Love At First Joke | Sal Vulcano

6

"Okay Joe, I get it..." Sal sighed, "Just please don't tell Murr and Q, I'll tell them when it's official."

"Of course bud, but what are you going to do when we go back to America?" Joe asked, placing a hand on Sal's back to comfort him. Sal looked down to his feet and sighed.

"I never thought about that...oh god, she's going to hate me!" Sal cried.

"Bud, just talk to her about it, surely she knows that you weren't here for long?" Joe replied.

"I don't know...we've never really spoken about my trip here, we've just been getting to know each other...and I love her, Joey. She means the whole world to me-" Sal was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. He slowly turned around to find Murr smiling at him. Sal gave a small smile back.

"Who do you love Sal? That girl Cassie? Bud, I'm not going to lie to you. I've just been talking to her and she didn't stop talking about you once...she's in love with you, man." Murr smiled, as he patted Sal on the back.

"Really?" Sal frowned. He didn't want to ever hurt Cassie and knowing that he'd be leaving in a couple of weeks, only made it worse. "I don't know what to do guys" he continued on, "I love everything about her, she's perfect-"

"Who's perfect?" Sal heard Q ask, as he walked over to the group. Q lifted his eyebrow, as he searched Sal for an answer.

"Oh, er...Cassie" Sal stuttered, looking down at his feet again. Q smiled and pulled Sal into a side hug.

"I think she feels the same way buddy!" Q exclaimed. He went on about the way Cassie had spoken about Sal and how he was all she could think about.

**

Later that night, Sal was around Cassie's house. They were snuggled up on the couch, as they had done the previous night. With Sal's arm curled around Cassie's shoulder, as she rests her head upon his chest. Feeling his chest rise and fall with every breath. They were watching a film, about a long distance relationship, along with the struggles that came with it.

"Cassie...we need to talk about something." Sal spoke, after the film had come to an end. Cassie turned to face Sal, nervous about what he was about to say.

"Is everything okay?" She asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"As you know, I go home in a couple of weeks and you mean everything to me Cassie. I don't want to lose you but I also don't know what to do." He began, taking ahold of her hand and stroking his thumb across the top of her knuckles. "What I'm trying to say is...Ca-Cassie...come with me?" Sal stuttered, barely able to look her in the eye, awaiting her answer. Cassie moved her hands up to Sal's face, as she pulled him into a soft kiss.

"Sal, you're all I care about, and I'd love to but I can't just leave my life here in London. What about my job? What about my family?" She spoke, fighting back the tears. Sal nodded, with a tear rolling down his cheek. "Sal, look at me" she whispered, "I'm sorry." Sal smiled, as he placed a kiss to her forehead.

"Don't be sorry Cas, it's my fault. I wish I could stay here longer. I just want to be with you, I just want you to be mine..." he sighed. Cassie squeezed Sal's hand in comfort.

"Maybe I can be." She smirked, whilst receiving a confused look from Sal. Finally, it clicked in Sal's mind. Ask her to be your girlfriend! Sal's mind exploded.

"Will you be my girlfriend Cassie?" Sal smiled.

"Of course I will you goofball!" Cassie giggled, pulling Sal into a passionate kiss.

"But that still doesn't help our situation" Sal said, sounding disappointed.

"We'll sort something out" Cassie sighed, "for now though, we just have to deal with what we have. Maybe we can make arrangements to video chat every week. Because I know I won't be able to handle not seeing your handsome face for so long." She smiled, as she cuddled up to Sal. Cassie had found her safe place, in Sal's arms. She didn't know why, but whenever she was enclosed in his arms, she felt that nothing could harm her and that she was safe from everything.

"I love you." Sal blurted out, regretting it as soon as he had. Covering his mouth with his hand in embarrassment. Cassie giggled, pulling away his hand and replacing it with her lips. They shared a tender kiss before Cassie broke it up.

"I love you too, stupid" she giggled. As did Sal. A surge of happiness crossing the two of them. It felt really good to say that for the first time, knowing that the feeling was mutual between them both.

"Baby, you know what I'm thinking, you know, to celebrate?" Cassie smirked, as she turned to face Sal. He rose an eyebrow before chuckling. She took hold of his hand and dragged him through the house, up to the bedroom.

"God bless!" Sal muttered under his breath, as he kicked the bedroom door closed with his foot.