This chapter has been a long time in coming. Yuna and I are finally free to write, and we hope to complete most of the story before the next school year! Special thanks for this chapter go out to all the faithful readers, especially those who have reviewed this story. Your reviews are deeply appreciated; they keep us motivated! The greatest of thanks go to xXbunnyholicXx, who has worked with me specifically on the development of Cassie. xXbunnyholicXx has offered ideas and suggestions for the character development of Cassie, who represents a girl we all wish we had for a friend and confidant. Hence, Yuna and I dedicate this seventh chapter to every Cassie out there who makes this world a better, brighter place to live. [For those of you who are interested: Cassidy means "curly-headed"; Vivianne means "alive; animated; lively"; and Astrid means "divine beauty." Surprisingly, Cassidy's first name was chosen without first researching the meaning. Great choice, huh? ;P]
-Stefani
Chapter Seven: Cassie
Cassidy Vivianne Astrid stalked the street outside her dorm building. Hands in her coat pockets, eyes down, she solemnly continued her aimless roaming. For as long as Cassidy could remember, she and Ana had been best friends. And Mr. and Mrs. Greene had been her rock.
O~o~O
She recalled one particular incident that happened when she was only 14. She had sneaked away from home one day to hang out with her so-called "rebel" friends. But they couldn't be all that bad. After all, they were her friends. And she always seemed to come out all right. Well, that one day they had decided to try something new. Something called marijuana. At first Cassidy, seeing their twisted faces from inhaling the putrid stuff, profoundly refused. But they always had a way of brainwashing her of her conscience.
Cassidy returned home unbearably sick. She was too dizzy to climb the stairs, and hence fell to the sofa. She stayed there until her mother came through the front door. "Hello Cassidy," Her mother said warmly. Cassidy continued to stare at the floor with a rather spaced out, empty look in her eyes. That was not typical of Cassidy. Her mother studied her for a few moments before gasping. "Cassidy, did you sneak out again? I can never trust you when I'm gone, can I?" No response. "Cassidy, did they drug you?... Did they?" Silence. Cassidy's mother sighed and slowly shook her head in exasperation. The silence remained for several seconds. For Cassidy, silence was worse than the brutal lashing she deserved. "Well," her mother chocked out, "you look sick enough. Have you learned your lesson?" Out of sheer humiliation, Cassidy meekly nodded her head and mouthed a yes.
"Now what? A year's grounding?" Cassidy speculated.
"Alright then. Go outside and clear your head. The air will be good for you."
Ashamed and befuddled, Cassidy shuffled out and fell on her knees in the grass. What had just happened? As she considered her current predicament, a crimson Dodge Caravan slowly approached her house. "Oh that's right," Cassidy thought to herself. "Today Ana was gonna come over." Cassidy sneered. "Correction. Ana did come over. And now what am I to do?" The minivan came to a stop and the left back door slid open. Out jumped Ana, bright auburn hair flying as she ran to greet her best friend. Cassidy smiled in spite of herself. She staggered to her feet and braced herself for Ana's tight embrace.
As Ana ran to greet her friend, Mr. and Mrs. Greene made their way up the front walk. It was custom for the Greenes to greet and chat with the Astrids whenever the children visited each other.
"Cassie!"
"Hey, Ana."
"No offense, but you don't look, or smell for that matter, much like yourself. Are you alright?" asked Ana, desperately attempting to keep from coughing.
What should she say? "Yeah, it's the hippest style in France. Well, no offense, but you don't look too great yourself." Both would be outright lies. What should she say? The truth. Obviously. Ana was her confidant. She told Ana everything. And, quite frankly, Ana deserved the truth.
Cassidy sighed deeply before taking both of Ana's hands in her own. She needed to get this off her chest. Kind of like ripping off a Band-Aid! "But Band-Aids hurt..."
"What?" Ana asked, smiling brightly.
"Ana, I smoked pot. There, I said it." Cassidy hung her head sorrowfully, almost humorously. However, the most hilarious sight was Anastasia's face. Eyes unblinking, mouth gaping wide, cheeks flushed, she looked like the cover girl for Vanity Fair, or even a model in a voguing shoot.
Well, Ana's parents noticed the display, questioned what the girls were doing, and the next few moments were a flurry of questions and scoldings. Bottom line: Cassidy Vivianne Astrid was forbidden from ever seeing Ana again...unless Cassidy could grow up, change her lifestyle, and find a new group of more modest, honest friends.
There was never a time Cassidy had cried so much. She did not sleep that night, but instead resolved to do even better than the Greenes had instructed. She was going to be the greatest friend Ana could ever have. And Cassidy did become a model of virtue, honesty, modesty, and humbleness. Ana and she could once again be friends. Best friends.
Cassidy realized that her true heroes were not her own parents, but the Greenes. They had changed her life by their harsh threat, more than her own parents had done. And the incident had actually strengthened her relationship with the Greenes.
O~o~O
Cassidy didn't like to show it in front of Ana, for she had to be strong. But inside she felt as if she had died. The Greenes' deaths had deeply affected Cassidy more deeply than words could say. It was almost as if her own parents had been ruthlessly killed.
Tears slid down Cassidy's face. In the midst of all her tears, Cassidy forgot her surroundings and stepped into the street's intersection. She heard a shout and was pulled backward, falling on her back onto the hard cement. And only then she realized she had narrowly missed being struck by oncoming traffic. Cassidy sincerely, silently thanked God. And only then did she proceed to open her eyes and stare up into the brown irises of her new heroine—Crystal.
