Tangled Fates

chapter six.

I press the ring on the doorbell, waiting for it to open.

"Hey, Enzo! Are you ready for our annual Star Wars marathon? It's Friday so you know what that means.." I say, beaming with my Darth Vader shirt in either of my hands.

"Cass, hey. And sorry but maybe we can push it back for another time? I have football practice in 15." He murmurs, scrolling on his phone.

Football practice? I know he plays football, but missing our annual marathon for that? Emphasis on the annual. We do this every year and he's going to miss it over some dumb sport. "Oh, well is tomorrow good? It's Saturday so you should be free then..right?" I stated, reassuring myself that he'd say yes. It's the weekend, for Christ's sake.

"Listen, I won't be free. It is the weekend but I'm practicing the whole time with friends. I think...I want to take football seriously." He refuted, weirdly ecstatic about it. I mean come on, football? I have my cheerleading so I guess I can understand his enthusiasm, but this...this is new.

"..Well, when are you free?" I reply, unsure of what else to say. "Look, Cass, I don't know. Okay?" He said, annoyed. "We can do this whenever but right now I can't. Now if you excuse me, I have a field to get to."

"Okay, Enzo whatever. I just wish you would've told me before I came here." I look over to my side as I shake my head and scoff. "Right, because I have to tell you everything? Considering that you know how I feel about this, I would think it'd be common sense for you. Seriously, Cassia - get a grip." He turns to grab his practice bag and storms past me to the car waiting for him in front of me. I see him enter the car and It's as if his mood immediately shifts - he's laughing and looks enthusiastic. I see Zaire wave at me through the car window which I return, as they drive off.

It's just a phase, it'll pass. I desperately tried to prove to myself. But, was it?

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C A S S I A

Two weeks have passed since we started school, and so far I'm enjoying it. Cheer has been running smoothly and we recently cheered in one of our home games. Winning, it gives us a huge boost of confidence and assurance that we'll win this year's game in December and therefore be able to participate in the playoffs. Compared to junior year, schoolwork has significantly decreased and gives me way more time to make my final choice in choosing which college I want to attend. It's nerve-wracking, to say the least.

I have four options: San Diego State, SJSU, Pepperdine Unviversity, and USC.

My parents heavily stress the importance of college, which I respect and am grateful for. Both alumni of Columbia University, they understand the things you can do with a college degree - especially from a good school. My mother studied pre-med and biology, while my father was involved in economics and paralegal studies. This did well for them as my mother is a neurosurgeon and my father owns one of the most popular law firms in California. I am incredibly appreciative of them and everything that they've done in life to get themselves to where they are now.

"I don't know, but he seems nice, he even moved his seat. You see the way we're sitting side to side right now? He just randomly sat next to me and smiled at me." Soleil rambles, scribbling on her paper. We're in Calculus class and we're finishing the work we were assigned yesterday.

I chuckle. "And this is the same boy we have in mind, Matteo? I swear I rarely hear him speak." Out of that whole crew, I would say he is the chillest one. He doesn't do too much and is mostly an observer. Very similar to Soleil. She is one of the sweetest girls I've met and is a very rational person. She's the type of friend to tell you that you should think before you act which I've needed to hear a couple of times.