"Fuck man, move it!" Cassandra Cain growled furiously, feeling as though she could gut the stupid little person in front of her.

She was playing Mario Kart.

Mercilessly, though, she made a sharp twist and let her Yoshi make Baby Peach eat her dirt, sending the crib-car reeling away. She was so close, really, just about to cross over the finish line—

"CASSANDRA!"

Just a little bit more—

"Cassandra Damaryss Cain! Come on down this instant!"

"Yes mom!" Cassandra, or CC as most of her friends called her, hollered back, even as she stood up, crossing over the finish line and effectively winning the cup.

I am the shit.

CC rushed down before her mother decided filicide was acceptable.

"Yes, mama?"

The elegant older woman was leaning against the sink with her arms crossed.

A frown marred her beautiful face.

"How many times did I ask you to wash the dishes before I came home from work?"

She mumbled out an answer.

"What did you say?"

"Maybe once."

Helen Cain looked like she didn't quite know whether to laugh or to scream.

"I told you exactly three times personally, and sent you two other messages reminding you. And what have you been doing all this time?"

Another mumbled answer.

"Speak up, Cassandra."

The nineteen-year-old sighed.

"I was playing Mario Kart," before the fierce woman could go on a rant, CC continued. "But I was going to get to it after winning one cup. I only got home like thirty minutes ago, ma, and twenty of those were spent in the bathroom."

Obviously, in this house the bathroom was always taken either by Joseph or Cassandra Cain.

"I swear, you're going to bleed out of your ass one of these days, Riz." Her mother scolded her, eloquent as she always was.

Herein a rundown of the family nicknames: Cassandra was Riz, for Damaryss, and Joseph was Seph. Helen, being born to immigrant Greek parents, was legally Helen, but all close family members pronounced it as the rightful Elenie, which meant her nickname was Lenie.

But digressing.

"I won't, mama." CC promised, sighing as she shuffled to the sink to start washing. "How was your day?"

Helen was already pouring herself a glass of wine.

"It was good," answered the lawyer. "A slow day. My favorite kind of day, because it means I can watch TV in the meantime."

Mrs. Cain happened to be a reality TV junkie; her go-to series was Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

Oh, mother of mine.

"I'm sure your clients appreciate you being happy when you receive them," CC conceded jokingly, and could've sworn she heard her mother call her a smartass under her breath.

"How about you? How was your first day of college?"

CC made a face.

"Fine, I guess. I had a lot of classmates, and a lot of them seemed to know each other already."

Which would make sense, seeing as CC hadn't attended the orientation day.

Whatever.

Helen sighed sadly, annoying CC. She knew her mother was forever annoyed by her having chosen to apply for Asia Studies with a Japan concentration, and a future minor in Korea Studies. But what could she say? She was a history junkie.

"Did you see Aline?" Her mother asked, inhaling the wine with a face of pure joy, not that the dish-washing daughter could see.

Aline Wright was CC's best friend, and a Medical Anthropology & Global Health major (or she would be, once she could declare it).

"I was going to, but she said she wanted to make friends today, and with me there it'd be impossible."

She was right, of course. CC could be like a leech if she wanted to, which made making new friends hard.

"Did you make any friends today?"

CC appreciated the inquiry, but currently, she just wanted to get back to her game.

"Well, I met a nice girl today. Her name's... Christina. I think. Yeah, it was Christina. She seems ok."

"And nobody else?"

"The was a cute guy in my class. Didn't catch his name though." To be honest, she'd been busy doodling. "And I talked to a couple of girls, too. I don't know their names, but they also seemed nice, if a bit too talkative."

CC was never a fan of talking.

Helen groaned, weeping for the day she married such an introverted man who, in turn, gave her a recluse for a daughter.

"Honey, you won't make friends that way. Try to put yourself out there a bit more, ok?" Helen pleaded, but continued speaking, knowing her daughter's hatred for that type of comment. "I'm going up to my room. If your father gets here after ten, tell him not to wake me."

There had never been a day during which that wasn't the rule, but Helen always reminded her daughter.

