^ Just a song that relates ;)
WARNING: this may be highly triggering, along with this chapter 👇🏼 please, please read with caution ♡ ^

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T h e   H o l l o w s O f
H    I    R    A    E T H
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I took a breath. Cassie is feeling worse than I am, no doubt. The least I can do is confront her about it, if she doesn't want to talk about it then at least she knows I care, right?

Avery had shot off to music as soon as I told her it was twenty-five past, and Saph casually strolled to her history class. I had five minutes. Cassie was putting her plates away, and I followed in suit.

We both had geography together, so I hoped the subject of climate change would distract her after I broke down a million walls. Then again, who would be distracted by climate change? I started the conversation before she could go on a hyper rant.

Regretfully, I began. "I want to discuss something serious with you," I spoke, pulling a face of grimace after as I pulled open a corridor door.

"Liam Hemsworth's eyes? Yeah sure–"

I broke her off, coming to a stop in the corridor. She stopped a few seconds after, turning to give me a confused look. I sighed and Cassie's eyes widened.

"Oh no, this is 'Avery serious', isn't it?" Cassie asked, holding her hands up as she backed away slightly. I laughed at her reaction but then sobered up as I went back to the task at hand. I had an idea—it was a bad idea—but friends before geography, right?

"Do you want to bunk geography?" I thought for a second, "And last period?" I offered, watching as Cassie's face lit up.

"Yes please!" She nodded and I smiled.

"It's serious, remember?" I told her as I walked up to her and looped my arm through hers.

"Oh yeah," She spoke before repeating her earlier comment, "Yes please." However, this time, her tone was deep, and false hysterics were laced in as she forced direness into her words. I laughed, my stomach hurting as I laughed a bit too hard.

We walked all the way to my room, it felt so much safer and, plus, unexpectedly, we were closer to my room than Cassie's. Sure it was probably only a centimetre between the two but I am taking this victory.

"Okay," Cassie plopped down on my bed. "What do you want to talk about?" She kicked off her shoes and threw her bag onto the floor.

I rose my eyebrow at her as she laid back on my bed, crossing her right leg over her left. "Please, make yourself at home." I told her, gesturing to my room with outspread arms. Cassie giggled and sat up, leaning against the headboard.

She glanced around at my room, a small smile on her face as a curious glint crosses her eyes. "I've never seen your room before," She told me as she continued to stare, "It's nice." I smiled, thanking her before I took a seat in front of her on the bed.

Cassie stopped looking around and glanced at me, looking at me head on. "So, the serious talk?" Cassie began and I swallowed my regrets, along with the bile that had risen up my throat.

"Well–"

"Jameson got you pregnant didn't he?" Cassie bursted out. I was so shocked that I sat there for a couple of moments, my mouth opening and closing like a fish. I found Nemo.

"I knew it!" Cassie continued with a victorious grin before I promptly cut her off without a second thought on the subject.

"No, no." I told her adamantly, and quickly, "I guess you're along the right tracks but.." I trailed off awkwardly.

"Jameson's pregnant?" She shrieked, jolting forward onto her knees as her wide eyes looked into mine. Again, I was completely startled—and stumped; guys can't get pregnant. I'm pretty sure.

"Wow," Cassie breathed out, leaning against the headboard again, as if my silence had confirmed her suspicions. "The twenty-first century is so weird." She spoke to herself, her hand raising to scratch the top of her head.

"Cassie," I broke her babbling off, grasping and squeezing onto her free hand, trying to give her some comfort. "We need to talk about something that happened to you." I told her, looking straight into her eyes, my face expression sober so she'd know I was being serious.

She frowned but nodded and I took a breath.

"Jameson and I went to talk to Harry, to clear up some details about his," I paused, trying to think about the wording of this next part "Attack on me." Cassie's body was rigid, and at the mention of Harry's name she had pulled her hand out from my hold.

"What did he say?" She whispered and I watched as her skilfully crafted walls practically came crashing down. She knows. She knows that I know—I know the reason for the hard, and previously solid, metal walls built around her, caging the most delicate parts of her.

I took time to reply, mostly thinking about what to say, how not to hurt her. But also wondering how long she'd had her shield up; how much of what she'd said or the way she'd acted had been real?

"He told me, Cassie," Her eyes watered as tears welled up, "He told me what he did to you." I whispered, as if a tone of voice any louder would shatter her. She closed her eyes, her body shaking and her jaw trembling.

"Who knows?" She asked, her voice barely audible with her eyes still closed. I watched as a lone tear slipped out, and I reached up to brush it away.

"Only Jameson and me." I spoke Jameson's name with some regret, but it wasn't like Jameson was going to tell his whole squad—he doesn't have one.

She winced and I reached for her hand again, smiling when she didn't pull away. I rubbed my thumb over the back of her hand.

"You haven't told anyone?" I asked and she shook her head, a few more tears seeping out. I didn't brush them away, instead I shifted so I was sat next to her.

"It happened at the first party you went to whilst you were here," Cassie spoke up, her voice breaking, and my heart did too. I raised my eyebrows; that was ages ago. Or at least quite a while ago.

"You were nowhere to be seen, Avery and Saph were getting a drink, thinking I was just going to have a short banter with-" She choked up and I rubbed her back soothingly. Her words sent chills going down my spine: 'You were nowhere to be seen.'

Pictures of me making out with a guy or arguing with Jameson whilst Cassie struggled alone flitted across my vision. It slapped me, to be honest, it showed me what I took for granted. Who I took for granted; Jameson.

Cassie continued, with sobs escaping her body, "We were both drunk, but I was more than aware about what he was doing, I just couldn't stop it." She burst into tears and I instantly found myself reaching out for her. I turned my body so I could embrace her easily.

She seemed to find comfort in my hold, and her head rested on my shoulder, tears wetting my shirt. I didn't mind though, I had brought up the subject and so I'll deal with the aftermath. I rubbed my palm over her back and stroked my fingers through her hair with my other hand.

Cassie soon relaxed and pulled back, her mascara everywhere but on her lashes and her eyes bloodshot.

"I don't know how to tell Saph and Avery." Her voice broke and I smiled at her reassuringly.

"We'll tell them together, and Kim." I assured her, adding Kim in, knowing that if she was anything like Jameson, she'd want to know.

Cassie squeezed her eyes shut and nodded, "Thank you."

I brushed off her comment and checked the time, we had missed the whole of fourth lesson and was five minutes into fifth. Oh well.

"Let's binge watch Netflix in my room, and then we can trek back to yours and tell the girls there." I told Cassie and she seemed to lighten up at the idea of Netflix. I would too.

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Hi I'm sorry I'm walking

Gotta go

I'm not listening to ANNARIE

Who is ANNARIE

Who cares

No I don't

Cassieeeeeee awwww

😭😭

The end

Bye

-I'm walking

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Next update: Sunday
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CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO SPOILER:

Cassie tells the rest of the squad about what happened to her.

What are their reactions?

And do arguments occur when friendships are tested through hardships?

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QUOTE OF THE CHAPTER:

Because no one can survive without their walls.

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