Cassie arrived Phoebe's house safely despite the emotional state in which she drove. She wiped away her tears with the sleeve of her shirt and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She had streaks of foundation run down her face, her mascara was smudged around her face was puffy. She managed to wipe off some mascara off her face but she gave up once she realized nothing she did could make her look any better.
She got out of her car and turned Phoebe's door knob, her door was unlocked as it sometimes was, so she let herself in. As soon as she walked in she heard loud chatter, and she did not have to walk into Phoebe's living room to realize that all her friends were present, having a great time in her absence. Danny was the first person to turn around and notice her presence.
"Cass," he said, taken aback. She stood still and stared at the room full of her friends. She wiped her face even more because she was ashamed to let everyone see her in such a vulnerable state. Everyone's undivided attention was on Cassie, a mix of worry and confusion on their faces.
"Cassie? What's wrong," Phoebe asked and ran to Cassie. "you've been crying, why?" she asked concerned.
"Could we go to your room please" she pleaded with her eyes. " I don't feel like talking with everyone here."
"I'll let them know what happened," Tucker said, everyone turned to him. "She cheated on my bro Tyler with that police dude and he dumped her," he said bluntly.
"Tucker!" Phoebe scolded as she opened her eyes wide at him giving him a death glare.
"It's true," Cassie confessed shyly. "How did you know" she asked Tucker.
"Tyler just text me," he said holding up his iPhone.
"Is he okay?"
"You should worry about your detective guy instead," he said.
"Cassie why would you do something like that?" Danny asked not being able to stifle the disappointment in his tone. He walked to where Cassie and Phoebe stood.
"Cass you're joking right? You're not a cheater, in fact you detest cheaters," Phoebe said.
"It was a mistake. I was emotional about our argument yesterday, he comforted me and I just kissed him without thinking," a tear trickled down her cheeks.
"I am so disappoint in you Cassie, I feel like I don't even know you anymore," Phoebe said
"This case is changing you, and it's definitely not for the better," Danny added.
"I didn't come here to be judged by my best friends I came here for support," she defended.
"Oh so now you need their help, but it wasn't hard for you to say no when they asked you to drop the freaking case," Tucker spat out with his muscular hand folded under his chest. He was standing beside Phoebe now.
"Shut the hell up Tucker," Cassie said. Anger boiled in her and she was tempted to blurt out his own infidelity but she had her own problems she needed to deal with.
"Of course detective," he said sarcastically putting emphasis on the word detective. He rose his hands up in mock surrender as he stepped back a bit.
Phoebe opened her mouth to speak, but the sound of her phone ringing distracted her.
"Hello" she answered. "Oh Hi Mrs. Rivers," she greeted Matt's mother in a cheerful tone. Phoebe's expression suddenly changed, colour washed from her face and she looked like she was about to pass out." She listened for a while and her facial expression grew more and more horrified. "Oh my God, we'll be right there."
They all looked at her waiting for an explanation. She placed her hand on her chest and took in a deep breath. A tear slipped out her eyes and she stared at Cassie in disdain. She stood silent for a while, which was very unlike her.
"Babe what's wrong?" Tucker asked retaking his position beside her. The rest of them looked at her patiently for an answer.
"It's Matt he-he was involved, he was involved in a terrible car accident, he's at the hospital now fighting for his life. His mum wants us to come over, to give him support," she said with her eyes wide open still in shock. More tears started to make their way out of her eyes.
"Oh my God that's terrible," Cassie exclaimed putting her hands over her mouth.
"What the hell do you mean that's terrible?" Phoebe shot back at her between sobs. "This is all your fault Cassie" she said pointing her index finger accusingly at her.
"My-my fault" Cassie asked bewildered by the accusation Phoebe just darted at her. "how is it my fault?"
"Do you think it's a coincidence that Matt got involved in an accident a day after we got threatened? Matty's mum said that witnesses said that a car came out of nowhere and hit his car."
"This is messed up" Danny said frantically.
