Neptune

Chapter 38 | The Song

L U K E

Seven years ago

Cassie and I ended up heading to the market square. When we arrived at the place, the afternoon was almost over because we'd spent too much time trying to find a way to the ice cave earlier, only to find out that it was closed.

The market street was more packed with people than other areas in Hallstatt, but not too crowded. Cassie gasped as she caught sight of a souvenir shop selling various snow globes.

I glanced at my wristwatch and noticed that I didn't have much time left. I'd booked a flight back to New York that night.

The flight was close to midnight, but still, I couldn't risk being late. My heart sank as I realized that I wasn't going to be spending time with Cassie anymore.

This was silly because I shouldn't have felt so attached to a person I just met, but then, I couldn't deny the fact that I enjoyed spending time with her.

It was a wonder how her presence made the burden on my shoulders feel lighter.

However, no matter how reluctant I was to get back home, I still had to. So many responsibilities were waiting for me there. My family needed me.

Cassie arrived back at my side after checking out the souvenir shop.

"Did you find something interesting?" I asked.

"The snow globes are all wonderful," she mumbled. "But I can't decide which one to buy because I love them all. I can't just buy the entire shop."

I chuckled, flicking her forehead. "Make up your mind."

She was surprised by my gesture, her eyes wide as she stared at me, and I wondered whether some of our little interactions affected her the same way they did me.

"What?" I whispered, a small smile tugging at my lips as she still watched me with a blank face.

She blushed crimson, realizing her lack of response. It looked like she was trying to escape the suddenly intense atmosphere.

"You—" she stuttered. "You've still got snow on your head." She tiptoed and brushed it off my hair, and that was when I caught her hand.

She was even more startled when I held her hand and placed it on my cheek, staring into her eyes. I didn't know what had gotten into me. But before we could digest what was happening between us, a blitz and the sound of a camera clicking snapped us out of our trance.

I turned my head toward the source of the blitz, while Cassie used that moment to walk away from me and compose herself. My jaw tightened as I saw a guy with a polaroid camera snapping Cassie's picture.

Sick jerk. I knew that she was beautiful, but this stupid tourist wanting to store her images in his stupid camera irritated me—I hadn't known that I could become this triggered.

"What the hell are you doing?" I bit out, approaching him.

The guy put his camera down and looked at me in horror, as if he'd just realized what he was doing.

"Sorry, man." He gulped as he saw my menacing eyes. "I was just trying to capture the moment," he stuttered.

The closer I got to him, the more he retreated. He shoved the pictures at me like they burned his hand. I snatched them, and he walked off.

I stared at three polaroid pictures. Two were of Cassie, one a side view and the other from the back. The last one was our picture, when I'd had her hand on my cheek.