Lexi's Final Year

Chapter 5

After her brief and awkward run-in with Isaac, Cassie was beyond frazzled. Her heart raced inside her chest as she tried to forget what had just transpired. The apartment felt incredibly cramped due to all the college students milling about inside the rather small quarters.

She tried to get her mind off the encounter by chatting with other students at the party. It was the only way she could try and forget what happened. But her efforts were all in vain. She soon gave up and began looking for her best friend to hang out with her instead.

It took several minutes for Cassie to finally locate Mariana. She stood outside of a bedroom with the door slightly ajar. But she wasn't alone; she was in the middle of making out with DeShawn. They were all over each other, her pale hands gripped onto his face while his dark hands held onto her waist.

I'm not interrupting that, Cassie thought as she cursed to herself. She didn't want to interrupt the couple by unloading all her problems onto Mariana.

Defeated, Cassie turned around and exited the apartment without looking back. She texted Mariana as she made the short trip home.

Cassie: I'm not feeling well, so I went home. Don't worry about me, ok? Have fun!

Once home, she decided to get a long shower. She closed her eyes as the hot water beat her head and trickled down her five-foot-seven frame. She turned the heat up a little more, not caring if it burned her fair skin. All she wanted was to wash away the funky stench of alcohol and sweat that clung to her body.

Regret filled her head, puncturing her heart like a vicious stab wound. She had voiced some reluctance to attend tonight's party when Mariana had brought it up a few days ago. Her best friend had mentioned it merely to let her know where she would be going and to see if she'd come too. Cassie didn't want to go; after all, she'd caused so much drama at past parties that she was certain no one would even want her there in the first place.

"If you don't wanna go, that's fine," Mariana had said. They had been sitting in the living room after a long day of school.

"I don't want to go somewhere I'm not wanted," Cassie had replied.

Mariana bit her lip but didn't push the matter further. "I understand."

Cassie hadn't expected Mariana to even offer her to tag along to tonight's party. After the blow-up that had occurred between them at last year's end-of-semester party, Cassie didn't think her best friend would invite her to tag along to another party ever again. Perhaps the help she'd received this past summer left Mariana feeling confident that she wouldn't act out?

Earlier this morning, Cassie had changed her mind and decided to go to tonight's party. She hadn't been excited to attend; she had had a big knot in her stomach from the moment she entered Isaac's apartment. She didn't want to run into him or Lexi whatsoever. All she wanted was to be alone and try to relax.

But as she stepped out of the shower and dried her long hair, Cassie felt a sense of relief wash over her. She was home and away from the party, which was exactly what she needed. She changed into her pyjamas and climbed into bed. Her damp hair hit the pillow as she closed her eyes. It wouldn't be easy to sleep with a raging college party going on in the background— but she tried to anyways.

***

Cassie didn't see Mariana again until almost a week later. She had stayed over at DeShawn's after the party, and also hung out with him over the weekend. The roommates' respective schedules also left them too busy to catch up in person after that. They texted a couple of times since last week's party, but neither brought up Cassie's early departure that night. It was as if it hadn't happened at all.