Make Him Better

Lance was so angry that he didn’t even sleep in the house, but Cassandra was grateful his father wasn’t paying much attention to him.

“That witch,” Mercedes snarled. “I am sure she seduced him, that’s why.”

“I told you, Daddy,” Lena added. “They had been too close, and little he would be influenced by her.”

Cassandra could hear their voices from the kitchen as she did the dishes, a small smile hung from her lips, she was secretly grateful for the small chaos in the house.

“Rest assured now, child.” Niko’s voice was a little faint. “She will be married soon, and Lance will adjust to that.”

“He isn’t picking up the phone,” Mercedes complained her voice a little shaky. “What if he does something stupid?”

“Well, I hope he does,” Cassandra said in a while whisper as she ran the faucet again.

Lance didn’t come home through the night, his mother had been worried, but he didn’t come home neither did he answer any of their calls, even in the morning, he didn’t come home.

“That boy…” Mercedes muttered as she glared at Cassandra who dished their breakfast. “He isn’t picking up any of our calls.”

“I am worried about him too, this is the first time he has acted like this,” Lena grumbled, dragging her spoon lazily to her mouth, as she glared at Cassandra who brought in their jug of milk. “All because of that witch.”

“Cassandra, have you tried calling Lance?” Niko suggested. “Since he isn’t picking up our calls, he might answer yours.”

“N-No,” she stuttered, and in anger, Mercedes rose from her chair and in anger slapped the girl across the face.

“How selfish…” She ranted, the emotions raw in her voice, Niko got up in an instant and he pulled her away quickly. “He is protesting because he doesn’t want you to be married to some crazy man, and here you are being so nonchalant about it. It’s almost as if you don’t care.”

“Calm down,” Niko said holding his wife tightly, his eyes shooting towards Cassandra who stood rigidly her hands clumping against her cheeks. “You shouldn’t have slapped her, I told you the McKnights are coming for dinner, what explanation would I give if they saw her like this?”

“Don’t act like it’s a big deal, you’ll be fine after you put some ice,” Lena grimaced. “I think you should call Lance as well, he would answer the calls if they were from you.”

“I will call him.” Cassandra whispered as she climbed the stairs to her room, she checked her face in the mirror, her cheeks stung.

She bit her bottom lips nervously, she didn’t want to call him, but her aunt would hit her again if she didn’t.

Reluctantly, she picked up the phone and dialed his number, it rang a few times before he answered, and her heart pounded in her chest when she heard his voice that was husky with sleep.

“Cassie…” He moaned.

“L-Lance,” she stuttered, suddenly the words were stolen from her mouth, “Your family… they are worried about you.”

There was a deafening silence at the other end of the line, she glanced at the phone wondering if he had dropped the line, but he was still connected.

“Y-You are not answering your calls.”

“Is that the only reason you are calling?” He wondered, even though she wasn’t seeing him physically, the fear was the same. “Here I was happy thinking that you missed me.”

Cassandra fell silent.

“Cassie…” He purred again. “Tell me the truth.”

She shuddered, suddenly falling to the bed because her legs felt weak.

“Did father force you to do this? Because it seems like that’s what you want.” He concluded, Cassandra was at a loss for words. “Are you trying to avoid me? You claim to love me, yet you’re not doing anything to fight for our love.”

“I-I can’t make the decision,” she stuttered,

“You can.” He affirmed. “If you don’t want to get married to that mental man, then all you have to do is tell me.”

“What?”

“We can run away together.”

Her eyes widened, he was suggesting that they eloped together, she disconnected the phone abruptly, turning it off, if he complained she would tell him that her battery suddenly died.

Her heart pounded in her chest, as she stood up and went downstairs.

“Did you call him?” Mercedes asked again, she stopped at the bottom of the stairs.

“Yes, but he didn’t answer.” She lied.

“What is wrong with that boy?” Mercedes cursed under her breath, even though Lance was a grown man, Mercedes babied him a lot, she shot a glare in Cassandra’s direction noticing the red patch on her cheeks. “Put some ice on your cheeks.”

Cassandra nodded her head, hopefully, they could bring the wedding as soon as this weekend, she couldn’t wait to leave their goddamned house.

Even if Blake had a mental illness, she would do her best to live with him, and with the right care, he would get better.

She would make sure of that.