She was such a good girl, too, thought Helen as she carried up her glass of wine and briefcase. Very kind, very funny, and wicked smart (which made her feel as though she was wasting away her talents in that major). It helped that she was beautiful, although Mrs. Cain knew that her daughter didn't feel that way; all through high-school she'd been overweight, and by the time she'd finally lost the weight, the feelings of insecurity had been ingrained too deep within her. Riz had never had a boyfriend, she knew, despite being nineteen, and all of her friends were such beauties they'd already had two or three.

My poor girl, was Mrs. Cain's last thought before she settled in bed to watch the recording of KUWTK's most recent episode.

"So I was like, what do you mean, taken? I need to fucking sit there, bitch! But you know, because I'm a classic motherfucker I just told her that I sorta had to sit there and planted my ass down. And, get this, C; she fucking moved." Aline Wright chortled, clearly pleased with herself, across the landline. CC was very old school (read: technologically inept), so she had an old-ass Nokia and didn't enjoy texting. This meant that for long conversations, her friends had to call her home, seeing as she didn't want to run out of money in her cell in case of an emergency,

"Sounds like a bitchy classmate to me," CC agreed, taking a huge gulp of water. She was super dehydrated these days, and drinking like a gallon of water (barely) helped.

"Not just bitchy. Dickish." Aline retorted, munching on a Sneakers bar on the other side of the phone. "I need you in my classes. Why don't you just major the same as me?"

"Because we'd end up hating each other, and I have no interest in your career," CC answered offhandedly, used to this question by now. "Anyways, what are you doing after your last class tomorrow? Better yet, at what time do you get out?"

"I get out at three, and I know you get out at two. Want to hang out?"

"'Course. Where do you want to go? Johnny's?" CC inquired, already knowing the answer to that.

"As if you need to ask, girl. I'll see you there. Now I gotta roll because my mother's about to whip my ass into bacon if I don't go help her wash dishes."

CC groaned at the memory.

"I was already put through the wringer for that today. Good luck, Al." They bid adieu.

Staring at her computer with a faraway look on her face, CC thought about how lucky Aline was. She was assertive, and charming, and always gave so much of herself. She was popular with the girls and lusted over by the guys. She was also one of those naturally skinny hateful people, so no matter how much junk food she ate, she barely gained a pound. Despite all of this, and how much CC admired her best friend, she'd never resented the girl, having never been one to point fingers at unreasonable things. If she was being truthful, she'd never been jealous of the girl, but perhaps she's been, once or twice, a little wishful to be such an easygoing girl too. Not that it mattered; CC was CC and Aline was Aline.

CC made another call.

"Hello?"

"Jay, hi, it's me," CC chirped happily, thankful that her brother Jason had chosen today to pick up the phone.

"Riz, what's cracking?" Jason asked, just as happy as his little sister. He loved the little girl as only a brother could love a sister; he'd been ten when his mother had surprised him with news of a little Cassie, and nine months later, when the little baby had grasped his index finger with her tiny hand, he'd become the poster child for Overprotective Brother.

"Oh, you know, the usual. College is like high school, except with more people and teachers don't give a shit about you." CC said, switching tabs so she could search on YouTube a rap battle Aline had told her about. "Also, mama misses her baby boy. I find that to be absurd, seeing as you both work for the same firm."

Mrs. Cain was a partner, while Jason was a newbie lawyer.

"You know, I can't just swing by her office whenever. I've got work. Still, remind her we're seeing each other at Andy's birthday party this weekend."

Andrea Manning was Jason's girlfriend of almost two years; she was an amazing girl, but she'd been working for Doctors Without Borders for the better part of their relationship. However, and much to Jay's joy, she'd finally returned last week for good. This meant he was currently attempting to present her to the family with all the ferocity of a mama penguin. Somehow, despite how much all the Cain family knew of Andrea, they'd yet to meet her. Apparently, it also helped that Jay had told his girlfriend how mean his mother could be, which might've discouraged the doctor to meet the family. This, however, was something only CC knew.

CC was about to answer, when she heard a voice in the background telling her brother something indistinguishable.

"Oh, fuck." Jason cursed, surprising CC; Jay rarely, if ever, cursed in front of her. "Riz, I need your help like, now."

"What do you need?" CC replied immediately, warming her brother's heart.

