Searching Cassie

8) Be Careful

Picture attached is Ward's Porsche.

Chapter Eight: Be Careful

"Good morning," Samantha greeted Cassie cheerfully as she got two cups from the kitchen cupboard.

Cassie's green eyes wandered cautiously. "Aren't you going to kick me out?"

Samantha laughed. "It's like you are begging me to do so instead."

Cassie shook her head. "No," she mumbled. "I need to stay."

"Why?" Samantha arched an eyebrow in curiosity. "You could always rent a room in a hotel than sharing a small flat with another person." She laughed, her cheeks flushing. Samantha felt embarrassed at the truth.

"I ran away...from someone," Cassie said. Although her voice was steady, Samantha did not fail to notice her fidgeting. "Someone who was close to me."

Cassie's eyes were solely focused on the fragile cup in her hand. A sad smile etched on her face, a face that was usually blank. Pain flickered in her green eyes while her lips were slightly jutted out in a twisted smile.

Samantha swallowed. This situation seemed so familiar yet so foreign. She didn't know what to say apart from sympathetic sentences such as 'That's sad', 'I'm sorry'. These words sound shallow and fake in her own ears.

Sammie...

Samantha's entire body trembled from the voice inside her head. Suddenly she was flung into the dark fiery pits. Flames were consuming her bruised legs.

Go...

She screamed.

Cassie shot up at the piercing noise emitted from Samantha's pale lips. "Samantha?" She asked, alarmed. "Is everything fine?"

"Rig---" Samantha broke off from her answer. "No," she said bravely, nervously fumbling with her sweaty hands. "Something's bugging me."

"It does the same to me too," Cassie shot Samantha a smile, which could be deemed as a normal bright one by other people. But Samantha knew someone like Cassie, someone like herself better than that.

"Too bad there isn't an exit for us to escape," said Samantha wistfully. "Wouldn't that be great?"

"Yeah," Cassie gently agreed. "It would."

***

That goddamn car of Ward's finally stopped with a dramatic skid.

Samantha felt extremely nauseous, her brain muddled. She even started measuring the pros and cons of following Ward but stopped in the middle once he knowingly grinned at her.

"Where are we?" asked Samantha. Staring into the rear view mirror, she winced at the sickly white person who had an ashy blonde mess resting at her head. It was hard to believe that that pale figure was actually Samantha herself. She hadn't looked so awful for such a long time.

"Your home," Ward replied as he got off the car. He ignored Samantha's stunned expression. "Pack essentials," he paused and repeated firmly. "Strictly essentials."

"Sure," said Samantha dully. She was totally demotivated by her horrifying appearance.

Ward stared at her, incredulous. "Aren't you going to give me those stupid comebacks?"

Samantha gave him the middle finger and walked away. Her sarcasm would come back later. Later, but not now.

Ward watched Samantha till she entered the elevator. He sighed: this girl was... different.

Ward smiled as he put his phone to his ear. Normal girls would faint at what Samantha had been experiencing. Her fight for pride was fairly amusing, he admitted, but of course he wouldn't say that out loud.

"Rae?" Ward called into the phone. "Are you there?"

"At the airport already," Rae answered. His voice was small, compared to the loud noises in the airport. "Evan has just booked us a flight to Los Angeles. It takes off tonight."

"Great," Ward sighed. He rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Give me an hour. She's getting her stuff."

"Ha," Rae chuckled. "How's your new partner?"

"She's not exactly new," the corners of Ward's mouth rose up a little when he saw Samantha clumsily trying not to fall down. He turned his head aside. "Bearable, I suppose."

"I'm glad to hear that." Rae's tone was still light. Strangely light. "Get a hold of yourself though. We don't know the severity of this situation."

"It's hard," Ward said. He took a deep breath. Samantha was approaching towards him, their distance slowly closing. He needed to end this conversation quick. "Gotta go."

"You don't have anything to say?"

"Darn it, Rae," Ward groaned. "How did you know?"

"Ward, I'm serious, time is running fast for me too," Panic flowed in her words.

"Be careful when you're tracking them down," said Ward lowly. "I mean it, Rae."

"When haven't I been?" Rae answered playfully. "Call me later."

Ward quickly unlocked the car and opened a door for Samantha, who was rolling her eyes. Aware of her hostility, he said nothing.

She clearly hated him for being rude but not to the extent that she would push him away. That was enough.

Samantha Kerrigan didn't have to have second thoughts about this. Ward's hands on the steering wheel tightened. Everything would go as planned then.

Everything must.

A/N: I'M SUCH A TERRIBLE WRITER. Sorry for the late update. I hope giving you a peer into Ward's mind would make up for it. If it doesn't, feel free to stalk and kill me. *hangs head in shame*