GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

chapter twenty-six.

june 19, 1989. saturday.

CASS HADN'T LEFT HER HOUSE
in twelve days. hell, she had barely left her room. her aunt brought her food, )although danny had told his mother to make cass come out to eat. he knew it was good for her) and she only really left to go to the bathroom and shower.

on the twelth day, at ten in the morning, danny burst into her room.

"look, cass. i know you're upset. i know bev broke up with you and your mom died all on the same day," cass
winced, and danny smiled apologetically before continuing. "buut, you need to get out of bed. how about me and you go down to the quarry? we don't have to swim, its too cold, but-"

"danny, no."

"cass i-"

"fuck off. please. i can't do this," cass whispered, and danny groaned inwardly.

he just wanted to help.

"fine, but don't say i didn't try," danny huffed, and slammed the door behind him. cass laid back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, lips quivering.

she had thought her mother would be safe there. sure, she was in jail, but she was safe.

she couldn't be hurt, and she couldn't hurt anyone else.

she heard danny talking downstairs, the words incoherent, but she could make out the sound of his voice. she then heard him bounding back up the stairs. she rolled over and covered her face with a pillow as he burst in, groaning.

"that was stan," danny started, and cass felt guilt swarm her stomach. "he's worried about you. he's called about fifty times in the past week and a half."

"tell him to stop."

"i tried, so he said he'll stop calling. but he said he's coming over." cass flipped danny off and he laughed before opening up her shades.

"LET THE SUN SHINE IN, FACE IT with a grin. you'll feel a lot better once the sun shines in," lilly frayser sang to her young daughter opening up the shades in the living room.

"mommy, how do you know this song?"

"well, cassie, my mommy taught me when i was your age, so now i'm teaching you." lilly scooped her daughter up into her arms and spun her around.

"you said that when i'm older i can have this necklace, remember?" cass questioned, playing with the small pendant resting on her mothers neck.

"you're only six years old, cassie!" her mother giggled.

"mommy! i'm seven!"

"oh yeah, i completely forgot about that." cass laughed again, and her mom spun her, struggling under her growing daughters weight. "well, lets see. i think you deserve a late birthday present." cass clapped.

"really?" her already big eyes widened, and her mother nodded and set her down. she unhooked the chain on her necklace and took it off. se bent down behind cass, and latched it around her neck.

"there, looks perfect!" lilly smiled as cass threw her arms around her mother. they didn't pull apart for a long time.

CASS CLUTCHED THE NECKLACE her mother has given her harder. she had forgotten she was holding it. "i don't want to see anybody, dan." dannys face softened, and cass met his eyes.  he took in her swollen eyes and sunken cheeks, and he knew all of the 'sleep' she had been getting was non-existent.