CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER | j. byers

v. | nancy wheeler is impatient

        "You're not bothered, at all?" Jonathan asked her.

        "By what?" she asked for clarification. "Which part? The name-calling, the teasing, the comments?"

        Jonathan shrugged. "All of it." 

        "Not anymore," she answered. "It doesn't really affect me like it used to. I'm just kinda used to it now." She shrugged. "And I guess I just really liked being called a freak now."

        "What?" Jonathan questioned confused. He too had been called a freak on a regular basis. "That- That doesn't bother you? At all?"

        "Are you kidding?" she exclaimed. "Being a freak is the best!" Jonathan didn't look convinced. Cassie leaned forward, determined to make him see it as she did. "Okay, think of it like this. Would you rather be friends with Bowie or Kenny Rogers?"

        "Bowie, easy," Jonathan said instantly.

        "See?" Cassie said. "It's instant. It's no competition. Bowie will always come out on top. Why? Because he's a freak like us." Jonathan nodded. "Nothing extraordinary came out of being normal. Now, better question. Who would you rather be friends with, me, or Steve Harrington?"

        "You. Definitely," Jonathan smiled. Cassie grinned at him involuntarily.

        "See what I mean? You didn't even need to think. Being a freak isn't as bad as everyone wants to make it out to be." Cassie put her hand over Jonathan's that was resting on the table. "You've just got to believe in yourself a little more. Got to own the 'freak' title and take it as it comes." Jonathan's smile widened. "Now, what do you want for lunch?"

        The two ordered grilled cheeses and chocolate milkshakes. 

        "Hey, Cass." Cassie hummed to show him she was listening. "Can you stay over again tonight?" Cassie looked up at him. "I... I don't want to be alone before tomorrow." Cassie smiled and nodded. 

        "Yeah," she breathed, her stomach flipping again. "Yeah, whatever you want. I'll call my mum when we leave." Jonathan smiled at her again. 

        "Thank you," he said finally. "For everything." She shrugged as Jonathan took her hand.

        "What are friends for?"

        Jonathan turned her hand over and held it tightly against the table. He pushed up Cassie's left sleeve. He licked his thumb before wiping away the foundation that covered her 009 tattoo.

        "You never told me what this is," Jonathan pried.

         "And I told you, that's a story for another time," Cassie told him sternly, trying and failing to yank her wrist back.

        "What does it mean?"

        "Jonathan-"

        "009? What does that mean?"

        "It doesn't mean a thing!" she growled through gritted teeth. 

        "Cass-"

        "It's nothing important, Jay!" she exclaimed as she finally got her wrist back. She rolled down her sleeve, pulling it down so that it covered more skin. Jonathan finally saw how uncomfortable Cassie was.

        "God, Cass, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pried. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

        "No, Jonathan it's," she sighed deeply. "It's okay. You're curious, and that's fine. But this tattoo has a lot of baggage underneath it. I'll tell you soon, okay? Once all of this is over."