A Promise Kept

Chapter 2 - The Boys

"Hi I'm Cassandra," I say quickly, "but everyone calls me Cass," I don't know why I added that last part. No one calls me Cass beside my dad and....my mom.

He looks at me with surprise. He takes in what I am wearing and smiles. I blush. "Hi Cass I'm Ian and its nice to meet you would you like to walk around the grounds?"

Trying to keep things friendly and light, "You mean castle right?" I giggle, "at least that's what it looks like to me."

His smile turns into a chuckle and it brightens his face. He turns to walk out the door and I go to follow not looking around me and run into someone. As I fall there are strong lean arms around my waist to catch me. When I follow the arms up to the shoulders and higher to his face I see the eyes that followed me as I entered the Headmaster's office earlier.

"Hi Seth," I say breathlessly.

He smiles and says, "Hi Cassandra."

He sits me back on my own two feet and looks over my shoulder to see whom I am with when he sees Ian his smile falters. When his gaze returns to me he is still smiling but it doesn't reach his eyes instead there is a look of confusion. I look towards Ian and he is still looking sternly at Seth. It was then that I realized he still had his arm wrapped around me.

"Ian what about that walk around the grounds you promised," trying to draw attention from each other and to me. I turn back to Seth blocking Ian from his view as much as possible, "Will you join us?" I ask the plea evident in my voice. He still has one hand on my arm and looks over my head having a silent conversation with Ian. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly trying to let some of the nerves, which had been building up since my fall, go. Their silent conversation has wrapped up. They both seem relaxed at least a little bit.

I look between them, "Now can we please go outside to start the tour?" They nod in agreement.

We walk out to the courtyard, where it looks like other students are taking a break. Ian and Seth walk over to two boys and I follow behind them, kind of hidden there.

Ian walks up behind one of them and slaps him on the back, "Hey how's it going?"

"Hey! What not babysitting today?," The other guy chuckles.

That's when Ian and Seth look side to side and don't see me. I have a smirk on my face when they turn to look behind them. As they do they make a gap between them. The other two finally see me through the gap. They take a step forward in a defensive, like they have to protect Seth and Ian. At the same time their hands go to their waists like they are grabbing for something but there is nothing there. I take a step back in shock. Ian and Seth still looking at me notice my reaction and turn to face the other guys.

I need to calm down so I can figure this out. I take a deep breath like I did earlier, a slow deep breath in and a long breath out. That didn't make everything focus so I tired a different way. I shut my eyes and think of my favorite place and picture myself there now.

I am under a tree at my Uncle's ranch soaking up the sunlight that comes through the leaves. The more I picture myself at this spot the more I relax. I slowly open my eyes and notice the guys look less tense but are now shocked.

I wiggle my fingers in a wave, "Hello," slips out.

Now that Ian and Seth have moved and aren't blocking my view I see the two boys they were talking to. They are different but the same.

"Hey y'all are twins," I say before I can stop myself.

They seem confused but why? "what did I say something wrong?"

Ian and Seth coming back to their sense quicker than the others just chuckle and shake their heads, still speechless. Maybe they are mad I said something, "Please tell me something. I didn't mean to offend anybody."

The guys turn serious, the twins nod in unison, Ian quickly speaks up after that.

"Yes they are twins not many pick up on it though. They are fraternal twins and only look a like if you know them."

He shoots a look at the boys then at Seth and sighs, "better question is how did you see that. You looked at them for just a few seconds."

I think about my answer because if I tell them the truth, that I see a connection between the two of them, they will think I am crazy and want nothing to do with me. So, "I don't know but you. Could you tell when you first met ....?" I asked trying to shrug it off. But I realize I don't know the twins names.

"Sorry I didn't catch your names. I'm Cassandra."

The guys seeming to have come back to their sense completely clear their throats. Still no answer from the twins.

I turn to Ian and Seth, "Do they talk to girls, at all?" they just bust out laughing.

"Ya normally. But I guess today is special since they don't meet a beautiful girl like you everyday."

I look at him disbelieving his words and then take a look around the courtyard. There are only two other girls that I can see. And both of them are stunning. So I am a little confused until I look back at him and see the gleam in his eyes, he is serious!

I notice my mouth is hanging wide out from staring and pop it shut. I blush, he turns to the other guys when he sees trying to give me a little privacy to pull myself back together. I see Seth and the twins shoot Ian a look as my gaze falls to the ground.

Ian looks toward the twins and then jerks his head in my direction. The twins look abashed when they see the look directed at them. when they turn toward me there is an easy smile on both of their faces.

"Hi I'm Ryan," the one with Sandy blonde hair, vivid blue eyes and a strong dimpled chin shines through when his smile turns up a notch or two.

"Hi ya. I'm Rhys," the other twin says and I look into his stunning green eyes and notice is adorably crooked nose and ash blonde hair. His lips turned into a smirk.

I wiggle my fingers to say a silent hello.

Seth steps up as my rescuer, "she just started this morning. I was sent to pick her up."

A look steals over Ian's face for a second. I cant identify it before its gone, "the Headmaster asked if I would show her around..."

I see where this is going and I cut in, "and I don't see why the twins can't join us as well." I say, hoping Ian and Seth will let them. I see the twins faces brighten at the possibility.

I take a calming break bracing myself for a negative response. But it doesn't come the boys look relaxed and nod their agreement.

A sigh escapes my lips and I smile writing the tension off as first day nerves. But I have a nagging feeling that I need to talk to the Headmaster before the day is out.

Then a thought occurs to me maybe I could just ask them?