After All These Years

Cassandra woke up excited. “Two more days!” she screamed voice still raspy from just waking up. “Cassandra? Are you okay in there?” Mark asked. “Oh, yeah I’m just great!” she said getting up to take a shower. “Did I mention that I love you!” she screamed through the door. “No, you didn’t but I could get used to it,” he smiled. “Oh uh, can I come in?” he asked. “Of course bestie. “

She walked into Mark’s bathroom to shower. After showering and fixing her make-up, she went into the kitchen. “Mark, I’m cooking breakfast. Want some?” she yelled. “Yes ma’am! Do you need any help?” he asked from the living room. “No thank you. I don’t need burnt food. Stick to your video games.” She laughed. “Ha-ha very funny,” sarcasm clear in his voice.

Cassandra walked to the fridge to get eggs, milk, and bacon. She walked over to the cupboard and got the pancake mix. Once she finished cooking, she got out the cool whip and put it on the pancakes
to add the finishing touches. “Mark! The delicious food is ready!” She got the syrup and everything they needed. “Smells bomb!” Mark said walking into the kitchen . “I know. I cooked it.”

“So, is it good?” she asked him. “It’s disgusting!” he said taking another bite out of the pancake. “Oh shut it.” She laughed. Do you have work today?” Mark asked. “Sadly, yes,” she pouted. “I have work today too. I get out at 8. I need to get going soon.” He said. “Yeah, me too. Can you drop me off? I don’t feel like driving today.” She said. “Lazy much? Yeah I’ll pick you up too. What time is it?” Cassandra looked at her cell phone. “Ten o’clock,”

“Awe crap! We have to go! I gotta get to work by ten-thirty.” He got up and got his car keys. Cassandra grabbed her bag, and walked to the door to meet Mark in the car.

“Johnny, I’m here.” She said to her boss. “’Wow, you’re early for once in your life.” He laughed. “I know. I got dropped off.” She said to the middle aged man in front of her. “So how’s Jay? Still rebelling?” Cassandra asked. “Yes, still a pain in the neck. What is it with teens nowadays? Hormones acting crazier than ever.” Johnny whined. “He’s only 12 he’ll get even worse. “

“He has a crush on you, always talking about you and how he wants to come to work and see you.” Johnny said. “Awe, that’s cute. Ha ha, I do miss that little boy.” She smiled. “Is there ever anything to do in the store? We need some customers!” she was bored out of her mind. The music store wasn’t so popular, but it gave good pay, and Johnny was a cool boss.

“Oh, there goes a customer,” Johnny said. Cassandra looked to the door to see this buff guy with black hair sticking all over the place. He had sun glasses on and was wearing a loosed fitting jacket with a v-neck showing a little bit of the tattoos on his chest. He had on some loose jeans and nike’s. He looked like he was hiding, trying not to be noticed. He walked quickly to the register where Cassandra was standing.

“Hey do you have guitar strings here?” he asked with a velvety deep voice. “Uh, yeah. They’re in the corner of the store.” She said lost in her thoughts. His voice sounded so familiar, like she heard it somewhere before, but she didn’t know where from. She looked up, and he staring at her. “Do you need help with anything else?” she asked. “Uh, yes. Can you go get them for me?” he asked. “Sure, are you going to follow me?” she asked. He nodded and followed her silently.

He saw the strings and went to go reach for them. He reached for them with his left hand. Cassandra saw a very familiar tattoo on his knuckles. They were letters ‘B O R O’ . Then she looked at his right hand, and it had the letters ‘M A R L’. To Cassandra it felt like the world stopped. She dropped all the things she was holding and gasped. The man looked at her questioningly. “Y-your…your…S-s-synyster Gates.” She stuttered quietly. “Shit, I got caught.” He said. Cassandra nearly fainted. She regained her composure.

“Please don’t say anything.” He begged. “Oh course not! I wouldn’t want all these annoying fans coming in here and going crazy and being loud,” she said. He just scoffed. “And you’re not one of those annoying fans?” he asked. She looked at him seriously. “Does it look like I’m one of those groupies?!” she asked. “Um, I don’t know?” he said. “No. I’m not, but I am a fan. I’m actually going to your concert in two days.” She said grinning. “Oh really?” he asked.

“Yup. `cause I’m just tight like that.” She laughed. “Well, then you should come hang out with me and the band.” He suggested. “Sorry, I can’t leave my friend by himself, and how am I going to go home?” she said. “You’re really denying a backstage pass just to stay with your friend?” he asked shocked. “And how am I gonna go home?” she said again. “Okay, how about you bring your friend with you?” he asked. Cassandra didn’t even know what she was feeling at that moment.

Was it excitement? Happiness, astonishment? All of them put together. She felt like exploding with laughter, but she didn’t want to cause a commotion, so she just smiled and nodded. She tried to keep herself away from hugging him so she didn’t seem like a freak. She couldn’t help herself so she jumped on him and they almost fell to the floor. “Thank you so much!” she screamed holding him tightly. He just laughed and said no problem. “Okay, so I guess I can be one of those really annoying fan people,” they both laughed. “So anyways. Do you want me to ring you up so you can go back to tuning your guitar or what not?” she asked.

“Oh uh, yeah. Sure, thank you.” He said. “Thank YOU!” she laughed. “I’m gonna be searching the crowd for you.” He said. “I’ll be in the front, or in a mosh pit..or, I’ll be the one screaming ‘I want Avenged Sevenfold in my PANTS!’” she said. “Oh really? You’re a mosher huh?” he asked curious. “Heck yeah baby!” she laughed. There was a beep, he checked his phone. “Oh, uh. I gotta jet, they’re getting mad we have practice. Oh I never asked for your name. What’s your name?” he asked. “Cassandra. Tell the fellows I say ‘Hello there pretty thang”’ they both laughed. “Brian.” He held out his hand and she shook it.

*

“OH MY GOSH MARK! THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING HAPPENED TO ME TODAY!” Cassandra screamed once she got into the car. Mark looked puzzled. “Explain to me please,” he said smiling. She explained everything to him, and he almost died.