Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine:

Cassie felt jittery as she dialed Natalie's number, hoping her friend would pick up. "Hey, Nat, can we meet at our usual spot?" she asked, her voice shaky with worry.

Natalie had already gotten there, sitting quietly as Cassie spotted her from across the room. "Hey, Nat," Cassie said with a relieved smile, joining her friend at the table.

"Hey, Cassie, what's wrong? You seem stressed," Natalie said, concern evident on her face.

Cassie took a deep breath before answering, feeling the weight of her troubles. "I... I'm not sure. It's just... everything feels overwhelming lately," she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Natalie reached out and squeezed Cassie's hand, her brow furrowing with concern. "So, did your dad pay the bills or not?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"I'm not sure. I think he did, but he's terrified of Winnie, so he might have lied," she admitted, a hint of fear in her eyes.

Nat nodded, her expression softening with understanding. "Wel