ACE OF HEARTS
CHAPTER SIX: I'M A FIGHTER,
NOT A LOVER
FALLING DOWN ONTO THE couch beside the girl, Cassie examined her completely. She noticed the bruises on her arms, a small cut on her lower lip, and the tear stains that traced down both of her cheeks. The girl was obviously damaged—Cassie could tell by the way she was violently shaking.
"What's your name?" Cassie asked the girl.
Shifting her eyes up to Cassie's, the girl hesitated, contemplating on if she should tell Cassie or not. Before she made her decision, Cassie spoke again, "My name is Cassandra, but everyone calls me Cassie. Now it's your turn, what's your name?"
"Maybe she doesn't speak english," said Lucas.
"Or she's deaf," said Dustin. "Let's test it!"
Dustin then clapped loudly, causing the girl to jump in her seat. Dustin sighed, placing his hands back down at his sides, "Not deaf."
"M-My name..." The girl trailed off quietly, causing Cassie to turn to her. The girl rolled back her sleeve, a 011 appearing on her wrist.
The boys gasped in shock as they ran over to the girl. Gathering around, the three boys shouted frantically, "Is it real? Oh, that's so cool!"
"Woah, okay, back up guys," said Cassie, knowing that the boys were most likely freaking her out. "Jesus, it's like you've never seen a tattoo before."
"We haven't," said Dustin.
Sighing, Cassie ignored the boys and focused her attention back on the girl—back on the number tattooed on her wrist.
"Eleven," read Cassie, doubtfully glancing back at the boys. "She's named after a number?"
"Sick!" said Dustin, his eyes dazzling as many thoughts ran through his head. "What if she is some sort of alien from outer space?"
"What if she took Will?" said Lucas, his brows furrowing. "I mean, look at her."
"Why would she take Will?" Cassie questioned, annoyance filling up inside her. "She's just a girl."
"Cassie is right, there's no way this girl took Will," agreed Mike, shaking his head.
"Well," said Dustin. "Maybe that's what the aliens want us to think. They want us to think that she is just a girl so they can come and take over without us ever expecting it. A surprise attack!"
"Shut up, Dustin," said Cassie, rolling her eyes at the dim-witted boy.
"What are we supposed to do with her?" said Mike, panic flashing his face.
"I would say that I don't give a shit," Cassie said, looking from the boys to Eleven. "But I don't want you guys to do something stupid and hurt her. I'll stay and help,"
"Really?" asked Mike, his face beaming.
"For her," said Cassie, pointing her finger at Eleven. "I'm doing this for her. Not for you. Understand?"
Mike nodded, and Cassie sighed, "Get her some dry clothes, will ya?"
Mike raced to the laundry basket, pulling out some dry clothing while Dustin and Lucas glanced at one another.
"That's it!" hollered Lucas, his voice quick to appear in the quiet room. "I'm not going to sit around a babysit some random girl we found in the woods. I've got to get home."
Before Lucas made it out the door, Cassie pulled his wrist, "You're not going anywhere, Sinclair. Yes, on a normal day, I'd be stomping out of here just like you are. But this is a problem that we all have to face together. Whether I like it or not I have to stay. So do you."
Lucas looked at Cassie, his vulgar features dropping to a solemn expression, "Fine. But if we get in trouble for this, I had nothing to do with it."
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After clothing Eleven—who Mike declared to be nicknamed El—and building her a sort of fort to sleep in, Cassie soothed the girl to sleep.
"It'll be alright, El." said Cassie, rubbing her arm gently. "Nobody is going to hurt you no more"
El smiled weakly, "Friend?"
"Friend," Cassie replied.
Cassie watched as Eleven's eyes fell slowly, releasing her into a deep slumber. Sighing and placing her hands on her hips, Cassie stood.
"I can't believe you were able to put her to sleep," said Mike, sitting down next to Cassie on the couch. "Last time I checked, you were not the caring type."
"I'm not," said Cassie. "But the girl reminds me of myself. Unlike me, I want her to have someone that cares about her."
Mike gave Cassie a look of sympathy, causing her to tighten up, "I don't need your sympathy."
Mike looked down, "I know...I just—"
Cassie cut him off, "Just drop it."
Wrapping her arms around herself, Cassie Harrington took a seat on the couch. She knew from the day she was born that she was not like the rest of her family. She enjoyed the risk-taking part of life and found that not caring about anyone or anything made life easier.
Mike tilted his head slightly, looking down at the girl from his standing position. From this angle, Cassie Harrington looked like a normal girl. A helpless, reluctant girl who wasn't as tough as she was put out to be.
"Something tells me that you're way more than you think you are," Mike admitted.
Cassie narrowed her eyes, her defensive behavior taking control, "What makes you think you know anything about me?"
"You're not that hard to read," said Mike, sitting down beside Cassie. "You may think you are, but you're not."
"Oh yeah?" laughed Cassie. "Prove it."
Mike sighed, pressing his lips together, "You're the little sister of the biggest douchebag in town—"
"Agreed,"
Mike flashed a slight close-lipped smile before continuing, "You're nothing like your brother, Cassie. Maybe...if you hang out with us more, you'll see what friendship does to people."
"Friendship makes people weak," spat Cassie. "You gotta look out for yourself."
"Friendship makes people strong," Mike protested. "You're stronger in a team than you are alone. Take ET—you saw that right? Well, in the end, they had to work in a team to help ET get back home."
"Are you really referencing pop culture to prove yourself, Wheeler?" said Cassie, giggling.
"Maybe," laughed Mike.
The two kids laughed together, throwing their heads back and clapping their hands. This was the first time Cassie Harrington felt comfortable being with someone. It made her feel...sort of warm inside. Defiantly something she hasn't felt in a long, long time.