Safe with You

by Shelby Reeves

  I do as he says, taking slow deep breaths in then exhaling.

  “Okay now, Cassie, what do you mean Zack kissed you?”

  Taking another deep breath in, I exhale slowly before telling Bo the truth.

  He drops the truck in reverse and backs out of my drive as I begin. “Last night, my parents invited him over like they normally do and we were sitting on the porch talking when Zack dug up the past. He asked me what changed between us and why we couldn’t be together again. I explained to him that I am with J and that I didn’t have feelings for him like I did two years ago. He wouldn’t understand what I was telling him. I told him I wanted to be friends, nothing more, because J was my everything. I finally got tired of telling him the same stuff over and over again so I went to walk away when he grabbed my arm. I never expected him to kiss me, Bo. I tried pushing him off of me, but he wouldn’t budge. He finally stopped and pulled away, yet he didn’t put much distance between us. You have to believe me, Bo! I wouldn’t do that to J! I love him!”

  The idea of love in my situation should frighten me, yet it doesn’t. It’s another reason why I feel J and I are meant to be.

  Bo looks at me with pity. “Cassie, I never said I didn’t believe you, darlin’, it’s just from the pictures I saw last nig-”

  “Pictures? What pictures?”

  Bo sighs heavily. “I’m not sure if I should be the one telling you this, but Ellen came by last night and showed J the pictures of you and Zack.”

  Ellen? “Ellen wasn’t at my house last night. How in the world did she take a picture when she wasn’t even there?”

  “I don’t know, Cassie, this is some messed up shit.”

  “Does J think I cheated on him?” I ask Bo softly.

  I hold my breath waiting for his answer. I’m preparing for the worst possible outcome. Since J didn’t come to pick me up this morning, I’d say he believed what the photos portrayed.

  The knot in my stomach grows. I can’t imagine not being with J.

  “I honestly don’t know, Cassie. He seems torn in between what he sees and what he wants to believe.”

  A sob escapes me, tears flow freely down my cheeks. I don’t even try to pull myself together. My heart is hurting so much, ripples of pain are expanding through my chest.

  Never in my life have I hurt this much. Not even when I thought my life was over when I was forced into this new life.

  The pain is crippling, excruciating.

  I didn’t even know Bo had pulled over to the side of the road until I hear him say, “Come here, Cassie.”

  I don’t know if I moved or if he moved me himself. “Darlin’, everything is going to be okay.”

  How can he say that when he doesn’t know for sure? How does he know J won’t leave me over something that was taken out of proportion?

  At this point, I don’t even know if J wants to have anything to do with me.

  Another round of sobs escapes me at the thought.

  I’m bawling so hard my chest hurts.

  I guess this is what I get for hiding the truth from him, but what choice do I have? I don’t want, J to believe I don’t love him or that I want Zack because in no way do I want to have anything to do with, Zack.

  I want to see, J and explain what happened…if he even wants to see me.

  Chapter Thirty- Four

  J

  I stare down at my phone, rereading the text message Bo just sent me.

  Bo: Bro, I’m not taking Cassie to school. She is a mess. Like, I’m pretty sure she is hyperventilating in my arms right now. You both need to talk because I honestly don’t think Cassie would betray you like that. Just my opinion though.

  The picture Ellen showed me last night when she mysteriously showed up at my house burns through my mind. I can’t forget it no matter how hard I try to. I didn’t get a lick of sleep because I was so hurt from seeing Cassie kissing him.

  Me: I can’t talk to her right now, Bo. Just seeing her will be too painful.

  Bo: You need to think real hard about what you really saw. Cassie said she was pushing him away.

  Really? Bo is automatically taking her side? I never thought Cassie would do something like this to me. The more I see the photo flash in my mind, the angrier I get. Betrayal hurts like a bitch, especially coming from the girl you love.

  I pound my fist against my steering wheel out of frustration.

  A tap on my window has me whipping my head over to see who it is. Oh hell no. He has some darn nerve to approach me after what I learned last night.

