Tickets
The burnt-orange sky illuminated the metallic wrapping paper that covered the gift Tate had under his arms. Cassie raised an eyebrow; he already knew she was waiting for an explanation.
"This is for you," he said with the most innocent smile she'd ever seen on him. He handed the present to Cassie and she took it with both hands.
"Why?" She asked.
"Thought your place needed a bit of color."
Cassie was still puzzled by the nice gesture; but after all, it was Tate, and the first thing she learnt about him was to expect the unexpected. The lampposts were on although the night had not yet fallen; the light eclipsed the curves of his body and brightened him with a golden glow.
"Well this interesting..." she said excited, opening the gift and taking out the object out of the box.
She smiled. Cassie could not believe that Tate remembered what her favorite painting was. She slid her finger through the glass; the photograph of the painting was surrounded by a black frame. Tate had his arms crossed on his chest, a satisfactory smile rested on his lips.
"Do you like it?" He acted as if he was relaxed and carefree about Cassie's opinions but she noticed he was tapping his feet nervously on the ground.
"I...I..." The air seemed to snatch Cassie's words out of her mouth; she didn't know how to respond. Tate, like the gentleman he was, finished the sentence for her.
"Of course I do, Tate!" he said satirically, in a high pitched voice while covering his mouth with one hand.
"That voice impression though..." Cassie teased while laughing.
"Music to your ears."
"Come in," Cassie said while opening the door. Tate followed her inside the building. They stood in silence for a few seconds, waiting for the elevator. "So...this is why it took you so long to come back?"
"Affirmative."
The elevator finally arrived and they got in. The building where Cassie lived was so very old. The elevator was only a small wooden box with a mirror on one of the walls. Cassie tried to ignore the fact that he was close enough for her to see the pulse pounding in his neck. Tate however, made mention of it.
"It wouldn't be so bad if the elevator got stuck for some reason right now," he whispered, the implication sensuously obvious as he lightly brushed her shoulder with the back of his hand.
Cassie's pale face turned red as she pushed the button for the seventh floor.
"Remember when I told you I liked it when you frowned? Scratch that...blushing becomes you."
"Shhh," Cassie hissed to silence him while covering her embarrassment with the painting.
Tate laughed and added, "Blood is rushing to her face like lava from a volcano...omg her face is as red as a ripe tomato."
Cassie couldn't help but laugh and tease back, "How do you even come up with lame comments like that?"
"I'm a poet, didn't you know?"
"There is nothing poetic about comparing my face to tomatoes."
"But then again, there is something poetic about you."
That backhanded compliment brought on another flush of blushing in Cassie's face.
"Alright...I'll bite...what is it?"
Tate knew exactly what got to him about her. It was the way she moved, the way she expressed her individuality, the way she laughed because she didn't do it very often but when she did...but how could he be sure. Was everything she did just that beautiful and charismatic or because he was obviously falling for her, did everything she did just appear that way? Not about to give Cassie the satisfaction of his confusion, he shrugged and said, "Can't place my finger on it."
Cassie stared at him, a bit bewildered. Just when she wanted to reply, the elevator reached its destination: the seventh floor. Cassie opened the apartment door and they both entered.
"Where are you going to put the painting?"
Tate paced around the living room looking over the walls to find just the right spot to hang it.
"I don't know, maybe...my room?" she replied. After a few seconds Tate turned around and sat on the floor, like he always did, then said, "I need to talk to you."
"What about?" Cassie felt shivers down her spine, that phrase always means something bad is coming and Tate had changed his face completely, he was completely serious now.
"Two...yeah two things."
"Is one good and one bad?"
"One is definitely bad, the other is a question."
"Let's get the bad out of the way first."
"It has to do with Mac...I told him everything."
Cassie's heart dropped as well as her jaw, "Everything?" She asked incredulous.
"Everything. He seemed really understanding."
"Oh," Cassie frowned, not really understanding and continued, "but that's good, isn't it?"
"Mac also told me that someone else told him about all about me...the real me, I mean."
"Who...who could possibly know about you and also know Mac?"
"He's afraid that someone will kill him if he tells us who it is."
Cassie sighed, frustrated. "Are you serious?"
"He is afraid for his life and I don't blame him." Tate looked down, he stared at his hands because it was his fault that his friend was in danger.
"So what do we do now?"
After a long silence Tate replied, "We've got to find out who told Mac."
"Why?"
"Because... because..."
"Look, they're not going to hurt us, so we should just stay out of it..."
"I want to know-" He shook his head and looked at Cassie "I need to know who threatened my friend."
Cassie opened her mouth, and then closed it again, still thinking about what he said. She took a deep breath and commented, "If you want your friend to stay safe, then tell him the only thing he has to do is keep his mouth shut and he won't have anything to worry about."
