Opposites

The Preparation

Today is the day they start their preparations, but first, they need to find a venue. Cassie's still asleep after a night of informing all the applicants, ordering supplies and then falling asleep at 5 am. It's now morning and Cassie should've been at work... 3 hours ago and counting. Well, it's the most she deserves since she been working so hard for so long. Suddenly a loud buzzing sound appears and a half-awake Cassie reaches for a phone answers the call. Typical.

"Hello."
"Hey, it's Jason."

Cassie falls back to sleep and all Jason can hear is... snoring. That's Charming.

"Cassie?"
"Yeah."
"We've got a place."

Cassie's eyes shoot open and she jumps out of bed and gets ready for work while being briefed about the situation. And before you know it she's at the venue... and it's... amazing. Like it's out of a vintage movie and Cassie is mesmerised by it all. So much so she walks straight into Jason.

"Oh, sorry, I was distracted by this... place. It's amazing, how did you get this place."
"A friend owed me a favour."
"Free of charge?"
"Yep"
"Are you sure you're not a secret prince or something."
"I'll never tell."
"Wait are you?"
"No that was a joke."

They laugh and their eyes connect again. It's like this attraction that can't be stunted in any way and it's only getting stronger. But you can guess they both push it aside. Absolutely unbelievable, what are they waiting for?

"Okay, Cassie, so what's next on the agenda?"
"Well I spent all night yesterday emailing very supplier and the applicants and I've sent them the address to this place, they'll be here in an hour so all we have to do is make sure this place is all good."
"Er yeah, just one problem..."
"What?"
"Michael came by, "keeping an eye on things" and then he left, so figured he did something."
"What did he do?"
"He basically destroyed the wires so right now we have not electricity."
"What?!"
"I know, I know, but before you get ready to kill him, I've already got a people working on it."
"Are you sure it's going to be ready in time."
"I promise, it will be fine."
"Okay... I've also sent the invites to the investors so they'll be here, and a small detail I forgot to mention, the dress code."
"No, don't say it."
"It's black tie"
"You said it, I have to wear a tuxedo?"
"Only for the event, and I will never ask you to wear it again."
"I will do it, but only for you and the sake of the businesses."
"Thank you? Okay since we know what we're doing, let do this."

They high five each other and get to work. They spend hours directing people and checking on everything. Time goes so fast that they can barely check in with each other and they may be working, but in the back of their minds, all they can do is think about each other. The golden hour sun shines through the windows and shines on Cassie's face, obviously catching Jason's attention and now ... he realises he's been staring too long and his eyes jerk away. As Jason looks away and focusses on his work, Cassie turns her attention on to him, there's something about him she can't pin down but she realises she's been staring too long as well so her eyes jerk away. But they know it's happening and they won't be able to keep control anymore, as the heart does have a mind of its own. The hours go by and their work has come to an end and everyone looks at their hard work.

"Well done everyone, and thank you guys for your hard work!"

The builders and suppliers celebrate amongst each other and Cassie continues to look at the venue. But Jason's been thinking for an hour how to say this one sentence and all that comes out of his mouth is.

"Donuts!"

*Facepalm* *Facepalm* *facepalm*

"What?"
"I... was just wondering... If you wanted to get doughnuts with me?"

Jason realises he just lost his cha-

"Donuts would be nice."

Well, I stand corrected. The leave the venue and get doughnuts as proposed and they talk and laugh in the car while Jason drives Cassie home. This is nice... okay now I'm staring too long.

"So, tell me about yourself."
"There's not much to know."
"Okay that doesn't count, I poured out my life story to you, crying, next to my broken car. And for a guy whose shy, you sure do know a lot of people here, the venue owner, the doughnut shop guy, the mechanic."
" Okay, okay. Well, I'm from Colorado. A notorious shy kid who got picked on quite a lot but I've gotten past that now. You'd be surprised to know when Michael did whatever to me when I was asleep, that's wasn't the first time that's happened to me. Anyways I moved to New York, on my own, when I was 18."
"18? What about your friends and family?"
"I remained in contact as much as I could, speak to my friends whenever they call, my mom even though she calls me every day. But it's nice being here even though I do miss them."
"What about your job what was the first job you got here?"
"Well, I freelanced for a while here and there while working in the doughnut shop."
"So that's why we got moved to the front of the line and got the whole special treatment."
"Yep. then my time in the doughnut biz came to an end and I got hired for a different job, which didn't quite workout followed by other jobs that's didn't work out and it went like this for years. Actually, this job has been the most stable so far, and I'm glad I got it... or I would've never met... you."

Cassie blushes and between all the talking and eating, they've arrived at their destination. But if it were up to them, this car journey would go on and on. Cassie gets out of the car as does Jason, they have no words for one another as their eyes say it all and they embrace, but this time it feels different. And then Cassie with one last look goes back to her apartment. She comes in smiling and Emily is just there waiting.

"You look like  you had fun."
"You know what? I did. Jason bought you a doughnut by the way."
"I very much approve then."
"Approve of what?"
"Oh come on don't do this. Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about."
"I honestly don't."
"I see the way you look at him and I see the way he looks at you, you can't deny there's nothing there."
"We're just frie"-

Before Cassie can finish her sentence, Emily covers Cassie"s mouth.

"Do not ruin your relationship with the "F word", Cassie. I've not seen you this happy in ages and it's not just because of your work... it's him."

Cassie takes into account what her sister has said but doesn't reply and goes into her room. She falls onto her bed staring at the ceiling. She remembers what Joey said before he left, about her denying her own happiness. He wasn't wrong. She thinks about the time before she met Jason when her soul mate was her work. She thought she was happy then but she didn't know what happiness was before she met him. She Thinks about the time they've spent, it seems like an eternity has gone by. Just thinking about him brings a smile to her face... and then the realisation. They're completely opposite but she can't hold it in anymore.

"I love Jason Watts."

Oh boy, here we go.