-Chapter 26: Confidence-

-Cassie-

"Wine..., rum..." I think to myself as I look through my mother's liquor cabinet. "When the hell did we have gin?"

I don't really know what I'm looking for or what I'm looking to achieve, but after about five minutes, I settle with a bottle of whiskey and grab a couple of decent-sized flasks from a drawer nearby.

"My life has so gone to shit." I laugh to myself as I proceed to fill both flasks to the rim.

When I finish putting everything but the whiskey and the flasks away, I go up to my room and put both flasks in my purse before sneaking out my window like I've done countless times before. I walk for a bit before finding myself at that ever so familiar park and sit on the play structure, drinking the liquor.

I hate whiskey and alcohol in general, but it helps me forget things for a while.

People watching is an unofficial hobby of mine. I never really notice that I do it until people stare back at me like I'm crazy.

I lean back on one of the steel support beams and rest my eyes, taking in the sounds around me.

"I wonder what I did to make things go so wrong." I my mind started to wander.

I hate when it does that.

I'm pulled back to reality when an unknown object hits the metal bar next to me. Then another, and another. Whoever's doing that either has terrible aim or is doing it on purpose. I open one of my eyes and look in the direction of where the objects were coming from.

My heart dropped when I saw Rafe standing there. Next to him was a pile of rocks.

"So that's what they were." I think to myself.

"So." He said, holding up another rock. "You've been sneaking to Zeke's house at night."

What?!

"N-no!" I practically shout at him. "I haven't b-been sneaking a-anywhere!"

He laughed.

"I mean, you didn't even try to cover yourself up." He taunted. "Why are you trying so hard to be a slut for him?"

"Fuck off and leave me alone," I say as confidently as I can.

"Or what?" Rafe shot back. "You going to stab me? Your dumbass friend took the knife."

Without thinking, I smash one of the bottles on the pole next to me.

Rafe stumbled back a bit, seemingly surprised.

"Ouuu, is somebody mad?" Rafe smirked. "Go ahead, come at me. Your boyfriend isn't here to stop you."

A rare wave of confidence came over me, and I walk down from where I was sitting and stand in from of him.

Again, he seemed surprised.

"You're absolutely right," I say without stuttering.

For whatever reason, probably from the liquid courage, I run at him. But before I could get him with the broken bottle I hold in my hand; he kicked me out of the way.

Just like that, my confidence was gone once again.

Rafe laughed at my failed attempt.

"That was just pathetic." He said before he strolled off.

I got up and dusted myself off before everything just hit me. I broke one of my mother's whiskey bottles. I hold the bottle up to look at before dropping it.

"I am so fucked." I think to myself as tears form in my eyes at the thoughts of what might happen.