I laid in Mike’s bed on January 1st, 2004 as he sat on the phone with each and every one of his extended family members screaming about how a record label wants to sign Before Today. Vic was sitting at the end of Mike’s bed with him on the phone with friends. I was extremely proud of my boys - especially Mike. This was his dream. I played with my split ends, picking at them, while they continued to sit on their phones blabbing on and on about the label. I decided I should just get a shower because this was going to be a while. I grabbed my towel off the back of Mike’s door and walked into the bathroom. I stripped myself of my clothes and looked at my reflection - pretty much my daily thing nowadays.

I was teetering on 92 pounds. My ribs and hip bones were beautiful. My collar bones were very noticeable. My once chubby cheeks had thinned out, and I no longer had any fat around my face. My hips were still a little on the wide side, but I got that from my mother. This past week I dropped 5 pounds. My regular size 0s were hanging off of me. Mike hadn’t seen me naked in two weeks. He had no idea what was going on underneath my jeans and sweaters. I grinned at myself and then showered. I washed my hair and rid myself of all the tangles in it, and then washed my body. I always had my shower stuff here because I stayed here so much. I shaved and then got out of the shower, slipping my towel around my body and walking into Mike’s room. Both boys were still on the phone. I grabbed a pair of underwear, leggings, a bra and a sweater, and went back in the bathroom to change.

I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle out of the refrigerator. I felt Vivian’s eyes burning into the back of my head. “Cassie.”

“Momma,” I turned around and smiled before chugging half the water bottle.

She sighed, “You get thinner every day.”

I frowned on the outside, even though on the inside I wanted to jump with joy. “I know. I just have a few more weeks until States and then I can go to the doctor.”

She shook her head, “You know your mom and I talked last night. You told her that you think you’re losing weight from cheer, but you told Mike that you’re sick. This isn’t adding up, Cassie.”

“Can you just get off my back about it?” I groaned. “You’re like a second mom to me, but I am fine, Vivian. Seriously. I am fine.”

“How much do you weigh?”

“Like 100!” I threw my arms up. “I’ve lost like 15 pounds! That’s it! I’m fine. I went down one pant size. This is normal. I was overweight anyway. Ask my doctor,” I shrugged. “I’m fine. I’m going to be fine.”

“Baby how much longer until you’re ready to go?” Mike’s voice sounded from the hallway. He was seriously my life saver right now, I wanted to run over to him and give him a giant hug.

“I just need to dry my hair,” I said while walking away from Vivian and towards his bedroom. “Go get in the shower,” I smiled at him and ruffled his hair.


We were going to Disney today in celebration of them getting signed. I did my hair and make up real fast and waited for Mike to finish getting ready. We smoked a little before we walked out to Vic’s car. Vic had just started dating someone, her name was Lisa, and she was really sweet. I met her last night for the first time, and she was coming with us today, as well as Casey and Abbey, but they were going to meet us there. It was a good hour and a half drive there, so Mike and I just sat in the backseat making stupid faces at each other. The faces he made were all ten times funnier than the ones I did because his bottom lip was swollen from piercing it in the middle. I told him he should’ve just kept his lip ring on the right side of his mouth because his bottom lip was too big for a ring, but he didn’t listen to me.

“Stop looking at my lip ring,” he laughed.

“I’m not looking at the ring, I’m looking at your giant lip,” I giggled.

“It’s not funny,” he tried to make a serious face.

“You’re such a dork,” I laughed and threw my legs onto his lap. He started drumming his fingers on my shins to the beat of the song that was playing. “You seriously need a bigger lip ring, it’s like indenting your lip.”

“Shut up, Cassie,” Mike sang.

I smiled, “If you pierce my nose I want it on the right side like Vic’s. That’s my better side.”

“You should let me pierce your septum,” he grinned. “You’d look so hot with it and your mom wouldn’t even know it was there.

“Isn’t that like... super bloody?” I cringed when he nodded. “Not happening.”

“But baby,” Mike whined.

Vic took Lisa’s hand in his while he drove, “Just don’t listen to their conversation. They both smoked way too much before getting in the car, and when they’re high they don’t know when to shut up.”

“Hey!” Mike and I both said at the same time. “That was weird,” we said in unison again.

