The two friends went upstairs and sat down on the bed.
"You look really worried," said Mercedes.
"I'm afraid that he's going to do something bad. Real bad."
"What makes you think that? And what brought this up?"
"Actually, Nick did. He told me that he has really been bummin, and that he really wanted to kill Bobby for everything that he has done to me. I also found out that his mom has been sick, and that his secret girlfriend of two days, broke up with him."
"Whoa, and he never told us?"
"Nick also said that he didn't want to tell me because, I guess, that he wasn't ready. Mercedes, I'm really terrified. He hasn't been himself lately."
"Yeah I know. I don't know what I can say. It's late I think that we should sleep on it, there's not much that we can do now anyway."
"Yeah I think that you're right. I'm going to go to bed right now anyways," said Cassandra.
"Okay, see ya in the morning."
"Good night, Cass."
"Good night Mercedes." Mercedes closed the door and went downstairs.
"Where's Cassie?" asked Emalia.
"She went to bed."
"Already? It only eleven o'clock!" said Nicole.
"I guess that she's had a rough day," said Mercedes.
"How could she have?" asked Coreene.
"I don't know," said Mercedes, "can we just watch the late show please?"
That night at twelve o'clock, Cassandra got up. She wasn't getting very much sleep, and decided to go downstairs. She went over and sat on the couch, just thinking. She got up for a drink of water, and walked to the kitchen. She passed the front door, and saw a note slipped underneath it. Wondering what it was, she picked it up. It took her about a minute to read through it, then she dropped to her knees and screamed as loud as she could. Mercedes was the first one down the stairs, followed by the rest of them.
"What? What? Cassandra! Cassandra! What is it?" yelled Coreene. Cassandra stopped crying for a second with a look of shock on her face. She slowly stood up, clumsily opened the door, and darted out of the door carrying the note in her hand.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Mercedes yelled after her.
Cassandra reached the guys house next door, and started pounding with all of her might on the door. The guys were all outside asleep.
"Hey you guys hear that?" said Nick half asleep.
"Yeah, what is it?" asked Brian.
"It's someone pounding really hard on the door. Come on!" Nick got up fast, ran through the house, to the door, and opened it. "Cassandra!"
" Oh Nick!" she said crying very hard. She fell onto him, wrapped her arms hard around his neck, and continued to cry.
"What's wrong? What is wrong?" asked Nick. Just then, Nicole, Mercedes, Emalia, Coreene, and Isabella joined up with Cassandra. Nick looked at them, and gave them a look of 'what's wrong with her.' Mercedes looked back with a look of 'I don't know.' Just then, Nick noticed the note that was in her hand. He said, "Is this what's wrong?" and he took it from her hands. She didn't say anything. He let go of her for a second to read the contents of the note. When he was done, he gazed into her eyes and grabbed her. Her knees gave out, and he slowly lowered her and himself to the ground. Sitting in the ground he was holding her tight, but she couldn't stop crying, and he felt tears welling up inside of him. Remembering his promise to Andrew, he must be strong for her. Especially now.
Jonathan picked up the note and gathered the group away from them and into the living room.
"We can't just leave them in the doorway!" said Mercedes, "what's wrong with them?"
"Leave em. I think that maybe this will explain it," and he held up the note to read outloud.
To My Dearest Cassandra,
If I ask you how your doing, the next line will be that I am fine, which I'm not, so I won't ask. Okay, wow, we have been friends, best friends for, like, ever. I know that you have tried to help me before and I have never told you, but I'm telling you now and, knowing you, you'll probably think that it's too late. Anyway, starting off, I had a girlfriend for about two days, you may know her. Sabina Gadeki. Anyway, we kept it secret, even from you, and I know that it was wrong to do that, but I felt obligated. Another thing, my mom has been sick, which you also don't know. I just got a call this morning that she died. Besides you, Mercedes, and Jonathan, she was all that I had left. I care about you Cassandra, and yes I did have a crush on you. Nick was the only one that actually knew, everything. I told him everything the other day, and told him not to say anything, so don't be mad at him. Be mad at me. I really guess that that bastard Bobby kinda pushed me over the edge. How I so wanted to kill him, for everything that he has done to you, and me, for hurting both of us, but I figured that it wouldn't prove anything. I guess that this doesn't either, but I would have ended up here anyway. Please do me a favor, and go on. Don't live on my memory, I really wouldn't want you to do that. Please don't spend sleepless nights over me, I wouldn't want you to do that either. To Mercedes, Coreene, Nicole, Isabella, and Emalia, tell them that they have good guys and to stick buy them. And to you, my best friend. Stick by Nick too, he's a good guy, and I would want you with someone that is like me-just a little joke to end this letter. I'll love my friend forever. I'll never forget you, don't forget me. And for the record, I never was gay. Good bye.
Love Always, Andrew
"Oh my God!" exclaimed Mercedes and fell onto Brian.
"Shh, it's okay. It's gonna be okay," said Brian. Nick picked Cassandra off of the floor and took her over to the couch and sat her down next to him. She laid her head down on his lap, and continued to whimper softly. The guys escorted the girls over to their house, but decided to leave Nick and Cassandra alone for a while.
"Nick?"
"Yes?"
"Why? Why did he-" She started to cry again.
"Shh. It's okay. Shh," and he brushed his hands through her hair over and over again.
About an hour later, the guys came back to their house, and found Nick and Cassandra asleep on the couch.
"Hey Nick, wake up buddy," said Brian. "Nick."
"Yeah, I'm up, I'm up," he said groggily.
"Here I'll help you up," said A.J.
"No, don't wake Cassandra." Kevin went over and picked up Cassandra and held her until A.J. could help Nick up.
"Here, let me take her over to her house," said Nick. Kevin handed Cassandra to Nick, and Brian went with him to open the doors for him. Brian opened the door for Nick, and they walked over to the girls' house. He quietly knocked on the door and Mercedes let them in. "Where can I put her?" asked Nick.
"Take her upstairs to our room. It's the first door on your left. Put her on either bed."
"Thanks," said Nick. He carried her up the stairs and entered the room. He chose the white laced bed, and laid her down on it. He sat down on the bed next to her.
"You're asleep, and you're just as beautiful as when you're awake. I love you. I try to stop but I can't. No matter how hard I've tried. I know that this isn't the best time for me to actually tell you when you're awake, with Andrew and all. But I made a promise to him, to be strong, for your sake. And I will. Goodnight Cassie." He brushed his hand across her forehead, and kissed it gently. He got up, quietly closed the door and walked downstairs to meet Brian.
"Oh Brian," said Mercedes, "why?"
"I don't know," said Brian and held her close. He let go of her a little and looked into her eyes. She put her hand on his face, and a tear rolled down her cheek. He brushed it away with the tip of his fingers, and kissed her lips. When Nick came down, Brian pulled away and said goodbye.
"Bye, Brian."
"Bye Mercedes. I love you," and he closed the door behind him. Mercedes stood there for a while. Finally she said,
"What?"