WANT (completed)

ch. 27 | Liar Liar

CASSANDRA'S POV

I'm clicking away on my new desktop computer, trying to toggle with the settings so I can extend the screen onto the two in front of me as I like, when I heard a loud knock at the door.

I don't get up, but my fingers do freeze. Who could it be? It's not Asa, he's at his own company office today. Definitely not Camara, I haven't returned a single one of her calls or messages. I don't really talk to anyone else.

The knob turns slowly, and my head jerks towards the door, watching as it opens slowly and Zac peaks his head in. He gives me a shy smile, stepping in and closing the door behind him.

"Wow. Looks great," Zac says matter-of-factly as he looks around the room. My eyes follow his. It's different for sure. I've kept a lot of things like my mother had them, but have definitely changed it up. There's no more clutter, it's much more open, and the color palette is very muted with a hint of royal accents.

"Thanks," I mumble, clearing my throat a bit. Zac is not the type to come to me without reason, so I wonder what it is today that he needs. We haven't really spoken since the Palmer Wedding, not that we talk much at all anyways.

"She would be very proud of you, Cas," Zac remarks, looking at me with his bright eyes. His hands are stuffed in his pockets, and I'm not surprised at how awkwardly he's standing in the middle of the room.

We don't talk about her. At all. Ever.

I don't know how to respond, mainly because I feel so weird in this position. What am I supposed to say? Thanks? It doesn't seem appropriate considering the only person who knows how she would feel isn't here.

"So, I thought we should talk about something..." he trails off as he walks across the room, sliding his hand over the long horizontal bookcase that sits against the floor of one wall. "Actually, a few things."

Zac suddenly looks at me, as if I were to know what he's here to talk about. A small frown appears on my face, and I can feel a winkle appear between my eyebrows. "Okay?" I ask him, watching as he unbuttons his suit jacket and takes a seat in front of me.

He's being so weird.

I don't move from my office chair, but I do twist around in the seat, sitting up straight. Ugh, this feels like a complicated interaction between two parties, not two siblings having a conversation.

I hate it.

My eyes fixate on his, but neither of us say a word. I'm definitely not going to start this conversation, simply because I have no idea what to say. He's the one who came here.

"Ethan's back," Zac points out the obvious, keeping his lips in a flat line. I can't read his expression because his face is blank.

"Yeah, and?" I ask now, terribly lost. What does Ethan being back have to do with anything?

Zac's eyes flicker around the room, now avoiding my eyes. I frown, pinching my arm slightly as I'm not entirely sure this is actually happening right now.

He clears his throat before speaking again, "I just want to make sure you're okay. I'm worried about you," Zac sighs, relaxing back into the seat. I can see it now, the concern that is so obvious in his eyes. "I don't want...us to go through what we did when Ethan was around last time."

Us.

I nearly laugh. I want to laugh so bad, but I hold it back, biting the inside of my cheek to keep myself from saying anything inappropriate. Zac was trying to have a serious conversation, and the last thing I want is to make it any more uncomfortable than it already is. Instead, I stare at him blankly, blinking a few times.