  I fling the door to my truck open and jump out, slamming the door behind me. “What do you want, Zack? You’re lucky my fist hasn’t knocked your teeth out yet.”

  He holds his hands up defensively. “Whoa man, tone it down.”

  “Why should I? You kissed Cassie last night so I give me a reason why I shouldn’t kick your skinny ass right now!”

  Zack doesn’t even flinch nor does he react to my threat. Instead, a sly grin appears on his face. “Because, she kissed me.”

  I try to reel in my anger, but I’m so close to snapping and beating the shit out of him. From day one he has been trying to move in on my girl. I just didn’t think Cassie would give in to him. It shows just how well I thought I knew the girl I had fallen hard for. All it got me was a broken heart.

  Zack chuckles at my misery. My resolve snaps in two like a twig and I launch at him only to get hauled back by Colt.

  “Don’t even think about it, Michaels. Just walk away.”

  I shrug him off and start walking across the parking lot to the side entrance of the school.

  I am almost to the door when Ellen walks out. I turn right back around, heading for my truck. Screw this. I’m not feeling school today. The only reason I am eager to come is so I can see, Cassie.

  “J! I feel so awful for the way Cassie treated you,” Ellen says, obviously lying through her teeth.

  I don’t even bother with stopping to answer her. “Sure you are, Ellen.”

  I get back in my truck and pull out my phone from my pocket, dialing Bo’s number.

  “Yeah,” he answers in greeting.

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m home, bro. There was no way in hell she was going to school today. She hasn’t stopped crying since I picked her up.”

  I am fighting an inner battle with myself. The thought of Cassie hurting tugs at my painfully beating heart, yet I don’t want to see her. Needing to stay away from her, I tell Bo, “I’m going for a drive. Let me know when you take her home.”

  “J, you need to come here and talk to her.”

  “No, I told you, I can’t do that yet.”

  I hang up and toss my cell in the cup holder.

  I peel out of the school’s parking lot not caring which way I go.

  Everywhere I look, I see Cassie’s beautiful face until I finally give in and turn around at the county line, heading home.

  Bo and my parents have been calling me non-stop, but I can’t bring myself to answer the phone.

  When I park my truck in the driveway, I lean forward and rest my head against my hands on the steering wheel. Will I be able to handle seeing her? The pain from her betrayal is still raw, still fresh.

  I hear knuckles rap on the window again. “Son, open the door,” Dad says.

  Sitting up straight, I keep my head lowered afraid to look up for fear I would see her.

  Opening my door, I climb out to face Dad.

  “Come on, J, let’s go for a walk.” Dad pats my shoulder and guides me away from my truck and the house.

  “Son, I know you’re hurting, but Bo is right, you need to talk to Cassie and hear her side. Remember, there are two sides to every story.”

  “I know, Dad, I just wasn’t sure if I could handle seeing her just yet. I need some time.”

  Dad sighs. “That’s understandable, J. Just don’t jump to conclusions without finding out the facts first. Just because someone showed you a picture that looks convincing, d
oesn’t mean you know what really happened.”

  “Pictures speak a thousand words,” I reply bitterly.

  “True, but they also don’t speak the truth each time. The picture could have been captured at the wrong moment perhaps, or maybe you didn’t get a good enough look to see what it’s really saying.”

  What is with everyone on her side? Should they not be sympathizing with me right now?

  “I know what I saw.” And I wish I could erase it from my memory. No such luck.

  Dad slows to a stop when we reach the barn and turns to me. “J, you know in my line of work I’ve had tons of people tell me these sob stories and try to lie their way out of going to jail. I can always tell when someone is lying and when someone is telling me the truth. Son, Cassie didn’t do what you think she did.”

  “But the picture-”

  Dad holds his hand up, silencing me. “J, forget what you saw. What does your heart tell you? We have all come to know, Cassie just like you have. Bo, your mom, and I can tell you she is innocent and we stand by our decision.”

  “How do you know for sure she really didn’t kiss him back?”

