Н’Нˆð‹Ð•Ð„Н‘ Н’НÐ‘НˆðÐ†Ð’ | H. Marin 14

a/n: homophobic slur

finally got to update this book! How’s everyone doing?

xxx

“She doesn’t even look scared.” Cassandra muttered, gazing towards the hidden rendezvous with Alison and Ian. The girls watched the video on repeat, unsure of how to take the news that their best friend was seeing an older guy.

Not just an older guy– a man. 

A thirty-something year old man who was messing around with a teenage girl. This was far past a three-year age gap; it was pedophilia. Knowing that he abused his age and power over her for his own personal agenda was sick. 

“He pushed her, didn’t he.” Aria accused, intently watching the screen for the next part that she knew was coming. 

“All that mumbling and groaning, maybe she was gripping the ground because she was-“

“Looking for a weapon to defend herself?” Spencer interrupted, raising her brows at the blonde next to her. 

Hanna scowled, “Why are you snapping at me? I’m trying to give your creepy brother an out.”

“In-law, okay? Ian is my creepy brother-in-law.” the brunette corrected, her anger rising when the blonde rolled her eyes in response. 

“Okay, whatever he is, he just married your sister, and he might be a killer.” Cassandra cut them off before the tensions between the two friends increased. 

“This just proves he was with her the night she died.” Emily spoke up from her spot behind the group. She couldn’t help it– watching the girl she was in love with for so long meet up with this adult who possibly killed her scared the daylights out of her.

It’s not like he lived in another state– he was practically right next door. What was stopping him from killing off the rest of the group?

Nothing.

And that terrified the swimmer.

“Can we just watch this video one more time to figure out what they’re saying?” Hanna interjected the brunette’s worrisome thoughts. 

“No, please! I can’t watch this again.” Emily begged, taking large steps further from the computer.

Cassandra rubbed Hanna’s arm and pulled it away from the video. “Em’s right, let’s just give it a rest.” 

The Montgomery daughter attempted to bring Hanna to the couch with her, but the blonde yanked her hand back and crossed her arms over her chest – huffing like a three-year old who didn’t get dessert. 

“Is anyone else cold?” Emily questioned, ignoring the antics that were taking place in front of her.

“I’ll make hot chocolate.” Spencer replied, heading into the kitchen to whip together a quick and simple drink.

“Hot chocolate? What is this, camp tamarack? We can’t just sit around singing Kumbaya. We have to hand over the video.” Hanna snapped, moving her hands around while she spoke in frustration – a habit Cassandra picked up on ages ago.

“What video?” 

Cassandra whipped her head behind the couch and held her breath. There he stood – the creepy brother-in-law with his set of pajamas on. 

“Uh, Hanna rented Tootsie, but she left it at home.” Spencer stuttered; her eyes drawn to her computer open with Ian’s face smack in the middle. 

“Oh, well, you’re welcome to hang with us in the barn. Your sister picked some chick flick on demand.” he offered, walking straight past the computer to behind the kitchen island without noticing anything.

Hanna pointed her finger at the video and silently yelled at Spencer to shut it. 

“Where do we keep the popcorn?”

“That drawer.”

Spencer slowly creeped to the front of the island, but it wasn’t enough – she was still too far. 

“Emily, by the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you, you ready to trade your goggles in for a field hockey stick. Yeah, we could use some speed on offense. Right, Spence?”

Said girl hummed in agreement and reached the computer, hesitant to close it in front of him without being suspicious.

“Thanks, I’m still into swimming.” she politely declined. 

Cassandra picked her nails anxiously as she waited for Spencer to finally shut the damn computer. Her fingers hovered over the keys, yet she still hadn’t made a move to close it. 

“Well, you wouldn’t be if you saw what they skimmed out of that pool every week.” he joked, though no one laughed. He squinted his eyes when the silence hit him like a brick – he wasn’t used to chicks not finding him funny.

“What’s up? Did I walk into the middle of a steamy romance movie?” he asked, “Okay, I get it. No guys allowed.”

Cassandra let out a breath of relief when Spencer closed the computer just in time – seeing as Ian took his leave once, he got it through his thick skull that he wasn’t invited.  

“God, that was too close for comfort. How can you sleep, Spence, knowing that he’s living in your backyard?”

“We have to give that tape to the police. Tonight.” Emily demanded – she was sick of having her and her friends’ life on risk because they continuously held back out of fear. 

