A Slice of Pie

Shepard

This was a bad idea. 

A truly, terrible, horrible idea.

I knew that but Cass, on the other hand, didn't. 

"Come on, Cal," he grunted, his palms pressing firmly into my back. "Get moving already!"

My lips tightened into a firm line. Even with my stiff posture and heavy brows, Cass still managed to push me further up the hill I had decided to die on. I could already see the tiny, yellow building glowing in the hazy mist that blew over Bloomsbury. 

When I first saw the bakery, I realized it was nothing how my brother depicted it. The millions of letters he sent made me believe the building hiding in the outskirts of town would be horrid. I pictured bare, splintered boards keeping it together and was, instead, greeted by strong, sunny walls. I imagined the door to be old and decrepit but was welcomed in by a tall oak entrance with a golden handle. Though, the biggest difference I found were the large, round windows that held her silhouette like a painting. 

I ran towards the bakery when I first saw it. But, now that three days passed and I had rightfully made a fool of myself, I refused to go near it for a while.  

"You could go just so we won't be stuck in this damned rain."

I rolled my eyes. "Or, we could go back the bar."

"So, you can continue being a big Chicken?" Cass scoffed before slamming his back into mine. "Yeah, I don't think so."

My sigh came out low. "I told you to stop calling me that."

"And I," he pushed, "told you -" 

Again.

"-to stop being a big-" 

And again. 

"-old-" 

And again. 

"-Chick-Whoa!"

CLANK!

When Cass slammed into my back for the hundredth time, it was face-first into the back of my copper chest plate. He swallowed a scream as he wobbled around to face me. His hand was cupping his face while his eyes scrunched closed. 

"Gods," he groaned. The sound nasally and full of pain. I huffed a laugh while Cass rubbed the pain away from his bloody nose. This, of course, was a mistake. 

I was too busy watching Cass struggle with the stream of blood rushing towards his lip that I didn't catch the swift boot swinging my way. His foot slammed into my shin. The force of the attack was so powerful that I realized something. 

Cass may be short but there was still a teeny, tiny possibility that he could still bury me in the dirt.

I hopped on one foot, cradling my shin in my hands. "Son of a-"

"What 'cha still wearing that thing for!"

I raised my head, the quick movement causing the tail of red hair to fly out of my face. "What?"

Cass took a heavy step forward and I was ashamed to admit that I took an even bigger step back. A crazed finger pointed at my chest. "Take it off!"

"I'm not doing that."

Cass's long face bloomed with anger. Even his eyes went wide as he straightened. 

Were his shoulders always that broad?

"Cal," he seethed through bloodied teeth. Knuckles cracked at his sides while his gaze darkened. "You better have a good reason why not."

Silence hung in the hazy air between us. Our blue eyes challenged each other while a shaky hand made its way to my heart. My cheeks burned in the cool breeze.