How Things Changed Forever.. PART - II

CH 54: Just to Save Me?

Kai wasn't planning to attend school for the day. He had to renew his visa—but he had suspected something like 'Tyson getting called to the principal's office' might happen.

Now that he'd filled Hillary in with what might be happening, he was sure that she'd handle it from here.

He was about to leave when Cassie came up to him. "Leaving already?" Cassie asked, trying to sound casual—failing to hide the hurt in her voice.

Guilt hit Kai the moment he saw her. He knew the source of the hurt. He ought to have checked in on two days ago. Yet, too many things had come up and Cassie had somehow slipped from his mind.

"I see that you're doing okay..." Kai started softly, but Cassie cut him off. "No thanks to you."

Kai winced at her tone, realising this was going to be a lot more difficult for him than he'd expected. "I deserve that..." He agreed, trying to take her hand in his, but Cassie pulled away, folded her hands instead. "I regret not being there for you, Cassie. A lot came up and—" Kai stopped himself. "I don't want to make excuses, it doesn't matter what happened. I'm truly sorry for not being there for you."

Any other day, Cassie would have melted at the intensity in his eyes, looking genuinely regretful. But that alone wasn't enough for her today.

She felt her eyes welling up with tears, but willed herself not to cry. She didn't want to cry in front of Kai, didn't want him to see how much his silence hurt her.

Cassie took a step forward. "You think this is hard for you? Try being me. Two days since that incident, and people who barely know me checked in. But the two most important people in my life? Not a word." Cassie demanded.

Kai's expression shifted, just slightly—guarded, guilt-ridden.

"What?" she asked instantly. "What are you not telling me now?"

Kai hesitated. "Laura and a few of her friends were arrested," he said finally. "Drug possession."

The world tilted.

"When?" she whispered.

"After the concert. The police picked them up in the park behind the school."

Cassie's hands went cold. "How could this have happened? Laura was wild, but never had I imagined she'd do something like this... Why didn't anyone tell me?"

Kai's gaze held hers for a second longer than it should have. "Because it's not public yet. The police realized she was the missing link in a drug-pedalling investigation and tried to keep it quiet."

"Then how do you know about it?" Cassie challenged. Kai looked like he genuinely wished she'd not asked him that. "Because I'm the one who turned her in."

Cassie reeled. It felt like Kai had slapped her. "You what?"

"I'd been tracking her family for months," he said quietly. "Her father's a BBA sponsor. I wasn't supposed to hear it, but he threatened Mr. Dickenson—for protecting me. So I decided to find some dirt on him."

Cassie's mouth opened, then closed. Her eyes flashed with realization. "Is that... is that why you dated her? To get back at her father?"

Kai didn't flinch. He nodded once. "I did what I did to protect Mr Dickenson. Laura was the one who wanted more. I just played along. When I got proof that Laura had been using drugs, I quietly blackmailed her father into submission. I broke up with her after that, things were supposed to end there."

Her breath hitched. "Then why did it not?" Kai wouldn't meet her eyes. "Because she took it too far. She was dealing to too many kids—letting them use it on others without consent. She hurt someone I care about. I couldn't let that slide."