Fragile Hearts

A stifled giggle is the only sound needed to arouse Kasey from her light sleep. Her eyes snap open, and she finds out that the really talented masseuse in her dream is just Tex kneading his paws into her back.

Grumbling to herself, she doesn't even give the kitten a warning before she sits up straight, feeling him plop down on the bed beside her with a squeak.

"Mornin' Sunshine."

"Yeah. Okay. What time is it?" Kasey squints.

"About nine. Come on, we have tons of shit to do today."

Kasey sighs, wishing that Tess would let her sleep in on her days off. Reluctantly, she crawls out of bed, attempting to go through the morning routines again.

"So," Tess begins as soon as Kasey steps into the kitchen, ready to go. "I was thinking we could go to the mall and do some shopping. Then after that we can grab a bite to eat somewhere. Maybe even catch a movie. O-oh, The Hunger Games! I've been dying to see Josh Hutcherson in that."

Kasey rolls her eyes, barely paying attention as she munches on her cereal. The girl just never stops talking.

"What do you think?"

"Yeah, of course. Sounds great."

Tess doesn't even give Kasey the skeptical eye anymore, she just drags the woman from the table and out the door, not bothering to care about what is going to happen to the half eaten bowl of cereal left to sit out for the rest of the day.

Their first stop is one of Tess's favorites, Nordstrom. Kasey was never really a fan of some of the designers they bought from, so she waits quietly as Tess beelines around the store, stopping on everything her eye catches and likes.

"Can I help you with anything, miss?" A younger looking sales clerk asks politely.

"Uhm, no thanks," Kasey shakes her head, forcing an equally formal smile. "I'm waiting for my friend."

As the clerk leaves her side, Kasey's mind wanders to the weekend. She mentally searches through her closet back at the apartment for what the guy, Brian called 'nice but not fancy'. Kasey really didn't know what that meant, especially what it meant for him.

Her eyes wander the store, eventually landing on a petite woman putting back a sheath dress that looked like it was belted. It was something simple, but not boring and plain. A thought clicks into place, and Kasey immediately darts for the mulberry outfit. She already knows which pair of heels will go perfectly with the dress.

She quickly shimmies into the dress in the fitting room, stepping out to be greeted by Tess.

"Oh there- oh my God." Tess's hazel eyes widen as she takes in Kasey's new appearance. "you actually tried something on here. That looks absolutely gorgeous on you! Please tell me you're getting it, right?"

Kasey bites down on her bottom lip, studying her reflection in the mirror. The dress does look good.

"How much is it?"

Tess picks up the tag attached to the dress. "A hundred and twenty-two."

Kasey almost does a double take. One hundred and twenty-two dollars for this one piece of fabric? She gapes to herself. It reminds her why she shops at department stores for her clothes.

"So? What's the deal?"

Kasey sighs, nodding. "Yeah, I'm getting it." She can wear it at almost any occasion after the weekend dinner.

Tess lets out a squeal of delight, prancing back into her dressing room.

If that Brian guy doesn't like it, Kasey muses to herself, he'll just have to deal with it.

As Tess promised, Kasey has to suffer through almost two and a half hours of The Hunger Games. The movie itself isn't bad, Kasey would have enjoyed it more, however, if Tess wasn't actively drooling over Josh Hutcherson the whole time.

"Tess, he's like, twenty," Kasey sighs as they walk out of the cold theatre room. "You're twenty seven. You're a cougar."

"That's okay," Tess chirps. "I need a cigarette, let's go."

The older of the two leads the way out of the theatres, perching on the front step to light up. Kasey does the same. They sit in silence, enjoying the cancer sticks until Tess finds something to say again.

"Hey, you doing anything Saturday? This guy I work with had got some tickets for a concert. Some underground band he didn't care for. You wanna come?"

Kasey's stomach drops, the sushi from lunch not exactly agreeing with the sudden movement. She can't really lie to her best friend and room mate. Because room mates know everything.

So Kasey sighs, sucking it up. Tess was bound to find out anyway.

"I can't."

"Oh, why not?"

"I got a date."

Tess raises her eyebrows.

Here it comes.

"Actual date or schmuck date?"

Kasey stays silent.

"Oh come on, Kase!" Tess exasperates. "I thought you were done for good! After all that? The month and a bit you were actually happy and functioning? That didn't do anything? You promised me."

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry Tess. But the guy said it was only for one night. I have his word," Kasey explains desperately, knowingly leaving out the money part.

"They always say that," Tess mutters, mood souring dramatically. "So that's really why you bought the dress?"

"Partly, I didn't know what 'nice but not fancy' means. Plus I actually do like it."

Kasey decides to let Tess simmer while she finishes off her cigarette, waiting for the stormy silence to pass.

After a few minutes, Tess does break it again.

"Is he cute at least?"

Kasey snorts a giggle. Pictures Brian. "You'll see. He's decent."

Tess rolls her eyes. "That's what you say when you're trying to be nice."

Kasey just chuckles silently. Wait until you see him for yourself, she thinks to herself.