(Cassidy's POV)
"Everybody thinks you're in kahoots with that doll now," Selena says, bringing dishes into the back. "I'm still finding it hard to believe."
I sigh and wipe down the cabinet. "It's not possible, that's why," I tell her. "They've been on my case ever since I got him. Why can't they just let me live my life? I'm still here, aren't I? Don't you think that if Charles wanted to kill me, he would have done it by now?"
"Who's Charles?"
I look at her confused. "What?"
"You said Charles. Who's that?"
"Oh, I mean Chucky." I'm hoping that that'll just blow over her head, and that she won't go home and do research about the name Charles and the Good Guy doll.
"Ha, oh ok. I can see how you'd get the two mixed up." Selena laughs and a bell is heard from farther back in the kitchen.
"Order up!" The chef yells.
"I guess that's our cue," I tell her. We both go to get the trays to serve to the customers. "My shift's almost over."
"We can talk more later."
I stop and look at her before grabbing the two, steaming, hot trays loaded with all kinds of delicious seafood. "Is there really anything else to talk about?" I take the tray out visit the booth farthest to the back wall. It's a guy in a green coat with brown shaggy hair.
"Here you go sir," I tell him, politely pushing all of his food onto the table. "Please do enjoy, and if you need anything, I'll be over as soon as I can."
"Well, another batch of those cheesy biscuits would be nice," he laughs.
"Certainly." I smile at him, and he smiles back, not paying attention and knocking over a glass.
"Oh Jeez, I'm such a klutz." He starts grabbing napkins.
"No, no. It's ok, I'll get it."
"Thanks so much. How much for another one?"
These are typically around $6.75, buuutt... "It's on me. I'll bring you another."
"Really? Thanks a lot!" He smiles at me again.
"It's no big deal, really..." I look down.
"Oh, you're the greatest uh...." He scavenges my chest and I'm assuming he's looking for my name tag.
"It's Cassidy."
"Well then, Cassidy, you're the greatest!" I giggle a lit. "I'm Andy."
"Nice to meet you, Andy. Now I have to go do my job before I get fired. I-i'll bring your stuff in a minute."
As I leave, I think about what just happened, and tell Selena about it. "I think that customer out there was flirting with me," I tell her, laughing a little.
"You're a pretty girl, Cass! Guys are gonna wanna talk to you! Happens to me all the time till I tell them I'm taken by the most wonderful girl in the whole world," Selena explains. "Then you can imagine how that goes. Men are such pigs."
"How are you and Olivia, anyway?" I ask, since we're on the subject.
"Pretty good! Actually, we've got a date after my shift tonight. But anyways, did you get the guy's name?"
"Yeah, I did actually."
"Well, what is it?"
"It's An-" It just hit me. Andy. I doubt very seriously that this is a coincidence.
"His name is An?" Selena cuts into my thought.
"N-no it's Andy."
"Oh, that's a cute name."
"I gotta go." As soon as I hear the bell ring, I grab his tray and head out. I need to find out more to be sure. "Here you go, Mr. Andy," I tell him, trying to play on the same vibe I had before I realized who he might be.
"Thank you very much!" He replies. "But I actually need to leave. I have something important to work on. Is there any way I can pack it up and pay now?"
"Of course there is. How will you be paying?"
"My card. Doesn't matter if you do debit or credit."
I take the card and head to the register. I use credit so I can know his actual name. Right across the screen, after the transaction is done, "Andy Barclay". Holy shit, I really need to leave.
I bring him his card back with some containers to put his food in. "I wish I didn't have to run like this, but it's really important," he tells me. He looks at my hair. "By the way, I like what you have going on with your hair. It's a nice color on you. Reminds me of something from my childhood. He gets up and slips me a ten dollar bill, folded.
"Haha, thank you so much, Andy," I tell him.
"Maybe we could hang sometimes when both of us aren't busy." He winks at me before leaving. I notice a piece of paper sticking out. It's a number. Oh god, I really need to get home.
🔪
As soon as I get back home, I first put the food they let me bring home on the table. Then I dart around the house looking for Chucky. Finally, I find him laying on the floor in my room.
"Chucky!" I yell, running to him.
"Whoah, whoah! What's the problem, Princess?" He asks, sitting up.
"I saw him. At work tonight. I know It was him."
"You saw who?"
"Andy."
He raises an eyebrow at me. "Really? Are you sure it was him?"