  Dad places his hand on my shoulder. “J, I saw the picture. It is obvious she wasn’t.”

  “How did you see the picture?”

  “Ellen sent it to Bo, and he showed us.”

  I scrub my face with my hands. This is all become a huge mess.

  “Talk to Cassie, son. I have no doubt in my mind she loves you just as much as you love her.” Dad squeezes my shoulder once before walking off, leaving me alone with my somber thoughts.

  Sighing, I finally give in and walk back towards the house.

  Pausing at the front door, I take a calming breath before twisting the knob and opening the door. Cassie’s sobs can be heard from the door. Hearing her cries only intensifies the ache in my heart.

  Shoving my hands in my pockets, I walk slowly into the living room. As I get closer, I hear Mom softly comforting, Cassie.

  “Oh dear, he’ll come around. He just needs some time,” she tells her.

  “B-but what if he doesn’t believe me? I love him, Jane,” she murmurs with a shaky voice.

  I hear Mom let out a sigh. “Cassie, I know my son loves you dearly. I truly believe things will work out between you two. If not then, well he’s not the son I raised him to be. I taught J to not automatically jump to conclusions in any situation. He seems to have forgotten that little lesson.”

  Crap. I hang my head, remembering Mom reciting that over and over growing up. I did jump to conclusions the moment my eyes landed on the picture. All I saw was Zack’s hold on her and his mouth on hers and I was full of rage.

  I walk around the corner, stepping fully into the living room, taking in the scene. Cassie is leaning against Mom, who has one arm around her, crying on her shoulder. Bo is sitting beside Cassie on the couch, trying to comfort her. Everyone’s heads snap up to me when they hear me walk in the room, but my eyes were only locked one set of eyes. Cassie’s eyes are red and blotchy from the amount of crying she has been doing.

  She wastes no time leaping off the couch and running to me, stopping a mere inch from me. “J, I didn’t kiss him, I swear! He kissed me and I was going to tell you this morning! You have to believe me, J! I love you!” she cries and the anger melts away from me.

  Embracing her in my arms, I crush her body against mine. Cassie lets out a cry of relief in my shoulder. I kiss her hair and whisper softly, “Please stop crying, Cassie. It hurts to see you like this.”

  With her in my arms, I feel whole. Life is good with her by my side.

  I kiss the top of her head then release her.

  I need to get another good look at the picture before I can say anymore.

  “Bo, can I see it?” This is going to suck, but I have to do this. I need to see if Dad was right.

  Sitting down in the recliner, I take Bo’s phone in my hand and stare at the picture that sent my world in a tailspin. I swallow past the lump in my throat. This is so hard to look at.

  I hear Cassie sniffle next to me so I circle my arm around her waist, pulling her down in my lap. She buries her face in my chest, her hand fisting my shirt.

  Staring at the photo, I see things clearer. While his eyes are closed, hers are open, wide. His hands are on her biceps while hers are pushing against his chest. Now that I get a closer look, I realize everyone was right. And here I thought they were just defending her. The ache in my chest molds into guilt. I shouldn’t have just assumed, I should have gone straight to Cassie and talked to her. By assuming, I let Ellen and Zack win today. They think Cassie and I are over. Good thing I came to my senses.

  I hand Bo is phone back and lean back in the recliner, trying to form the right words. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mom and Bo leave the room.

  I lift my gaze up to Cassie. “I’m sorry, Cassie. I’m so darn sorry for automatically believing what I saw. All it took was one look at him touching you and I went crazy.”

  Cassie chokes back a sob and falls against me. “Oh, J, I wouldn’t do that to you, ever,” she cries.

  I circle my arms around her, holding her to me. “I know, Cassie, and I’m sorry for not talking to you about it. I should have just come straight to you instead of ignoring you.”

  “It would have saved us both the heartache,” she mutters, and I feel the guilt spread like a wildfire. “I don’t understand how she got the picture to begin with.”

  “I’m going to find out,” I vow. From what I know, it looks like a setup.

