3 CHAPTER 3

C A S S I D Y

Silence. It was awkward silence. The whole drive to the party, I kept replaying Jakes words.

"Josh? What did Jake mean?" I whispered, keeping my eyes forward.

"He was just being a dick and trying to freak you out. Aiden is fine. I've known him for years" Josh turns to look at me for a few seconds before turning back to look at the road.

"I'll have to take your word for it" I laugh. I trust Josh, I do. It weird. I'm not someone to trust people easily, but there is something about Josh that makes me feel safe.

After another five minutes, I could hear the music from 5 blocks away. The streets were full of parked cars and people all walking in the same direction.

"Stay close to me Cassidy, I don't want to lose you when we get in there" Josh says to me as we approach a house right at the bottom of the road.

"Don't worry. I will be absolutely fine. I can take care of myself" I replied back.

"That's what I'm worried about" Josh laughs. I turned to look at him with a smirk on my face and walked off in front of him.

"You have nothing to worry about. It's me we are talking about here" I shout back to him before running off into the house in front of me. I faintly heard Josh's laugh as I entered the house and started looking around for Elouise. The house was packed. There were people dancing on tables, couples making out and grinding on each other and teenagers drunk off of their arses everywhere I looked.

After looking very hard for my crazy best friend, I finally found her stood in a corner talking to the group. I slowly made my way over, now very aware that Josh was following right behind me.

"Hey guys" I interrupt their conversation. 4 heads turn to look at me at the same time, their faces lighting up when they realised it was me.

"Cassie" Elliot shouts, pulling me in for a very tight, bone crushing hug.

"Elliot. Can't. Breathe" I choke out.

"Oh sorry" he laughed, letting me go so that I could breathe. "I just didn't think we would see you here. Or that Jake would let you come".

"Please, he has only known me for like 3 days. He has no control over me" I laugh back. I notice that two of the four people standing before me, I had never met before.

"Hey, I'm Cassidy. Jake and Josh's new stepsister. It's nice to meet you" I introduce myself to the new faces.

"I'm Aiden, and this is Michael. He's a bit shy" one of them replied. Aiden was just a bit taller than Elliot, standing about 6'0. The boy had beautiful tanned skin and a face so perfect that it would make anyone fall in love in seconds. From the smirk on his face, he was a playboy and was proud of it.

Michael on the other hand was the shortest of all the boys, standing about 5'9. His light blue eyes instantly caught my attention, as did the friendly smile on his face. He was handsome, in a charming kind of way. He definitely gets a lot of attention from the ladies, but unlike Aiden, he doesn't use them.

"So Jake actually let you come. Didn't see that one coming" Elouise laughed.

"Why are people so surprised? Jake doesn't control what I do. I'm the boss of my own life" I replied back.

"Feisty, I like it" Aiden shouts, putting his arm around my shoulder. A shiver took over my body, and not the good kind. Something about this boy makes me uncomfortable. I just don't know what it is yet.

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"Come on Cassidy, its just one more drink" Aiden smirks.

"No Aiden. I think I've had enough" I slur back. Yeah, I've definitely had enough.

"I thought you wanted to prove to Jake that you can handle yourself. Obviously not" he laughs at me. Oh no you didn't just say that. I take the cup out of his hand, downing the contents all in one gulp and handing the cup back.

"I will prove to Jake that I can handle myself" I slur out. What the hell was in that cup?

I turned my attention away from Aiden and to the boy standing next me, who was in deep conversation with his twin sister.

"Cassidy, you look wasted. Maybe I should take you home" Elliot said as he turned to look at me. I tried to keep my focus on Elliot and think about what he had just said but my head started to pound and ,t vision started to blur. My whole body started to feel heavy, my head felt as though I was about to explode and my legs started to give out. Aiden put his drink down on the side and threw his arms out to catch me before I could fall.

"Cassidy, you don't look so good. Come on, lets' get you laid down" he whispers in my ear. "I'm going to take Cassidy upstairs to rest, she can't go home like this. Can one of you let Josh know that I have her" he told the group before leading me out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.

"No. I need to find Josh" I muttered out, whilst searching the place for my brother.

"Josh is busy. Come on, let me take care of you princess" Aiden hums in my ear and dragging me to the stairs. It felt as though I couldn't move my body by myself. My eyes go wide as I realise what is happening. Someone drugged me. I start searching for someone to help me, but its too late. We were already at the top of the stairs. I try my hardest to try and fight Aiden off of me, but I fail miserably. So I do the last thing I can think of, I start screaming Josh's name.

"Josh! Josh please help me" I shout.

