jenna stepped down the stairs carefully, regaining herself fully before stepping back into the kitchen.
"hey," she spoke up, making cassandra snap her head in jenna's direction.
"oh, hi! thought you got lost." she joked. "anyways, wanna watch a movie or something?" cassandra placed the dirty dishes she was washing back into the sink and turned entirely to jenna.
"sure. what movie?" jenna was led by cassandra to the living room, and she made sure to place her purse on the dining room chair, out of sight of cassandra.
she had a plan.
|-/
the movie finished and jenna made an excuse to do with tyler so she could leave. cassandra bought it, though, as she let jenna leave no questions asked.
jenna eyed the bag on the chair, making sure to restrain herself from the bag. she'd get it soon enough.
she waved cassandra goodbye with the fakest of smiles, and she was out of there about three times faster than a bullet.
a huge smile etched across her face. there was no stopping her now.
she arrived back home, and tyler was watching movies with josh on the couch, thankfully. a huge grin was on jenna's face.. she was about to give josh what he needed to prove himself to ashlynn.
"oh hey babe." tyler greeted, not taking his eyes away from the screen. "wanna watch?" he glanced at me, then saw how happy i was and did a double take. "what's got you so happy?" tyler's smile grew due to her's, which as honestly adorable, but she had to keep my mind on the task at hand.
"could i steal josh for a second?" they both gave her a weird look. "it's important." she clarified.
tyler nodded, and josh got up, them both exchanging a look before she led josh out to the hallway.
"did i do something?" josh whispered. she could see the worry in his eyes. it's funny how fast emotions change with simple words.
"you were right." she spoke through her smile, practically jumping in enjoyment.
"i knew it!" josh exclaimed happily. "wait- what was i right about?" his excitement was replaced with confusion.
"cassandra- ashlynn- all of it! you were right! i even have proof, not much, but i'm going to get more." the moment she said her name, his face lit up.
"you're messing with me." he whispered. the excitement on his face was undeniable. it was adorable, how much he loved her. though he wouldn't admit it just yet, he'd jump off a building for her if it came to that.
"nope. i'm going back to her place tonight. i have no clue how or what, but she's doing something..., and i'm going to find out what." jenna stated confidently.
"oh my god- you- you believe me! you- you know! thank you so much," josh wrapped his arms around her, and she could feel her shoulder getting a little wet, and she could hear his sniffling.
"are you crying?"
"n-no." he pulled away from her and wiped his eyes and nose.
"aw, josh, it's alright." she wiped the tears away from his eyes.
"it's just.. you believe me. and i've been going crazy not seeing ashlynn- she won't even talk to me! but- but with this, she might actually believe me now-"
"josh." she interrupted his rambling. "she's going to believe you. and if she doesn't, you can blame me fully, because she will believe you. i'm sure of it." she patted his shoulder in the direction of the living room, leading him back.
"welcome back." tyler greeted. "all good?" he looked at both of them. the two exchanged a glance, and josh nodded.
"perfect." he replied with certainty, plopping down next to tyler on the couch.
"you joining?" tyler held out his arm for her to join, but she shook her head politely.
"i've got some... business..." she stated and walked out of the room. he looked at josh as she left, and josh just shrugged. attaboy.
a few nights later, after lots and lots of time spent with cassandra, she had finally gotten cassandra's trust. while tyler was out with josh and ashlynn was out with cassandra, jenna called cassandra.
"hello?" she answered.
"hey, i left my course at your house, do you think i could grab it?" jenna asked sweetly.
"oh, sure! i saw it on the chair at the table, so i left it on the table for you. i think i left the back door open, and if not, there's a key in the 3rd bush to the left of the backdoor." she explained to jenna. jenna smiled to herself and did a little dance to the front door in victory, saying her goodbyes and thank yous, then hung up.
she rushed out to her car and sped to cassandra's house. she practically fumbled out of the car once it parked, and tried to find a way to the house. there was a fence that she had to climb to get to the backyard, which to add was very sharp at the top.
the back door was locked, just her luck. she reached into the first bush to the left of the door, then the second, then the third. after plenty of thorns and splinters, she found the key in the center of the 4th bush. didn't cassandra say 3rd?
she put the key in the lock and the door open, and she eagerly walked in. she raced up the stairs and opened basically every door, searching every room thoroughly.
then, there was a door with a lock. she jiggled the door knob and luckily... unlocked.
she snuck into the room, and all over the walls were pictures. and string. all intertwined to the middle. it was all so... terrifying.
she wanted to scream when she saw her cropped face from a group picture.
she stealthily took a picture of all of it, then quickly slipped her phone back into her pocket. though, no one was there; she felt the need to be sneaky with her actions.
she ran her fingers along the pictures, from josh's mom to josh, to tyler to josh, to josh to ashlynn... it all surrounded around ashlynn.
there were plans scribbled all over the walls, and it showed everything. you'd think cassandra would be smarter to hide it better but-
click.
the sound of a door locking interrupted jenna's thoughts."
"you think i don't know what you're doing?"
