because honestly it is just misogynistic that everyone complained about castorice’s global passive but not a word was said about phainon’s even though his impacts gameplay sm more???
Me, after getting what I can only assume is the cannon ending of security breach ruin:
Gregory is a bitch ass motherfucker, he killed my fucking protagonist. He took his dumbass fucking murder tendencies and turned them on my fucking protagonist. And he said "I know you did it to save me but we can't risk being followed" and I said well that's hardly fair. So I'm making a call-out post on my tumblr blog...
Anyway I know this episode was a trainwreck for Cordell and he's having an existential crisis because Cooper wasn't the man he thought he was and now he's wondering if he's even the man he thought he was and also now he's a fugitive and suspect number 1 for Grey Flag and everything BUT-
Cassie was so sad in this episode you guys :( She had to fight with the FBI and be waved off by James and she didn't get to yell at Cordell for lying to her and breaking his promises for the 1000th time and yes she got confirmation about being right about everything so far but does it really matter when you don't find out you're right until it's too late? She knew Kevin was awfully calm even though everyting should've been going wrong for him and she knew that was wrong but she didn't know what that meant until the bomb was about to go off and it was too late and she had to hear her partner almost die over the phone ;-; And now she's going to have to stay behind and figure out what to do in Ranger HQ (assuming they'll let her work the case with everything) while Cordell goes after Kevin solo and it's Miles all over again and-
So Anni just straight up runs away, leaving everything and everyone else behind and no one knows what happened to her. Everyone is hurt and just heartbroken, they don't even know what happened to her or if she's even alive. To make things worse, someone brings up what Varrick did to her when she first became a proxy and Vince had no idea this happened. Vince being upset and emotional, he blames it all on Varrick and maybe even tries to fight him because of how mad he is. So Varrick is heartbroken and kinda just becomes cold to everyone and honestly just sort of depressed. Then one day, years later he finds Anni just walking down a street, she has some earbuds in, and just looks normal, its still her but she just looks....different? So Varrick obviously stops and just stares and practically crumbles in on himself. Then Anni turns around and sees him, and then its like that scene in a movie where the two characters just stare at each other from other ends of the same street.
(This can end however you'd like and feel free to change anything! Anyways, tysm...I really appreciate it! :)
[ remnants of smoke. || simp party. ]
Warnings: Angsty, EXTREMELY angsty.
Tags: @insane-horror-movie-addict
A/N: Did I just write stupidly long angst because I got way too into it? Yes. Do I regret it? No. Am I going to roll around and cry a little when I re-read it? Maybe.
Word count: 4,264
Varrick thought she loved him.
Had it been a different day he’d think that she really did; that a part of her truly loved him as he is and cared for him and would have done everything to make sure he was happy. And he would smile at Anni, hands gentle as they run through his hair and caress his cheeks, eyes foggy and heart full at Anni's admittance. He would pull him towards her and press close as if chasing the heat her body rarely emits. Then he would say, “I am happy with you.” And the tension would seep through her pores— and maybe she would embrace him gentler and maybe she would leave butterfly kisses on his shoulders and maybe he would never leave her again.
Varrick thought she loved him.
Until those memories came back into her life. Not their lives, Varrick realized now, because while he shared her life with Anni, she never did reciprocate.
The harsh truth was— Anni would always belong to where she truly came from. When the memories came sauntering back into her life, looking so beautiful and healthy, eyes bright and joyful, voice so happy when she spoke about her true home— Anni had walked away from him with not a single glance, not a sliver of hesitation, to cross the distance between them; marching forward as though this was his lifelong purpose and he’s finally able to fulfill it. She left his side so quickly to see her home, hands shaking as though this is an illusion and she is terrified of that possibility.
Varrick watched the moment she learned that her home is still real and that there she stands before it, in her beautiful glory. He watched as Anni breathed in sharply, whispering names in a voice he did not recognize, in a tone that was never directed at him, before desperately, running towards where she truly belongs— he had remembered how this happened. He took her for a drive on his motorcycle throughout the country, somewhere where her childhood home was— and when he saw the way her face melts into pure euphoric joy— an incredibly rare display of emotions with her. He watched as she stared longingly at her home, unsaid words and eons worth of longing being spilled when she did. When she finally returned to him, that same joy had disappeared as fast as it appeared.
Anni never mentioned her home before, but he knew what it was— he knew what she thought about it, Varrick would see how her expression would change when she smelled slivers of cigarette smoke— he knew what it reminded her of. Her hometown and all her old friends was a picture safely stowed away in her wallet. The same place, Varrick learned later, that she’d frequently have mountains of old pictures of. Anni missed her home.
