·Cassandra·

"There was no need to do that," Katie utters, her voice broken.

I arch my eyebrow in defiance. "I just don't care, Katherine."

"You really are as mean as she described you," she fires as if I could ever feel hurt.

How much have they talked about me?

The bathroom feels thick with silence. She bumps my shoulder as she walks past me, leaving me alone.

I turn around, not even considering chasing this chick around, and I see Jon—startled, looking at me.

"You wanna watch Tik Tok videos with me, or are you just gonna stare at me, kiddo?" I blurt out. My stomach spasms finally gave up.

"Tik Tok videos if you promise not to unleash your wrath on me." He nods his head at me.

"Good boy." I smile at him, tapping the top of his head with my palm.

🖤🖤🖤

I wake up and there is a soft, blue quilt covering me, though I'm still wearing my trainers. Cold shivers blanket my skin when the fabric glides away from my skin.

My feet meet the floor and I peer over to check on Katie. She is sleeping soundly, but with a death grasp around her pillow.

The eerie sound of silence unsettles me. I hate silence. It drowns me, it reminds me of-

I can't go there again.

A rattling sound coming from Tobias' bedroom catches my attention. I look in his direction, but his curtain is closed. A light yellow hue colors the wall of his house, making it look clearer, brighter—as if it were about to dawn. My hand slides under brighter and I grab my phone.

7:37 am.

My heart starts beating loudly in my ears, and goosebumps erupt on my skin. Something's triggered somewhere inside my body. I feel it at the center of my chest, even when my heart is on my left. It feels like a swirling summer breeze but from the inside. It's just like this force, this instinct that pushes me toward the window. But not to the one that leads to Tobias' bedroom. No. I walk towards the bathroom, and into Jon and Ulysses' bedroom because I know that I'll get a better view from there.

Luckily for me, they are still asleep. I walk on the tips of my toes, examining all the constellations drawn on the dark blue walls. It feels like I stepped into an alternate universe. Then, in a magnetizing way, an unknown force drags me to the window. Slowly, I slide the curtain up, the white template rolls up, and the upper curve of the sun starts breaking on the surface of the red tail roof across from me. My knees land on the floor to have a better view. The first rays of sunlight hurt my eyes, blinding me for a second. But then, I adjust to the newness.

The cold air is palpable through my eyes, but the warmth of the sun dawning into a new day kisses my skin making me feel...alive. My palm spreads on the cold window glass, and I swallow thickly. My eyelids feather close as I let myself relish the moment.

Realization hits me, and I scowl at myself, my eyes stinging. And I know it's really late for me when a sole tear rolls down my cheek.

Standing up, I quickly slide the curtain down. "What am I even doing here?"

"I was wondering the same."

Turning around, my chest collides against something hard. I quickly take a step back when I see Ulysses towering over me.

I look down at my clasped fingers in front of me, avoiding his emerald eyes and searching for reasons to explain to him my presence in his room.

My fingers nervously interlock, and that's when I see it—again. Somehow, now, there is glitter on my hands.