They reach the Japanese place, and Cassis parks up close. "Do you know what you're having?" she asks Natalia. The blonde looks over at her as they enter, biting her lip. Cassis wishes this was a date, with just the two of them.
Taking a deep breath, Natalia purses her lips, thinking about what she could have for lunch. Salad, the usual. "Salad, ginger dressing and clear soup, extra mushroom slices." The cool air causes her to shiver as she leans against her back, her cheek on the blonde's shoulder. "Can I just go to the spa and relax?"
That's it, Natalia thinks. They can't deny going to the spa.
"Hey," Natalia says, rubbing her friend's shoulder lightly, lifting her head, "How about the spa this weekend? Or today?" They could squeeze studying in and a spa afternoon.
Cassis, lost in the thought of how right it feels, standing like this with Natalia, looks at her friend. Would she ever feel the way I do? If I told her.... would she accept me? Would she love me back? Enjoying the feeling of wholeness, Cassis repeats Natalia's order in Japanese to the older man behind the counter, along with Aria's, and then her own. She makes sure to order extra tempura sauce.
Turning slighly, Cassis takes the brunette's hand, looking slightly down at Natalia. "Aria's working, today, but maybe the weekend?"
Natalia's hand falls from Cassis', pulling herself away. As they wait for the food, Natalia shakes her head lightly. "Why can't it just be you and I?" Frustration fills the brunette, and she looks away from her best friend. "Aria and you can hang out, do things without me. But it's all too much for either of you to hang out with me and not have the other one along."
Sighing, she takes the keys from Cassis. "I'll be waiting in the car."
Thoroughly confused by what just transpired, the blonde looks after her with furrowed brows. Cassis didn't know Natalia wanted to spend time with just her. In fact, her heart flutters at the thought.
Once she has the food, she finally returns to the car. Natalia hands her the keys after Cassis has set the food at her friend's feet, but she doesn't start the car, just yet. The silence is deafening for a moment, until she looks over at Natalia with a soft expression. Biting her lip in indecision, Cassis lets herself take her hand gently. "I didn't know you wanted... you know, just me."
"Cassis," the brunette says softly, her eyes straight ahead, looking out the window, "It's not that I just want to spend time with you." Finally, turning her glance over to Cassis, she finishes, "It's that you guys will only spend time with me if you are together." Natalia's hand feels relaxed in her friend's. Taking a deep breath, she says, "It'd just be nice to have time alone with my best friends not being together."
Cassis makes sure to keep the slight pang of hurt from her face, though it shows in her eyes; the blonde would love to hear that Natalia wanted to spend time with just her, and not Aria. But, she knows, we're all only friends, to her.
If only she knew how the blonde feels about her. How, when she closes her eyes at night, she dreams of her. That she thinks of her, when she thinks of her future.
If only she knew that Cassis loves her.
"We'll go to the spa, today, okay, love? We'll do anything you want," Cassis tells her softly, stroking her hair out of her beautiful eyes before taking her hand again, giving it a gentle squeeze and a soft smile.
Letting out a soft sigh, Natalia nods her head. It hurts that she has to confront her for something. But, maybe Cassis never saw it, the sadness that was arising in my heart. Or maybe she thought I wanted time alone with Ryan? Natalia catches a glimpse of something flashing in her friend's eyes. She reads it off as guilt. What else would it be?
