Nothing But Dust In The Shadows

Cassie

Cassie sat at her desk in her room the next day, her pen slowly moving across the piece of paper as she carefully thought about what she was writing. She’d already crumpled up three drafts of the letter when she couldn’t quite find the words.

She sighed lightly when she read over her final letter before she folded it up and slid it inside the envelope, marking the outside with Alex’s name.

Getting up from her desk, she sat down on her bed with crossed legs, tapping the envelope against her left hand with her right. She placed it on the bed in front of her and pulled back her hair, tying it back into a scruffy ponytail before getting up and going to the bathroom. She wiped off all her make-up and changed into a pair of pyjamas.

It was half past eleven and the day had been so overwhelming she couldn’t stand to be awake another second although she could wait a lot longer for tomorrow to arrive.

As she wandered back into her bedroom from the en suite, there was a quiet knock on the door.

“Come in,” She called out after she’d slid Alex’s letter under her pillow out of sight and sitting on the bed.

The handle was pushed down and somebody stepped inside, coming into Cassie’s eye-line.

“Hey,” Jason smiled lightly at her.

She frowned slightly, “What’re you doing here?”

“I’ve come to speak to you about tomorrow,” He began, shoving his hands in his pockets.

She sighed in frustration, rubbing her heels of her palms into her eyes, “You’ve leaving it a bit late aren’t you?”

“Well if I came an hour before then you’d be a bit pissed,” He rolled his eyes slightly.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” She pulled up her right leg to her chest and rested her chin on her knee.

“I’ve only just finished talking to everyone to set it up,” He shrugged, “Uh... Can I sit down?” He gestured to the bed.

Cassie looked over at the space beside her before looking up at him, “Planning on spending the night?” She asked dryly.

“No, I just...” He sighed, “Never mind I’ll just stand up,” He rushed his hand through his hair.

She carefully slid over to the left corner of the bed so there was a large gap between her and the end of the bed. She gently nodded her head towards the space, hoping he’d understand that the gap was made to be left there. He sat on the right side of the bed, keeping a decent space between them.

“Thanks,” He whispered.

She nodded slightly, keeping her leg up to her chest and her head rested on her knee, “So what’s happening then?” She asked almost in a whisper.

“I’ve booked the registry office for three pm tomorrow. They said that they’re going to provide witnesses for us,” He began, “It’s going to be a simple ceremony. I’ll pick you up at two,”

“And your end of the deal?” She raised an eyebrow after a few seconds of silence.

“I’ll talk to your dad as soon as we’re done,” He ensured.

She shook her head, “No,” She stated simply, “If we’re going to do this then we’re going to do it my way. You talk to him before we go in. When you get here at two and take me in the car, in the hour we’re waiting you call up on speakerphone and you convince him to drop the charges. If he doesn’t then we don’t get married and if he does then everything will go as you’ve planned it, alright?”

He nodded and murmured, “Okay, whatever you want,” He fell silent for a second, “Do you have something to wear?”

“I have a white dress that isn’t my wedding dress,” She replied quietly, “I’ll just wear that,”

“Okay,”

After the room was quiet for a while, Cassie looked over at him, “Is that everything?”

Jason slowly got up from the bed, “Yeah,”

“I’ll see you tomorrow at two then,” She hinted that she wanted him to leave.

He wandered over to her and then got down on his knees in front of her so that he was just a little lower than her sitting height. She raised her eyebrows expectantly at him.

“I’ll buy you a new ring to replace the one you threw away, yeah? A bigger, better one,” He smiled, almost sadly.

Her face twitched into a brief frown when she noticed the new emotion on his face. It was guilt.

“I don’t need one,” She whispered.

“I’ll get you one anyway,” He shrugged slightly, reaching up and pushing a few strayed hairs back from her face.

She didn’t move a muscle. She just continued to stare at him.

“I like this blue streak you got done,” He complimented, tracing his finger across the blue streak that was going back into her ponytail. The colour had faded somewhat since it’d been originally dyed.

“Thanks,” She said almost inaudibly.

Very cautiously, he leaned in closer towards her lips waiting for her reaction. She did nothing but sit there. He gently pressed his lips to hers. She didn’t respond. He pulled away and she watched him get up to head for the door.

“Cassie,” He sighed slightly, turning back to face her as he placed his hand on the door handle, “You’re beautiful,”

She gazed at him for a second, “See you tomorrow Jason,”

He nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him.

She realised that he was testing the waters. He was trying to entice a reaction from her in either a good or a bad way. A smile, a rejection- something to let him know this wasn’t one sided.

Because when two people are in a relationship, it’s not fighting that means that there’re problems that can’t be solved. It’s when one person doesn’t care enough to fight back anymore when those problems are unsolvable.

The truth was that Cassie honestly didn’t care about Jason anymore. All she cared about was Alex.