"His name was Andy Barclay, and he told me my hair reminded him of something from his childhood. I'm about 99% sure he was referring to you."
"Shit. He's closer than I thought he would be. Did he say anything about me other than that?"
"No, but he gave me his number for he left and said maybe we could hang out sometimes. He said he had something important to do tonight."
Chucky sighs and puts his hand over his forehead. "Ok, well... I should be safe for now. He's probably still expecting me to be in the doll, which I'm not. So the chances of him actually finding me are rare."
"What do you want me to do? I'm pretty sure he was serious. I mean, he was flirting with me."
"Goddamnit, Princess! Stop being so fucking great! You're making all these guys want you!"
"Sorry."
"They can't have you."
"And whys that?" I give him the same look I gave Tico last night before I led him into a soul snatching trap. The only difference is that this won't end in soul snatching.
"Because you're mine. Only mine. And anybody who thinks otherwise is fucking dead." He stands up, and I stand with him.
I sinisterly smile at him. "So romantic." Before I know it, he backs me into a wall.
"Anything for my Princess." Just as he leans in to kiss me, somebody's knocking on the door. We both sigh. "Who the fuck is here at 2am?"
"I don't know. I gotta go get that."
When I open the door, I find Danny, standing there with the dumbest look on his face. "Umm...?" I question him. "Yes, Danny?"
"Can we talk for a moment?" He asks.
"Sure, come in." I let him in and we sit on the couch.
"Cass, I know that everything that's been going on has been a lot to handle, and I know that... Chucky is probably doing things to you." Not yet he isn't. All of you keep fucking interrupting every time he gets close. "But... I want you to know that I'm here for you anyway. We're best buddies, remember?"
"Yeah, thanks, Danny."
"Now I wanna ask you something, because there's been a rumor, and I'm not sure how it got out. But um... are you seeing Tico again?"
How could anyone possibly know that? We haven't even left the house together yet, unless someone saw the actual Tico come in here the other night before Chucky took over his body. I have a feeling that I'm being watched a little harder than I thought. No, I'm not seeing Tico. I'm just seeing his body. But I can't tell Danny that, so I'll just have to say yes.
"I am," I tell him.
"Why? Tico is a fuckboi! He doesn't deserve you!"
"No, Danny. He's changed a lot. Trust me on this." I can't help but laugh a little.
"I just don't wanna see you..." He looks down at my leg. "Get hurt again."
"I won't, Danny, but thanks for caring."
"No prob. I only have you now. I lost my other best friend, so I wanna make sure I don't lose you too."
"I couldn't believe it when I heard about it. Ryan was so innocent and smart. He was great, and then he was gone. Just like that."
"It's tragic. But it's the world." Danny gets up. "Well, that's all I wanted to say. One more thing, though."
"What?"
"If you're gonna start messing around with Tico again, use protection this time, please." He throws a box of condoms at me.
"Hahaha, very funny, Danny!" I look at the box as Danny let's himself out. Really, Danny? I take it with me back upstairs.
"Who was it?" Chucky asks.
"Danny," I tell him, sitting on the bed next to him.
"What's that?"
"A box of condoms that he threw at me."
"He knows what's up." Chucky laughs, the same way he always does.
"He actually does. He asked me if I was back with Tico. How would anyone know that if they weren't watching when Tico came in here?" I grab my pj's off the bed and start changing.
"Whoah! Give me a warning next time so I have a chance to get out first!"
"You don't have to if you don't want to."
(Chucky's POV)
"Seriously?" I ask her. She nods and proceeds to changing. I suppose it's official now. There's not really much she doesn't let me do anymore, and that's how I know I've gotten through to her.
"I guess I know why I ended up with a kid named Andy. I'm starting to feel Woody over here," I tell her, pulling at my pants. "Wanna help me get rid of it?"
After she's done changing, she looks at me. "Yeah, I'll help," she says, leaning over me. I'm expecting her to go down, but instead she just kisses me on the cheek. "Some other night."
"Aw, what? Come on, Princess, you're killing me!"
"You'll be fine. Good night, daddy." She rolls over with her back to me and gets under the covers.
"That just makes it even worse!" I go to lay on the beanbag.
"You know you can sleep with me, if you want."
"You don't have to fucking tell me twice!" At last, I get to sleep in the bed. Pretty soon, there won't be a thing that she won't let me do.