“And when they ask us where we got it?” Spencer quizzed. 

“Forgot the salt.” Ian laughed, his large feet moving around the kitchen for what felt like the umpteenth time. 

The girls all watched him as he left, and Cassandra couldn’t help the shudder that came out of her body – something really was wrong with him. 

xxx

“How come Simone didn’t come and say hi to me?” Cassandra pouted, upset that her babysitter only cared about one child in the Montgomery family. 

“Well, let me think, the last time she saw you, you threw all of her stories in a boiling pot of water because she caught you sneaking out to Hanna’s and told mom.” Aria blatantly considered, sarcasm lacing her tone. 

“She deserved it! Mom took away my phone for a week and I wasn’t allowed over at Hanna’s for two!” Cassandra retorted at her sister, hovering over Hanna with the group.

“Be thankful that she’s willing to sponsor all five of us, she must be doing well.” Spencer but-in. 

“Come on, Han, you can look at help wanted on the way over, I hear Rosewood PD is hiring.” Aria snarked. 

Hanna tilted her head to the side, “I do have experience with them, just the wrong kind.”

Emily shook her head, “Okay, we have to go. Only 45 minutes left.” 

Before the girls got far, Hanna closed the tab but something else popped up. “Wait, hold on. What’s this?”

Cassandra and Spencer bent down to get a better look at the screen. 

“What am I looking at?”

“How come it shows your music library’s online when your laptops on your shoulder.” Hanna pointed to the right of the screen. “Look, Spence, that’s your playlist.”

The tall brunette set her bag on the table and unzipped it, pulling out a yearbook. 

“Why are you carrying a yearbook?” 

“I’m not.” Spencer replied. 

“Where’s your laptop?” Emily inquired; her eyebrows pulled together with a concerned look on her face. 

Spencer took a triple glance in her bag – the only thing she could find was one of her Russian History books and a dried-up bottle of lip-gloss. 

“It’s in my bag, except it’s not. This is insane, this bag has been plastered to my side all morning.” she gulped. 

“What about PE?” Cassandra suggested. 

“It was in my gym locker, but no one else has that combo.” she hissed. 

“…The coaches do.” Emily muttered, realization hitting her in the face. “Ian must have heard us last night.”

“If he has my laptop…”

“He’s knows we’ve seen what’s on there too.” Cassandra finished, taking a seat next to the blonde as she took in this situation. 

They were fucked.

xxx

“You sure you wanna check your purse?” Spencer asked, raising her eyebrows at her less-than sneaky friend. 

“Yeah, why not?” Hanna shrugged. 

“It’s sloshing. What do you have in there anyway?” Cassandra pointed out, tugging at the end of her dress that seemed to be a bit too short. 

She wasn’t sure if wearing a flowy sundress to a dance would be fitting, so she went with the tight green one that stopped right below her butt and was sure to leave her uncomfortable for the rest of the night. 

She already felt the stares from one too many guys that thought they’d ever have a chance with her – obviously they haven’t met Noel Kahn and the strengths he’d go to if someone tried hitting on her. 

“I just brought a little beverage in case the punch bowl has no punch.” Hanna smirked, pulling out her secret flask with some type of alcohol in it. 

“Wow. You brought a flask. Jeez, Hanna. At least fold your people magazine around it.” Spencer advised. 

After twenty minutes of standing in line, the girls finally reconnected with Emily and Aria. 

“Are you sure the laptop is in his bag?” Aria questioned. 

“Only one way to find out.” Spencer announced. The only thing that they should be focusing on right now is getting into Ian’s bag without getting caught – not getting drunk and messing around. 

Now just wasn’t the time for drunken make out sessions and dancing. 

“Okay, why would he bring it to school when he knows that we’re all going to be here?” Hanna whispered. The blonde huddled closer to the group in case of watchful eyes or people listening in. 

“Maybe he thought you’d bail out early, go home and snoop through his things.” Emily noted. 

“Why don’t you?”

“Already did. We need the bag.” Spencer insisted.

Ian turned on the microphone and stood in front of the students that swarmed the area. “I know you’re eager to get started, but first the rules, alright? Number one, there’s no stopping during the dances and your chaperones will be walking around making sure you’re still moving….”

“What if he erased the video?” Cassandra muttered, droning out the sound of Ian listing the rest of his weird rules. 

“Well, then we know for sure he’s hiding something, and we go to the police.” Spencer instructed. 