  “I love you, J,” she murmurs softly.

  Lifting her chin, I gaze into her sad eyes. “And I love you, Cassie, more than words can express.”

  Leaning down, I kiss her, slow and sensual.

  Zack and Ellen can try their hardest to tear us apart, but Cassie and I have come to know each other over the last couple months. We are both honest and open with each other, which is something most couples don’t have.

  Cassie stole my heart the moment I saw her walking down the hall on the first day of school, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  Chapter Thirty- Five

  Cassie

  The next day at school is starting off priceless. J and I are back to normal after our rough patch yesterday and we are turning heads. I’m sure everyone and their mother heard about yesterday since this is a small town. Apparently, they can’t believe we are back together already. The two people I’m more concerned about are Zack and Ellen, who are making it their mission to break us up. Zack wants me - when really I thought we had reached an understanding - and Ellen wants J. They thought they had ended our relationship, but oh, they are so wrong. If anything it will make our relationship stronger, more durable against haters.

  Judging by the looks on their faces, we’ve succeeded in ruining their plot to break us apart. They are standing by the side entrance to the school. Zack has a seething look on his face while Ellen is scowling, looking like she is about to blow a gasket.

  J’s fingers are threaded with mine firmly. He’s not letting go and neither am I. We are in love with one another and I don’t see it changing. Jess and Bo are right behind us, acting kind of weird. Jess seems like she’s sort of nervous to be around him and Bo just isn’t his happy-go-lucky self. Something is either happening between them or something has already happened between them. I need to talk to Jess later, right now, I’m enjoying torturing Zack and Ellen.

  Glancing back at Zack, I notice he is wearing a hat. He is turned to side whispering into Ellen’s ear. His hat is pulled down kind of low-Oh no-the creepy/vanishing guy from the game and party.

  I halt in my tracks at the scary thought. Zack has been watching me all this time.

  “Cassie, what’s wrong?” J asks, wondering why I all of a sudden stopped.

  I don’t even know what to feel now. Should I be angry because he has been ‘protecting’ me longer than he has been here or scared because it is really creepy for one, and two, what all has he seen
? Did my parents know what he was doing?

  Leaning up on my tip-toes, I whisper in J’s ear. “Do you remember at the party the other night when I told you there was somebody watching me” I pause and wait for him to nod. “I just realized it was Zack hiding in the shadows.”

  J tenses, his eyes zeroing in on Zack. “How do you want me to handle this because honestly, I want to beat the shit out of him. He has some nerve to be watching you like that,” he replies, his eyes never wavering from my ex.

  If J charges up there, he will get suspended for fighting and he also will probably find things out that he isn’t supposed to know about my family if Zack flies off the handle. “I don’t want you to cause a scene and get in trouble. I only told you because I think you need to know. If he acts like a creeper again, as long as it is off school grounds, I won’t hold you back because he deserves it.”

  However, I will be talking to Zack the next time he comes over to the house. More than likely he will be there tomorrow night since he is over practically every single day. I will lash out on him because he needs to back off.

  J is still glaring at Zack and Ellen so I cup his cheek and turn his gaze to me. “Don’t give them the satisfaction of pissin’ you off. It’s what they want so just let it go. If we are smiling it pisses them off more.”

  J turns his body parallel with mine, then he leans down to kiss me.

  Now this is a good way to silence them.

  A cough comes behind us, probably Bo, who has been awfully quiet. When J’s mouth leaves mine, I turn to Bo and Jess.

  “Bo, are you sick or something because you’re acting weird.”

  His momentarily shift to Jess who looks like she is on the verge of crying then he looks to me. “Just peachy,” he replies in a clipped tone before brushing past all of us, heading into school.

  “Cass, I’m going to go talk to him. Meet me at the lockers, okay?” J kisses my cheek when I nod he runs to catch up with Bo.

  “Jess? Are you okay?”

  Apparently, asking her if she was okay was the wrong thing to ask because she bursts into tears.