"I left a very important document at home. I need you to go get it for me and bring it here. A meeting's just about to start and I can't leave."

CC looked at the clock; 7:34 p.m.

"I think I can make it there in twenty if I hurry."

"I need it in half an hour, so that's great. You have the key to my apartment, right?"

About four years ago, Jason had put his foot down and had left home, claiming to need privacy. It might've had something to do with his mother finding him masturbating.

Alright, it had everything to with it.

"Yeah, I got it. Tell me where is it exactly?"

"On my kitchen counter. I'm sorry sis, I'd ask Andy, but she's on call tonight. Also... Don't be spooked by the girly stuff."

I guess that's how Jay tells me she's moved in with him.

"Ok. I think. I'll call you when I'm on my way, Jay."

"Love you, Riz."

"Love you too, bro."

CC hung up, hollering at her mother that she had to fetch something for Jason. In response, the TV volume went up. Figured; Mrs. Cain was a bit hard of hearing, and she could only make the TV go up so much without making the rest of the Cains want to murder her. So whenever she was left by herself, she took advantage of the opportunity and went crazy with the volume.

Grumbling to herself, CC rushed out to her bike, her pride and joy: a black denim Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Lo. Her present for her high school graduation, it was all she ever wanted and more. So when she got it, she bought for it a leather saddlebag, a leather jacket for herself, and so she rolled.

Because traffic wasn't tragic, she managed to get to her brother's apartment in under ten minutes. She pulled in on the special spot designated for bikes, threw her bike a loving kiss and rushed up to the third floor, saying a quick hello to Rick, the doorman.

However, when she reached the apartment, she found that it wasn't empty.

There was a man there.

However, when she was just about to scream at him to get the fuck out, it was him who yelled.

"Who the fuck are you?"

Indignant, CC scowled.

"What do you mean, who the fuck am I? Who the fuck are you?" She analyzed the lab coat resting on the sidearm of the couch, and the scrubs the man wore, and she guessed he must not have been a thief, at the very least. "Are you one of Jason's friends?"

He was scowling even more fiercely now, though.

"No, I'm not. I'm his girlfriend's best friend. Get it? He has a girlfriend."

Why was he speaking to her like she was retarded?

Not wanting to waste more time, she called her brother, ignoring the man's protests.

"Hello?"

"Jay, there's an angry dude here that claims to be your girlfriend's best friend. Is it true, or do I call the cops?" She put emphasis on the 'special' word, narrowing her eyes.

"Oh, that's probably Grayson. Yeah, he is. Mean thing, ain't he? I'm gonna rip Andy a new one for letting in her friend without either of us there. Anyways, did you find the document?" As he spoke, CC walked to the counter, thankful when she easily found the paper.

"Yeah, I got it. See you in a bit." CC turned towards the friend —Grayson. "Jay says to let you stay here."

"Who are you?"

CC rolled her eyes.

"I'm CC, Jason's sister." She expected him to sigh out in relief, but surprisingly, he didn't.

"Yeah, right. I know her name's Rizzie. Jason's always talking about her."

Rolling her eyes even more intensely, CC walked to the nearest photo frame of the two of them. It was of the siblings during Jay's first day of work, pre-weight loss.

"This is me. I am Cassandra Damaryss Cain, CC to everyone else, but Riz to my family." CC leveled the older man with a glare. "I have every right to be here, being related to the man that pays the apartment's bills. Unlike you, who is just his girlfriend's friend. So yeah, I'd appreciate you treating me with a bit more respect." CC could only hope her stare withered him. She didn't even know where all the attitude was coming from; she was normally the type to let people walk all over her.

Grayson was still staring at the picture.

"This is really you?" he sounded shocked, but she looked enough like her old self she knew he couldn't deny it.

"That's really me." CC said, snatching back the picture. "Now, I've gotta go. See you hopefully never."

CC ran out.

"Gray, you there?" Andrea Manning asked over the phone, a few hours later. "You've been quiet this whole time."

Grayson Church was hesitant, to be honest.

"Andy..." He began, then stopped himself. He was about to start again when she cut him off.

"You're making me nervous, dude. Out with it."

Ok, just like a band-aid. Rip it off.

"ImettheinfamoussisterandImayhaveleftabadimpression."