And Jason was beginning to realise that too. He was just too pigheaded to accept that she wanted someone else other than him.

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Alex

At two pm the next day, Alex heard a knock on Jack’s front door.

“Dude, would you get that for me? I’m busy!” Jack called from the front room while Alex was in the kitchen.

Alex rolled his eyes and headed for the door, “Getting your ass kicked at Halo doesn’t count as ‘busy’,” He retorted as he passed the front room.

“I’m not getting my ass kicked!” He retaliated.

“Jack, you’re always getting your ass kicked,” Alex snorted as he pulled open the front door.

“Delivery,” A relatively butch looking man stood at the door with a clipboard.

He frowned, “We haven’t ordered anything,”

“It wasn’t ordered from this address but it was to be delivered here,” The man held out the clipboard and pen, “Just sign by the address please,”

Alex scrawled his signature in the box and handed it back to him. The man thanked him then went back to his truck, pulling out a long, thick black case and bringing it back to Alex.

“Thanks,” He smiled.

“No problem,” The delivery man wandered off and Alex lugged the case inside, closing the door behind him, “Jack, have you ordered something?” He asked as he walked into the front room and placed the box what he assumed was the right way up on the couch.

“Nope, why?” Jack responded, not taking his eyes off the screen.

“We’ve got a delivery. I thought it might’ve been yours,” He shrugged.

Jack paused his game, getting up from the floor and walking over to him, his eyes eyeing up the box inquisitively, “Let’s open it then and see what it is,”

They each unlocked one of the clasps from either side and Jack flipped up the one in the middle.

As they lifted the lid, Alex cursed, “Holy shit,”

“Whoa...” Jack breathed, “Now that is one nice guitar,”

Alex traced his fingers over the strings, “This is the guitar I saw in Florida when Cassie and I were there. Jack, this is three and a half grand’s worth of guitar,”

“Well fuck me sideways,” He let out a disbelieving sigh.

“What the hell is she doing buying me this?” Alex groaned.

“Oh, there’s a letter here,” Jack noticed an envelope stuck down the side of the case and grabbed it, handing it over to Alex.

He tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter.

Alex,

I hope this is the right colour. I know that you wanted it and don’t be having that internal argument with yourself about how you’re going to kill me for buying you this because once you’ve finished this letter you’re probably going to want to smash this up. I hope you don’t though.

I figured this was the best parting gift.

I’ve figured out how to fix this mess. By the time you read this, I’ll have already fixed it so you can’t stop me. You should get a call from the police telling you that the charges have been dropped at around 3pm.

The only problem is that the only way I could fix it was by promising something to someone else.

But if it means that you get to keep your life then I’ll sacrifice anything.

Jason made me an offer and I took it because I couldn’t stand that you were paying for my mistake.

Thank you for everything Alex.

I’m sorry,

Cassie

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Jack frowned in confusion as he read over Alex’s shoulder.

“I have absolutely no idea,” He responded bewilderedly.

“Is there anything on the back?”

Alex flipped it over.

P.S. I hope my life with Jason keeps me half as happy as I have been these past six weeks with you. But I know for a fact it won’t be because I never knew what the word even meant before I met you.

You can be my Willy Wonka anytime.

“Shit,” Alex’s mouth hung open slightly as he realised what that meant.

“What the fuck, man? Am I missing something? What has Willy Wonka got to do with anything?”

“Jack, dude,” He sighed, looking over at his friend, “That’s really not the most important issue right now,”

“Then explain to me what’s going on,” He raised his eyebrows.

“I don’t have time. I have to get to Cassie,” Alex closed the guitar case and shoved the letter back into the envelope before heading for the door.

“Alex, where are you going?”

“To find her,”

“Wait, Alex, wait!” Jack called after him.

“What?” He glanced back towards Jack.

“Can I have a go on this?” He asked with a sweet smile as he gestured to the guitar.

“Yeah but if you damage it I’ll kill you,” He threatened before walking out of the house and jumping into his car. He started up and revved the engine before speeding the ten minute journey over to Cassie’s house. He pulled up outside, jumped the gate (knowing for a fact that Robert wouldn’t willingly open the gate for him) and ran up to the house, hammering on the front door.

A second or two later, a woman who could’ve been mistaken for a fifty year old version of Cassie with a different nose pulled the door open.

A smile drifted across her face, “Can I help you?”

“Is Cassie here?” He asked, trying to be as polite as he could in his rushed state whilst trying to catch his breath.

“I’m sorry sweetie, she’s gone out, was it important?”

“What the hell are you doing here?!” Alex almost jumped at the sound of Robert’s booming voice.

“I need to see Cassie,” He stood his ground, staring Cassie’s dad dead in the eyes.

“Do you think I’d let you within a mile of her even if she was here?!” Robert growled, “Get off my property!”

“Not until you tell me where she is!” He spat back.

