XV: Truth hurts

Solana's pov

Today was finally graduation and we were all having fun and dressing up and fancy dresses, but not too fancy like the prom. We put on our graduation gowns of blue and white and we all sat down outside on the football field. We were all seated in our class waiting patiently for the principal to make his speech and call us up. As I sat, I looked around and I saw my family members in the family members of my classmates, and maybe even the sophomores or juniors of our school. I smiled to myself and thought, 'we finally did it'. We finally got to the place we've been waiting to get to since we started at the school. They started calling our names. And I was basically last because my last name starts with a T. I gave my speech and said thank you to every teacher and every other staff member who helped even the ones who didn't. After I finished, we all got onto the stage and threw our caps in the air. I heard the tears of parents and the tears of students who are going to be us someday.

After graduation, Danielle decided to have a party at her families, Lakehouse. And this party wasn't just some regular New Year's party. It was a party where we all got drunk, well except for the pregnant ones. Me, and Nathaniel were deciding to help set up the party with Danielle and James and her brother Vinnie. Tara was also there, almost controlling anything she could, saying that everything needed to be perfect. In reality nobody's perfect. At the time I wanted to really shove those words into Tara's face so she got the message. Sometimes Tara could be a little bit clueless about other people's feelings, or other people in general.

After the party finally started Nathaniel and I decided to just hang out with each other and maybe some of our other friends. We've kind of never really gotten to be alone together, only because Tara says we always have to hang out before we all go to college and leave each other. Don't get me wrong. I am scared of leaving our group, But we all have each other's phone numbers and will be adults so we can just visit each other anytime we can. But I can kind of understand why Tera is stressing the idea, we're important to her as much as she's important to us. Man, I wonder what it's gonna be like when we're all separated. I don't even know if we talk to each other. I hope things will change tonight. We can all be like we were in middle school and elementary.

You see when we started high school we were grouped together as a family, but the more we continued high school we started to drift away from each other, but nobody wanted to break the 'family', so we kind of just forced each other to be… happy? And now that all these things have happened, we can't force each other anymore. We haven't talked since I don't know when. We definitely have to talk about everything that's happened because if we don't, it'll be like we were strangers. It's important to me, and I think it's important to all of us that we stick together as much as we can.

The party progressed more and more as kids from our school arrived in all kinds of groups, from the jocks to the nerds to the geeks to the emos to the preps, every grade came to our party. Me and Nathaniel kinda made out for a while in the corner of a room that was crowded. I really like him a lot and I'm so happy that we both decided to go to the same state for college. We both want to go to Stanford University, which is all the way in California. Even though my mom doesn't really support me having a boyfriend she still supports me being happy. I love Nathaniel so much and he loves me. I know it, and I want us to be together for a very long time. I can't wait for us to get an apartment in California and live together. I hope we can get a cat.

The party died down after a while. It was now 9:45 pm. We decided to sit in the living room with the windows facing the lake. It was a really lovely view. I sat by Nathaniel as Liam sat by Madison,

Tera sat by Danielle and James. Avery, Melody and Zoe sat together. Strangely enough, Vincent and Hazel sat next to each other, lovingly. Ari, and Asher sat together. Hudson and Benjamin sat together really close. And the newest members to our friend group, Yvette, Amaris, and Maya sat together. We all sat happily drinking Tito's and chatting to each other about college.

"So do you guys know what college you're going to? I know I'm going to Juilliard in NYC." Tera spoke. We all sat in silence for a while I think, guessing on what we were gonna say but I'm pretty sure we all knew we were gonna go. I mean we really just graduated today if we didn't know, then that would've been worrying. Estate silent as we all stared at each other wondering what to say next. " All right, that's it, we're not gonna do this, we're not gonna pretend like we don't know each other, or we've never talked to each other. and we're definitely not gonna sit around here staring at each other like it's a staring contest. What has gotten into us just because of a few mistakes we have made doesn't mean we have to judge each other like where the Saints we all did something bad, even if we didn't do anything at all." Melody announces a little frustration.

" Danielle when we found out you slept with Tara's boyfriend we all gave you. When Cassie cheated on Liam, may she rest in peace, we forgave her. When Ben's fa-,""Okay Melody I think we get it!" Tera exclaimed. We all sat silent sime of thinking. "You guys, Melody is right, me, Amaris and Mya didn't join this friend group to sit in silence and stare at each other. We have to talk about what happened, like…therapy." Yvette stood up and gave somewhat of a speech. "I have an idea what if we play a game of truth or drink?" Asher asked, standing up grabbing more bottles of alcohol? Everyone agreed to play and Liam got up to get the shot glasses from the kitchen.

We started playing but it was only light truths. The doorbell had rung and Avery got up to answer it. As soon as we hear the door open Avery let out an ear-piercing scream. She ran back to the living room drunkenly and said "Cassie's back from the dead!" Liam shot up from his seat as Cassie entered the living room. He ran up to her and gave her a hug. He pulled her aside and only me, Nan and Maddie could hear him. "Cass, you alright? Is the baby hurt?" Baby?!!? Me and Nan snapped our heads to each other, then looked to Maddie to see her calmly looking at them. Does she know that Cassie's possibly pregnant with Liam's baby and she doesn't care.

