Pretty Little Witches
Disclaimer: we own nothing
Chapter 7: Cutting
Jake looked around. The place was exactly the same as when he left it. He wasn't too sure why he was surprised. Things never really changed in Chance Harbor. He signed. This was the last place he wanted to be. He hadn't wanted this job, but Isaac had said he needed to do this job. To show his loyalty to the witch hunters. The job was to kill the Chance Harbor Circle which included Jake's little brother Nick. Jake wasn't too sure he could go through with this job, but there was one bright side. He didn't have to actually kill his brother or the others he had grown up with. He only had to get close to them and lead them to their deaths by the hand of another witch hunter. Easy as cake, right?
Jake walked into the Boathouse and looked around. He expected to see Adam or some other member of the Circle around. Maybe even his brother who he hadn't seen yet even though he had gone back to the house. He didn't see anyone of them though, but there was a blonde girl sitting at one of the tables. The girl was beautiful and Jake didn't remember her which confused him. There weren't that many people in Chance Harbor.
The witch hunter decided to go up to the girl. "You waiting for someone?" Jake asked.
"Actually yes," the blonde said looking at Jake.
"Boyfriend?" Jake asked.
"No," Cassie said and Jake smiled as he sat down.
"Good," Jake said. "You new in town. I don't remember you."
Cassie laughed a bit and smiled. "Yeah, I've been here for a few weeks. I'm surprised you haven't heard about me."
"I left this town two years ago. Just got back about an hour ago." Jake told the girl "I'm Jake by the way."
"Cassie," Cassie said. "So why did you leave?"
"Many reasons. Why did you come here?" Jake could see it in Cassie's eyes that she didn't want to talk about it. "Sorry if that's too personal."
Cassie shook her head. "No, the whole town knows anyway. You might as well too." Cassie took a deep breath. "My mom died and I was forced to move here to live with my grandma."
"Sorry," Jake said noticing the word force. It seemed like there was somewhere else this girl would rather be and Jake could relate. He would rather be anywhere else but Chance Harbor too. "So where are you from?"
"Rosewood," Cassie answered.
"Never heard of it," Jake said.
"Not surprised. It's actually a small town not too different from here, but close Philadelphia so we can actually go somewhere and have something to do unlike here." Jake laughed at that. "I miss it there. Miss my friends." The two paused. "So why did you leave here?"
'Had some trouble in this town. Had to get away." Cassie nodded as though she understood and then saw Faye and Melissa walking towards her. Faye and Melissa had asked Cassie to meet them at the Boathouse earlier to hang out.
"Here comes the people I was waiting for." Cassie said as Faye and Melissa walked over.
"Hey Cassie, who's your fr..." Faye stopped as she got a good look at him. Jake couldn't believe the people he had originally came here looking for had just walked up to be with the girl he was trying to flirt with. "Jake, when did you get back in town?"
"A few hours ago," Jake said.
"Does Nick know?" Faye asked.
"I haven't seen him yet so I would say no." Jake could feel how awkward this conversation was. Back before he had left Chance Harbor he had used Faye for sex. He never had any feelings for her and he had never even said good bye to her before he left. He had just walked out. Truthfully he had no idea how he was going to get close to anyone in the Chance Harbor Circle considering his history with them.
Faye was giving Jake one of her best bitch stares. "Okay, I'm confused. How do you two know each other?" Cassie asked.
"They had a thing two years ago," Melissa answered for the both of them since they were locked in a staring contest.
"Why would Nick care if Jake's back?" Cassie asked.
"Nick is my little brother," Jake answered for himself this time. "So you know Nick?"
Cassie nodded and nearly laughed. "Yeah, we can see each other through our bedroom windows." Jake turned around and stared at Cassie. "What?"
"Are you Jane Blake's granddaughter?" Jake asked hoping Cassie would say no. That it was a different window Cassie was talking about. Cassie nodded though and Jake had to use all his acting skills he developed as a witch hunter not to react badly to that. Jake knew the difference between lust for a girl and something real. He had felt both at different times of his life. He knew just from this one little conversation with Cassie that the two of them could develop into something real. He was already feeling a bit of a connection with her, but she was Jane Blake's granddaughter. That made her a witch and one of the witches he was sent here to kill. Jake was having a little bit of a problem with that
At that moment Adam walked over. "Hello lad..." Adam stopped as he noticed Jake. "What are you doing here Armstrong?"
