When I woke up I realized I was still in my clothes from the date yesterday, and my makeup had smudged all over my face. I was in no mood of going to school, but it was a Monday and I didn't have much choice. I walked into my bathroom and take a hot steaming shower to clean up and try to relax.
When I walk out, wrapped in my towel, I looked myself in the mirror. Surprisingly, I didn't look half as bad as I was expecting to. I was exhausted the day before so I got a pretty long, deep sleep, and my skin looked healthy. My moss green eyes were a bit puffier than usual, but everything else was pretty much normal. I dried my hair and pulled it up at the top of my head. I wore my usual school uniform and combat boots, and took a look at myself again.
Even though I dressed exactly the same as I always do, I felt like I looked more bare than I ever did. Maybe it was because of Zayden the day before, but it made me want to cover myself up. To hide under layers and layers of clothes.
I shook my head and told myself, you're being ridiculous.
I didn't want to make Zayden ruin my life. Just because he was a jerk doesn't mean I should be scared. I took a deep breath and went to my dining room to eat breakfast.
My brothers were already eating, and the moment I walked in they stopped their conversation.
"Way to be obvious," I said, plopping into my usual chair.
Auden and Alec seemed awkward as they ate breakfast silently. I was quiet myself as I helped myself to a chocolate waffle. The only sound that filled the dining room was the sound of our mouths munching and the occasional maid taking away a plate.
Just then my mom walked in. "Good morning, my beautiful children."
She sat beside me and grabbed a muffin. "So how was your date last night?"
The images of Zayden pushing me onto the bed forcefully flood into my mind. My brothers tensed immediately, but my mom doesn't seem to notice. She sent me a sweet smile, and I forced a smile back. A fake smile I have mastered over the years.
"Uhm...it wasn't that great. He wasn't exactly who I thought he was."
My mom gave me a sympathetic smile and rubbed my arm. "Well, that happens. I'm really sorry."
I shook my head dismissively. "It doesn't matter."
I noticed my brothers visibly relaxed because I hadn't snitched on them. But still, it didn't mean I forgave them. It was far from it.
When I walked over to my limo, Henry was leaning against the car.
"Cassandra, what happened last night?" He asked me before I could get in the car.
I tried acting oblivious. "What do you mean?"
Henry wasn't buying it. "You left with a dark-haired boy, and you came back crying, in a different car, with a blonde boy. Do you mind explaining?"
"Uh...the boy I left with just uh, ditched me. And I was really upset and the other boy picked me up."
Henry lifted an eyebrow. "Correct me if I am wrong, miss, but I have known you very long, and I know for a fact that you do not cry very often. I wouldn't expect you to cry over a date who left you."
I forced a laugh. "Well, I am a teenager."
Henry still didn't look convinced. "If you want to talk about it, you can come to me."
I smiled. "Oh, I'm sure I'll be fine. A boy leaving me isn't a big deal."
Henry shrugged and opened the car door for me. I thanked him and got in the car. I hoped no one would bring up what happened yesterday again. I didn't know how long I could keep up my acting until I finally couldn't stand the memories of yesterday.
When I got to school, my brothers awkwardly got out of the car without saying anything. I rolled my eyes at their cowardly behavior and walked through the front gate. The moment I got inside the main building, I wished I hadn't.
Everyone's conversation halted as they all stared at me. It was like time had stopped. I fought the urge to tug at my skirt and kept a steady face.
How did the information spread so quickly?
I instantly knew it was my brothers telling a few of their friends the news. And then those friends told other people, and that had started the chain of how I hadn't had sex with Zayden, even though he had pushed me to.
And then one of my brothers' friend, Greg I think it was, yelled, "hey, you made me lose 500 dollars! Why couldn't you have just slept with Zayden?"
I sucked in a breath as everyone sniggered. I heard murmurs of I bet she's a lesbian and She probably freaked out at the thought of sex. The people's whispers and chortles pounded inside my head and I felt myself starting to break down. I ran out of there as fast as my feet could carry, my backpack hitting against my back with every step I took.