Me and Nan look at the rest of the group. Tera's got them distracted, trying to have them against Cassie. Yvette, Maya and Amaris look at Cassie like they've seen a ghost, technically they did but still. Liam And Cassie finished talking and she sat down with Liam between her and Maddie. "Is no one gonna talk about the girl rising from the dead tryna be like Jesus?" They all turned their heads to Cassie sitting in a Boston university sweatshirt, some matching green sweatpants and brown UGG boots. In May? Maybe she is trying to hide the bump or something.

"Right, I thought the bitch was dead!" Amaris points to Cassie as Cassie scowls at the foul language. "Like what, let's keep it a buck, y'all didn't know Cassie was alive?" Yvette asks, smiling. "It's very nice to meet you Cassandra." She smiles at her and Cassie smiles back. Tera stands up, "No it's not, and Vette why didn't you tell us Cassie was alive?!" Tera was clearly upset but Yvette didn't give a shit. "No, I just assumed because why not?" Yvette was starting to get tired of Tera interrogating her like she did something wrong. "Why not?" "Why do you keep repeating my questions, cut to the chase or sit down." Tera rolled her eyes.

"Why would Cassie fake her death? Oh I know because she cheated on Liam with Hudson and was ashamed." Yvette's brows were creasing so hard, she didn't understand Tera's nonsense. None of us did, but the problem was we sat back and tolerated it, well not Yvette. "Listen I really don't know what your problem is with Cassie but now I understand why she faked her death, because of arrogant bitches like you. Always tryna announce all her mistakes, make her seem like the bad guy all the time and you the hero, well reality check you're not. You just want all the attention because Danielle got attention for taking something away from you and now you're jealous." Tera looked taken aback and I saw a flash of sadness in her eyes that quickly turned to rage.

"T-that's not true! How could you side with a slut like her!" She pointed to Cassie as everyone gasped.

"You're just mad because Liam likes her and not you. Just confess, you've liked Liam since the beginning and you just can't stop. That's why you're so obsessed with us being together so much. But all of your attempts aren't working because he still doesn't like you. You know it's kinda sad, you tried to forget about him by dating but look where that got you, James is gonna be a father to you best friend and Ben is gay and his father has a thing for you. Another thing your parents are-," "Alright that's enough Vette, she gets it." Cassie tells Yvette to back off because Tera is now sobbing. "I don't need your damn help Cassie and I never did." Tera runs out of the room hysterically crying. "Cass, what did she mean by 'never did'?" Liam questions sitting down as Yvette does too. Omg I can't believe Yvette just straight up told her what was up.

"Before we joined high school me and Tera were for lifers and we were inseparable, that was until my tenth birthday we hung out with my new friend form school and Tera got jealous and said she never wanted to be my friend again. And I guess she still hasn't let go of it.

We fell silent again. "So Cassie is the real reason you faked death because of Hudson?" Asher asked. Cassie nodded her head hesitantly. "Well not entirely, I was going to actually kill myself but then-," "What happened." Liam gave Ash an 'are you serious look' bd Cassie continued, "Then I found out I was pregnant so I faked my death. And no it's not Hudson's." Omg how many times will I have to say omg, why are all the secrets spilling all out? I have a feeling that it's gonna get worse.

" But I thought you slept-," "No Hudson sexually assaulted me multiple times and when danielle saw she thought I was giving consent." We all glared at Hudson. "I don't care the bitch put me jail because she's a slut." Cassie scoffed, "You called her a hoe because she said no?" Amaris questioned. "Dude, she just not into you, let it go." We all laughed because of how she said it. Hudson got up, "I'm tired of this B.S, I hop i never see you all again and you fail all your semesters in college!" he flipped us off and left out the door. "Well, he's drunk and driving again so he probably won't even get to make it to college." Nan said laughing as I laughed with him.

"Okay, are there any other secrets before we have a drunken sleepover?" James asked as Danielle elbowed him. We all looked around at each other. My eyes stopped at Hazel she looked nervous like she wanted to say something. Her eyes landed on me and she immediately looked away. Danielle inquired,"Hazel, you good?" Everyone looked to her and she averted her eyes to the floor. "Hazel just tell us were," "Vinnie and I slept together! A-and we're dating." As she spoke she looked to Danielle to see her reaction. Danielle gasped and before Danielle could speak Avery stood up aggressively. "Hazie! You slept with an old man?!" I would say old jeez he's twenty-two and right there. "You're mom will not allow it!" Hazel rolled her eyes and stood up still holding Vinnie's hand and Danielle gasped again. "I don't care because they never care. I'm going to Duke and I'm paying for it. Me and Vincent will live together In North Carolina and be happy with or without their support and without yours if we have too!" I feel bad now, but I hope Vinnie and Hazel are happy in North Carolina. "I support you Hazie, cousins 4 ever." Avery gave her a hug and then they sat down.

"Well to lighten the mood I'm gay!" Ben said excitedly. We all laughed and got in a circle to play 'What Do You Meme?' and other games like twister. Tera came back with a tear stained face then said," I'm sorry about tonight, I'm gonna go to bed early. You guys have fun…" She looks like shed been crying for hours. She had changed in to sport shorts and a long sleeve that looked like there were a few tiny spots of blood on it. I furrowed my brows but left it alone. "Goodnight Ter, don't let the roaches bite!" We all said staggered. She said goodnight and we watched her walk upstairs.