I wake up, Cassie's slender frame hunched into itself, hiding her. I squint, making out the tiniest lines of worry around her eyes.

"Cass?" I nudge her. "Are you dreaming?"

"Go away," She mumbles in her sleep.

"What are you dreaming of?"

"You going away." I smile.

"No really," I run my fingers through her hair.

"I'm dreaming of better…"

"Better?"

"Something better, Sid. Fuck off."

"What's better?"

"…I don't know. But I want it." I shrug. Everyone dreams of something better. This doesn't mean anything.

/

Breakfast this morning contains trail mix, and even without the M&Ms and yogurt what-have-you-s, it's still disgusting, but I ignore it when I hear Cassie coming down the stairs.

"What are you doing? You said-"

"I said I wouldn't eat crap."

"So why are you eating it?"

"It's just trail mix, Cass."

"Whatever." She turns around to leave, so I put my hand on her shoulder before she starts to walk.

"Look, I'm sorry, Cass. I'm throwing it out, see? See?" She nods. "What do you want to eat then?"

"I'm not hungry."

"Right."

"I want to plan the wedding."

"You do?" I smile. I can't get over the fact that she still wants me. She does still want me.

"I do…But, I don't know how we'll pull it off. Even low key, weddings are expensive." We sit down together, sorting out details for nearly an hour.

"Our friends have to come." She says. "Jal, Tony, Maxxie, James, Anwar-"

"Maxxie, James, and Anwar are in London."

"So we'll get them here! Jesus Sid they're not in Cuba."

"…Right. Well, what about Michelle?"

"What about Michelle?"

"Will we invite her?"

"Why would we do that?'

"She's our friend, Cass. And I'm marrying you. We can get over that now, yea?" She looks like she's about to say something, but bites it back with a sigh.

"Fine. We'll invite her too. And my brother. And parents. My parents and your…parent." She emphasizes the last bit a little too much.

"That's okay, Cass." I snap. "I don't need my dad there now, do I? I'm not the fucking bride, am I?"

"…I'm sorry Sid. I didn't mean it like that."

"Whatever. Guests are settled. Oh and we have to add Effy."

"Effy?"

"Well she's a part of it too. I mean that one time…Well she's Tony's sister and…"

"Fine, Sid. We'll have her in too. That makes…eleven besides us. Wow. That's…small."

"That's everyone we know, Cass."

"Should we invite everyone else's parents?"

"I suppose so, but we have to feed everyone."

"What are you talking about?"

"What I just said. They'll want food."

"I don't want food at the wedding."

"But what if they're hungry?"

"I don't want food at the wedding." Even though she's glaring at me, I can't argue with her. She's the most beautiful girl I ever met, her gold hair framing her narrow face, eyes alive.

"Okay," I give in. Again, how can I not? She's so lovely. "Cassie?"

"What?"

"Please smile." She softens, a trace of a grin glimpses past her lips, bringing one out from me in return. I reach out and hold her hand across the table. "I love you, Cass. Always."

"I love you too, Sid." That's the problem. The unspoken memory rushes in my head, but I keep my smile despite it. It's all in the past, yea?

"Listen. Maybe you can pick your dress out today? With your mum?"

"She's out of town."

"Oh. Sorry."

"I can ask Jal though."

"Right. Okay. Pick out whatever you like. I'll pay for it."

"You haven't gotten any money, Sid."

"Yea, but, I mean, I'll figure something out." She nods and rings Jal, then waits for her to come round. When Jal finally gets here, Cass gives me a quick kiss goodbye and goes off. I gaze at the clock. It's already noon. I glare down at my growling stomach. Whatever. I skip lunch.

/

Jal's Point of View. (When Cassie calls her)

I get another ring from Cassie. Shit. Has Sid fucked things up again already? He's such a sad case.

"Hello?"

"Hey, It's Cassie."

"Yea, I've um, got Caller ID?"

"Right. So… I told you, about me and Sid, yea?"

"What bit?"

"That we've been engaged?"

"Still? You seemed keen to break it off when you stayed with me a bit ago."

"Yea, but we just had an argument. It's sorted. Really, it was just something stupid. Anyway, I need to pick out my dress. Do you want to help me pick it out?"

"Yea, of course. I'll um, be round in a bit."

"Safe. See you later." And click! She's off. I sigh, grabbing my keys. I don't know how she and Sid have stayed together this long, even with a break! I drive over to Sid's mum's house- he really couldn't move out?- and press the buzzer. The door opens to reveal Cassie, who looks terrible. She was bad when I saw her last, and she's managed to get even worse. Her unkempt blonde hair frames her pasty, too- narrow face, eyes sick and dying. Oh, Cass. Why do you do this to yourself? And honestly, Sid isn't any better. His teenage boy frame is scrawnier, and not in the lost-his-baby-fat kind of way. His endearing childish look is just…not. Oh, Sid. Why did you let her do this to you?

"Um... Are you ready to go Cassie?"