Varrick can feel his heart shatter from within his ribs. He feels so choked up, skin breaking out with goosebumps as coldness grips him whole, the void inside him growing as he watches the inevitable: Anni leaving him— leaving everyone. It happened when she suddenly disappeared, which wasn't unusual— but days turned into months, and what he didnt realize, they would then turn into years. Tears cascade down his cheeks, slow and silent, just like everything with Anni.
So this is how it ends, he thinks as he walks away, she was never his to begin with.
Varrick doesn't not remember much of the fallout.
Varrick does not even recall clambering about at his brother's house, heinously wiping at the tears, telling Vince what happened within choked words. He does not remember much, just the sight of Anni's back metaphorically moving further from him and growing smaller as she leaves.
It almost feels surreal that the thing he has with Anni is over. There were times that he thought it was inevitable, but sometimes he remembered the way she held him—tight and sure, and grounding in a way that silenced all his fears—and thought that Annni would never leave him. maybe if he hadn't brought her to her home that fateful day, she wouldn’t have. Anni liked him, that at least Varrick knew, it’s just that she loved her true home. She loved her home in the way that he wasn't, and it breaks him. It shatters him into pieces; feeble fingers desperately grasping at the scattered remains of his heart, trying to save himself from more pain. But it is futile. He weeps at her abandonment. Everyone does. Immediately, everyone blamed him for her disappearance. Especially Vince, his own brother.
Vince looked down and saw Varrick, bloodied and battered, laying on the floor next to his very own bloodied fists. Vince felt guilty— but he was assured that Varrick was the one who caused this mess. His feet moved under him and he knelt down next to Varrick, placing his hands on the sides of his face lightly, "Varrick? Answer me." Vince could feel the bruised bones in his jaw and watched his face begin to swell slowly, his skin turning purple and blue.
Vince heard Varrick choking out in pain and agony, looking over and seeing his face wicked with restraint. He continued to keep his arm extended out and his hand clawed at him as if he were gripping his heart and ripping it from his chest. "What the hell is he...?" Vince whispered to his brother.
"Where is she!?" Vince shouted violently and his brother looked at him hatefully, straining to say his words through Vince's hold—-
"l... don't know!!" He growled loudly and Vince clenched his fist shut, turning it in a circle. He gritted his teeth and groaned out in pain and struggled to face his brother, "She just…left. She doesn’t fucking care. She—"
Vince shook his head, "I don't believe you."
Varrick keeps feeling the emptiness pawing at his chest, never truly knowing how to be whole again. He gave what he was to her, and now he has to rebuild who he was in her absence; to leave behind the person he used to be. It was difficult. Varrick thought it would be easy since Anni surely made it look like so, and yet here he is, unable to leave behind the part of him that yearns for a love now unrequited. He shapes himself around what has been, distracting himself from the pain, and stepping over the cracks to patch himself anew as though it would help.
It does not.
It takes so much of him to move on – not like he was able to; he just rather fills up his mind with things unrelated to Anni. He attempted to force himself to move on, he really did.
"Sweetie," A new voice cooed to Varrick. He felt a hand gently glide onto his shoulder, his eyes opened quickly and his head turned to look over to the blond-female that approached him. "Aren't you cold?" Amber asked. In the few last years or so that he had spent in alone in the mansion, the Proxy found himself becoming close to the Zalgo Proxy he had resented slightly in his youth. It was only natural for them to drift to each other, it felt good to have a distraction from all the worries in his mind.
Varrick slowly looked away from her, looking up at the now gray night sky and wondering how long he had been standing in thought. Long enough for the sun to fully set. "I've got a lot on my mind..." he whispered. "It's been three years since she's been gone, that's a long time. I wonder how everything has changed...l wonder how I've changed..."
He glanced over as Amber obnoxiously yawned, taking the hand off his shoulder and using it to cover her mouth a bit. "l just thought you were cold, I didn't ask for your whole life story.." she said, rolling her eyes. She groaned and stepped forward more, hugging him slightly from behind with one arm wrapped around his shoulder, her free hand coming up and cupping at the proxy's cheek to turn his eyes to her. "Everything's fine without her, stop worrying." she said. After this she slowly leaned in, pulling Varrick in as well, and pressed her lips against his. Varrick returned the kiss, lips gently wrapping over each other as it deepened slightly, his eyes closed, but his is mind had been preoccupied as he did this. He wondered, what would Anni have said?
