There Once Was a Rivalry.

Part 19: Shattered Dreams

Cassis James:

"Kiss me," she says, her hand touching my cheek, ever so soft. Her semi-masked face lingers close to mine, and my world becomes a haze as I gaze into her alluringly innocent blue eyes. The beautiful woman, dressed in lingerie and heels, leads me away from the pole I had cornered her against, pulling me by the hand into the dizzy crowd. My body touches hers as I stay close to her, molding to her.

She turns to face me, tossing her arms over my shoulders. She moves with me to the fuzzy music, our bodies synchronized. I dip my head in, tilting it, going in for a kiss.

"Kiss me," she says. Her happy, seductive lips turn desperate as my head tries to find the right angle, missing her perfect lips each time. Her eyes plead with me, like two ponds in a desert begging for rain.

"Cassis, please.." she begs, her voice becoming a whimper. The crowd blurs, non-existent between us. My lips miss hers. "Kiss me," she pleads. "Tell me you love me."

Concentrating, frustrated, I try to kiss her. I try.

I fail.

No words can be spoken, for I seem to have lost the knowledge of how to voice words. Her mask comes loose in her hand, but I cannot see her face. The mask, dark and elegant, is pushed onto my face, my eyes blocked by a hand. I raise my own to move it, but only get my hands stuck in front of my face. I feel her leave, and I catch mere glimpses of her retreating figure, naked to the world. Her bare legs move further, wobbling as she leaves what is now the dance studio.

"Wait!" I call, tearing my hands away from my face. I am too late; her back is turned to me, her body in the doorway.

Arizona envelopes the girl in her arms, her gaze upon me in warning. Her face becomes Avery Michaels's, and she kisses the girl I do not know, but know that I love.

"I love you," I whisper after the faceless girl, sad as I drift awake with the scent of strawberries and vanilla under my nose.

Natalia Parker:

Curled up into a small ball on the couch, I feel Cassis move behind me. "I love you," She says, her voice sad and distant, as if she were saying it while coming out of a dream. Slowly, I pull up from the couch. Glancing back, I tilt my head, watching the blonde's sad face.

"Who were you dreaming about?"

Her face twitches, followed by her two icy spheres making themselves visible. They flit over my face, quickly, then settle in on my own blue eyes. Her lips part as she inhales softly, though audibly, but instead of speaking, she catches her lower lip between her teeth.

"I don't know who sh-" Her eyes drop for a moment, and as they raise again, I notice a slight flush to her cheeks. "I don't know."

"Whoever it was, you must actually love them," I stretch my legs out, before slipping off the couch. "My mother always says when you dream, your true feelings are expressed about a person."

The blonde dancer sits up slowly, ruffling her golden locks sleepily. Looking up at me, she asks, "Have you ever... been in love with someone you shouldn't?"

Staring down at Cassis, I chew on the inside of my cheek. Of course I have, and I'm staring right at her. "I'm afraid not." I answer, afraid of further questioning if I had said yes.

"Well.." Cassis glances down, crossing her forearms and resting them upon her knees. "Say you did. What would you do?"

Twirling around slowly, pretending to think about the question, I purse my lips. "I suppose I would confide in that person, after some time. I would let myself get comfortable with being friends before attempting any moves."