Sara thank you soo much!!! and I hope this wasn?t too long a wait.

Celine A aww thanks! haha I know… too bad all boys aren?t cute and sweet and amazing I know… too bad some boys are so awful.

Jasmin haha, I don?t like him either… the next chapter will get better. thanks so much

Ameria ahahaha I don?t usually write scenes like that, but it was the only way to get the book where I wanted it to. yes, I am related to that author she is my younger sister. And my other sister, Julie, wrote Tell Me You Love Me, and is now working on You?re The Reason.

Hey everyone, this is the last chapter thanks so much for all the support and everything! I love you all! And just so you know, I will be finishing Little Secrets next, and then starting a new book, which I will be starting this next week. Thanks so much!!

Chapter 35
(LAST CHAPTER!)

Cassie?s POV
I woke up with an uneasy feeling that something was wrong. My alarm clock showed that it was only 5:30. I didn?t have to get up until 6:00. But with that feeling, I couldn?t go back to sleep. I sat up and stretched, then made my way to the closet to find something to wear. I stood in front of the closet, staring at the clothes, for at least ten minutes before finally grabbing a pair of jeans and a plain gray tee. I slid my feet into sneakers and ran a brush through my hair, extremely carefully, wincing when I got to close to the bump on my head. I left my hair hanging and then applied a tiny bit of make up. Only eyeliner and mascara. Looking in the mirror, I could see a bruise forming on my cheek and my arm had a pretty big bruise as well. I grabbed my bag and left the room with a bad feeling.

I walked out the door of the dorms and into the cold morning sun. I shivered slightly, regretting that I hadn?t grabbed a sweater, when I saw Taylor a few feet away, looking at me. “What are you doing here?” I asked, an awkward feeling was in the air and I was nervous.
He shrugged. “I don?t know. I?m confused.” I stayed silent, waiting for him to continue. When he didn?t I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to stay calm.
“I?m just as confused, if not more. What was that last night? You didn?t say anything after we got out of the deans office. Did I do something?”

He was quiet for a minute and finally, said, “No, it?s not you.”
”Okay well if I didn?t do anything, the why do you seem so upset, so mad…” My voice caught in my throat as I found myself wondering if me and Taylor were actually over.
“I?m not mad. Well I am. But not at you. Or anyone else. I?m mad at myself. I should have done something. I shouldn?t have let you do what Jake wanted you to do.”
“Taylor please don?t blame yourself for that. I?m fine. It?s okay.”
“It?s not okay!” He shouted. “You?re not fine! Look at your arm! If I had stopped you, Jake wouldn?t have been able to do that to you. You have a bruise on your face and a bump on your head and you think you?re fine?”

“I am fine Taylor. Why don?t you get that? It was my decision to trust Jake. Not yours. I did it because I thought it was the only way. It was my fault. Don?t blame yourself Taylor, please.”
“If I was a good person I wouldn?t have let you. Don?t you see? No matter how you put it, it?s still my fault. You got hurt because of me. I don?t deserve you. I don?t deserve you at all.” I could see the pain in his eyes as he tried to explain himself.
I felt my own eye watering as I argued. “No, Taylor! Don?t think that!” A tear slipped out of my eye and ran down my cheek. I blinked and more tears fell down. “Please, please Taylor,” I was sobbing, feeling awful and confused, but glad that I had used waterproof make up.

“You?re crying.” He stated, incredulous. In only a few steps he had crossed the distance between us and reached out to hug me, but held himself back cautiously. I made the last step, only a few inches, and then his arms were around me, rubbing my back, soothing me. “I?m sorry babe, I didn?t mean to make you cry…” He whispered. “I?m so sorry.”
“It?s—not–your–fault.” I said through my tears.
“Okay, okay.” He agreed, but I could he was only saying that to calm me down, and it worked. My tears slowly stopped and we stayed how we were, holding each other, until everyone else started coming out, ready for school.

Lucy ran up to me and glared at Taylor. “Did you make her cry?” She asked, swatting at him.
“No, he didn?t Lucy, I?m fine.” I said, smiling up at her. “Really. I?m fine.”
Lucy smiled back and hugged me, squeezing herself between me and Taylor. “Really? Really, really? Or just sorta really?”

“Really, really. I?m really really fine. Better than fine actually. Today we find out what happens to Jake. And Taylor?s not getting expelled. This day couldn?t be better. Because I have friends who love me and care about me. And I?m at an amazing school. Nothing could be better than being surrounded by people I love, knowing that everything is going to be okay. For the first time in a long time, I actually, honestly, feel a hundred percent happy.” I looked from Lucy?s smiling face, to the loving look on Taylor?s and I knew what I was saying was a hundred percent true. “I?ve finally found where I belong. And that?s with you, Taylor, and Lucy.”

“Cassie, there are you. Dean?s looking for you.” Someone said, running up to us.
“Hm, and now my happy day is going to be happier. Jake?s finally gonna get what he?s had coming to him for a while now.” I grinned. “See you in health.” I waved goodbye and ran to the deans office.
Jake, and his mom and dad were in the office as well. His parents did not look happy as I sat down. “So the dean tells us that you?re saying Jake tried to rape you.” Jake?s father crossed his arms over his chest.

