Admiring From Afar

“We need to talk,” her father said.

“What is there to talk about?” Cassandra asked her parents nervously.

“Please sit down, honey,” her mother told her.

Cassandra slowly sat down on the couch. She hoped that they weren’t calling off the wedding… she and Zack had finally gotten together and she was the happiest she had been in long time.

“Look, I know that life hasn’t been so easy right now with the arranged marriage and all but it has made us realize some things,” her father started, “your mother and I have agreed that it is best for us to—

“Don’t call off the wedding!” Cassandra yelled at her parents.

Her mother and father just looked at her with their eyes wide open.

“What?” her mother asked her.

“I really am looking forward to this wedding now. I know that in the beginning I wasn’t that happy with it but that was because I was with Jack and I thought that we were perfect for each other, but now I realize that we didn’t really get along and that we didn’t want the same things and now I have Zack! I just had the best date of my life and it’s all thanks to him. I really like him a lot and I don’t want us to be suddenly ripped apart when we only just started to date. So please mom and dad, please don’t call off the wedding,” Cassandra explained to her parents.

“Honey, that’s very nice to know, and we’re glad that you and Zack are getting along but that has nothing to do with what we wanted to tell you,” her mother told her quietly.

“Oh, really?” Cassandra asked her mom.

“What we wanted to tell you was that your mom and I think it would be best for everyone if we got a divorce,” her father explained to her.

“Oh,” Cassandra said quietly. She knew that sooner or later she would be hearing this…her mother had been cheating on her father for about a year.

“It’s just that your father and I have recently discovered that we both want different things right now,” her mother told her.

“Yeah, like how he actually wants a family and how you’re just in it for the money?” Cassandra spat at her mother.

Her mother looked startled.

“I’m not blind! I know that you’ve been going behind Dad’s back and dating some other guy who works at that bar. I’m just surprised that Dad didn’t find out sooner and divorce your sorry ass sooner,” Cassandra snarled at her mother.

Cassandra’s mom didn’t say anything she just burst into tears.

“Now Cass, was that really necessary?” her father asked her.

“She’s been cheating on you! How can you still be nice to her after she’s betrayed you?” Cassandra yelled at her father.

“Honey, just go upstairs while I deal with your mother,” her father replied and started to say comforting words to her mother.

Cassandra walked up the stairs and into her room. She grabbed her camera and looked at the pictures she and Zack took that night. She smiled when she came across the one of them kissing. She really loved that boy. She thought she loved Jack but the feelings she had with Zack were a thousand times stronger than what she and Jack ever had. Then, Cass started to think about when Alex confessed his feelings for her. She wondered what would’ve happened if they had gotten together. Suddenly, she realized that his birthday was coming up soon and if his birthday was soon then Rian’s birthday was even sooner! Cassandra then hurried over to her calendar and looked at how much time she had until their special days. It was already the 2nd of December. She only had about a week and a half until Rian’s birthday. She decided that she would go shopping tomorrow with Jordan Marie and Ana.

She texted them to see if they were free.

To: Ana, Jordann
want to go shopping tomorrow? i realized that both rian and alex’s birthdays are coming up
-Cass

She sent the message and then put her phone on her bed while she walked across her room to get her laptop. She sat on her bed and opened up the computer. She turned it on and while she was waiting for it to start she got a text.

From: Ana
sounds great! i’ll see you tomorrow : ) 12 good?
-Anaaa

Cassandra quickly texted her back.

To: Ana
awesome i’ll pick you up? jordan might come with us
-Cass

She typed in her password signed into her AIM account and looked at who was online. She saw that Jack was on and so was Jason. She clicked on Jack’s user name and started a chat with him.

BandGeek143: hi

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: heyy : )

BandGeek143: so i just found out that my parents are getting divorced…

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: that sucks

BandGeek143: yeah, but i saw it coming… i mean she’s been cheating on him for almost a year

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: that’s true

BandGeek143: anyway how are you and ana?

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: shes amazing and I think that were going to do it soon ;D

Cassandra just shook her head when she read this. Of course that’s what Jack would be thinking about. She suddenly remembered the first time that she and him did it. It was in the end of their sophomore year and they’d just had their fifth month anniversary. Jack made it special and made her feel really beautiful. Cassandra started to blush when she thought of how gentle he was and how much love was in his eyes when he was staring at her and how tender his kisses were.

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: Cass you there?!

BandGeek143: yeah

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: are you ok?

BandGeek143: just thinking

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: about what?

BandGeek143: about our first time… *blushes*

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: i was pretty great wasnt i?

BandGeek143: whatever you want to think jack

Cassandra suddenly jumped up when she felt something vibrate against her thigh. She looked at her phone and saw that Jordan had texted her back.

From: Jordann
of course! i need to get them presents too
-Jordan

Cassandra started to type her back a message.

To: Jordann
awesome anas coming with us and ill pick you up at 12?
-Cass

Cassandra looked back to her computer and saw that Jack was rambling.

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: cass

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: CASS

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: CASSANDRA!

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: ARE YOU THERE?!

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: DID YOU DIE?!

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: NO!! DON’T DIE CASS! WHO WILL I TALK TO ABOUT MY BODILY FUNCTIONS?! WHO WILL I CALL WHEN I FINALLY HAVE SEX WITH ANA? I CANT LOSE YOUUU!

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: please answer backkk

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: im dying

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: respond back if you care

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: i see how it is now… I guess you dont care about me anymore...

Cassandra was amazed that Jack could type so quickly in such a short amount of time.

BandGeek143: calm your pants jack

BandGeek143: i was just texting your girly friend

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: really? were you telling her how good i am? ;)

BandGeek143: you wish

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: meanie

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: well i have to go now my mommys calling me down to have dinner and i love my mommy

Cassandra rolled her eyes when he wrote this. He was such a mama’s boy.

BandGeek143: kk bye

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS: byeeee Cassie <3

JAGKHEARTSBURRITOS has signed off.

Cassandra exited the chat and looked and saw that Zack was now on. She saw that his status was ‘Just had the best night with the best girl<3’. Cassandra just smiled and clicked on his name.

BandGeek143: hey<3

Zack_M: hey babe :)

BandGeek143: so i hear that you had an best date with the best girl?

Zack_M: yeah she was great she was kinda annoying tho

BandGeek143: oh is that so? i should tell her to stop being so annoying next time

Zack_M: yeah that would help a lot thnks

BandGeek143: :’(

Zack_M: babe you know i was just joking you were great

BandGeek143: good

Zack_M: i hate to cut this short but i need to go help my mom with something

BandGeek143: its fine nighty night<3

Zack_M: night sweet dreams<3

Zack_M has signed off.

Cassandra then decided that it would be a good idea to start her homework so that she wouldn’t be stuck doing it all tomorrow.

Once she was finished she turned off her light and got into bed. She drifted off with only thoughts of Zack and their date in her head.