"What?"

"I met the infamous sister and I may have left a bad impression."

"I heard you the first time. What do you mean, the sister? Jason's sister?" Horror colored her voice.

"Yeah, her. Apparently, Riz is not how others call her."

"No, it's not. I think they call her CC. Why? What did you do, Church?"

And so he recounted the events. How he was watching TV one moment (Keeping Up With The Kardashians, of course), and the next there's a leather-jacket-wearing teenage girl aiming to go into the kitchen.

"She seemed so sure of where she was going," Gray complained, "That I assumed she was, like, an ex girlfriend or something. Maybe even a girl on the side, I don't know."

Because man, was she certainly beautiful enough to take on Andrea. Long, pin-straight thick black hair, olive skin, full lips painted black and intelligent eyes. From the pictures, he could see they'd been a hazel color, like Jason's, although with more gold in them. And, yeah, he could see the big difference in weight, although if he were honest, she looked so cheerful in the pictures that he could only think that she was a pretty girl no matter what.

"Why was that your first thought, you dickwad? I get it that you don't like Jason, but this is getting ridiculous."

Of course I can't like the man that took the girl I love away from me.

"He's a **** to me, too. Anyways, I can't see why it's such a big deal that Riz and I had a bad first impression. It'll blow over, right?"

"First of all, he's not a **** to you. It's all in your head. Second of all, it's a huge deal, because what if Riz thinks I'm like that, too, and she hates me from the get-go? Jason loves his baby sister more than anything. If she hates me, he could very well dump me. He's always warning me about his mother, but it's his sister I'm scared of. He does nothing but sing praises of her, to the point where I know like I know my own name that if she dislikes me, I'm out. And I do not want to be out, you hear me Grayson? And third: you're seeing her for my birthday party this weekend."

Ah, fuck.

"And then I walked out. Just like that," CC finished recounting the story for the second time in the last twenty-four hours. The first time had been to her brother when he called her after the meeting, and the second time was now, while she ate with Aline at Johnny Rocket's.

"What an asshole," Aline scoffed, as always knowing the right thing to say.

"I know right! He had the guts to take ownership of Jay's apartment like that. The nerve," CC sipped on her milkshake, shaking her head to her statement.

"But tell me something important. Was he hot?"

Aline had a very specific way of judging people.

CC shrugged.

"I guess. He's just a lot older, you know? If he's Andy's age, he must be like thirty. But... I think he was hot," CC conceded, reluctant. "You know, in a very Jason Momoa sort of way. Sans long hair."

That was hook, line and sinker for Aline.

"He looks like Jason Momoa? Oh my God, why didn't you say so before, you ass!" Al started slapping her arm over the table, description of the guy totally forgotten.

"Because it's not relevant. What is relevant is what a **** he was to me, and the fact that I have to see him this Saturday." CC reminded her, sighing when she remembered the guy. She was about to say something else when her phone started ringing. Frowning at the unknown number, she picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Riz?"

CC frowned.

"Who's asking?"

"Uh, it's Gray. Grayson Church, Andy's—"

"—Best friend, yes, I know. What can I help you with?" Before he could answer, she interrupted him. "Also, it's CC to you."

"Um, yes, sorry. CC it is. The thing is, you know, uh, about yesterday..."

She was running out of patience.

"Out with it, Church. I'm with company." Not that it meant much; Aline was making googly eyes at the phone.

"Can we meet? I want to talk to you, if that's alright with you."

She considered it for a moment; he probably wanted to apologize, and she figured the least she could do was hear him out.

"I'm at Johnny Rocket's, the one by Penway. I'm leaving in half an hour. If you want to talk, that's where I'll be." Then she hung up.

Aline was staring at her, wide-eyed.

"Woah, girl. That's a whole new side of you I'd yet to see in our ten plus years of friendship."

CC pouted.

"I know, I know. I feel like such a terrible person, but he treated me so badly yesterday! I can't help the animosity."

"But you've gotta try, alright? If he's going to apologize about yesterday, it means he already knows he did wrong. Now," Aline continued, grabbing her tray. "I've gotta roll. Class starts in twenty."

"Love you," CC sighed.

"Love you too," Aline winked, threw away her trash and then made a dash out of there.