“STOP READING MY MIND!” I yelled in Mike’s face, making him burst into laughter and press a kiss to my lips. I pulled away, “You totally stole my chapstick.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he smirked.

“Your lips taste like mangoes,” I giggled and kissed him again.

“What the fuck,” Vic mumbled from the front seat. I heard Lisa let out a laugh.

Mike’s eyes got wide, “What if I pierced your nipples?”

“Are you insane!” I moved my face away from his. “Do you have any idea how painful that would be?”

“It would be so sexy. I’d make you walk around topless all the time.”

“You already do that,” I blushed.

He grinned, “I wouldn’t ever be able to keep my hands off you.”

“Can you two stop?” Vic looked back at us.

Mike glared at him, “No.”


When we got to Disney we met up with Casey and Abbey and started to walk around. It was nice to finally go somewhere and we all were with our significant others. Vic and Lisa were walking hand-in-hand in front of all of us. Casey and Abbey were also hand-in-hand next to Mike and I. Mike and I weren’t holding hands; he was giving me a piggyback ride. Him and Casey were deep in conversation about something that had to do with drums.

“I want to ride shit!” Casey groaned.

“Well, we’re off,” I laughed and got off Mike’s back. I grabbed his hand and smiled.

“Mike and Cassie are both scared of heights and are huge pussies so they don’t go on anything,” Vic said to Lisa, making her laugh.

“You’re scared of heights? You’re like a giant,” she said to Mike.

“I’m completely terrified,” Mike laughed and squeezed my hand. “You guys can go do whatever. Cass and I will catch up with you later.”

Everyone nodded and walked off towards some rides, Mike just started walking and pulling me by my hand with him, a smile on his gorgeous face. It was a chillier day, but the sun was still bright. It reflected off Mike’s lip ring and into my eye whenever I looked up at him. I swung our hands in between us, looking at them. My fingers were just as skinny as his, though they were like half the length of his. I looked down, we were both walking in the same steps at the same pace, though Mike’s strides were longer than mine. He took his hand from mine and reached into his back pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and sticking one in between his lips, then lit it. I looked at him with a pout and he shook his head.

“No, Cass. I’m not letting you get addicted to them like me,” he exhaled the smoke.

I rolled my eyes, “I’m not going to get addicted. I just like the buzz from them every once in a while.”

“I said the same thing and now I smoke at least half a pack a day,” he chuckled. “You’re not getting one.”

“You suck,” I sighed, then giggled when he stuck his tongue out at me.

He leaned up against a lamppost while he smoked. You weren’t supposed to smoke here, but of course he was going to take the risk of getting caught. I sat down at a bench and stared at him, just like I usually do. He had a black beanie on his shaggy blonde hair, his skin was getting paler from not being out in the hot sun as often. He was wearing a pair of camouflage skinny jeans, a rip in the right knee, and a black Pantera shirt on top, with a jean jacket. I watched as his skinny fingers moved the cigarette from his lips down to his side, and back up to his lips again. I internally slapped myself, feeling myself become horny while watching him, and knowing that we couldn’t sleep together because of my decision to put my weight before our relationship.

“You’re staring again,” he laughed as he butt out his cigarette.

I blushed, “I can’t help it. You’re beautiful.”

He wrapped his arms around my torso and looked down at me, “Sometimes it really scares me when I realize how much you love me. When you look at me it’s like you get into this trance. It’s so weird to think that someone as perfect as you could ever love me as much as you do.”

I grinned and got on my tip toes, pressing a kiss to his lips, “You’re perfect; I admire you.”

“I can’t wait until we are able to be done with school, and I’ll be famous and I’ll buy us a big, beautiful house. And when I get home from tour I’ll get to see your beautiful, smiling face, holding one of our kids on your hip and the other will be running out the door screaming Daddy.” I felt my cheeks heat up in a blush again; I loved when he talked about the future. “And you’ll be able to do whatever you want and buy whatever you want. You won’t have to worry about a job, because I’ll support you until the day I die.”

I smiled and kissed his chest while looking up at him, “I love when you talk about our future. We’re going to make some beautiful little babies. I just hope that they get my nose and ears, and not yours.”

“You always have to turn sentimental moments into insults,” he rolled his eyes and kissed my forehead.

I let out a giggle, “I love you so much, baby. My life seriously wouldn’t be the same without you.”

