Page 4 of Finding Us
“You wouldn’t be intruding,” he says, ignoring my question. The first time one of his friends referred to me as his little shadow, Connor gave him a fat lip. “I’ve missed having you around, Jaz.”
A smile tugs at my lips, because despite the constant ribbing he got from his mates when we were kids, he’s never made me feel like a burden. I remember one of them asking him why he let his little sister hang around all the time. He simply replied,“I waited fifteen years to get her, so I have a lot of time to make up for.”He’s always said sweet things like that. He never cared what anyone thought of him.
My grip on his hand tightens. “I’ve missed you too, Con.”I’ve missed him so much.
“Then come back with me. Mum and Dad are talking about going on that cruise, and I hate the thought of you being here alone.”
“I still have Cassie here.”
He rolls his eyes, because he’s not a fan of my best friend. He thinks her lifestyle is a bad influence on me.
“All the more reason to come with me.” Letting go of my hand, he punches his pillow a few times—fluffing it—before rolling onto his side and giving me his back. “Think about it, okay?”
I’m grinning to myself as I lie back down. As much as I’ll miss my parents, it’s time to set them free and let them enjoy the rest of their lives. I’ll be turning twenty-one in a few weeks and I can’t live with them forever. It’s time I stood on my own two feet. And the thought of being able to see Brooke and her kids more often, makes me happy. I owe that woman everything.
A nervous kind of excitement bubbles inside me as I lie here. I don’t need to think about it, my mind is already made up.I’m moving to Sydney.
The next few days are a whirlwind as I break the news to my parents and start packing up my things. My mum cried; it will be the first time I’ve ever been away from her, but she knows my brother will look out for me, he always has. And I know she’ll be fine here. My dad worships the ground she walks on … this marriage is a stark contrast to her first one. She’s now loved, cared for, andhappy… she is finally free to be the woman she was always meant to be. I couldn’t ask for more than that.
Connor has cancelled his flight home; he’s going to drive my car back to Sydney.
As we load the last of my boxes onto the back seat, I see a red flash zoom past out the corner of my eye. The red, convertible Mercedes proceeds to pull into the driveway with a screech.
Cassie, my best friend.
“You better not be leaving without saying goodbye,” she says as she gets out of the car. Connor groans as he shakes his head and disappears inside.
“I thought we said our goodbyes last night,” I reply as I cross the lawn to greet her.
“Well, I am missing you already,” she says, pouting as she pulls me into her arms. “I still can’t believe you’re leaving me.”
“I’m sorry, Cass,” I whisper, hugging her waist. “We’ll be together in a few weeks, when you come to Sydney for a visit. I promise to ring and text you every day. We can even FaceTime.”
“It’s not the same, bitch, and you know it,” she snaps, grasping my ponytail and giving it a light tug. I laugh; she is so fiery sometimes.
I met her when I first moved to Melbourne. She was in my dance class, and it turned out I was enrolled at the same school as her. We’ve been BFFs ever since. I love her dearly. She’s so much fun to be around. We are like chalk and cheese, but in other ways, kindred spirits.
Our personalities are total opposite. I’m quiet and shy and Cass is wild and loud. I am a twenty-year-old virgin and my best friend is a total hussy; a female version of Connor. She once told me she’s slept with so many men she’s lost count. I don’t judge her though …I feel sorry for her. I know she’s only trying to make up for the love she isn’t receiving at home. Cassandra’s parents are arseholes!
The Cassie everyone sees on the outside is totally different from the person she is inside. I think that’s why we click so well. Internally, she’s just as damaged and fragile as I am.
Her parents are stupid rich … old money. Her dad is a politician and her mother is a top-notch surgeon at some fancy private hospital. Their careers come first, even before their own daughter. They’ve never made time for her, and I meannever. Financially, they give her everything, but what she craves more than anything is their attention.
When we were younger, Cass would stay at our house for days on end. Not once did they call her to see if she was okay. As long as she stayed out of trouble and wasn’t doing anything to embarrass the family name, they didn’t give a shit.
I draw back so I can see her pretty face. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay here on your own, Cass?” Because leaving her here all alone scares me.
“No,” she says as tears rise to her eyes. “I’ve been slowly dying inside ever since you told me you were leaving; I feel like my life is coming to an end. How am I going to get by without you?”
“Oh, babe. You’re breaking my heart. Why don’t you think about coming to Sydney full-time?”
She rolls her eyes. “As if my parents would ever allow that.”
“You’re an adult now, they don’t have a say in what you do.”
“If I want them to keep funding my lifestyle they do.”
“You could get a job and earn your own money.”
