Split

It began as an average dinnertime conversation. Everyone just talked about current events and the like, nothing major. That is, until Phil had a realization.

"It's the 9th, right?" he asked.

June thought for a second, then replied, "Yeah, it is. Why do you ask?"

"It's been a year now. Rya's been dead for a year."

"Hey," June said, "you're right."

"I can't believe it's been a year," said Elly. "It's been so different without her around."

Cassidy piped up. "What, do you actually care? She's left such a void. It is different."

Everyone stared, confused at Cassidy's contradictory statement. It sounded like she cared...

"What the hell are you talking about?" asked Joel.

"I-I dunno. I guess...I just miss her," Cassidy said, eyes downcast. Suddenly, her expression changed from one of sadness and confusion to one of anger and bitterness. "She deserved it. She had it coming. Don't you get it?"

Phil looked her in the eye, positively befuddled. "No, actually. We don't. You're not making sense!"

"Well, it's only natural that I wouldn't care! I mean, I was the one who--oh my God, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I don't--I didn't mean it--I...I killed her. I don't know what I was thinking, it wasn't me!" Cassidy broke down crying. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Everyone at the table looked shocked. It had been so unexpected to most of them...and even the few who knew were disturbed by how she was behaving.

"Cassidy," Phil said quietly, "are you saying that you're that cloaked guy?" It wasn't that he didn't know what she meant. It was that he was in a state of confusion and disbelief.

Cassidy nodded, tears still streaming down her cheeks. She sobbed, head in her hands, shoulders shaking. She then lifted her head angrily. "I did it for YOU, Phil!" she shouted, pointing directly at him.

"What? Cassidy, I liked Rya!" Phil said, bewildered.

"I didn't," Joel commented.

"Shut up," Phil snapped. He turned back to meet Cassidy's stare. "She was a friend! I didn't want her to die..."

"She was a threat," Cassidy hissed, her voice sounding different. Deep. Rough. Not like her at all. "A threat to us. Because you know, Phil...you can't just stop loving someone."

"Wait...you did this because you're in love with me?" Phil said, getting more and more confused with every word Cassidy said.

"And so was she," Cassidy said, still sounding odd. "We were both in love with you! Ever notice how different she acted around you? All shy and quiet and nervous?" Phil nodded, and Cassidy continued. "And everyone trusted me. Everyone confided in me. She flat out told me! Said she never wanted to leave you...but what about me? I love you just as much as Rya did, but did you blow her off? No! When she was sad, you were there for her. But noooo, nobody cares about Cassidy. They all cry on my shoulder, but when I'm the one who's crying, I'm left alone. But why? Why her, of all people?"

Phil glared at her. "You're being so selfish, Cassidy!"

Her expression softened. She sniffled. "I...oh, no, what did I say? I-I can't believe it! Why--how could I have been such an awful person? I'm so sorry...I'm so, so sorry!" She began sobbing again, the tears coming even harder and heavier.

Nobody knew what to say. She had just confessed to killing someone, but looking at her weeping, and listening as her personality went back and forth, they just didn't know what to say.

"Phil," Cassidy said, still crying, "I really do love you. But...I was so selfish. You can date Elly, or anyone you want...I just want you to be happy. It hurts, but you deserve happiness. And maybe if I hadn't killed Rya, you...both of you could've been happy, even though I couldn't have you. I'd be so happy if we were together, but I've ruined any chances I might've had. It's not your fault, or Rya's fault, or Elly's fault...it's my fault. I'm so very sorry...I just can't believe I did it." She turned to June, who was still just sitting there, shocked. "June, I'm sorry I had to drag you into this."

"Wh-whaddaya mean?" June stammered.

"You trusted me, June," Cassidy said. "And I abused that trust. You...you helped me. You told her to become human, to leave this place. But you figured it all out. You tried to warn her, but it was too late. I told you to do it, and because you trusted me, you did."

June hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry..."

Cassidy put a hand on her shoulder. "Not your fault, June. Again, it's my fault. All my fault. Don't feel guilty." Then she looked over at Elly.

"Hey, Elly," Cassidy asked, "do you remember how I wanted to kill you? I'm..." Cassidy grinned wickedly. "I still do."

Elly looked horrified. "Cassidy, what's wrong with you!"

Cassidy still wore her evil smile. "You've been in love before, haven't you?"

Elly nodded, still scared.

"Well," Cassidy continued, "you'd die for them, right?"

Again, Elly nodded fearfully.

"So would I," Phil added. "I'd die for Elly, definitely. In fact..." Phil glared angrily at Cassidy. "If I could've, I would have died in Rya's place."

"Oh, really?" Cassidy said, still smirking. "Heh. I doubt that. How could you care so much about someone like her? She was a total bitch!"

"Maybe so," Phil replied, "but she didn't deserve to die! And why did you do it if it just hurt me?"

Again, she shifted. "I don't know! It was a horrible thing to do, it was wrong!" Again, she began sobbing. "I was wrong...I'm sorry," she croaked, her cheeks red from crying so much.

Phil looked saddened. "I dunno. I want to forgive you, Cassidy, but...I can't. I just can't."

Cassidy was incensed. "Fine," she said furiously, angry tears welling up in her eyes. "If I can't have you, nobody can!" She pulled a knife from her boot.

Then she dropped it on the floor.

"I...I can't do it!" she cried. "I should be the dead one!" Cassidy stood up. "I need to be alone..." she said. But before she left, she said one last thing.

"Rya," she whispered, "I'm sorry."

And with that, she ran off to her room, still in tears.