“I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for you,” he said softly, diverting his eyes from mine for a second. “I love you with everything in me.”

“You guys are seriously so lame!” Casey’s voice sounded from behind me. Mike popped his head up and grinned. “You’re over here being all lovey-dovey when you should be having fun with us! You’re so whipped, Mike.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Mike said with a smile.

Abbey grabbed my hand, “How about me, you and Lisa go have some girl time?” I nodded. “I’ll bring your wife back later, Michael.”

Mike rolled his eyes, “You better bring her back in one piece.”


“You and Mike are like the perfect couple,” Lisa said with a smile while she sipped on her milkshake. “I hope that one day I can have a relationship like yours.”

“We’ve been through a lot together,” I smiled. “It’s only been a little over two years, but it feels like a lifetime.”

She nodded, “Yeah, Vic told me about how if it wasn’t for you, Mike wouldn’t be here. I think it’s really awesome that you helped him through so much. You must have a heart made of gold.”

I just let out a smile, muttering yeah in her direction. My mind drifted off to the topic she was talking about. I could never forget about it; it changed my life completely. I rarely thought back on the memory, it usually came to me as a nightmare. Seeing Mike so vulnerable and broken. I felt a tear slip down my cheek as I thought about that day on the beach. I was just a girl who everyone hated in school, he didn’t even know my name, he had never looked twice at me in the hallway, and yet he let me in that day, and he allowed me to be the reason he’s still here and breathing today. I heard Abbey say my name and I let out a shaky breath and grabbed a napkin, patting under my eyes making sure my make up wouldn’t smudge.

“S... Sorry,” I stuttered out.

Lisa frowned, “I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

“No, no,” I tried to smile, but failed. “It’s not your fault. It’s just kind of a rough subject. I usually just try not to think about it. I’m sure Vic didn’t go into detail with you on it, so don’t feel bad about bringing it up.”

Lisa just nodded and I looked down at my hands, cracking my knuckles. I tried to get the memory out of my head, but every time I blinked I saw him like that. I felt a sob escape my throat, practically choking me as it came out. Abbey wrapped her arm around me and rubbed my back. I heard the sound of Mike’s laugh coming closer. I put my face in my hands, knowing that if I saw him I was just going to cry harder.

“What... what happened? What’s going on?” I heard him ask frantically.

“Just calm down, Mike,” Abbey said while keeping her hand in one spot on my back.

“Stop touching her,” Mike huffed. I felt Abbey jerk away from me and Mike’s arms pick me up. “Baby, what’s going on? What’s wrong?” I just shook my head and buried it in the crook of his neck. “What the fuck happened?” Mike barked, and I was guessing it was in Abbey’s direction.

“Nothing, Mike. Calm down,” Abbey’s voice came out calm and collect.

“You want me to be fucking calm when Cassie is bawling her eyes out and no one will fucking tell me why!” Mike groaned, “Obviously it’s something, because if it wasn’t she wouldn’t be in fucking hysterics.”

“It’s my fault,” I heard Lisa say softly. “I told her that I thought she was a great person for helping you... I didn’t know it was going to be such a soft spot.”

“Of course it’s a fucking soft spot!” Mike bitched.

“Stop,” I whined. “Don’t yell at her. It’s not her fault. It just made me think of that day, okay?” I said softly and looked at him through cloudy eyes. “Please, Mikey. The last thing I want to hear right now is you yelling.”

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he said softly while kissing my cheek. "I didn't mean to upset you more."

“No, you need to apologize to them,” I sniffled.

He apologized and we all decided it would probably be best if we headed home. The car ride back was practically silent other than the music coming through the speakers in Vic’s car. I felt bad for ruining the day, but when those thoughts came over me there was no pulling me out of it. I sighed as I leaned against Mike. He was silent, breathing through his nose, a stern look on his face. He kept one hand on my hip and another holding my left hand, rubbing his thumb over the promise ring on my ring finger. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, hoping to sleep for the rest of the ride home.

Notes

So this chapter introduced a new character.
As well as talked about Cassie "saving" Mike.
More will be revealed about that as the story goes on.
It seems like Vivian is catching on to Cassie's problem.

Cassie's Outfit

Next update will be in a few days!
Thank you everyone for all the feedback!
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