“With a non-video? You think they’re gonna take our word for it?” Emily objected, Cassandra nodding in agreement. 

There was no way the police would believe a group of teenage girls over a grown man who was very well-liked among Rosewood. 

“Look, we saw what we saw. Something went down with him, and Alison and he buried her in the yard to shut her up.” 

The sound of cheering brought the girls back together while the music blared throughout the room, and everyone started dancing. 

Aria and Cassandra split up with them and walked to the music sheet and requested songs by the Backstreet Boys. 

“I’m glad we have the same taste in music.” Cassandra admitted, wrapping her arm around the shorter girl teasingly. 

“Come on, Cass. This is the only band we have in common. You like Taylor Swift and Britney Spears whereas I like Katy Perry and Christina Aguilera.” Aria retorted, smiling when her sister let go and dramatically sighed. 

“Wow, Backstreet Boys, huh?” An unknown voice rang through Cassandra’s ears, she turned around and was met with an annoyed expression from her old babysitter.

“Simone, how lovely to see you. I heard you stopped by earlier, why wasn’t I greeted?” the brunette smirked, crossing her arms together. 

“You know, this and that. I got pretty busy.” she replied.

Cassandra nodded and nudged her sister when she saw Aria glaring daggers at the blonde. 

“Ezra mentioned that he was on chaperon shift, so I decided to step by.” she explained with a grin. 

“Oh, so you and Ezra had a nice time?” Cassandra assumed, playing the role of good cop because Aria had no intent of entertaining Simone – her jealousy clearly getting the best of her. 

“It was the best. You’re lucky, they did not have English teachers like that when I was here.” Simone boasted. 

“I’m almost shocked Mr. Fitz went for someone so beneath him, considering all you write are half-assed short stories about two lovers with no plot and straight porn. Guys like Mr. Fitz – an educator who enjoys amazing novels like The Odyssey or Hamlet, aren’t into that.” she paused and grabbed her sister’s hand. 

“Nice meeting you again!” she grinned and walked away with Aria before mumbling, “God, she is insufferable.”

xxx

Cassadra frowned and attempted to ignore Hanna switching between which two guys she was going to dance with after each new song. Why wouldn’t she dance with Cassandra? Was it weird because they were both girls?

She didn’t think so, but she knew Ali would’ve been against it. Alison would have thrown a fit if Cassandra and Hanna danced with each other during a slow dance – like a couple. But Ali wasn’t here anymore and all she wanted to do was dance with the blonde. 

It wasn’t fair – she used to be practically dating the blonde a couple years ago and now it’s like she’s on the sidelines watching as she goes for every guy in Rosewood. 

“Miss me?” A voice from behind her spoke up. She felt the same calloused hands rub her shoulder and she closed her eyes and sighed. “Noel.” she deadpanned, stepping away from him and in her own space. 

“You thought you could come to a dance and not see me? I know you’ve been avoiding me.” he growled, gripping her chin to force her to look at him. 

“You’re such a jerk!” she hissed, slapping his arm and releasing his grip. “Spending time away from you doesn’t mean avoiding you. I have friends that hang out with.”

“Cass, do you see how you’re dressed tonight? Like a fucking hooker on the street giving out free handies.” he snarled, eyeing up her dress. 

She shook her head and resumed her staring session at Hanna. “I don’t want to argue right now.” 

He followed her train of sight and felt bile raising in his throat. “I see how you look at her and it makes me sick.”

Cassandra immediately returned her eyes to Noel’s face, “W-What? What the hell are you talking about.”

“You’ve always stared at her, even in eighth grade when you thought no one was paying attention. Well, guess what? I am.” he barked out, refraining himself from slamming his hands against something. 

“God, something is really fucking wrong with you. Have you gone mental? I don’t watch Hanna like some predator” she seethed.

“I didn’t say Hanna.”

She bit her lip and faced away from him – only making the boy more frustrated. He took her arm and yanked it, pulling her into his face.

“How would you feel if everyone at school knew you were some faggot who’s in love with a slut?”

“Hey! Get the fuck off of her!” Lucas shouted, he roughly pushed Noel – freeing Cassandra from his harsh grasp. She watched as the two got into each other’s face and Noel sucker punched Lucas right in the nose. 

She winced and fled the scene; this was too much for her – she needed to get away from all of this. She wasn’t in love with Hanna. Sure, she used to be, but those feelings were long gone. 

She just wanted a dance with the blonde. It was casual. That was all.