These thoughts he made up for the girl made him let out a chuckled laugh, causing Amber to pull away slightly and look upon his face in confusion and annoyance. Varrick pulled away a bit, hand gently reaching up to hold the back of Amber's neck and he slowly opened his eyes. Wind rushed past them and blew some of Varrick's bangs over his eyes, obstructing his vision. Through his bangs he saw himself looking back at those captivating eyes that he was unable to stop thinking of, his hand prickled by soft and hanging blond locks as they grazed over his knuckles. He could see that sad smile again.
The wind subsided, his hair fell back into place as the girl in front of him, Amber, pulled away from him - pleased with her pathetic results of attempting to shut up the worries of her boyfriend. He was cold to her— he was cold to everyone since he left, all excluding Cassie, who didn't understand the situation.
Varrick watched her walk away, her hair once again taking the form of Amber's blond and tied up hair, and standing there blankly. A trick of the eye and mind, in a moment of obstructed vision his brain tried to connect what existed in his vision with what had passed through his mind. The result had been the muddled image of that girl. Anni.
A thought crossed his mind for a moment, but he couldn't convince himself completely. Something was in the air, quite literally, and he had smelt it before. "Cigarette smoke.." the whisper came softly from the boy's lips. The only reason he recognized it so well— was because it was the particular brand of cigarettes that Anni would always smoke.
The air smelt of remnants of smoke, just like it had that day before she had left.
— . — . —
Anni had been casually walking down the crowded streets of her town, with a slight skip in her step, and music blaring in her earphones— she lazily marched through the sidewalk with a small coffee she had been clinging onto since she had left the cafe. Ever since she had abandoned her old chaotic life to live in her hometown, everything had been nothing but great— she had met so many new normal people, got a job with the RPD, and had managed to score her own little house within the suburbs. Her other co-workers offered her a ride back to her apartment, but she can handle walking back home— it was much nicer this way, it gave her peace to know she had finally begun to forget the past— which felt more like a fever dream than memories. She sipped on her coffee with a lazy smile on her lips, breathing a waft of fresh air, this fresh new start was what she absolutely needed— she had even quit smoking cigarettes.
Life was great.
Anni rubbed her eye with the ball of her hand and took a quick sip of her coffee, stretching her free arm as high as it would go. With a groan, she walked down the street towards her apartment, the sky burning with the bright, early afternoon sun. A loud sigh escaped her lips and her brown eyes shimmered like glass against the sunlight that bore through a large window behind her favorite cafe.
Vendors stretched across the middle of the streets, catching people's eyes cleverly as they passed by. People walked their dogs, children ran crazily through the crowds of people, and young lovers held hands while the boys bought their girls nice gifts. Anni saw big blow-up playground fluttering around as the children expended all their energy with all their excitement. Street performers littered the different corners of downtown, hoping to make a few dollars from the onlookers that were intrigued by their talents.
Anni stopped dead in her tracks when the exploding sound of hot rods and motorcycles echoed through the streets. Her green eyes instantly found the culprits, seeing hundreds of them lined up in on the shoreline of the lake. A smile crossed her face upon seeing the beauty of the classics all over and the excitement of seeing them was almost unbearable. She found that her feet were quickly carrying her towards the scenic view of mechanical beings, weaving in and out of groups of people, and avoiding children as they jumped in front of her, some even waving at her— to which she gave a little wave back.
Life was so great.
— . — . —
Varrick lazily outstretched his hands to intertwine with the younger girl below him— the only one he had even cared for anymore. As the years passed, a depressed scruff lazily grew onto his chin and with narrowed eyes— he squinted them as the sun glared back at him. God, he hated the human world— everyone was so happy-go-lucky and quite frankly— fucking irritating. The only reason why he had been out here was because Cassie had practically begged him for weeks until he finally gave in, he undeniably had a weak spit for the girl. Ultimately, he had regretted even leaving the house and should've convinced Vince to take her out instead. Varrick walked outside and grimaced at the sight of the high, beaming sun. The rays of its glory beamed down on his scruffy, tired face, his hand immediately hovering over his brow so his eyes could finally get a look at his surroundings. The area of the street was abuzz with activity, people crowding around tailgates and their friends getting ready for their day's events.
God he should have stayed ho— wait.