I couldn't go to class today. Not when everyone was talking about me.
Yesterday, I was so terrified about almost being raped and I was dismayed and furious, but I hadn't really thought about how everyone at school would react. My brothers had told me practically everyone at school knew about it, but I hadn't thought it was such a big thing among the students.
I went to my usual tree and curled up in a ball. This tree was not the biggest or the smallest tree of the park, and it was close to the edge of the park where it was well hidden, and I loved it because I could see the park entirely without being spotted myself. But then I loved this spot even more, because I felt like it was me and Zayden's special place.
But now I know everything was a lie, and it brings back memories that are only painful to me now.
I heard footsteps coming towards this tree, and my eyes widened. I didn't want anyone to see me in my emotional, vulnerable state. I quickly climbed up the tree, and crouched down behind the leaves. I held my breath as I looked in between the branches to see who it was.
"Cass? Are you here?"
I wanted to yell and cry at the same time. Of course, it was Zayden.
"I know you're here so will you please come out? I can explain." I fought the urge to scoff. I couldn't believe he was trying to explain this situation. I knew it well enough.
"Cass, please."
Right then, my feet slipped slightly from the branch I was standing on. I immediately grabbed the branches in front of me, but it had caused the rustling to give me away.
Zayden peered under the tree and put on a small smile when he saw me. "You weren't in class, so I guessed you'd be here."
"I don't want to see you. I don't want to talk to you!"
"I can—" He started but I cut him off.
"No, you can't explain. You led me on and played with my emotions. You flirted to me and tried to have sex with me. All because of some stupid bet! There is absolutely nothing to explain." My words were strong and harsh, and I couldn't care less if he was hurt or not.
"Cass, the bet was a huge mistake. I thought you were some weird bookworm that looked down on everyone else. But that's not you. From the middle, I wasn't acting anymore. I was genuinely happy to hang out with you. I don't want to lose you, I don't want to lose my friend."
I didn't believe a word he said, but I felt ridiculous that I didn't like him calling me a friend. I wanted to be more than that, and for that I wanted to jump down the tree and yell at him for making me fall for him.
But instead, I spat out, "even if any of what you said was true, it doesn't make anything better."
"I know, I know." Zayden said, "and you have every right to be angry with me. But I just—"
"Zayden, if you had forgotten, you almost raped me last night!"
"I wouldn't have." Zayden whispered.
"Yes, you would have! If Kyle hadn't walked in—"
"What was that anyway?" Zayden said, interrupting me. "Why the hell was he there? Was he stalking you?"
"How the hell should I know? But that's not the point, you jackass! You not only messed with me, but you almost committed a crime!"
"I swear, I wouldn't have! I was under presseure, but if you kept on refusing, I wouldn't have gone all the way." Zayden sounded panicked now. I could call the police and have him arrested. But I wouldn't, because I am not that sort of person.
"Just leave, Zayden." I said, putting all the anger I had in me into that one sentence.
"Okay, I will, but if it makes you feel any better, I'm getting a load of crap from everyone. About how I let people down and I'm a chicken not being able to get you.....you know."
"That doesn't make me feel any better, and you deserve every single rude remark you get, and much worse."
Zayden didn't say anything else as he left, leaving me still in the tree and his fading footsteps echoing in my ears.
* * * * *
I shut my locker as I pulled my bag over my shoulder. I decided to attend my classes after I had cleared my mind, because avoiding everything will not do anything good to me or my grades.
"Hey, Cassandra? Can we talk to you?" A girl's voice said from behind me.
I whirled around, looking to see who spoke to me. I was not expecting anyone to come up to me, so needless to say I was very surprised. There was one blonde girl in the front, with her long hair falling in curls all around her. Then there were two brunettes behind the blonde, both putting their hands on their hips. They all had heels that made them a couple inches taller than me, and with their skirts rolled up, they all looked equally skanky.
"Uh...sure." I replied, my voice sounding more like a question than a reply.