“Go to hell,” He snarled.

“Rob!” The Cassie-look-a-like exclaimed, “I’m Cassie’s mom- Susanne- Who’re you, son?”

“Alex Gaskarth,”

“This is the boy who kidnapped our daughter Susie!” Robert yelled.

A deep frown crossed Susanne’s features, “You?”

Alex rubbed his hands over his face in frustration, “I didn’t kidnap her! For God’s sake!”

“What happened to dropping the charges?” Susanne looked at her husband confusedly.

“I may have dropped the charges but if I’d have had my way then you would’ve been locked up for a good few years, my boy,” He growled.

“The charges have been dropped?” Alex felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders.

“Why did you drop the charges if you still think he did it?” Susanne was utterly mystified.

“Mrs. Reid, I promise you I didn’t kidnap your daughter. I would never do anything to hurt her, I really care about her,” Alex looked into the hazel eyes he’d seen before so many times with the most sincere look on his face.

“Jason refused to testify against him. No jury in the world, bribed or not, will convict him without Cassie’s testimony and only with circumstantial evidence. That lying snake said he’d keep up his end of the bargain,” Robert huffed, referring to Jason.

Alex scowled at him, “You’re in on this?! Your own daughter? Jesus Christ, I’ve heard of bad parenting in my time but this just takes the piss,” He scoffed.

“Watch your mouth,” Robert said warningly.

“Son, I think you better go,” Susanne looked at him hesitantly.

“Mrs. Reid, listen to me. Cassie and I, we really care about each other. I’m not going to say that we’re in love because we’re not but I can swear to you on my own life that I’ve never had such a connection with someone before. I need to get to her because if I don’t she’s going to make the biggest mistake of her life and I can’t let her throw her life away for my sake,” He looked at her pleadingly.

“Bullshit,” Robert denied.

“Look,” Alex grabbed the envelope from his pocket, “She gave me this letter. You know that that’s your daughter’s handwriting. Some of it won’t make sense but the important bits do,” He handed it over to her for Susanne to read and watched as her eyes scanned back and forth across the page, “There’s a bit on the back too,” He added when she reached the end.

She flipped it over and almost smiled at the words, “I’ve never seen her write with such meaning before,” She held her free hand to her chest.

“She’s going to marry Jason. That’s this deal she’s made to fix this insane mess. She doesn’t love him and he doesn’t love her. She’s a different person than she was when she left Maryland with me, Mrs. Reid. She’ll be making the biggest mistake unless I can get there and stop it. I’d rather go to trial on a false accusation and try to prove to a room full of people that what we have is genuine than know that I’m never going to be able to have her like he does. He doesn’t care about her, Mrs. Reid, not like I do,”

Susanne looked up into Alex’s honey coloured eyes, they were filled with so much emotion she couldn’t help but smile.

“That’s a load of crap. Jason loves Cassie,” Robert scoffed.

“Oh shut up Robert, you know as well as I do that he never loved her the way he should have. He was only ever after your money,” Susanne retorted, throwing the letter at him, “Read that. That right there is the beginning of something special. Put that in your courtroom and prosecute it,”

A small smile drifted across Alex’s face, “I just need to know where she is. Please,”

“Alex, I’d help you if I could but I honestly don’t know where she is. She doesn’t even know I’m back in town, honey,” She said apologetically.

Alex let out a despondent sigh and let his head roll back so he was looking up at the sky, “Shit,” He groaned, “Sorry,” He apologised to Susanne realising he’d cursed.

“It’s fine,” She sent him a small, sad smile.

There was silence for a second as Alex’s mind began to turn in thought, trying his hardest to come up with any idea as to where she could be.

“She’s in the registry office downtown,” Robert spoke up.

Susanne and Alex’s heads both snapped around to him.

“What?” He frowned.

“Jason and Cassie are getting married in the registry office downtown but you better get a move on because their ceremony is on at three,” Robert explained, handing the letter back to Alex.

He carefully took it and checked his watch- Two-fifty-five.

“Thanks Mr. Reid,” Alex smiled genuinely for the first time at him.

He nodded very professionally at him, “Good luck,”

“Hurry Alex,” Susanne ushered him away.

Alex nodded with a grateful smile at the both of them before beginning to jog towards the gate.

“Gaskarth,” Robert called.

Alex slid to a halt on the gravel path, “Yeah?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know she felt like that about you. I couldn’t see it,” Robert said. He knew from his daughter's words that what they'd been saying all this time was true. Their feelings for each other were real.

He shrugged back, “Don’t worry about it. I don’t know why she sees it either,” He chuckled before taking off for the gate again.

This time, it was opened for him.

He fumbled with his keys and started up the car, revving the engine again and driving off down the street.

He just hoped to God he wasn’t too late.

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'I Would've Married You In Vegas Had You Given Me The Chance To Say I Do'

All Time Low