3 Book High School Romance Bundle: A Kiss at Midnight & Prom King & Under My Skin

by Zara Rivas

  Practically seizing the opportunity to open her up, Creston responded immediately. "Cass what's been stressing you out? I heard what the doctor said during our last visit, you're going to affect the baby's health if you keep stressing over nothing,"

  A stab of torment wracked her body as the blonde felt tears prickling the corner of her eyes. "That's just it Creston," she managed to say without her voice breaking. "I wanted to talk to you about the baby,"

  Believing that all his doubts were true he could only stare at her. "You don't want me to be a part of this pregnancy do you?" he whispered flatly, his eyes boring into hers.

  Watching her quiet figure, all he could do was examine the answer which was evident in her features, but he misinterpreted her look of guilt. Clenching his jaw, various emotions crossed his mind as he made a move to sit up properly. He had barely moved from his relaxed, slouching position before pausing when she placed a hand on his forearm.

  "Wait," Cassandra breathed, uncertain of how she should go about revealing the truth. "I do want you to be a part of it a-"

  "Your expression says otherwise," he intercepted harshly. "And you've been acting weird; you pull away every time I get close to you."

  Sinking her teeth into her lower lip, the blonde didn't know where to begin. "Just listen," she mumbled softly, instantly removing her arm so that she no longer made any body contact with him. "There's a reason for all that," she breathed, her throat tightening.

  Noticing the odd glimmer to her pale green eyes, Creston made a move to touch her – in all honesty he hadn't meant to be so cold – but she stepped away. Studying her figure, she stood before him, her eyes not reaching his as she fiddled with her hands. He wasn't used to witnessing such a sight for the Cassandra he'd always known was arrogant and sure of herself; never in the least scared of anyone. But ever since he started spending more time with her, he realised she possessed a whole different side.

  At the beginning when they had dated, she had been demanding and possessive – always lashing out at any other girl that smiled or made any form of contact with him. The Cassandra he knew from the start had been insecure and manipulative, always one to think that the world revolved around her. She had been the typical spoilt rotten, only child with a rich father, so wherever she went and whoever she got to know, she had always demanded attention.

  But it seemed now that she was pregnant; she had gone from materialistic gold-digger to a selfless, caring being. She had altered to a woman that was able to look at life from a different perspective, no longer screaming for attention.

  "Cassandra I'm sorry," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I didn't mean to be such a jerk,"

  Shaking her head at him, Cassandra's pale green eyes finally made contact with his grey ones. For the past few months she had grown to respect him – seeing a whole different side to him. She loved the way he would comfort her, the fact that he was always there whenever she needed him – he was there for the checkups, there for the ultrasound, there to purchase medicine, clothes shopping, he was just there for everything.

  His apology felt like a stab to her heart as she shook her head at him. If anything, she was the jerk right now and it was killing her to continue to lie to him. It was true that at the beginning she had lied because she was desperate and he was the one person she could think of that would buy her lie and commit. But now that she got to know him better, got to witness the actual pain he was enduring because of her, she knew that she couldn't lie any more.

  Growing up the way she had, she had reached her teens as a flawed character. She knew that due to her family's wealth and lack of attention, she had grown up to be selfish and unkind. Shaking her head at him, the blonde took in a deep breath. The words were stuck in her throat, and she was forcing them out.

  "I'm so sorry Creston," she began. "I've taken advantage of you and your hospitality and it's killing me to keep on doing this to you." She voiced, forcing every single word out of her now dry throat.

  For once in her life she wanted to do something right, but she never knew how hard it would be. She had stayed up all night trying to figure out what she'd say. Heck! She had written an entire speech. But now that he was actually here staring at her with those beautiful eyes, she found herself completely at a loss for words. She knew that she couldn't lie to him anymore and that was what gave her the strength to continue.

  "I-" she was cut off again.

  "Cass, you're not taking advantage of me, I'm the bastard who did this to you and I'm more than willing to be around for it all. That child is mine too," he explained, trying to grab her hand.

  The blonde took another step away from him, the guilt was unbearable now. "Creston, you don't have to take responsibility for something that never concerned you in the first place." She stated softly, her voice barely audible. "This child I'm having isn't yours and I'm so sorry for lying to you," she cried, tears running down her smooth cheeks.

  There was an eerie silence as her words started sinking in. At first Creston had no idea how to respond, but as the true meaning of her statement started bearing its effect, all he could do was stare blankly. He thought maybe she was lying to him so that he'd leave her, but as he took in the truth and remorse in her eyes, a wave of pure rage swept over him.

  He had spent weeks, perhaps even months beating himself up for what he had done to her. Hell! He had spent a lot of time and money just to try and make things a little better, and he had even stood up for her when her father had kicked her out of the house.