A recognizable figure walked in the middle of the street, looking as happy as ever— It was a bright, yet small grin under a light shade of pink lip gloss. A wind caught the woman's long, brown haired bouncing around in her ponytail and the lazy bangs in her face tickled her cheeks. Is that who he thinks it is? His hand gripped Cassie's hand tightly, as the youthful little girl looked at him in slight wonder. He blinks the sleepiness away, hands wiping at his foggy eyes, before an overwhelming coldness envelops him in whole. He stares at the girl, frozen, feeling a myriad of emotions flooding him like an angry current. And then, like a balloon popping, his heart is bleeding at the seams again. It’s terrible how just because of a single look from Anni, he is back to being young and stupid for her. Back to yearning for her embrace and missing her voice and remembering every good thing about her. He blinks.
and again.
and again.
and again.
He stares at it until the woman's image is seared deep into his mind as though this was the salvation he's been looking for. He knows it is not.
and yet it does not stop his pining heart.
Anni sees him. She pushed her way through the swarming grow, the afternoon rush had only just started and would grow quickly. It slowed her down, weaving through bodies that would do close to nothing to move out of the way, and she grew anxious. Her anxiety grew as she felt the heat of staring eyes behind her, she could hear the familiar voice even through the loud nuzzling of the crowd. Varrick, she could almost hear him shouting her name.
He wouldn't shoot in such a crowded space, but he wouldn't let her lose him either. His voice made chills run down her spine, panic began to set inside of her, and she looked back and over her shoulder for a moment. What she saw made her frightened, a look of utter rage and darkness in his eyes as he pushed his way harshly through the crowd. But as she turned her head once again, she saw Cassie softly coaxing him and tears both springing into their eyes— Varrick softly nodding to what the child had been telling him, and they ended up both going to a diner. A diner all too familiar to Anni— one they had gone to, to celebrate Cassie finally going to school. (It wasn't a normal human school, but it was one in the demon-realm. Nightmare had offered to help enroll Cassie into the school Hunter had been going to, and Anni remembered how Varrick scrunched his face in protest of letting his precious little girl go to a pretentious rich-demon school.)
Anni could ignore Varrick and everyone else, but she didn't have the heart to abandon Cassie any longer. She sighed, turning on her heel to enter the diner they had been in.
— . — . —
Anni meets them by the breakfast diner that she frequented at before heading to her work. It’s the same one that Cassie is so fond of, the girl always silently vibrating in joy whenever she brings her there for breakfast before her school.
A rush of memories floods Anni like a raging storm: she remembers having to wipe pancake syrup from Cassie's chin, the girl unconsciously becoming a messy eater despite the care she puts in chewing. She remembers Varrick's little crooked smile when tasting the waffles that she ordered for him.
Anni reigns in her emotions, swallowing the lump in her throat and blinking the stinging behind her eyes, willing the unshed tears to disappear. She is not naïve enough to think that this meet-up is for a rekindling of her relationship. She knows it is not. She doesn't plan on returning.
She entered the diner and it is so laughable how her eyes easily found him.
He looked just like she remembers: handsome. He is so breathtaking that she had forgotten why she had followed them into the diner. The telltale of a smile graces her lips, gentle and warm, before the façade is broken when he meets her eyes.
The eyes that he loves dearly are empty of any emotions; there is no sense of nostalgia at seeing him or even an inkling feeling of remorse at his hollowed state. There is not even an awkward strain in her eyes that shows the signs of her distaste with the situation. There is only indifference. And that, for some reason, hurts more.
Anni wants to leave. She wants to just turn around and hightail from the diner, and never cross paths with him again. Sure, she wants to know why he nearly followed her, but a part of her also thinks that she does not owe him this.
and she's right—she doesn't.
Then she sees Cassie.
She sees Cassie and the fight that had simmered in her veins leave. The anger and the hurt and the bubbling feeling of unfairness that she felt at seeing Varrick is replaced with nothing but a stuttering silence. Cassie looks at her shyly as though she no longer remembers how to be with her and she is crushed. She does not resent the young girl, oh god, she never would, but could anyone blame her heart for breaking?
It's there, standing by the doors of the tiny diner, that she finally realizes that there was no longer a space for her. Not beside Cassie, and not with Varrick. A stuttered breath escapes her. It almost sounded like a cry.
— . — . —
Silence greets her when she sits down. Cassie is fiddling with the paper wrapper of her straw, body tensed beside Varrick. She’s always been a smart kid, so no wonder that she knows something is wrong with the situation.
“How…are you?” Anni asks, eyes trained at the girl than at her adopted father. She feels Varrick's eyes bore into her and she tries not to tremble at the attention.