"Shut up bitch" Aiden's hand clamps down over my mouth, stopping me from trying to get anymore help. I try one more time to get out of his grip, but eventually give up when I realise that we are in a random bedroom. This is it. This is how I am going to die.

He throws me onto the bed and smirks at me. I already know what is coming, but I have no energy to fight anymore.

"Cassie, Cass where are you" I heard Josh shout faintly. He was too far away to get to me in time.

"In he-" Aiden stops me before I can tell him where I am.

"Oh, you will pay for that" Aiden snarls. That's all it takes. I sob. I sob my little heart out. Jake was right I felt worthless. I'm pulled out of my thoughts by the bedroom door banging open and Josh's shouting.

"What the hell are you doing to my sister?" Josh shouts. The murderous look in his eyes tells me that he is pissed.

"Josh please help me" I cried as Aiden got off of me.

"You bastard!" Josh screams at Aiden. He lunges for Aiden but he gets away before I can get a hold of him.

"Cassidy are you okay?" Josh growls, but I can't reply. All I can do is cry.

"Cassidy, what did he do to you?" Josh tries to stay cool but I can tell he just wants to punch something. I try to speak, but all that comes out is weak sobs.

"I'm calling Jake" Josh says. But what good will that do. Jake was right, and he knows it.

J A K E

"Yes baby, right there" Tiffany moans in my ear. I don't even know why I invited her over. She is so annoying and clingy. If I'm being completely honest, I only invited her round to piss Cassidy off. That girl annoys the life out of me.

Why am I even thinking of her?

"Babe, I'm going to shower. You coming?" Tiff asks, pulling me out of my thoughts and trying to be sexy.

"Give me a minute" I wave her off and walk out of my bedroom.

Subconsciously, I walk straight over to Cassidy's door and knock but get no answer. So I knock again, and still Cassidy doesn't open the door.

"Cassidy, open up. I know you are mad at me but just open the door please" I growl at the door. The faint sound of my phone ringing from my phone pulls my attention away from Cassidy. I pull the phone out of my pocket to see Josh's face on the screen. I quickly answer, thinking he may need a ride back from Aiden's.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Jake, I need your help" Josh's frantic voice comes through the speakers of my phone.

"What has Elliot done now?" I asked. I could hardly hear anything over the loud music and talking in the background but Elliot's track record of doing stupid things at parties wasn't good.

"I took Elouise and Cassidy to the party. But that's not important. I need your help with Cassidy, Jake" Josh rushed out.

"You took her to the party even after I told you that she wasn't allowed to go?" I growled. Well whatever trouble she has gotten herself into, is her own fault.

"Jake please! I don't know what to do. I need your help!" he shouted.

"Just bring her home. And pray that mum and John don't hear anything" I spat and hung up the phone.

"Baby? Is everything okay?" Tiffany broke the silence. I forgot that she was even here.

"Uh, yeah. I just need some time alone" I mumbled, getting all of her clothes together and handing them to her.

"Oh okay, I guess I'll just see you tomorrow" she smiled before walking out of my room. Two minutes later, I heard the front door open and close, telling me that she had left.

About 20 minutes later, I heard the turning of the front door locks, and quiet sobs. Oh here we go. The drama queen has returned.

"Jake" I heard Josh's voice from the other side of my bedroom door. I pushed myself off of the bed and walked over towards the door, throwing it open. When I opened the door, Josh immediately walked in with Cassidy, a worried look on his face. My eyes moved over to the brunette girl beside him, the messed up hair and makeup instantly made my stomach drop.

"What the hell happened?" I growled. She looked broken. The light in her eyes had gone out and her spark had diminished.

"Jake.." Josh started but was drowned out by Cassidy's cries.

"I'm so sorry" Cassidy cried, before turning and running out of my bedroom, presumably to her own.

"Josh you better tell me what happened or so help god" I spat at him.

"Cassidy caught sight of the group as soon as we got there and made a b-line for them. We stood there talking for ages and ended up in the kitchen playing drinking games. But I got distracted by a leggy blonde and when I turned back around she was gone." he said looking at me with fear in his eyes. He knew he was dead the moment he took her to that party but did so anyway.

"Then what happened" I growled.

"I asked Elliot if they had seen her and he told me that Aiden had taken her upstairs to lay down because she was really drunk. So I went to find her to bring her home, because I thought it was better to feel your wrath than leave her up there. I called out to her and I could hear her shout back but Aiden's voice stopped her. I knew something was wrong immediately. " he stopped and looked at me with dread.

"Then what happened" I repeated.

"I barged into the first room I came across and.. he was.. fuck! He was hurting her Jake!" he shouted. I stood there, speechless.

Aiden, my best friend of 10 years, hurt Cassidy.