Ronnie

19

September 28, 1986. San Francisco International Airport.
Cassie took her foot off the accelerator and coasted around the curves of the airport pick up.
Flashbacks of dropping Cliff off here just a couple of weeks back played in her brain, which caused tears to puddle in her eyes.
She slowed as she saw the mass of curly hair and leather called Kirk.
The trunk popped open, and he placed his bags in it.
Cassie gave him a sad smile and continued to the highway.
“Where did James and Lars go?” she asked after minutes of silence.
“Some friend picked them. I don't know where they were going.”

“Do you want something to eat?”
“Sure.”
Cassie pulled the car into Denny's.
They ate in complete silence until the check arrived.
Cassie went to grab it, but Kirk was faster.
“Let me have it, Kirk.”
“No.”
“I just got paid, let me have it. The last thing you need to be doing right now is scrounging around for money.”
Kirk sighed as he stared into her sad, blood shot eyes. “Fine.
But I'm getting the next one.”
Cassie gave him an unpromising.
“Where am I taking you?” she asked as they pulled out of the parking lot.
“I guess the Mansion. I don't really have anywhere else to go.”
“Okay.”

Cassie slowed in front of the dirty old house.
Kirk grabbed his stuff from the trunk.
“Thanks Cas.”
“No problem.
Hey, I'll be at Melissa's if you need anything. Call, okay?”
He nodded, “Yeah.”
“See you later.”

Cassie used Melissa's spare key to open the apartment door.
“Melissa?”
She was at work.
Cassie let out a sigh and made her way into the guest room she had taken over. She tore through her bag of clothes. A black shirt caught her eye.
It was Cliff's Misfits T-shirt he had forgotten to pack. She held it close to her chest and took a deep breath of the scent. She fell onto the mattress and cried.
She never got to say goodbye.
She couldn't remember the last thing he had said to her over the phone. She needed one more conversation. One last word.
Her heart ached for him. He made her feel whole. They were supposed to spend the rest of their lives together.
Now she was carrying the last piece of his life.
Everything that could go wrong had gone wrong. She was lost, alone, and terrified.

Ring. Ring. Ring.
The phone stunned her. She ran out of the bedroom straight to the kitchen.
Cliff, she thought in her head.
She picked up frantically, “Hello?”
“Cas?”
Her heart slowed.
Just Kirk. Of course, it was Kirk. Cliff was gone. He wasn't coming back.
“Is everything alright?”
“Not really.
James and Lars came home a couple of hours ago. Since, they've destroyed everything that wasn't already completely broken. They're extremely fucked up.
I-I, uh, just can't be around this right now. If I stay here with them, they will just drag me down too. I'm not going to willingly stay here for that to happen.
You're the only one I knew to call who could actually help.
I'm sorry,” he whispered.
“Don't be sorry. Get whatever you need together. I'll be over there soon.”
“Okay.”
“Okay,” she hung up the phone.
Cassie packed her bag up. The Misfits shirt stared at her on the bed. It was damp with tears; she pulled it over her head anyway.

Sorry for the short notice. The guys are having a breakdown, and I need to save Kirk while I can. I'll be at my house. Stop by if you'd like. Thanks for letting me crash. See you soon - Cas

Cassie put the note on the refrigerator and ran out the door.

Kirk tossed his bags into the trunk and hopped in the passenger seat, trying his hardest to avoid James, who had followed him.
“Hey, James,” Cassie said through the window opening.
“Where you taking him?”
“Oh, we're just gonna hangout for a bit. I'll have him back to you, I promise.”
James turned his beer up to the sky.
He coughed, and his saliva splattered on Cassie's cheeks.
“Keep 'em. He's a prick anyway.”
“Okay James,” she looked over at Kirk. “We're gonna go now. Nice talking to you.”
She turned the car on and swerved past James as he watched them drive away.
“No wonder you needed to get away.
I couldn't be around that, either.”
Kirk nodded.
“How bad is Lars?”
“Lars isn't aggressive like James. He just kinda complains and mopes around.”

The pair pulled into Cassie's driveway.
They each stared at Cliff's car in silence for minutes.
“I brought him to the airport,” she said quietly. Answering the question Kirk had in his head.
“Oh. Okay.”

“I'm going to go in,” Cassie said abruptly. “Take your time.”