Chapter 7
Faith grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and looked over into the lounge. Where is everyone? She thought to herself, and furrowed her eyebrows as she wandered around the house. "I finally get an afternoon off and there's no one here, Christ..." She ambled up the stairs, sipping off the cool water and thanking it inwardly for cooling her down. She knocked up Cassie's door gently, and called out to her, but upon hearing no reply, stepped in. "Hey..." she said coolly and wandered in. "What's up with Leon he seems all edgy."
Cassie looked up at Faith with tears still streaming down her face. She wiped them away with the back of her hand and sniffed loudly. "I told him about... you know... the baby." She gestured slightly with her hands. "He took it better than I'd expected, but ... I don't think I should have told him now. With all this shit happening with Dom, and Letty, and the heists." She let out a sigh and dropped her head to her hands and rested them on her knees as she sat on the edge of her bed. "Why do I always dig myself in so deep?"
Faith's expressions softened upon realising Cass was crying and joined her on the comforter. She pulled her in for a hug then grasped her shoulders and looked at her. "Cass...you told him?" She nodded and she pulled her in for another hug. "I thought you said you'd never tell him for both of your sakes?" She let her go and sat back, and reached a hand out to wipe away a tear. "You said it was best left forgotten, past should stay in the past, he didn't know, so best to leave it that way...Cass you are digging yourself another hole. Remember the one back in LA? Well this one's fast becoming deeper. And you're falling in. Why did you tell him?" she said, trying to be understanding but also wondering why she went against what she promised she wouldn't.
Cassie shrugged, "I dunno. It just sorta ... came out. He was talking to Letty, and said he had always had feelings for her. And then that got me to wondering if he had feelings for me, and then he said he loved me..." her voice broke as she spoke and she closed her eyes again. "Maybe I should just disappear again." She sighed and looked up at Faith apologetically, feeling bad about putting her through all the crap she was putting up with.
Meanwhile, outside the house, Dom stood with his hands in his pockets, and looking like he hadn't slept in a week. He stared at the ground as he walked up the patio stairs slowly and headed inside. He looked around, almost grateful to not have anybody around. When he saw Letty outside he stepped out and sat next to her - staring into the distance exactly the same was she was.
Faith had found herself inwardly cussing and rolling her eyes as she listened to everything her friend told her. She'd watched Cassie break down because of this guy countless times, and hated to see her hurting because of something a guy had done to her. She chewed upon her lip and furrowed her brows as she watched Cassie beginning to fall again, and simply shook her head.
"You disappear, I'll never forgive you," she started and watched Cassie's expression change. "Well c'mon, seriously what is this? He comes back so you gotta leave? You're my friend and I want you here. Whatever Papi's done to hurt you, for Christ's sakes stamp on his balls or forget about it. There's no need for you to leave. You gotta make him realise he hurt YOU. Leaving will just let him know that he can do it as many times as he wants and won't have you to deal with afterwards." She licked over her lips and moved her hand to Cassie's chin and raised it up a little. "The Cassie I know never let a guy trample over her like a doormat. Why am I seeing this chica's tears like there ain't no tomorrow?" she smiled at her and moved her hand round to her hair and stroked it. "Where's Cass gone, huh?"
Cassie sighed and nodded, "you're right, I know you're right. But. I. Don't know. He really meant something to me, ya know?" She forced the tears to stop and sat up straight, "I'm not gonna disappear again. This is my home, and they came in on me. I just wish... things were the way they were. When we were all just... so happy."
Faith scoffed and sat back. "Who's ever one hundred per cent happy chica? And plus, if you were, life wouldn't be interesting." She climbed up off the bed and moved to the window, and looked out to find Dom sitting beside Letty. "Or maybe it's more fun being the voyeur." She looked over her shoulder at Cass. "Dom's home."
Cassie stood next to Faith at the window and smiled a small smile, "I think it's more fun being the voyeur."
Letty had seemed so far in thought that when Dom returned she failed to show any sign of acknowledgement, until finally she spoke. "I thought I'd lost you," she started, and inhaled deep, only to exhale deeper.
Dom continued to stare at the horizon, never looking at Letty, "you have lost me. You lost me a long time ago, Letty. You never trusted me, and I always trusted you. You treated me like shit, and I became distant - then you took that as me being unfaithful and instantly I wasn't paying enough attention to you." He stopped and looked at the ground at his feet, "I still don't want to believe it happened, but it did. And I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive you."
Letty sighed long and loud. "Why should you...forgive me I mean." She lowered her voice. "Guess my selfishness finally came back and bit me in the butt." She licked over her lips. "You never once cheated on me?" she asked. She knew he'd said it, time and time again, but she just needed to hear him say it one more time.
"Never once did I even think about it." He said without hesitation and then stood again and sighed. "I love you, Let. But sometimes, you can be a real bitch." He finished as he disappeared back inside the house.
She shook her head and licked over her lips. "So I guess Tran's sister doesn't count, then," she mumbled after hearing the door close behind her. She stood and stepped down the stairs, and leant against the railing. She could feel the tears threatening to fall once more, but forced them back as she pressed her palm to her forehead.
The sound of her phone ringing startled both Cassie and Faith. Cassie looked at Faith confused then hesitantly answered, "Yo?"
"Cass?" Vince's voice cracked on the other side of the line.
"Vince? Yo man! Where are you?" She asked, full of worry of both him and Jesse, "where's Jess? Is he with you on your way down? And Mia?"
Vince sighed, "no, I'm on my own. I need directions, I just got over the border."
Cassie calmly gave him directions, "what happened to Jess and Mia, V? Why are you on your own? I thought it was all set?"
Vince shook his head, then realised she couldn't see him through the phone, "I'll explain later, babe. Right now, I just need to rest. I'll be there in a few hours."
Cassie sighed and whispered her goodbye's to Vince, then hung up the phone. She looked up at Faith, "I don't suppose you could spare one more room?"
Faith placed a hand on her hip, and scratched her head with the other. She nodded her head towards the phone and licked over her lips. "Another one of your friends?"
Cassie carefully put the phone back on the bedside table and shrugged half-heartedly - apologetically, "yeah. I really don't mean to put all this shit one ya at once, or at all really. But... you know how it is."
Faith creased her forehead a little and sighed. "Three of your 'pals' come down yesterday and I'm still tryin' to understand all the drama that's goin' on between them...when this guy comes down is it gonna be even worse? Cos im tellin' ya I like the whole drama thing, really I dig. And I like your friends...but I gotta tell ya, it's really startin' to hurt my head. Can I expect anymore broken vases? Or worse?"
All Cassie could do was sigh and shrug again, "I have no idea. There shouldn't be anymore trouble, and if there even is a hint of it, feel free to kick them out. Seriously. I just... I think we need to sort out a few things anyway. It'll be good for us." She chuckled, "I'll tell them to steer clear of any furniture or chinaware."
Faith looked at her, trying not to laugh. Finally she chuckled and headed for the door. "You're gonna have to bunk with me; I'm giving him your room." She glanced over her shoulder and Cassie before heading out. "And Cass...you owe me one...big time...they ate all my food." She closed the door behind her and headed downstairs, smiling and shaking her head as she went.