"Came by to get a bite to eat. You have a problem with that?" Jake asked.
"Your not welcome here. Get out," Adam said pointing to the door. Jake rolled his eyes. Normally he would say something back, but he didn't feel like it right now. He had to think things over. He got up to leave.
"It was nice to see you again," Melissa said.
"You too," Jake said and looked at Cassie. "See you around."
Cassie watched Jake leave as Faye and Melissa took their seats and Adam went off the get their usual order. "So what's the deal there with you and Jake?' Cassie asked Faye making Faye give her a look. "I mean you wouldn't be mad if I..." Cassie didn't know really how to complete that sentence but Faye got it.
Faye laughed. "You want to date him?" Cassie nodded. "I wouldn't care at all." Melissa gave Faye a look not believing that was her answer. "I got to warn you he is trouble. Bad news."
"Faye's right," Melissa added and then looked at Faye. "You wouldn't care at all if Cassie dated Jake."
"Not one bit," Faye said with a smile.
Melissa had to hold back a laugh. "Sorry, but I don't buy it. You were crushed when he left you."
Faye gave Melissa a look. "That was then this is now. I have discovered he is just not my type."
"Seriously?" Cassie said. "But he's cute. What's your type then?"
Faye smirked. "I think my type would be a little upset if I told you." Faye said confusing the two girls. "I got to go to the bathroom." Faye got up and walked towards the lady's room. Once she was gone Cassie looked at Melissa.
"So what's Faye's type?" Cassie asked curious figuring Melissa as Faye's best friend would know. Melissa shook her head though. "Come on you have to know."
"Truthfully Cassie I have no idea," Melissa said as Adam came back with the food.
-TSC/PLL-
Cassie sighed as she dumped her bag by the door. Why did she always get left out? Melissa and Faye had both gone somewhere, Adam was working—and besides, the last thing she needed was to moon over some guy she couldn't even have and really couldn't decide if she even wanted—Diana was somewhere unknown to her, and she'd only met Jake a little while ago, even though she felt something for him it would be weird to just go over. Besides he just got back to town. Cassie was sure he had family things to do. The world was so empty.
As usual, her grandma wasn't home. She crumpled the note left for her rather angrily, trudging upstairs.
She sat on the bathroom floor, shivering. She tried each one of the girls from Rosewood, but no one answered. Of course they didn't—they all had relatively safe lives. They were all scared, but not as scared as her. Her stomach was knotting, her hands sweating, hyperventilating. Oh so scared. And alone, too. Always alone.
It was so much worse this time. Cassie wasn't tired, but her lids dropped shut as her arms burned. When she tried to open her eyes, her vision swam, blurring at the edges. Blurred at the edges. She liked that; it was her life.
But it didn't matter much, did it? Because she couldn't hold on, and she didn't want to. It hadn't been her intention to go, but if she did, so be it
-TSC/PLL-
Home alone, Diana was bored. She'd gone through piles of homework, and she needed a break. Her mind kept anxiously flitting to the subject of Faye, one she'd rather not think about. That girl was just so… irrepressible. And annoying. And she kept trying to screw with Diana's head, which Diana did not appreciate.
Rather than think about Faye, Diana pulled out her phone and texted Cassie. When she got no reply, she decided to just head over in hopes that Cassie was home. There was no point in staying home by herself and moping.
As soon as she parked her car, Diana just knew something was wrong. Most of the lights were off, save one in a second-story window. It wasn't Cassie's bedroom window, so what was she doing?
Once inside, Diana saw Cassie's bag in the kitchen, on the floor. "Cassie?"
Her heart was pounding. Had someone broken in and attacked Cassie? Was she okay?
Diana raced upstairs, trying to find the room that the light was coming from. She finally located it; the bathroom. Puzzle, she swung the door open.
What greeted her eyes was horrifying. Cassie was slumped against the wall, eyes shut. Diana saw massive amounts of blood soaking through Cassie's sleeves, puddling around her knees. A small silver razor glinted by her feet.
It took Diana second to throw herself next to Cassie, murmuring the one spell she'd memorized the moment she saw it. It was a simple healing spell, but effective enough to save Cassie. After a few terrifying seconds the blood began to disappear, and Cassie's face regained some color.