"You don't understand...anyway, aren't you just a little curious? We should know who this person is!" Cassie glared back in silence; Tate knew he was right so he continued. "Why would he tell Mac about me? What does he gain?"
"Tate I...I... don't you have enough to deal with right now? I don't want you to get into trouble."
"But I am trouble-trouble for anyone who gets involved with me."
Cassie looked at him and shook her head, he was never going to change his mind and arguing with him wouldn't solve anything.
"While I'm alive no friend of mine will have to live in fear because of who I really am."
Cassie looked Tate up and down, and then sat on the floor next to him, laying her head on his shoulder. She sighed and Tate looked at her, Cassie had her eyes closed. He understood she was just trying to protect him, but he had to do something about Mac being in danger.
A soft voice interrupted his thoughts, "And what was the question?"
The change of subject disconcerted him; he tried to remember what he had to ask Cassie while she turned around and locked eyes with him. "Look...we have the S.U.N Festival in just a few days..."
"Yes..."
"The festival will be in New Zoldova, there are few interviews and lots we have to do there. The thing is, New Zoldova is four hours from here, so we rented a hotel. My question is..." he pretended to cough, "do you...do you want to come?"
"To the hotel...with you...stay with you in a hotel room?" Cassie questioned wide eyed.
"Yes... well Chester, Mac and Lip are going to be there too."
Cassie's face turned another shade of blush red as she imagined in a brief hot moment some of the things that might happen there; suddenly she smiled, thinking that maybe a few days away from the city was what she needed to relax. Yeah, New Zoldova sounded like a good move...a small and quiet town by day known for their large parks and green rolling hills where outdoor music festivals filled the night with lights and loud music.
"That could work." Cassie could see herself walking with Tate, holding hands under the summer sun and everything would seem right with the crazy world they inhabited...they might actually just be a normal couple for a few days.
Beaming with excitement, she asked, "When are you going?"
Tate had never seen her so happy about anything. Her eyes sparkled and a wide smile was broadcasting joy on her rosy lips.
"In two days, so we'll have some off time before the festival starts," he answered.
"Wait, let me check my agenda." Cassie pretended to take out something out of her pocket and look at it.
"So...I hope you can fit us into your busy schedule."
"Well, well...you are lucky, Mister Hayes, it just so happens I'm free then."
Tate pretended to wipe sweat from his forehead and gasped, "Well, we are honored that your royal highness will adjust her busy schedule and be attending our concert!" he replied sarcastically.
"Hey now...royalty has to read lots of books and watch lots of TV and go to ballet classes. And, just what are the demands on your time?"
"I practice with the band, see my friends, and now that it's summer I don't have to study for school, but it seems I'm always working on learning about something."
"You don't seem like the type of guy who would have to study at all. Don't you already know everything there is to know?" she teased.
"Tate Ryder Hayes-breaking stereotypes since the beginning of time," and after a few seconds he added, "anyway, this is really important to me...glad you can come."
"Looking forward to it," she smiled.
"So...do you have any plans today?"
Cassie shook her head no. Not even for a split of a second Petra crossed her mind.
"Then, let's do something!" Tate got up and stretched his hand to help Cassie get up but she did so by herself.
"Something like?..."
Tate placed his fingers on his chin, "Well...there's a new karaoke bar next to The Blue Bones..."
"Oh, hell no...no, no, no, I'm not singing."
"Whyyyy?" Tate pouted like a little kid. He had waited a long time before asking Cassie to share a karaoke experience with him. He always wanted to go but his friends never would.
"Windows will shatter if I ever start singing."
"I'm sure it's not that bad...please?" he said, placed his palms over his ears, then putting them together in a pleading fashion. Cassie laughed, amused by seeing Tate so desperate to do something with her.
"Okay, but don't blame me if you end up with your eardrums shredded."
"Never."
➳
The theater emptied quickly. The ballet had finished and he still had the two tickets in his hand. Cassie didn't come; Pete imagined scenarios explaining why she hadn't been there: maybe she got lost, maybe she couldn't find the theater, or maybe something happened when she was on the way...maybe, maybe, maybe....
Pete hoped she hadn't forgotten about him, no...Cassie is perfect and she would just blow off something important...something so important like plans to spend time with a friend. It wasn't her fault then, it couldn't be. It had to be Tate's fault.
A cold breeze coming from the ocean wrapped around him like a bear hug from an old friend. Pete was convinced Tate made plans with her and forced Cassie to stay with him. Yes. It was Tate. Because of him now Pete was about to be alone as the crowd emptied out of the theater. There he sat, on the curb where the sign's bright lights were announcing the ballet performance that took place without Cassie being there to share it with him.
A dark shadow of loneliness was strangling him as he he pulled Cassie's ticket out of his pocket and held it longingly in front of him, regret quickly turning to anger.
Where was Cassie...and why wasn't she with him.