Create A Surreptitious Move

16 || Grief

I take the walk back to compose myself.

When I get back I go straight back to my room. I plan on talking to Vincent but I feel the need to procrastinate some more first.

When I get to my room I peel off my wet coat and toss it beside me on the floor.

"Where the hell have you been?" I hear an angry, yet calm voice say from inside my room.

I look up and am met with Blaine a few inches from me.

I should've paid more attention to my surroundings, I didn't even notice him in here.

"What the fuck are you doing in here?" I ask.

"Answer the question, Cassandra." He states.

"We're not doing this now." I say, averting my gaze from his.

I try to walk past him but he stops me. "Yes we are. Don't make me repeat myself."

I look back to his hard gaze. He's not going to let this go.

"I just wanted some alone time." I say vaguely.

He lets out a dark, breathy chuckle
"Alone time?" He says with venom in his tone. He raises his eyebrows as if to question if I'm serious. "I made it clear you are not to leave this house without Vincent."

"It won't happen again." I say, an edge to my tone.

"You're right, it won't." He says. "I expected better from you. Don't make me have to position a guard outside your door to watch you 24/7."

"Fuck you." I seethe, breaking free of his hold. "If you can't even allow me some alone time to visit my brothers grave you really are heartless."

He averts his gaze from my intense one.

He looks up to the sky as if to ask whatever higher power is out there to give him the strength to deal with me. He takes a deep breath, seemingly trying to word his reply.

He looks back at me. "You having alone time isn't the problem. The problem is no one knowing where the fuck you are. You need someone nearby at all times." He says. "This isn't a game, Cassandra. The reality is if you go out there alone and vulnerable that's when they'll attack. They won't care if your in a graveyard or a fucking zoo. I don't know who the mole is, for all we know you could've made an enemy out of them. Don't give them the opportunity to kill you. You're smarter than that." He says and then promptly leaves.

Well, now I feel kinda bad.

I lay down on my bed and Frinkles hops on and into my arms.

I procrastinate for a while longer until I finally find myself knocking on Vincent's bedroom door. It takes him some time to answer but I hear shuffling through the door, meaning he's in there and so I wait.

He opens the door, his usual cheery exterior gone.

"Now's not a good time." He says quickly, avoiding eye contact.

"Oh." I reply, not expecting that reaction. "Ok then." I try to conceal the hurt in my voice and so it comes out as a whisper.

I turn away, walking in the opposite direction feeling deeply rejected. I can barely keep the new set of tears, ready to spill, at bay.

"Cassie, wait." Vincent says softly. "Come back."

I stop. "I don't want to intrude."

"You're not." He replies.

I looking at the floor, I turn around and head back towards him and into the room.

I sit at his small, circular table in the corner of his room while he sits on the edge of his bed.