Since when was Varrick's presence associated with fear? She does not remember anymore.
Cassie peeks up at her adopted father as though asking for permission. She doesn't know what she sees, but Cassie turns to her and sends a shy smile her way.
“I'm doing okay,” Cassie replies, voice quiet as though she does not want to break the tense silence.
Anni smiles back at the youthful girl. She knows it is not as bright and she feels her smooth lips sting at the action, but Cassie's shoulders relax and that is enough.
“That's good,” Anni says to her because it is. A waitress arrives and asks for her order. She says the usual, smiling when she nods and walks away. There is silence again, but this time it is less overwhelming and more hesitant. Varrick refuses to open the conversation, so she does it for him.
“How are you, Varrick?”
Anni's voice is quiet and her eyes do not meet him. Any other day, she would call this cowardice. But not today. Today this is protection—she does not wish to hurt all over again. He grunts but he does not answer. She does not probe anymore, simply nodding and waiting to pass time.
The diner fills up with more people as he waits for his order. A family sitting three tables from his are talking in loud voices. A couple sits by the windows, hands intertwined on top of the table. A woman is furiously typing away on her laptop beside them, half of her face buried on the fluff of her scarf. The diner is full of life and even for just a bit, it distracts Varrick.
The sound of paper sliding on wooden tables catches his attention. He zones back in, eyes focusing on the envelope Anni's pushed towards him. He knows what is in it. Rage simmers from within his chest, almost suffocating in the way it bubbles and fills him up.
Varrick turns to her, body pulled taut. “No,” he says, voice firm.
How dare she. How dare she.
“Anni,” he uttered, voice trailing off when the waitress came back with their food. She nods at her and sends a heated look at Varrick. He responds with a small glare of his own and something like a knife drives itself to his heart. When Varrick turns to her, the glare is still on his face and a visceral ache overtakes him. He wants to hurt her the same way she’s hurt him. He wants her to hurt; to cry for days and scratch at her aching heart. He wants her to miss him.
Anni rolls her eyes at what she saw in his, leaning back onto her chair. “Just take it,” she says, voice gruff.
“No.”
“Stop being difficult. take the payment-”
“I didn't love you to be repaid, Anni.” She parts her lips, but Varrick does not give her the chance to talk.
“I loved you for what little love you gave to me. I loved you as lovers do, Anni. I loved our family.”
Anni sighs and for a moment, it is like he is seeing the Anni he remembers. This is the woman who he knew loved him. The one whose eyes look older than they really are, and whose hands tremble when she thinks he is looking away. The one who called for his name when her nightmares got too much, and the one who promised him that he has nothing to worry about— that she wants to stay with him. Liar. This is the woman who looked at her with kindness and compassion; the one who pressed i love you’s at his lips.
Anni calls his name and he turns back to her. He feels his lips quiver as tears blur his eyes. He misses the woman she was.
“Take it,” she says, voice quiet, “Take it and we will leave this as it is.”
He lets Cassie crawl beside her. It might be the last time they’d see her and Varrick wants Cassie to remember her for as long as she could.
Anni wipes at Cassie's tears and presses the young girl softly to her, hugging her shaking body as she whispers comforting promises to her ears. The familiarity of taking care of Cassie bleeds out from her, and Varrick thinks—and he would not admit this to anyone—how motherhood looks good on her.
Varrick tries imagining her married with a faceless man standing tall behind her and a child cradled in her arms. Varrick imagines the way the man would embrace her from behind, tucking her to his chest as they both gaze at the sleeping bundle they hold. Varrick imagines many things about her family: the sleepless nights that would be worth it, the lullabies that would spill from Anni's lips, the way her husband would always be beside her through everything. A tinge of jealousy courses through him, and Varrick never hated himself more.
He turns back to Anni and Cassie, watching in silence. She is feeding the youthful girl her food, occasionally wiping at her chubby cheeks as Cassie continues to sniffle. Anni wonders how long it’ll take for him to move on and find someone new. Someone who would love him more than she ever did. Someone who would want to marry Varrick.
For a moment, his phone began to ring. A familiar name flashed across the screen. Amber.
TITLE: The loneliest weekend of the year
TYPE: Self Para
MENTIONS: @connorj, @katiemcmorgan
WHEN: Saturday 15th February
SUMMARY: Cassie is stood up on Anti-Valentine’s Day
If Cassie were to be honest, Valentine’s day was one of the worst days of the year for her. She had never been asked on a Valentine’s date, not seriously anyway, nor had she ever successfully asked anyone to be her date. Maybe February 14th was just destined to be a terrible day for her, but, since arriving in Aramore, her Valentine’s curse hadn’t seemed that bad. Because now she had Anti-Valentine’s Day, and while Valentine’s Day was still the worst day of her year, Anti-Valentine’s Day was the best.
