Ronnie

5

Lars entered the bus with Kirk. Kirk had sunglasses on and walked right past Cliff, Cassie, and James without saying a word. Lars pressed his lips together and widened his eyes as he looked at the others, and followed Kirk.
Cassie had been on the bus for thirty minutes before the two others joined. Cliff got her calmed down while James sat there, not sure of what to do.
"I think I'll just get a bus ride back to San Fran when we get to Long Beach. It's not right for me to be here anymore."
Cliff glared down at her, "No the fuck you're not."
Cassie was shocked at Cliff's response.
Cliff was just as shocked that he said it.
Cassie understood that her and Cliff were close. But, she didn't expect him to be so abrupt.
For the first time Cliff was scared of not being able to be with Cassie. He had grown so used to her presence. Even though at times she would bother him, he enjoyed her company. In his head it never occurred to him that she would be leaving if her and Kirk broke up. He wasn't sure why that didn't click.
"Cas, you mean just as much to us as Kirk does. You're one of us. Just because he was a shitty boyfriend and you broke up doesn't mean you have to leave.
I won't let you," he said with a huff and slight smirk. He crossed his arms and continued to glare at the girl.
She looked around his lanky body towards James. She lifted her eyebrows, as if asking James for an answer.
"He has a point. You're one of us. You shouldn't have to leave. It'll be awkward though, as long as you're okay with that?"
She waited a minute before responding. She didn't think this would happen.
"Yeah, I guess I'll stay," she whispered.
Although he refused to show it, excitement surged through Cliff's body. All he could do was lean his head back against the window and smile down on Cassie.
"I knew you would."

They arrived in Long Beach in the afternoon, they had this day to do what they pleased.
Usually, Cassie would follow Kirk around and ask what he wanted to do. But not now.
As soon as the bus stopped Kirk practically ran off of the bus, making sure not to make eye contact with the group sitting in the front of the bus.
Lars started to follow but James grabbed his arm.
"What's your deal?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're followin' him like a lost puppy. Does he have your balls or something."
"No, stop being a dumb ass. Y'all were all grouped up here, and he didn't wanna be around any of you."
"What the fuck did we do!?"
"I don' know. Ask him."
Cliff rolled his eyes as Lars turned away.
"Let's go."
Cassie, Kirk, and someone else were supposed to be sharing a room in the hotel. Now that they weren't together she wasn't sure who she would be rooming with.
"Cliff?"
"Yeah?"
"Who are you gonna room with?"
"I'm gonna room with the guys. I'll make Kirk sleep on the floor. James and Lars will probably stay in the same bed. They don't have a problem with that. You should have a room to yourself. Since you're a girl."
"Oh, okay."
Cassie settled into her empty room. She enjoyed being alone after all of this time being near people. She still wasn't as sad as she expected herself to be. A part of her always felt like Kirk wasn't actually her boyfriend. He was just there when she needed someone to hook up with.
She stayed in her room all day watching TV, until there was a knock at the door.
"We're gonna go bar hunting. Wanna come?" James asked.
"Oh, sure."
Everyone else was already in the random car. Cassie sat in between James and Cliff.
"I thought you were a shotgun kinda guy?" she asked Cliff.
"Yeah, well, I thought you wouldn't want fuck-stick up there to sit next to you back here."
Cassie chuckled a bit as Kirk gave out a sigh.
"Thanks, I guess."
"Mhm."
Lars whipped the car into the parking lot of the first bar they saw.
Quickly, Lars hopped out of the car and ran towards the door. "Come on fuckers."
They spent hours drinking. Lars chatted with the bartender, while James sat by himself and chugged beers. Kirk circled between talking to some stranger and sitting with Lars. And as usual, Cassie was with Cliff.
She was wasted, not even able to sit completely straight. Cliff thought that a sober Cassie was bad, but when she was drunk she talked at one hundred words per minute and never stopped to take a breath.
He couldn't help but smile at her. She was something else. Something special. He couldn't wrap his head around Kirk. How could he have let this gem of a girl go? It was unbelievable.
"C-Cliff?"
"What?"
"I'm tired, I'm, I'm ready to go home."
"Alright, Cas. I'll get you home," he said with a smile.
He waved James over, he couldn't walk straight.
"You good man?"
"Yeah. You need something?"
"Get Lars away from that fuckin' bartender. We need to get back to the hotel."
"Okay."
James stumbled over to Lars and tapped him on the shoulder. The smile on his face drifted as he looked at James. It looked to Cliff like the two were about to start arguing. He noticed that Kirk looked over at Cassie. Kirk stopped talking to the stranger and went to Lars. Kirk said something to him. Lars sat there for a moment before walking out.
"Let's go Cas." He grabbed Cassie by the waist as she held onto his shoulder.
"I'm driving Lars," he demanded.
"I'm already sitting here, I'm driving."
"The fuck you are. Move."
"No, I'm f-"
James interrupted the pair. "Come on man, just move. You're not sober enough to drive."
Lars said something under his breath and got in the back.
Cliff placed Cassie in the passenger seat and drove off.
Cliff carried Cassie to her room, she had fallen asleep; he didn't want to disturb her.
He couldn't manage to open the door while holding her.
"Cassie, wake up," he whispered into her ear.
The smoothness of his voice gently woke her up.
"I need you to stand up for a second," he whispered again.
She nodded her head, and he placed her on the ground, still holding her waist.
"Okay, let's go." He held her hand till she made it to a bed.
"Have a goodnight Cas. If you need anything wake us up."
Cassie stopped him before he could get out of the door.
"Wait, Cliff. Can you stay, please? You can sleep on the other bed."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Please?"
"I'll stay Cassie. Just go to sleep."
A soft smile grew on her face, and she faded off to sleep.
Cliff kicked off his shoes and crawled into the bed next to her.
He watched as her chest moved slowly. He had always thought Cassie was beautiful, but something clicked this time. His heart started to beat fast, and he couldn't breathe properly. Am I having a panic attack? No, he thought to himself. No way, why would I be? He looked back to the sleeping girl. His heart started to beat faster.
"What the fuck," he whispered to himself.