"No, she is messed up," Tucker interjected pointing to Cassie. Cassie stared at him confused, trying to understand why he had been out for her for a while
"Do not put this on me, the only people that got threatened were you Phoebe," she said pointing at Phoebe "Danny and... and Tyler" she said Tyler's name softly and sadly.
"The killer probably wanted to make you think that we were the ones in danger," Danny said.
"If not for this stupid desire of yours to work on this case, none of this would have happened," Phoebe spat out venomously.
"Tucker's cheating on you," she said to Phoebe. "I found him sucking on a random girl at school."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Phoebe asked with a stern look on her face.
"You heard me. Tucker is cheating on you, I found him in an empty classroom with a random girl I don't even know."
"That's not true" Phoebe said. "You're just trying to make up stories so that I can be as miserable as you are. It's not enough that you lost Tyler today but you want me to loose Tucker too?"
"Is that really what you think about me Phoebs?"
"Honestly Cassie I don't know what to think about you anymore," she dropped her hands to her sides.
"Babe I will never cheat on you" he said walking towards Phoebe and handing her in his large arms.
"And if what you're saying is true why didn't you tell me sooner?" she demanded/
"Because I didn't want you to get hurt."
"A good friend will inform their friends about something like this no matter what," she stated.
"Screw you guys," Cassie said as she turned around to leave.
"Cassie, your crazy obsession for being a detective is harming you and your friends, be more reasonable," Danny said.
She paused as she was almost at the door." Danny, you shouldn't be one to talk. It was my crazy obsession that made you who you are today. If not for my crazy dreams you might not even be alive," she blurted. "I saved you," she said pointing to her chest profusely "and I saved your parents marriage, I am the reason your father opened up his eyes because he was too blind and gullible to see that your stepmom was a snake." as soon as she blurted out all these things she regretted it. She knew that they were right when they said she had changed, but seeing her friends judge her made her want to defend herself, and she did so in ways that hurt them.
"I'm sorry," she said softly.
Cassie noticed the look of disappointment and hurt all over his face. And she hated herself for hurting Danny, one of the kindest people she had met. He was someone that needed to be protected at all cost, not hurt. She was getting really good at hurting the people she loved the most. Danny bit down hard on his bottom lip and swallowed hard.
"Dan I'm sorry," she repeated.
He ignored her and picked up his jacket and stood by the door waiting for anyone to join him.
"We promised to make this year out best year, and because of you it just might be our worst, and for some of us maybe our last," Danny said.
A tear rolled out of her eyes as she looked at Danny. She remembered the first day of school perfectly. It was very easy for her to make the promise in that moment because she meant it, but a strong force kept pulling her away from that promise and from the people she made the promise to.
"Yeah we all made a promise but apparently the case is more important. And do you know the most annoying part Cassie?" Phoebe questioned "It's not even your job, you don't have to do it. They don't need you, you have a choice but every time you choose the case."
Cassie could not bear the disappointed looks and harsh words anymore so she ran like a coward.
"Who's gonna tell Jesse?" Tucker asked as soon as Cassie was gone. " Matt's like a brother to him. He's not gonna be okay."
"I'll tell him," Phoebe offered. "Jesse?" She called out his name and he stepped into the living room from the kitchen where he was the whole time. He had speaker phones on his ears and they could hear music coming out of them, which explained why he did not hear anything that happened. He took the headphones off his ears and put them around his neck.
"Jesse there's some bad news," she spoke softly, the way one would talk to a child.
"What's the matter?" he asked looking to all of them in confusion.
"It's about Matt,"
"What about Matt," he asked concernedly
"He's been involved in an accident Jess, and it's bad."
"What!" he exclaimed wide-eyed "what the hell are we still doing here? let's go see him," he said, and ran out the door.
"I'll drive" Danny offered holding out his keys in the air and jiggling it. As soon as they were all settled in his car they drove to the Freetown hospital, with hopes that Matt was still alive.