When Cassie woke on Saturday, she’d felt exactly like a kid on Christmas morning. Valentine’s Day had been rough, to say the least. But she’d gotten through it by spending the day in the shop working on her latest designs and then cooked herself a nice meal before heading to bed early. Thinking of today had been her main motivation and now it was finally here.
When she’d first arrived in town, all those years ago, Cassie hadn’t known anyone and she’d been afraid of making friends. She’d heard good things about the Scots, and she’d been so confident about coming out here until she’d actually arrived. It had been tough for her to approach people, especially in a village so small where she was sure everyone was talking about the strange new girl who’d arrived with no job and no future.
Then Anti-Valentine’s Day had happened. As luck would have it, she got blessed with the perfect partner - prim and proper Katie McMorgan, who was looking for any reason to not be prim and proper any more. The two had clicked immediately and shared an amazing day that would define their friendship for the years that followed. From their first hot chocolate in the Riverside Cafe, to jumping off the Fairy Falls into the Fairy Pools below, it was a day that neither of them would ever forget.
Every year that followed was as successful as the first, and each year she made another friend that she kept along the way. That’s why she was excited about this year. She’d already met Aiden, a new guy in town. But maybe he’d have siblings, with whom she could become friends. Or she’d heard something about some new Americans? Either way she was excited.
At 9:30am, she was in the marketplace. She had a hot chocolate in hand, as was usual for Cassie, and she could almost feeling her skin tingling with anticipation against the takeaway cup as she looked around in excitement. The minutes seemed to feel like eternities, ticking past ever so slowly as more people started to enter the square. There was Andrea, from Nailed It!, her son Lucas trailing (most likely) unenthusiastically behind her. Noah was here as well, with his children. She wouldn’t mind if she was paired up with any of them. They always had fun and she was sure they could have a great day.
At 10am on the dot, the mayor clambered onto their temporary pedestal to announce the pairs. They started by wishing everyone a happy Anti-Valentines Day and saying that they hoped that everyone had had a wonderful Valentine’s Day. Truthfully, Cassie was barely listening to a word they were saying. Her mind was filling in the gaps using her knowledge of the previous years as she glanced around in excitement.
Then they started listing the names: Melina & Katherine. Audrey & Noah. Lucas & Finn. The list went on and on and on, until it seemed like her name would never be called. But then, finally, Cassie & Connor. She paused, just for a second. She’d barely spoken to Connor, but that was what this was all about, after all.
Her eyes darted around, seeking out his tousled brown hair and steely blue eyes. People everywhere were pairing up now; some people were laughing. Some people were awkwardly chatting, hands rubbing at the back of their necks.
She couldn’t see him.
Maybe he was late? Yes, that had to be it. There was a lot of snow between here and the farm, Cassie had seen it herself when she and Katie had gone out into the woods just last week.
He must be late.
He had to be late.
A nearby bench was calling to her and she collapsed onto it, clutching her now-cold chocolate with both hands. Her brown eyes searched the square desperately, seeking out Connor’s sloping gait; looking for the familiar sight of the fruit crates he seemed to always have with him.
Nothing.
Her eyes leapt to the town clock, reading the 10:30 displayed there with disbelief. He was coming. The square was almost empty now. Everyone had made their decisions and drifted off to wherever they were planning to spend their day. Everyone but Cassie.
She got to her feet, determined to have a wander around to pass some time while she waited for Connor to arrive.
Her feet automatically took her to the Riverside Cafe. A couple of temporary workers from nearby villages had been called in for the day so that even Melina and her team could take part in today’s festivities. Cassie wasn’t surprised to see many of the pairs had flocked to the cafe. A warm discussion in from the cold was a great way to start the day; it also made the perfect opportunity to plan what they were going to do next.
Cassie had planned to take her partner here - Connor. They would have a hot chocolate and share some brownie, before setting off to brave the frosty world outside.
Or that had been the plan anyway.
She continued around the Market Place, dipping onto a back street to pass the Folklore Theatre. Part of her wondered if anyone would be attending the showing today, or if Arthur had closed it to participate in Anti-Valentine’s. Most of her was wondering where Connor was.
Before she even knew she had reached the main square again. Still no sign of Connor. Her eyes darted up.