  Clenching and unclenching his jaw, Creston couldn't stand to look at the sorry sight of Cassandra. There were no words that could explain the current emotions that were dawning on him. For one thing he felt betrayed and taken advantage of. He felt robbed of his energy and morality – as if she had just used him as a pawn in her game of chess. The one emotion that was clear as day right now was the fury that was coursing in his veins and yet... A sense of relief was brewing somewhere within.

  "C-Creston..." Cassandra sniffed but silenced at the shake of his head.

  "Not another word," Creston ordered his voice flat. Rubbing a hand over his tired eyes, he breathed in deeply, trying to get his emotions under control.

  He was still furious, however as he fully comprehended Cassandra's words, there had been a small part of him that felt relieved. Now, standing quietly, able to hear the occasional sniffling from the blonde's form, Creston started making his way down the path. When he didn't hear Cassandra's footsteps following behind him, he paused and turned to face her.

  "Are you coming?" He asked and saw the puzzled expression flutter across her features. "You want to walk home?"

  Hesitantly, Cassandra started after him down the pathway, uncertain of what was going on. She had expected him to yell at her, to face an enraged Creston, however he was acting awfully sane for someone who'd been lied to for over a month or so. As she stepped into the car, she could only observe through watery eyes as he made his way around to his side of the car. Cringing as she heard the door slam shut, the blonde tried hard not to stare at him.

  As the car zoomed down the quiet streets, Cassandra felt the need to apologise over and over again. She shifted in her seat so that she was staring at his side profile, his face expressionless – resentment burning in his eyes.

  "I-I'm so sorry Cres," she choked, "There's nothing I can do right now to fix things but I just want you to know how truly sorry I am,"

  "There's nothing you can say right now to fix things Cassandra," Creston exclaimed through clenched teeth. "You lied to me for over a month about having a child my child,"

  Sniffling, the blonde wiped at her tearstained cheeks. "I know that there shouldn't be any excuses b-but," she began.

  "But I'm gullible enough to believe you? Or because you know what strings to pull when it comes to me?" He interjected.

  Using her wrist to wipe as her stained cheeks she shook her head. "Don't say that, I lied because at first I was desperate and scared. But now, no
w I realise that it's not just about me anymore. I see you in pain Creston and I can't deal with that. This life isn't for you and you're still in love with her,"

  Slamming the breaks, Creston hit the steering wheel with his fists. He wanted to grab the blonde by the shoulders and shake the living hell out of her but he knew that he couldn't. He may be furious as hell this moment but he was never one to lay hands on a girl.

  "God Cassandra!" He growled, "What in the world do you want me to say to that?!!"

  An awkward silence crowded the car and all that could be heard was the gentle sniffling originating from Cassandra. She was busy wiping the tears, unable to speak because her throat was dry.

  "I-I'm s-ssorry C-Creston," she hiccoughed, "I'm so damn sorry – I don't need you to say anything or do anything. If anything I should be the one to do something..." She stifled, "I promise I'll stay out of your life,"

  Clenching his teeth, the brown haired form could only breathe loudly. "I want you to get out," he said flatly.

  Nodding, Cassandra grabbed the door handle with shaky hands, letting herself out. She stood there in the cold with wobbly legs, watching as Creston's sports car zoomed off into the setting sun. Telling him the truth was one thing, but dealing with the remorse and Creston's rage was another... Unable to stop the flow of her tears, she shifted to find that he had left her in front of her house – the place she had stopped running to for the past month.

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

  The slender form of Essa Evans stepped out of Trisha's car, throwing a wave over her shoulder as she watched her friend drive off. The afternoon at the coffee shop had been horrible at first, but now that it was all over she felt a little lighter. She had felt her wounds coming undone the moment Trish had said his name; she had felt her heart writhe in agony in her chest, her entire body going numb.

  But as the conversation continued, at first she had fought so hard not to speak a word of how she felt. Ever since that day with Chris, she swore that she wouldn't cry over Creston Montgomery Spencer again. However as Sophia and Trish spoke, they knew what to say to cause her resolve to come crashing down. They had told her that she was drowning herself in her work, and in a way it had been true – never in her life did Essa study as hard as she did for her exams. Heck! She even sat through an entire week of math practice exam papers so that when that exam had come, she knew how to do 85% of the questions.

  As she began to spill out the hurt and anger she felt, she found herself eating whatever was in sight and had been grateful that both her female companions hadn't left her feeling like a pig. They had joined her on her eating spree, and eventually when she had run out of things to say, Sophia decided to open up about her love-life. In the end, Essa swore to have regular mourning periods with her friends and not to keep her emotions bottled up. Sophia on the other hand had decided to take a leap of faith, taking up Rowell on his offer to go out for a picnic.

  Now as Essa stood in the driveway of her house, her eyes were trained on the quiet street. Staring down the road, she saw a familiar black sports car parked at the side. Instantly she realized who it was, and although she couldn't see the figure because of the tinted windows, she was sure that the person inside was staring right back at her. Barely having the time to react, she heard the engine of the car roar to life before driving away...

