𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓷𝓲𝓪𝓬 ❖ 𝓫. 𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼

C H A P T E R (9) - I N / L O V E

After a while of radio silence from Bucky, Cassie was growing concerned.

It wasn't just concern that she felt, guilt also purged her. Plus the sense of dejection that she couldn't help. And if she were making a list, sleeplessness would be on there somewhere.

Cassie leaned against the kitchen counter with her hands either side of her, gripping the edge of the countertop. Her eyes would close every few seconds and open after a short period of time, yet her legs were too tired to get her to bed, so she stayed put in the kitchen.

When the front door opened, she expected Steve to walk in, so with her eyes closed and head hung low, she didn't say a word.

"Cassie?"

The voice immediately made Cassie's head snap up and eyes open, only to be met with Bucky leaning against the doorway.

"Bucky." She responded quietly.

"Listen I need to talk to you. Steve told me you were busy but-"

He was cut off by the sound of three loud knocks on the door, drawing Cassie's attention away from him.

"Sorry, one second." Cassie mumbled before she left to answer the door.

As soon as she opened it, she regretted the decision to do so.

"Cassie Rogers. You haven't changed."

"Ryan Terrence. Neither have you."

She took in the man that stood before her, and how his face had remained the same since she had last seen him when she had left school. They didn't get along very well, in fact, not at all. Their past was complicated and not one she wanted to bring back to light, so instead she closed the door ever so slightly to give out the impression she wanted him to leave.

"What do you want, Terrence?" Cassie asked.

"Oh, nothing. I was merely wondering if your brother was home."

"Why do you care about Steve?"

"I don't, and that's why I'm here. He has something of mine and I want it back."

"I'll be sure to pass on the message." Cassie answered with a roll of her eyes as she closed the door in his face.

"Who was it?" Bucky asked as she re-entered the room.

"Just a person I know from a while back. He wasn't...the best of people." Cassie explained as she sat on one of the chairs at the dining table.

"How do you mean?"

Cassie shook her head slightly, not wanting to divulge into the story too much. It was a long story, and she had buried it a long time ago. There was no reason to revisit the past.

"He's probably a complete douche anyway." Bucky mumbled.

"And?" Cassie questioned, her interest peaked at his words.

He shook his head reluctantly and leaned against the wall with his hands across his chest. He furrowed his brows and didn't take his gaze off of the floor until Cassie stood up from her seat at the table.

"Why do you care?" Cassie raised her voice, fed up with the awkward atmosphere.

The room was deadly silent. It was like her question echoed throughout the room, the only noises to be heard being the howling wind outside and quiet breathing. Finally, Bucky decided to interrupt the silence, but in no way that Cassie had expected. His words were so quiet, yet said so much.

"Because I'm in love with you."