𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓶𝓷𝓲𝓪𝓬 ❖ 𝓫. 𝓫𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓼

C H A P T E R (19) - A L O N E

"So I guess this is goodbye..." Steve mumbled quietly as he nervously chewed on his bottom lip.

"I guess so." Cassie replied, too overcome with multiple emotions to express only one.

And he left.

Cassie knew in her head that if she went straight home, she would be out of her mind bored, she decided to head to a place of tranquility. Her place.

The serenity of the park was enough to occupy her mind for a while, knowing that if she let her mind wonder, it wouldn't stop. And she had enough of that to deal with at night. So instead, she let her eyes rest on the lake that glistened in the bright sunlight, creating small diamond-like reflections of everything; shadows, people walking by the water, even some of the ducks that rested on the surface.

She sat at the edge of the water, a good enough distance away so that she couldn't fall in, a lesson she had learned after being around Steve's clumsy self. She had her knees up to her chest with her arms wrapped around herself, ignoring the unnecessary warmth the position created. Warmth was one thing she didn't need in the current sweaty weather.

"All alone?"

Oh God.

Cassie couldn't have been quicker to swallow her fear, not moving an inch as she let her eyes remain on the water.

"If you're here to stab me again, I'm not in the mood." She sounded, knowing Ryan Terrence's voice anywhere.

"Technically I didn't stab you."

She huffed at his words before realising she had said the same exact ones to Bucky before he had left that day, a sudden pang of sadness hitting her heart.

"I know you probably don't like me-" he began as he sat next to her, confident enough to keep his distance.

"Probably? I probably don't like you?"

"Meh," he shrugged before turning his head away, "You're not usually alone. Where's your brother and your Bucky?"

She couldn't help but smile at his words, despite her hatred towards him. Her Bucky. He was hers. At some point. Maybe not even then.

"There's a war going on, perhaps you didn't notice." She answered sarcastically, "Y'know, being caught up being a dick and all?"

Ryan sighed before raking his hand through the grass, pulling out certain blades and letting them float through the very soft wind.

"Guess I deserve that."

"You really underestimate the punishment you deserve, Terrence." She scoffed.

He didn't respond, yet simply remained silent. A small gift she was so thankful for, a moment of peace; the thing she had come to the park to get. Plus something to take her mind off of her undesired solitude.

"It's a shame that they don't let women fight," he began, causing a gasp to escape Cassie's mouth, "I mean, my crotch still hurts from your knee. I'm sure they value that in the army."

"I can't tell if you're being misogynistic or not, so I'll go with the latter for your own sake." She sighed, her desire to leave her no longer peaceful place growing stronger.

"I get the sense that you want to be alone, Cassie."

"So leave."

"Cold." He replied with a hand over his heart, "But I also know that you don't want to be alone. You don't want me here, sure. But I know who the only person is that you would allow to interrupt this moment. You and I both know who, maybe you just haven't opened your eyes completely."

His speech took her by surprise, her furrowed brows and ajar mouth giving it away.

"Come on, Cassie. It's not hard to see," he said with a shrug, "There has only ever been one person you would sit here with and show the true beauty of this park to them with the ways of your words."

"You're border-lining being cringe. I suggest you not continue."

Truly, she just didn't want Ryan Terrence of all people to analyse her relationship with Bucky. Whatever that relationship even was.

"I'll leave soon enough don't worry. But I'll leave you with one thought."

He didn't continue as he stood up from his position and looked down at her, causing her to raise her eyebrows expectantly.

"I didn't tell you who to think of," he paused, "But we both know who came to mind."

And with that, he left her alone at the edge of the park with even more thoughts and emotions than she had entered with.