  Chapter Nineteen

  The perfect tan, square jaw of Creston's tightened as he poured through the events between Cassandra and him to his best mate grudgingly. He had left out specific parts, only breaking the story down to the main points – having enough sympathy to portray the blonde female as wholeheartedly remorseful.

  He hadn't planned on revealing the truth to anyone because he was afraid of Cassandra's reputation being tainted – she was pregnant, emotional and homeless; the last thing she needed was judgemental scrutiny from others.

  Taking a swig from his beer, raucous laughter echoed form the background as he and Chris remained seated under the backyard veranda of Jensen's home. After the final year of exams as well as winning the soccer cup and now that the summer break had arrived, Jensen Marcosta thought it was a good time to throw a house party. It was more of a boys-only event – the boys that made up the soccer team were the only ones invited – and all attendees' were happy about that. With college ahead of them and everyone going their separate ways, Jensen knew he had to make the most of the remaining time he had left with the boys.

  Twisting around from the pool table where a handful of people were huddled around, Jensen's eyes took in the two settled figures under the veranda. He was glad that things between the soccer captain and his best friend were back to normal again. Their 'kiss and make-up' had been abrupt but it was one of the highlights of the holidays. It had been odd to see Creston around but no Chris – especially for the final soccer practice... Soccer without Chris had been brutal.

  Grinning, Jensen averted his attention back to the pool table where he was currently getting his ass whooped.

  Cerulean eyes scanned the immobile and quiet form of his best friend. In all honesty the news had been a bit of a shock; however it was plausible that Cassandra had told such a lie. Breaking the silence, he spoke softly.

  "Are you ever going to tell Essa any of this Spence?" He queried in his smooth masculine voice, glad that the remainder of the other boys were occupied with their own activities.

  A contemplative expression danced across Creston's features as his resolve hardened. The exact thought had crossed his mind numerous times. The day he had found out the truth about Cassandra's pregnancy, he had unconsciously driven straight to Essa's house. It was only when he cut the engine and hit the transmission into parking that he fully comprehended where he was, and by then it was too late to leave because he had spotted the familiar car of Trisha's pulling up the curb.

  He had observed from afar – only able to watch the passenger door open as he anticipated the sight of Essa Evans. The moment he spotted her – her long, wavy jet-black hair, her stunning long legs and exotic features – he knew he shouldn't have stopped by.

  She appeared to be so much happier and carefree, a genuine smile lighting up her face as she threw a quick wave at Trish who was disappearing down the road. Creston had planned on waiting for her to leave before he did, but she never did turnaround to go. Instead he found himself staring straight into Essa's heterochromial gaze.

  The grin she wore a few seconds earlier had faded away – replaced by an unreadable expression. It was evident she recognised his car, and it was obvious she was waiting for something to happen. Before she could approach him or before he lost all self control and went running to her, Creston turned the key in the ignition. The sound of his engine roaring to life had broken him out of his temporary stupor as he hit the car into first gear, driving away. He hadn't failed to catch sight of her lingering out at the driveway.

  "Creston you should tell her," Tynan said firmly, "What have you got to lose now? You're no longer bounded by responsibilities that were never yours to take in the first place, and it's clear that you weren't coping well without Essa ever since the break-up. Just explain everything to her," he advised.

  Shaking his head, Creston saw the look of disbelief on the blonde's face. "It's not about me Chris, she's better off without me," he breathed and held up a hand to stop Chris from speaking. "She's been through hell because of me and now that she's recovered I don't intend to ruin the peace," pausing briefly, his eyes stared out into the distance. "Besides, you and I both know she deserves better."

  Running a hand through his short hair, Chris sighed. "Jesus Creston," he exclaimed, lifting his eyes to meet stormy grey-blue ones. There was complete truth and pain held in those orbs – for once, Chris knew that his friend was serious. It was a foreign sight to witness and Chris was completely caught off-guard by it.

  He and Spencer had been best mates for over seven years now, though it had only been recently that they started getting close. T
hroughout the years Tynan had witnessed Creston fall in and out of relationships. He had been there through the good and bad, had been a bystander throughout the many phases Creston drifted through.

  There had been the lust, chase and finally the conquer stage – girls had always been just a chase and conquer mission for Creston. In all of Creston's dating history, the gender of the opposite sex had never left a deep enough mark to have him stay for more.

  But now that Chris was able to perceive the misery in his friend's eyes, there was no doubt that Creston was for real. Who would have thought the untameable and in a sense unreachable Creston Montgomery Spencer had fallen for the one and only Essa Evans? Mentally smiling, Chris could believe it.

  At first it had been hard to let go of his feelings for his Ginger Ale, but now as he reminisced of the times she and Creston were still an item, he knew that there would always be a part of Essa that he could never reach.

  Breaking out of his thoughts, he glanced back at Creston who was staring out into space. "Shouldn't you let her be the one to decide if you're good enough for her?" He enquired in a philosophical manner. "Creston, she's been in hell ever since you walked out and I'm sorry to say my man, she never pulled through."