Content with the loneliness, CC pulled out the latest volume of Naruto, picking up where she left off.

Ten minutes later, she felt lips near her ear.

"I wouldn't have pegged you for an otaku," the low voice said, making CC shiver and slap away the mouth.

Turning to glare at Grayson, she felt a little of the anger wash away.

Not at how handsome he was, not at all, but because he'd called her an otaku.

"You read manga?"

He shook his head, taking Aline's vacated seat. He was carrying a large coffee from Starbucks (though which, she wouldn’t know, because she disliked coffee).

"I watch anime, sometimes. If I have time. I read enough with medical textbooks." True enough, CC supposed. "I thought you said you had company."

"I did. My best friend. She left just a few minutes ago." CC finished slurping her milkshake, finally. It was very easy for her to get a brain freeze, so she had to go slow with cold things.

"I see," Gray nodded, and they settled into awkward silence. "I tried sending you a text through What's app, but I couldn't."

CC nodded and, while munching on a fry, showed him her Stone Age phone.

His eyes almost bulged out.

"That's your phone?" He blurted out. "I thought technology was the hype for all teenagers these days."

She shrugged.

"Well, this nineteen year old doesn't enjoy the newest tech. I know, what a shocking concept. However, I believe I'm capable of checking my social media well enough through my laptop."

Nineteen, thought Gray. Eleven years my junior.

"You're such an odd girl," he said, but somehow, CC didn't feel he meant it as an insult, so she said nothing.

"What did you want to talk about?"

He pursed his lips, ran a hand through his hair, and then settled on linking his fingers and resting his chin on them. He wasn’t satisfied by that, so he drunk from his forgotten coffee and kept it in his hands as he spoke.

"I wanted to apologize about yesterday," he began. "I honestly didn't think you'd be Jason's little sister. I'd seen the pictures of the two of you but, as I'm sure you know, you've changed quite a bit. I didn't recognize you, and when I saw this girl coming into the apartment... well, I'll be honest. I thought at first that Jason had some on the side."

CC couldn't help herself.

She laughed.

"My brother? He can't even cheat at video-games, he sure as hell isn't gonna cheat on his girlfriend." She scrutinized the man in front of her. "He's a lot better than that, my brother."

Gray released a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry, alright? I don't like your brother, so I just..." he trailed off, realizing what he'd said. He paled and tried to correct himself, but the damage was done.

"It's fine, dude. I know my brother isn't everyone's cup of tea. Besides, he snatched away your girl, right?" CC continued as though she hadn't just fucking demolished Grayson's sanity. "It's fine, I understand."

"W... What?"

CC rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, you think I don't know what this is about? Andy probably threatened you to make things right with me, right? She knows my brother puts me above anything, and if I dislike her, he'd dump her," CC continued, eating another fry. "She's right, you know. He would. And you do everything she says, because she means the world to you. Did I get it right?"

Gray was still speechless.

"Also, the lock screen for your phone is of you and Andy. That's a dead giveaway."

Oh life, just fuck him sideways.

Gray exhaled deeply, casting away all the self-hatred.

"Ok, fine. So now you know. Happy?"

"Delirious," replied CC drily, swallowing the last of her fries. "I don't really care. I've never even met Andy, so for all I know I'm gonna root for you to steal her away from Jay. If she's anything like you..." CC trailed off, and was amused by the amount of panic on the man's face.

"No, come on, Andy's an angel. She really is. You'll love her; please, just... Give her a chance, alright? She's nothing like me. Please, Andy will skin my neck if Jason breaks up with her because of me."

"Oh, Jay already dislikes you," CC replied easily, smirking at how much the guy paled. "Oh yeah, I told him about everything. We're each other's confidant. He said he didn't like you hanging out in his house without either him or Andy there. He might seem like an idiot, but he's a smart guy; he probably knows how you feel about Andrea."

"Why are you so mean?" Gray whimpered. Chuckling, CC dropped the hardass act, finally closing her manga and looking the older man in the eyes.

"I'm getting payback for yesterday. Regardless, Jay and Andy's relationship is none of my business. Unless she's a bitch, or she hurts him, but otherwise I wouldn't get involved at all. Also, believe it or not, just because you and I don't get along doesn't mean I will automatically think Andy's like that. Jay raves too much about her for me to believe that."

