Chapter 21

It's been five minutes, and yet not one of them has spoken a word to me since I've asked them the question. The only movement between us is that I got tired from standing so I'm currently sitting in one of the couches while Haley and Lucas are standing next to each other near a couch.

I glance at the clock before turning back towards them. Haley and Lucas? Haley...and Lucas...it doesn't mix! I'm not trying to be mean or anything, but this is Haley and Lucas we're talking about. Those two go at each other almost every second that they spend together. Never in my entire life have I ever imagined them liking each other. But I mean...how?!

Soon enough, Haley sits down next to me while Lucas stays a respectable five yard distance away from me. She clears her throat before talking. "Well, so you know how you've been distracted the past few months because of, well you know." I nod, but what does that have to do with anything? "You wouldn't want to do anything anymore, so we decided to do the stuff we normally do together without you," she says, looking guilty along with Lucas.

So maybe my paranoia that the stalker was going to kill me if I step foot outside the house kept me from hanging out with them, but I didn't think they were going to hang out together without me! Okay that sounds really selfish but it's true. I've basically been the only thing that kept the two from murdering each other whenever we go out. If Haley wanted a romance movie and Lucas a horror one, I drag them to a compromise action movie, making sure to sit between them. Have I been keeping them from each other?

"But you two hate each other!" I accidentally blurt out. Haley and Lucas look at each other with soft smiles while I grimace at the pair. Eew...

"We thought so too, which was why we didn't decide to hang out alone together until the tenth time you cancelled on us," she explains, and I look down. Have I really bailed on them that many times? Now I feel really guilty. "But then the more times we hung out, we found out we have a lot in common."

"Really?" I respond with a blank stare. Okay I know for a fact that she lied about that.

She laughs nervously and rubs the back of her head. "Okay, maybe not that much in common. But they say opposites attract, and that's sorta what happened to us." They exchange another look making me gag in my seat. I definitely won't be used to those two being all lovey-dovey with each other.

"Plus, we found out we have plans to go to the same college together," Lucas adds, sitting down next to Haley. Haley nods while I just stare at them. How do they already know what college they want to go to when I don't even know what job I want?

I stand up and pick up Jason before putting him down on Haley's bed. The couple are currently making out in the sofa so I'm sure Haley won't mind. I take off my shoes, glasses, and sweatshirt before crawling in bed with him and pulling the covers over us.

Yeah, Haley won't mind.

***

"Braska, are you going to stink up my bed more or take a shower?" I hear Haley's amused voice ask, pulling me out of my sleep. I crack one eye open before letting out a huge yawn and stretching my arms. I hear a snicker to my left and turn to see Lucas giving me an amused look.

"Beautiful look you got there Braska. The dried drool on the side really completes the Sleeping Beauty look," he says while chuckling.

Haley casts a glare his way and throws a pillow a him, which he easily caught. "Shut it, will you? Cook the poor child some breakfast," she orders, making Lucas roll his eyes and stand up. Whoa, Lucas actually listening to Haley? This is new.

"I want pancakes and bacon," I add, and Haley shakes her head at me with a small smile.

"I was talking about Jason, who's in the living room, but yeah see if there's pancakes or bacon," she says, pushing Lucas out of the room and closing the door.

I put on my glasses and get out of the bed while Haley tosses her clothes at me. "Haley, your bra won't fit," I state, holding the pink thing up to her.

She rolls her eyes at me. "Just stuff some tissues down there."

"No!"

"Well you need the support with that kind of shirt!" she exclaims, gesturing to the see- through crop top she handed me. At least she gave me skinny jeans instead of high shorts.

"But I'm not going to stuff," I tell her. Did this girl honestly think I was going to do that? That'll be really uncomfortable.

She rolls her eyes at me. "Fine, don't wear my bra ten, even though it's cuter than anything in your closet," she says with a pout, grabbing it from me and mindlessly tossing it in the closet. "I'll just wash the one you wore last night and give it to you later. In the meantime, wear this sweater to hide it because you're going to wear the top," she says, handing me a cute green sweater before walking away with my laundry.

I shake my head at her behavior but still take the clothes and head to her shower. After washing myself with her jasmine scented shampoo and body wash, I shave my legs before rinsing it off and wrapping myself in one of the huge, fluffy towels she has.

I lather lotion on myself before putting her clothes on and the brush my teeth. After I dry my hair off to the best of my ability, I place my glasses back on before leaving my room. I pull my phone from Haley's charger before going downstairs to eat breakfast. Instantly, I come across a warm face making me smile. "Cassandra!" I say, giving her a hug.

Haley's mother turns back towards me with a huge smile and gives me a hug. "Braska! How's my little miss USA doing?" she asks, her eyes twinkling.

"Fine, thanks for letting me sleep over," I say. Without your permission, I add in my head.

She waves a careless hand. "You're like my second daughter, don't worry about it! I don't mind you staying over. Lucas on the other hand..." she trails off, with a faraway look on her face. She's known for years that Lucas is one of our closest friends. But she's probably still not over the fact that her 'little baby Hale-Bale' is dating him. I don't blame her, we're both new at this.

I walk into the kitchen and smile when I see Lucas and Jason eating pancakes, but with no bacon. Lucas smiles when he sees me and nods his head in greeting. "Hey Braska, Haley told me about your little stalker. She also told me why you didn't share the info with any of us, so I'm not mad at you. But I will be there to support you when you meet him tonight," he declares. That's a lot to unload at someone before eight am.

First of all, he knows! "Haley told you?" I ask, feeling slightly betrayed. There's a reason why I didn't tell him, and she knows the reason! I can't believe she would just betray me like that and tell Lucas when I told her not to tell anyone.

"Yeah, Braska you can't hide shit like that from us. We're your best friends, and part of that title is being there for you for everything. And I mean everything! Dude, you know I'm always going to be there for you. Why can't you accept that?" he asks, with a curious look.

I sigh and place my head in my hands. "Lucas, you know why. All my life, it's been me, Jason, and my mom. My mom is almost always gone, Jason doesn't understand anything, so of course I've always felt like I was alone," I try to explain.

"But that's where you're wrong," he argues. "You aren't alone Braska. I'm here for you, and so is Haley. We're all here for you. Sometimes, you have to stop fighting all your battles by yourself and let others help you."

"I get that, I really do. But this is a battle that I have to fight by myself. I don't want to drag any of this into your lives," I tell him. That's the main reason why I didn't want to tell any of them, it's because I know they would somehow get involved.

If they get involved, then they risk getting hurt and it'll be my fault. Images of Raine at the hospital flash through my head and I quickly shake it off. I don't want Haley and Lucas to suffer the same fate as her because of me. None of this should happen because of me. No one should have to risk their lives for this.

All he wants, as far as I know, is me. As far as I know, he doesn't want anything to do with my mom, Jason, Haley, Lucas, even the cops. And because of my selfish ways, I dragged them all into this and now they're all at risk of being attacked. And it's all because of me. The guilt of that will never leave my heart.

"You aren't dragging us into anything, we chose to do this! Whether you like it or not, we're going to be there by your side tonight," he declares.

It's obvious that he's not going to give it up anytime soon, so that means that I have to make him think that I gave up my position on this topic. "Fine," I grumble, looking down on my lap. He smiles and cuts half his pancake before giving it to Jason, who's eating as if he never tasted food before.

I smile at him and look down at my phone. Unknowingly to them, I have my own plans. This mess is going to end. And it's going to end tonight.

It's going to end with me alone.

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