine year old Cassidy Heart stood behind Nathan Scott at recess. There was a line in front of the big red slide, every kids favorite.
Cassie stood patiently as her best friend Lucas, who was in front of Nathan, got ready to go down the slide.
Before he could do it himself, a laughing Nathan pushed him down.
Cassie gasped as she, and her other best friend Haley who was behind her, looked at each other in shock.
Before Nathan could turn to see her, Cassie pushed him down the slide. But since the boy wasn't ready, he landed on his arm. His now broken arm.
Cassie rode down the slide as a group of kids gathered around a crying Nathan. Lucas rushed up to her. "What happened?"
"Pushed him. He deserved it." The girl smiled.
*
Cassie smiled at the memory. "He never knew it was me."
Lenny furrowed his eyebrows. "How?"
Cassie shrugged. "I paid off every kid in our grade not to snitch."
Lenny chuckled as he shook his head. "You've been spending more time with him."
Cassie awkwardly crossed her arms. "What do you mean?"
"Meeting up with him at 6:00 in the morning." Lenny raised an eyebrow. Cassie's eyes grew. "You followed me?!"
Lenny shrugged with wide eyes of his own. "What was I supposed to do? My little sister who I've never seen up before 10:00 on a Saturday morning, leaving the house to go to the park?"
Cassie narrowed her eyes. "And what if I decided that I wanted to wake up early to take a walk."
Lenny narrowed his eyes too, making Cassie sigh. "Fine. I've been meeting up with Nathan to help him study."
Lenny waved her off. "I know this part, Haley told me. I just wanted to see you squirm."
Cassie furrowed her eyebrows. "Why did Haley tell you?"
Lenny's eyes slightly widened. The boy nervously played with his clammy hands. "Uh, I knew she would know. And I'd probably get it easier out of her than I would you, so."
Cassie rolled her eyes. "Whatever. What do I need to give you so you won't tell Lucas?"
Lenny furrowed his eyebrows. "You think I want something."
The girl quickly answered. "Yes."
The boy shook his head with a sigh. "Not this time."
Cassie scoffed. "That's a first."
Lenny rolled his eyes. "I just want you to be safe. Nathan can be pretty manipulative."
"And so can I. Trust me Nathan Scott will never trick me." Cassie reassured him.
"Cass, just be careful. He's a player." Lenny seriously said.
Cassie chuckled. "Lenny, there's nothing to worry about. I'm not dating the guy, I'm helping him with his English homework."
"It starts with that," Lenny sighed. "—then your writing 'Mrs. Cassie Scott' on your notebook, and drawing hearts everywhere."
Cassie laughed. "Lenny, there's nothing to be worried about. You'll never see my getting my heart broke by a teenage boy."
Lenny nodded. "Okay. Just please, be careful."
Cassie sat up to hug him. "I promise."
* * *
"COME TO yell at me again, Luke?" Cassie bordly asked as she sat on her living room couch, scrolling through TV channels.
Lucas sighed as he sat next to her.
Cassie turned to him. "You know I was only trying to help. It's not my fault you two act like cavemen when your around each other."
Lucas looked at her. "You know you can tell me anything, right."
Cassie was taken aback. "What?"
Lucas continued. "If you were doing anything, you know you could talk to me."
Cassie nodded, face still contorted from confusion.
Lucas reached into his back pocket, pulling out her charm bracelet she got when she saw a kid. "You left something in Peyton's car."
The girl looked up at him with wide eyes. "Luke."
"Save it." He spat. The boy got up, quickly leaving before Cassie could say anything else.
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