He held his breath.

"So..."

"Your secret's safe with me. And if Jay breaks up with Andrea, it won't be because of my input."

He released a breath of relief, feeling his limbs go like jelly.

"Oh thank the Lord," he collapsed in his chair, making CC laugh. "Can I call you Riz now?"

She raised an eyebrow.

"No, I meant that. Nobody but my parents and Jay call me Riz. Not Andrea, either," CC warned, knowing the warning would reach her ears.

"So why's it CC again?"

"Cassandra Cain. And no, you can't call me Cass, Cassie, or any variation of my name. Just CC."

"Can I ask why the aversion to your name?"

She raised the other eyebrow.

"I don't really like the name. I like CC; besides, by now I don't actually answer to Cassandra." She shrugged. "I'm not trying to be mean. I just don't like it."

"Well, you can call me anything you like, but everyone calls me Gray."

"How about Son? Son Goku?" CC suggested, but had to laugh at the look of horror that crossed his face. "Ok, fine, Gray it is then." But she'd save his number as Son Goku.

"You're very mean, has anyone ever told you that?" Grayson pouted, making CC's lip twitch up in a smile.

"Once or twice. In my defense, you deserved it. I was going to stop, but your reactions are very amusing."

Was she a sadist?

“My reactions are amusing?”

CC nodded, balling up the trash from her food and tucking away her manga.

“Sure they are. You wear your heart on your sleeve, so to say. Even yesterday, I could tell what your deal was about me being there.”

“You’re a very strange child,” shook his head Gray, and for some reason, him calling her a child didn’t make CC all that happy. Gray took a sip of his coffee, noting that it was almost gone.

“A strange woman, if you will. I’ve got breasts and I bleed out of my vagina once a month, which means pretty much all cultures stopped considering me a child a long time ago.”

He couldn’t help himself; he snorted out coffee.

Into CC’s face.

Shocked by his reaction, CC couldn’t decide if she was going to laugh, or be outraged, or thankful that it was an iced beverage. All she could do was stare in shock at the older man, thankful once more that she put away her book.

“Oh my God I’m so sorry,” Gray gasped when he managed to pull himself together and noticed the girl’s face.

“I really hate you.”

“So how’d it go?” Andy asked Gray an hour later. She was in her pajamas, flitting around the kitchen attempting to put together a simple dinner. Jason was due back any moment, which meant Andrea was panicking about the perfect, yet simple, meal.

“Um, well…” Gray began, scratching the back of his head. He was watching her cook from the kitchen counter; abruptly, she turned around, cutting knife in hand. He marched on, not afraid of her anymore (much). “It was fine, I think. She promised she wouldn’t get involved in her brother’s relationship.”

The Warrior (as he’d described her pose for the longest of times) relaxed her stance.

“I sense a but coming. What did you do?”

“It wasn’t about what I did, it’s about what she did. One moment we’re talking nicknames, and the next she says she’s considered a woman in most societies because she’s got breasts and bleeds out of her vagina, and then… I snorted my iced coffee into her face.”

Andy had been laughing. Now, not anymore.

Horror had taken over.

“What did you do, Grayson.” Andy groaned. “Hell. Jason’s so overprotective of her, we’re screwed if she tells him. He’ll hate you forever, and what do I do if the man I love and my best friend don’t like each other?”

“We already don’t like each other,” Gray reminded her, ignoring the twinge in his heart at his friend’s description. “It can’t get much worse than that.”

“Tell me, what’d she do?”

“Told me she hated me, went to the bathroom to clean herself off, and then rushed back out saying she had to go.”

“She hates you.” Andy confirmed, although truthfully, CC hadn’t at all hated Grayson Church.

“I know,” Gray groaned, swinging once on the chair. “Although… she said something.”

“What?”

“She said that I wear my heart on my sleeve. Do you think that’s true?”

Please say no.

“Absolutely,” Andy chirped back. “You’re an open book about pretty much anything.”

Earth, please swallow me whole.

“Honey I’m ho-me!”

And don’t throw me back out.