"So we're friends of Zayden." The blonde said, her voice slurring in what was supposed to make her sound intimidating. Instead it made her sound stupid.
"Really good friends," one of the brunettes added, the other brunette nodding in agreement. I fought the urge to laugh. So these brunettes were the blonde's side bitches. It was just like the movies.
"And it's not only terrible that you completely rejected Zayden like the attention-hogging whore that you are," the blonde said, taking a step towards me. "But you humiliated Zayden, and now everyone is saying terrible things about him. I honestly can't believe a person can be this cruel!"
I couldn't believe my misfortune. Not only did I have to fall for a guy who was just thinking of me as a game, go through a traumatic experience I don't want to mention ever again, be humiliated in front of the entire school, be gossipped about where ever I go, but I also had to have jealous Team Zayden girls running their mouths at me.
I groaned inwardly. "I am the only person here who has the right to be angry." I told them, and one of the brunettes in the back's eyes flared.
"Have you heard what people have said about Zayden? They were laughing at him how he's not a man enough!"
The blonde shot a warning look at the brunette. "Dana, stay back."
Honestly, if I wasn't the one being yelled at, I would have laughed. It was like watching a group of werewolves preparing to fight as the beta jumped up to fight but the alpha growling to stay back. Except, they didn't have fangs, just pointy Prada heels.
"Well, if you think Zayden is a man enough, why don't you let him come here to be angry at me, instead of ganging up on me like little girls?"
The blonde rolled her eyes. "Because he's too nice for that, hun. You should know that better than anyone."
I felt myself losing my temper. "Really? I think you guys are just jealous because I'm getting so much attention from him, while he barely knows you all exist. If you really wanted him to notice you, why don't you actually go up and talk to him like a civilized being?"
I know I had gone too far the moment the words slipped out of my mouth. But it felt good to say them anyway.
But instead of starting to beat the crap out of me, the three girls huffed and stomped off. I frowned and readjusted my bag on my shoulder, walking to my class a few minutes late.
* * * * *
When I say everybody knew about the bet, I literally mean everyone.
It wasn't just the guys in the sports teams and their groups they spread it to, but even the less "cool" kids thought the situation was interesting as they watched the scene unravel. Too bad for them I didn't react very much.
Even the teachers seemed to know every single detail, which absolutely terrified me.
But they wouldn't do anything about it anyway. It involved too many students.
* * * * *
The next day, I got to school and opened my locker only to have scraps of paper tumble out. I muttered curses as I bent down to gather them, when I noticed what they actually were. They were parts of my notebook, torn up into pieces. I looked into my locker, and I realized almost every single notebook in there had been messed up into an unusable state. Even some of textbooks were shredded. And all over the inside of my lockers, in thick, black, permanent marker ink, were scribbled words.
Slut.
Whore.
Bitch.
Self-Obsessed.
Die you useless piece of crap.
There were so many other things written there but I didn't want to read them. I slammed my locker shut and put my back to it. I held my bag close to me and let out a shaky breath.
I had never been bullied or teased to this extent, and I was having a hard time trying not to scream. I could think of a few people who would do this to me, the three girls who ganged up on me the day before being high on my list. But honestly, I had been hated on for such a long time I was actually surprised these sort of things hadn't happened earlier.
I took a deep breath, knowing everyone was watching my every move. I wasn't going to break down here, because that was what everyone wanted me to do. I wasn't going to be played this time.
I didn't even mourn over my lost posessions, and some of them included works I was really proud of and others were works-in-progress where I would have to start all over again. I headed to my first period, ignoring the way rumorous whispers seemed to envelop me as I walked through the halls filled with people.
In my trigonometry class, I sat in my usual seat confidently, with nothing on my table.
Miss Roberts seemed sort of awkward as she asked me in front of the whole class, "Cassandra? Why don't you have your books to class?"
I shrugged as if it were perfectly normal. "Oh you know, some female dogs ate them."
The entire class fell silent and I swore I saw Miss Roberts' lips twitch upwards.