Diana sighed in relief, resting her head against the wall and drawing a few breathes. "Oh, Cassie… why didn't you tell me?"
And she waited patiently for the blonde to wake up.
-TSC/PLL-
Cassie could feel herself coming back and she didn't know why. She had been so sure she had overdone it this time. That she was going to die and rejoin her mom. She hadn't been that upset about it either. True she felt bad leaving her Circle, but the girls were back in Rosewood. It's not like there was anyone in Chance Harbor who cared about her. Not her grandmother and not the people who had thought she was destined to be in their Circle. The people who said they wanted to be friends even though she didn't want to be in their Circle. She didn't want to die, but she had accepted it when she thought she did. Cassie opened her eyes and the first thing she saw was Diana.
"What are you doing here?" Was the first thing out of Cassie's mouth.
"Came for a visit and your very lucky I did." Diana said and Cassie looked at her arm. The cuts she had made had healed to the point where they were just scars. They weren't bleeding anymore. She knew what must have happened. Diana must have healed her. "Why didn't you tell me you cut yourself?"
Cassie paused wondering how she was going to lie her way out of this one. The only other person who ever found out about her cutting was Ali and that didn't turn out well. Ali had held the secret over her head and now she had A taunting her. "Cutting? You'd think I would do that?" Cassie tried to laugh. "I was cooking and accidentally cut myself. I passed out trying to get the first aid kit."
Diana picked up the razor by Cassie's feet which still had her blood on it and held it up. "Yeah right." Diana said. "And it's impossible to cut yourself accidentally that many times." Cassie didn't know what to say realizing how busted she was and looked away from Diana. "Cassie talk to me." Cassie didn't say anything. "I got to tell someone."
Diana got up and headed for the door, but Cassie jumped off the floor and beat her there. Standing in front of the door Diana and Cassie stared at each other. "Please don't tell anyone," Cassie begged.
"Then your going to have to talk to me Cassie. Why do this to yourself? Do you want to die?" Diana waited for Cassie's answer.
"No,' Cassie finally said. "I don't want to die."
"Then why?" Diana asked.
"It helps." Cassie looked away from Diana.
"Helps with what? Cassie you have to explain better." Cassie didn't say anything. "I'm telling." Diana reached for the door, but Cassie pushed it close.
"I have psychotic depression," Cassie said looking at Diana. "Sometimes when I get lonely and feel no one is there and I'm not wanted I dip back into my depression. When that happens cutting helps. It takes away the pain." Cassie sat on the floor as tears appeared in her eyes.
Diana looked at the blonde witch for a second before getting on the floor next to her. "Have you been doing this for a long time?"
"I was doing it a lot a few years ago, but then I found my Circle and things got better. Even after Ali died and the rest of my Circle didn't talk to each other for a while I always had my mom. It made things better, but my mom died and I got stuck there where no one cares about me." Diana left hurt at that comment.
"People care about you here Cassie," Diana said.
"My grandma is always gone and your never around." Diana felt horrible that she got thrown into this. "No one wants to be around me. So I got depressed and started again." Cassie actually started crying. "So there, go tell if you want now. It's not like you care about me."
Diana felt absolutely horrible at this point. She knew lately she had been ignoring Cassie a bit. She had other things to do and people to deal with. She never figured something like this would happen. Diana put her arms around the sobbing girl. "Cassie, I care about you. Your a good friend and I'm sorry I haven't been there for you recently. I will be here now. I'm going to help you get better Cassie."
Cassie gave Diana a look. "Why would you do that?"
"I just said why. Your my friend Cassie and friends help each other. You should know that with the great friends you have back at Rosewood. I'm sure they helped you with this." Cassie bites her lip. "They did try and help you, right?"
"They don't know," Cassie admitted. "The only one that found out was Ali and she well... She did get me to stop" Diana knew from the look on Cassie's face she didn't want to talk about her dead friend and Diana wasn't going to push it. She didn't want to get Cassie upset again.
"Well I'm going to help you." Diana smiled at her friend and Cassie returned the smile. It was the first time since Cassie got to Chance Harbor that she felt like someone cared.
AN: Okay chapter seven is finally up. Sorry it took a while, but like I said before both me and my co writer for this fic have school and other things to do. Please REVIEW and remember to check out the secret circle project.