“Yes. That is what I told him. Because it?s true. You?re son also gave me this bruise on my arm, the red spot on my face and the bump on the back of my head.” I leaned back in the chair and stared at Jake. His nose was bruised and he had a slight black eye, a few scratch marks on his face and arms, but nothing serious.
“Accidentally most likely.” Jake?s mother ruffled Jake?s hair. “I?m sure he didn?t mean to hurt you.”

“Oh I?m sure he didn?t.” I smiled back. “Just like I?m sure he didn?t mean to try to pin me down on his bead and then try to pull my dress off. Your son has major problems. He needs help.”
 “You don?t know what your talking about Cassidy! Your the one with issues! Your the one that needed a bodyguard! Care to tell us about that?” Jake accused me, sitting up straight and staring into my eyes.
I turned to the dean. He nodded. “Go ahead. You can tell them if you want to.”

“Okay. Fine. You wanna know why I had a bodyguard? It?s a long story so get comfortable.” I paused for a second while they stared at me. “It starts off a long time ago when my mom, Alexia, was 17. She was coming home from a party, where she had just broke up with her boyfriend Jayden. He was very upset, and followed her. Not too far from home, he caught up to her and tried to rape her, but Seth, who was a new kid on the block, saved her. Jayden took off. The next day, she sprained her ankle at the park where she was hanging out with Seth. He was helping her home when Jayden showed up with two of his friends with a gun. He would have shot Seth and taken my mom if Seth?s sister hadn?t shown up. Unfortunately, Jayden eventually got my mom and took her away. While my mom was being held, she was put with two others who had been kidnapped. One was a little girl. The other was my mom?s older sister. My mom hadn?t even known she had an older sister because she had been kidnapped way before.” I paused again, to collect my thoughts.

“The police finally found her and when they got the others, some of Jayden?s friend and Jayden himself, got away. The police went looking for him and Alexia, her brother and sister and parents were put in the witness protection program. Eventually Jayden was caught. My mom married Seth. Now we get to the part of the story where I come in. I was adopted. My mom and Seth had two other kids after adopting me. One day, after I found out my boyfriend cheated on me, I met a boy. His name was Levi and he seemed perfect. But he was working for his dad.

His dad was working for Jayden. Jayden escaped prison and went to Australia. Levi helped his dad kidnap me and take me to Australia, all the while pretending he wanted nothing to do with it, but couldn?t stop it.” I rolled my eyes. “I got away thank god. Jayden had said he was going to feed me to the alligators and he would have too. When I got home, my mom thought it would be good for me to get away from all the drama in my school, with my ex boyfriend and then Levi being there… so I came here. Jayden escaped from prison again, while I was here, and instead of doing the witness protection program this time, they decided to get us bodyguards. Eventually Jayden was caught, and he died trying to get away. So I don?t have to worry about that anymore. But that?s why I needed a bodyguard. Are you satisfied now, or would you like to pry into my personal life some more?” I knew I was being mean and witchy but I was upset.

“Oh. Well at least your safe now. But that has nothing to do with Jake here.” His mom glared at me.
“I never said it did!” I groaned.
“Do you have proof that Jake did anything to her?” Jake?s dad asked.
“No.” Dean said, truthfully.
“Well, then, unless you do, Jake?s staying here. With no punishment. You can?t punish him for a crime he obviously did not commit.”

“So these bruises don?t show you anything?” I asked, standing up.
“You could have done that to yourself sweetie.” His mom said, faking a smile.
I turned and ran out of the room. Taylor and Lucy were standing outside the door when I rushed out. “He?s not getting in trouble. Because we don?t have proof that he did it. They said I?m faking it. That I gave myself the bruises! I didn?t think that would happen. I didn?t think anything could ruin my day but I guess I was wrong. Jake?s getting away free because there is no proof. It?s not fair.” I sank to the ground.

“No proof?” Taylor asked. “I can fix that.” He started running towards the boys dorms. Lucy crouched down beside me and hugged me.
“It?s gonna be okay Cass. Even if Jake doesn?t get in trouble, at least Taylor?s not expelled. And you?re here. With me.” She smiled and I tried to smile back but couldn?t.

After ten minutes, Taylor ran back, holding something in his hand. “Proof.” He explained as he ran into the office. Lucy and I followed him in. “Here?s proof that Jake tried to rape Cassie.” He handed a small video camera to the dean. After hooking it up to the tv, the dean pressed play and Jake, and his parents watched in shock as it showed me walk in the door and Jake start kissing me, then, eventually trying to get my dress of. It showed how I got hurt, and how I tried to leave more than once, eventually getting away. And then, it showed Jake, bent over in pain after I hurt him. It showed Taylor walk in and punch Jake, but not too badly. The dean clicked it off.

“Well, there?s our proof. Jake, you?re expelled.” The dean and Jake?s parents worked out details while me, Lucy and Taylor went out to celebrate.
Lucy went off to find Lana, leaving me and Taylor at the diner, eating. “I?m so glad this all worked out.” I said smiling. “How did you know that the video camera was on?”
“Because I put it on. Before he went up to his room for the night. I had a feeling he would try to use you. But I forgot about it after you got it hurt. I didn?t remember until you said you had no proof. That was when I realized that we did have proof.” He leaned over and kissed my cheek. I turned my head so our lips met and after a few seconds, he pulled back. “I love you Cassidy.” “I love you too Taylor. More than anything else in the whole world.”

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