"Yea. Coming." She gives Sid a quick kiss goodbye, ew, and walks out to my car with me. We drive to several bridal stores, until we end up at this Just for You Bridal place. Cassie seems ecstatic as we enter, the vision of all the gowns surrounding us. After trying a few on her bony frame, we find one that actually looks nice. The lady said it's a strapless a line gown, and has some sweetheart neckline and gathered skirt. And the top bit has some lacy thing that looks nice. I check the price tag- 375 pounds. Not too bad, considering Sid, the sad case that he is, can't afford shit. I find these pretty blue dresses for bridesmaids for about 170 pounds each.

"Are you sure that's the one you want?"

"Yea. It's lovely, isn't it?"

"It's beautiful."

"Sid'll like it."

"He doesn't have to. It's your dress."

"I know, Jal. Besides, Sid likes me in anything. Even a paper bag." She laughs.

"Considering he's broke, that's probably what you'll wear after you're married." Her smile vanishes.

"What is your problem with him?"

"What?"

"Sid and I are getting married. I love him. And I wanted you to be my maid of honor! Which means you have to be nice to me, and support me, and not judge him! Can you do that for my wedding day? Please?"

"Look," I backtrack. "I'm sorry, Cass. It was just a joke, honest. Sid's good to you." Honestly, I was worried that she was bad for Sid. In the past, I hated him for not seeing in her what she saw in him, and what he saw in Michelle. But once he got past that, he really was there for her. No matter when she left him, besides one minor hiccup, he always was in love with her. And now that she's getting back to her old ways, it's obvious that he's joining her, because he's so pathetic that he'll do anything to get her to stay. What he needs to do is help her instead of sit around. Someone has to step up. "Hey, Cass?"

"What?"

"Maybe…" I have to choose my words carefully, "When was the last time you went to the clinic?"

"Months ago. Bug off it." She snaps.

"I just think that you could go back."

"Why would I go back?"

"You've been losing a lot of weight, Cassie. You don't have to go back full time, but maybe a couple sessions would help-"

"I'm fine, Jal. Any weight I'm losing is because I'm preparing for this wedding, and it's coming up really soon."

"How soon?"

"Next Friday."

"Next Friday? That's ten days away, Cass."

"So?"

"So when are you going to invite people? Tony and the others need plane tickets and time off. They need to know in advance! And what about the bridal shower? When will that be?"

"Fine. I'll call them later, okay?" I sigh. I really don't want to stress her out more.

"Okay, fine. That's the dress?"

"Yea."

"And these are good for the bridesmaids?"

"Yea."

"Great. I'll ring them up, then."

"Why are you paying for them?"

"Because I know you don't have money, and darling Sid will pay me back."

"That's a lot of money."

"He'll figure it out somehow." Her dress, along with the dresses for myself, Michelle, and Effy was nearly 900 pounds. Poor Sid. Cassie insists we go straight home instead of out to lunch, and I'm not in the mood to fight her. We discuss her details in the car.

"So where's the wedding?

"A park."

"Why?"

"Because it's free, and it's pretty."

"But don't you want your wedding to be special?"

"It will be! And it sucks that it won't be a dream wedding, but I want to get married and I don't want to wait for that dream wedding. People have second ceremonies all the time. Renew their vows and all that. But for now, I just want to marry him. Stop insulting every decision I make. You don't know him like I do." She's starting to rant. Guilt makes me give in.

"You're right. So what are you doing for cake?"

"You know the bakery around the corner of his house?"

"Yea?"

"They're gonna bake a cake for us special. It'll be red velvet, with the white icing and candy flowers and the little couple statue on top!" She smiles.

"Sounds…yummy."

"I'm not going to eat it."

"It's your wedding cake. Don't the bride and groom stuff a piece into each other's mouth, like a tradition?"

"Well we won't."

"It's a tradition."

"For FUCK'S SAKE Jal!" She screams at me. "Would you stop?" I'm scared to say anything. We pull up at Sid's and get out. I carry the dresses in as she runs up to Sid, gripping him in a hug. I decide to put the gowns up in her closet, and I overhear them as I come down.

"My dress is really pretty," I can tell she's smiling.

"Really?"

"Yea. It's white, and lacy, and wow."

"It sounds beautiful." I sit down on the steps to listen in, and I can peek through the bars a bit to see them without them noticing.

"It is, but you can't see it until the wedding. Bad luck." She sticks out her tongue at him.

"But what if it turns out it's horrible and I don't know until you walk down the aisle?" He laughs.

"Sid!" She biffs him over the head.

"Ow!" He mocks hurt. "I'm just kidding. You'll look beautiful. Nothing else compares."

"…Really?"

"Mhm. In fact," He twirls her around. "You look ready for your wedding day every time I see you." A smile creeps onto her face, and I can't help mine. She looks so happy. He looks so happy. Then my smile disappears. They both look so sick.

/

A/N: I know it's short, especially compared to the first chapter, but I wanted to put something up. With Jal's point of view, I wanted to show how Cassie looks so different to her compared to how she does to Sid. Hopefully I get some reviews, and I'll make the next chapter longer! Let me know what you think of what I've written so I can improve for next chapter.

Cheers xx