“I just brought a little beverage in case the punch bowl has no punch.”

Cassandra snuck past Mr. Fitz and grabbed the flash – drinking every last drop and stumbling outside. Whatever Hanna put in that was strong, she guessed some sort of tequila. 

Faggot.

Faggot.

Faggot!

She sat on the wooden bench and threw the flask somewhere nearby – or she thought. 

The brunette heard the door open and heels clacking to her spot.

“My brain hurts, my head hurts, everything hurts. Scoot over.” Hanna snarked, and she gripped the bench and slowly moved to her right, giving the blonde more than enough room. 

Their shoulders, arms and legs were touching, and Cassandra wanted to cry out something – anything. Her limbs felt like they were on fire, and she was sure her upper arm was red from Noel. 

Hanna noticed the flask, which looked like hers, on the ground in front of them. “Hey, where’d you get that?”

She picked it up, “This is mine.” 

Hanna tipped it upside down, and when nothing came out, she rolled her eyes. 

“I helped myself.” Cassandra shrugged. 

“To all of it?”

“Why are you dancing with Lucas?” Cassandra snapped, running her hands through her hair. “What do you mean?” she responded. 

“You’re torturing him. You know he worships you and you know you’re never gonna look at him that way.” the brunette reminded her, the irony of her words upsetting herself. 

“I already feel like crap, okay? So, if you’re gonna pile it on you could’ve at least saved me a sip.” Hanna remarked. 

“I did the same thing to you… makes you feel powerful, huh?”

“No… just the opposite.” Hanna whispered, the reality of what she was doing gave her a sense of deja vu – she was treating people like how she used to get treated. Even though Cassandra saved her when she was hefty Hanna, she also kept them a secret and was ashamed of her. 

“When you kept dancing with Lucas and Sean, Noel came up to me.” she paused and hid her sob, “He said some things, put his hands on me, the same old stuff. But he noticed something. I thought I was doing a good job hiding it, even from myself, apparently not.” she laughed with tears in her eyes. 

“So, while you had a great night dancing it up with multiple guys, I had a terrible night. I feel like I’m pretending to be someone I’m not and it hurts like hell. I just want to be fucking normal.” Cassandra sobbed. 

“Cassandra, you’re perfect. Noel was getting into your head again.” Hanna comforted, rubbing the brunette’s back. 

“Why won’t you dance with me?”

Hanna looked taken aback and tried to come up with an excuse, “I-I…”

“No, I get it. I used to treat you like that as well – I know we aren’t like in love or even have feelings anymore, but it was so weird seeing you with other people.”

Faggot.

Faggot.

Faggot.

Faggot.

“-I don’t love you anymore. Not like that and I know you feel the same, God, I should stop drinking I become a hot mess.” she laughed, hiding the stabbing feeling in her gut.

She stood up when the blonde didn’t respond and walked back inside, she found red curtains which looked very pleasing, and she went over to it and entertained herself with them. 

They felt so soft on her hands – she tried to tie them in a knot, only pouting when her plan failed miserably. 

Aria, Spencer and Emily came up to her and each lightly grabbed her arm. “Hey, let’s go sit down.” they dragged her to the couch, and she fell on it, a grunt leaving her voice in response. 

“I’m gonna go get you some water. Caffeinated water.” Spencer told the drunk girl. 

“I’m not thirsty!” she shouted before her gaze fell on Hanna and Lucas dancing. 

“I can’t believe she chose him over me.” she hissed, leaving the group confused as to what she was talking about. 

xxx

“Was that tree always here?” Cassandra asked, leaning against the wall as her friends held her up. “Here, take her home with these.” Spencer handed the keys to Hanna. 

“No! If her mom finds out it’s my flash, she’ll kill me.” she denied, tossing the keys back to Spencer. “Fine, she’ll go home with me. You too, please? I can’t be home when Ian’s there without someone stable enough.”

Hanna nodded – Spencer and Cassandra walked down the steps and started heading towards the car before Cassandra noticed a certain blonde was missing.

“Where’s Han?”

“She’s talking to Lucas.” Spencer answered her, opening the door for the brunette. 

“If he kisses her, I’ll kill him.” she sneered.

Spencer furrowed her brows together and hummed in agreement. 

“Whatever you say, Cass.”

xxx

a/n: I know I haven’t updated in over a month, but today was my free day so i thought i’d surprise you all with this chapter! hope you all enjoy and comment!