5 CHAPTER 5
C A S S I D Y
The past week had been extremely difficult and awkward to say the least. No one knew how to act around me, what to say, in case they did something wrong. Eventually, they all eased up and removed Aiden from the group. I felt bad, like I had taken away his friends, but everyone reassured me that I wasn't the one at fault.
The one person who surprised me the most was Jake. He was actually being nice. No arguments just nice, quiet Jake. To be honest, I worried about him this past week, he just hasn't been himself at all.
"Cass, we have five minutes till we need to head to the stage" Elouise broke me out of my thoughts.
"I'm nearly ready, can you just help me into my costume?" I replied.
"Of course" El replied. Todays dance competition was big. Hundreds of dance schools travelled to compete against some of the best in the country.
"Elliot mentioned something about Jake tagging along today.." Elouise trailed off.
"It's weird, Jake hasn't been himself all week. I'm worried about him" I say.
"Cass, he was just betrayed by the person he thought was his closest friend. He's hurt. And before you say anything, none of this is your fault ok. Jake cares about you, that's why he kicked Aiden out of the group". I knew that what Elouise said was true, but I can't help blaming myself.
"Girls, we need to get to stage" Holly shouted, pulling us out of our conversation.
"Coming" Elouise shouted back. "You ready?" she turned back to me.
"Lets go win this thing" I smiled.
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"I can't believe we won!" Holly screamed as we walked back into the dressing room.
"I really thought that studio 17 would win for sure" I laughed. We had won by the skin of our teeth, beating studio 17 by 3 points.
"Yes, the group winning is amazing, but Cassidy got first overall, with a solo she learnt this week" Elouise smiled.
"I agree, you looked amazing up there". Startled by the new voice, I turn around to see the boys standing at the dressing room door. My eyes drifted over to the blue eyed bastard that I unfortunately called my stepbrother. Jake stood there with a smile on his face, laughing with Michael about something.
His eyes drifted to me, as we locked eyes his smile grew just a tiny bit wider before he turned back to his previous conversation. I walked over to the mirror, taking my hair down from its slicked back pony tail and grabbing my makeup wipes, wanting to take the heavy makeup off and get back into my comfy clothes for the coach ride home.
"I think we should celebrate this win tonight with a movie night at ours. Cass you can pick the film" Jake smiles. I don't think I have ever seen Jake smile as much as he has in the last 30 minutes.
"Definitely" Elliot agreed. I made sure all my back were packed before starting to head to the bus, unaware that Holly and Elouise were not following me. I felt a pull on my arm, turning me around to face Jake.
"Do you want a ride home? You know so you don't have to take the bus back to the studio and then get picked up from there and..." Jake rambled.
"That would be great, thank you" I cut him off with a smirk.
"Great" he smiled, and turned towards to exit. Wow he can actually be nice when he wants to be. I feel my face flush, a smile spreading across my face. What is this boy doing to me.
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"No, not that one" Jake muttered.
"You said that I could choose the movie and yet you keep saying no to every suggestion I make" I sighed. Out of the corner of my eye I could see a smirk resting on his face. He was enjoying winding me up.
"Because all of your suggestions are rom-coms".
"And what is wrong with romcoms?" I laughed.
"Tiffany always makes me watch them" I mumbled.
"Oh" I whispered. "Why don't you just pick the movie" I mumbled before handing him the remote and walking out of the living room.
"Cassidy, where are you going" Jake asked, confusion plastered all over his face.
"I'm just going to go and grab some blankets from upstairs. The others will be here any minute now" I force a smile on my face and race up the stairs.
"Bro what the hell was that" I hear josh laugh as i get to the top of the stairs. Before Jake could bite back, the doorbell rang throughout the house.
"I'll get it" Jake shouts from the bottom of the stairs. I walk into my bedroom to grab a bunch of blankets and pillows and then head back down stairs.
"Took you long enough" Jake muttered as I walked into the living room.
"Ignore him, Tiffany wants to come over and Jake said no so she is messaging him non-stop. He's moody" Elliot laughed.
"When isn't he moody" muttered. "You're forgetting I have to live with him" I added.
"Your favourite person is here. Please, stay calm" Michael shouts, letting himself in the house and into the living room.
"So, what movie are we watching?" Elouise asked, walking out of the kitchen. Wait, when did she get here?
"How long have you been in my kitchen" I questioned my best friend.
"How long have you been upstairs?" she replied.
"Yeah because that helps" I laughed back.
"So, what movie are we watching?" Elouise asks again.
"Ask Jake" I mumbled, sitting down on the bean bag chair in the corner of the room. Jake turned to look at me, an expression on his face that I couldn't quite figure out.
"Cassidy, you should really be the one to choose" Jake smiled.
"Okay, fine. The Kissing Booth it is" I smirked evilly at the blue eyed boy. The boys groaned whilst Elouise and I just smile and turn on Netflix to get the movie ready. Once everyone had settled down in their seats, Elouise, Elliot and Michael on one sofa, Josh in the arm chair and Jake squishing next to me on the bean bag chair, we pressed play.
"I swear, you just love annoying me" Jake whispered in my ear. I turned to look at him, but he was already focused on the tv and the movie that was starting to play.
"What kind of step sister would I be if I didn't?" I whispered back. Jake muttered something under his breath, turning to look at me for a few seconds before turning back to the film. I wonder what he said.
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"You bitch!" Jake yells in my face.
"How am I the bitch? Its your bitch of a girlfriend that is to psychotic to understand that I live here!" I screamed back.
"Don't you dare call her that!"
"Oh but its fine for you to call Cassidy a bitch. You are picking that slut over family" Josh buts in.
"You stay out of it Josh. This is between me and the bitch princess" Jake snarled.
"Hey. What on earth is going on in here?" Dad shouted as he walked into the room.
"Nothing Dad" I muttered.
"Actually, your daughter.." Jake started. But before he could even finish, I was pushing past him and running out of the front door, slamming it behind me.
Fuck you Jake, fuck you.
