Adler | The Monarch & The Heirs BOOK 2.

Them | A TWO

They got along great and Cassandra would come to the spa everyday, secretly helping where her mother's eyes wouldn't catch her. A month later, Mr. and Mrs. Clarkson shipped Lydia off to St. Sinclair academy. This had to be fate, for such a coincidence to occur to bring Cassandra an oasis in this nightmare that was her life now.

"Cassandra!" called her mother as she gaited after her. "I'm telling you to wait. Winston can drive you there. Why put your life in danger?"

"I'm just going on my bike, mummy." She unhooked it from where it was stored by the garage.

"The thing nearly killed you when you were seven! Have you forgotten?"

Cassandra absentmindedly touched the scar, hidden by the bangs matting her forehead. "As if you'd ever let me." she groaned.

"Then why?!"

"Because, I'm not a little kid anymore. I know how to peddle on different grounds and use the brakes. The café is only a ten minute walking distance, there's no need to fetch uncle Jason's driver. I feel indebted enough by his hospitality. I don't want to be greedy."

"You know, you're a very strange child."

Cassandra shot a look to a mother and huffed. "Yeah, I guess I did get something from you after all." She caught her mother's mouth fall ajar before valiantly settling down on the saddle, letting her fingers find a good grip on the handles.

"Hold it right there, young lady. You're not going anywhere on that death trap without a helmet."

Cassandra groaned again. "Mummy, it's just straight down the street. There's not even a turn."

"If the wind picks up, it'll ruin your wonderful hair."

Cassandra couldn't have cared less about the clump of hair a stylist fought for two hours to detangle her locks, drown in a bunch of chemicals to conform into a permy ball of fluff to resemble a poodle. However, to appease her paranoid parent, she compromised to strap on the gear.

After eons of struggling to unlock the bowling ball of a helmet, Cassandra walked into the café where Lydia agreed to meet up. Cassandra was worried she wouldn't recognise the girl now but she didn't have to bother searching amongst the varying customers. A petite blonde in a green sundress flagged her down, squealing excitedly with her long, ringlets of platinum blonde whipped across her cheery face as she dashed to Cassandra.

Despite her small frame, the shorty had a powerful grip. Cassandra felt like an orange getting the life squeezed out of her from the vice lock on her torso. Before she lost consciousness, the jubilant girl released her and Cassandra lay sprawled out on a booth to recover.

"Oh my god, Cass, it is so good to see you again!" Lydia gushed. "When dad shipped me out of Chesterfield, it was so soon that I never had a chance to even get your number. I was like, so miffed because you were really cool and like, just real y'know? Love your hair by the way. It is so cute- total Disney princess feels! Anyway, are you guys staying here permanently or just for a little while? My dad didn't get a clear answer from your mum..."

Cassandra could've sworn the munchkin rambling on a thousand miles per second was different from the person who taught her how to make swans with towels two years ago. Only it was no doppelganger.

Cassandra recalled how shy the little ray of sunshine was when they first met and after getting comfortable, Lydia came right out of that shell.

It seemed that Lydia had grown more quick paced in socialising overtime and Cassandra was genuinely glad. Even if she did have to get used to the topics bouncing to a new one in frantic short spans. It was a delight to be around somebody so talkative after being stuck with Ewen as company for nearly three months.