The Stories of Latia, Vol. 2: Demon's Curse

Chapter 7: Canary in a Coal Mine

Chapter 7: Canary in a Coal Mine

The Narrator

Avery had been home for 10 minutes or so, fidgeting with her newly purchased ring, but carefully as to not drop it or scratch it or something. She pondered how exactly she'd ask, while also wondering where exactly it was Cassidy and Jayme had gone. But she wasn't left wondering for long, as Cassidy came through the door not long after Avery had, with Jayme and James loosely following.

"Hey, Cass," Avery greeted, leaping from her chair in excitement before reining it back in.

"Hey, Jayme and... James," Avery again greeted, slightly confused as to why James was there.

"Can we uh... can we have a minute?" Cassidy softly asks, her voice breaking ever so slightly.

James nods, exiting the door he had his hand on since he came in, behind Jayme.

"Cassidy, I-"

"Avery, I-" they both begin at the same time.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You go first," they both say.

"No, no. It's fine. You start."

"Ave! Please... go first," Cassidy exclaims, breaking the loop they were in.

Avery takes a deep breath "Okay. Cassidy, I wish I could say 'you didn't catch my eye at first' or whatever people say, but... I'd really only be lying to myself," she begins, taking Cassidy's hands in hers.

"The truth is you caught my eye the second we met. I didn't even think I liked girls but then you walked into that restaurant," Avery laughs.

"And I know we haven't known each other all that long, but even in that short time... I think you're the one I want to grow old on a poach with," Avery lightly chuckles, but Cassidy is too taken away to laugh.

Avery takes another deep breath, kneeling to the ground and pulling the ring from her pocket "so... Cassidy, will you marry me?"

Cassidy is frozen with tears in her eyes.

"Yes! Oh my god, yes!" she exclaims after a second, wrapping Avery into a hug so tight she thought she'd snap her spine, followed by a tender kiss.

"So... what were you going to tell me?" Avery breathlessly asks, their foreheads pressed together and their hands on each other's cheeks.

In this shining, golden moment, Cassidy had forgotten the situation she was in, but Avery's words had pulled her back into her unfortunate reality.

"Oh... it's, uhm- nothing," she laughs it off, opting to kiss Avery again instead of thinking about it.