“I came as soon as I could,” CC said, panting after the mini-marathon she'd just suffered through just to get to the house and up to his room. After blowing off Church and dashing to her bike, CC had proceeded to race to almost the other side of town, where Wyatt Glass, her boyfriend, lived.

Maybe it's time I tell mom I have a boyfriend, CC thought as she got off her bike. And that it's Wyatt.

"Here it is," Wyatt beamed at her, all but shoving the latest volume of Naruto in her face.

Yeah, they'd bonded over their mutual geekiness. They'd known each other since freshman year of high school, and about a year ago, Wyatt had finally manned up and asked her out. It had taken her a few months to give the ok.

"Finally," CC breathed, holding the volume tightly to her chest. "Did you read it?"

Wyatt nodded.

"I had to. I was too impatient not to. This is all I can say: you're gonna be shocked."

And few things shocked CC these days.

"I'll read it, and I'll bring it back this week, alright?" Then she got an idea. "Actually..."

Wyatt groaned.

"It sounds like you're getting an idea, Cass, and that's dangerous."

Wyatt was the only person capable of calling her Cassandra (or any variation of her name) without getting hit between the legs.

She grinned sheepishly.

"Well," CC began. "You know how Jason's girlfriend finally came back, right?"

Wyatt nodded.

"Well, apparently, it's her birthday this Saturday, and the whole family's invited. So... I could give you the volume back when we meet there." CC finished, flashing him a wide smile.

He groaned again.

"Cassie, come on. You want me to meet the family at a stranger's birthday party? Don't you think Andy might be annoyed by that?"

"You've already met my parents, and you spoke once to Jay," CC reminded him, pointedly oblivious. When Wyatt glared, CC conceded. "Andy'll be fine with it if she wants to remain on good terms with me. If she steps on my toes, Jay could very well break up with her."

"Would you break up with me if your brother disliked me?"

"Of course not."

The answer was, quite clearly, maybe.

"Besides, Jay likes you. He's an avid Harry Potter fan and you have the same style of glasses. In Jay's book, that alone makes you cool." This was true, too; her brother was almost embarrassingly single-minded.

Wyatt was skeptical, but he didn't say it.

"I also called you for another reason." Wyatt confessed, switching the subject.

"Oh yeah? Why?" CC asked, sitting down on Wyatt's bed and gripping the volume tightly, willing herself not to open it.

He blushed.

"My mom isn't coming back until Friday," Wyatt admitted softly, hopefully.

CC's face froze in place.

The manga volume was forgotten.

"Uh, Cassie, please say something."

Sluggishly, she turned up to stare at her boyfriend.

"I'm not ready," she blurted out, panicking. "You know that, right? I'm definitely not ready to progress physically."

She was too scarred to feel comfortable in her body.

Though a brief flicker of disappointment made its way past Wyatt's face, he remained agreeable, and didn't seem to be too put out by the statement.

"I understand, Cassie. Don't worry." He said. "Although we can do whatever it is you're comfortable with."

She released the breath she'd been holding.

"I'm sorry, Wy. I promise I'm trying to get there, but it's hard to not freak out when I imagine you looking at my body."

Wyatt frowned deeply. She'd never given this reason before, always citing one problem or another. This time, though, he felt that it was the realest argument she'd given.

"What do you mean, me looking at your body? I'll love it, just like I love you."

It was that easy, really. One moment she was freaking out over her body, and the next over the fact that the boy she loved most had told her he felt the same.

Her eyes widened, and Wyatt realized what he'd said.

"Fuck," he whispered to himself, thinking how that wasn't how he wanted to tell her. He thought she was looking a little pale, and cursed himself for his carelessness. "Cassie? Say something?"

Then she launched herself off of his bed and jumped into his arms, attacking his face with kisses.

"I love you too, Wyatt. So much," she said, her voice all choked up with feelings.

He sighed in relief, and CC loved his following smile as he stalked over to her on the bed. Jokingly, he grabbed her around the waist and twisted her until he ended up lying on top of her, hip to mid thigh but nose to nose.

"I love you, silly girl," Wyatt professed, closing his eyes.

"I love you, too," CC smiled, then reached up and kissed him. He kissed her back, willing as always, and so the afternoon went.