Memories

Lonley

Cassian hid under his bed. Two pairs of shiny white boots were all he could see besides his parents knees on the was trembeling but he willed himself quiet.

"Please leave us alone!" His mother begged. Cassian jumped when the blaster fired and his dad fell limp to the floor with a thud. Cassian covered his mouth to prevent himself from screaming. He could barely make out his dad's face out between the blood and mangled flesh that now covered him.

"Oh my god, Oh my god." His mom rocked back and fourth.

"Shut her up would you?"one pair of feet said to the other. This time Cassian didn't jump. he felt his mother hit the floor. Suddenly everything was quiet. He couldn't hear the gun fire outside couldn't hear the screaming anymore. He stared at his dead parents bodies and wondered what what he going to do now. He was only 6 what could he do?

Cassian woke with a start. His heart beating rapidly. Sweat and tears drenched his face. It was a dream he told himself, yet it was so familiar. Ever since that night with Jyn The memories had been getting worse. He wondered how she was doing since the attack. After waiting for the cops with her they switched numbers. They had texted all night until she fell asleep that night because she was so shaken up. Cassian was happy to be talking to her but not in the circumstance it had happened. He began to start feeling protective of Jyn. She seemed so nice he hated the idea of what that man put her through.

Cassian stepped into his shower to try rid himself of his dream, it was still too early for him to head to work but he didn't want to risk going back into the dream. He already felt nauseated from it. Cassian stood under the pouring water. He let the hot water tingle his skin. He felt like he needed to scrub the dream off himself. Why had it made him so upset? He thought. Perhaps he felt sympathy for the boy. Or maybe it was because his parents died before he could remember them.

After being put in foster homes at age 16 he had finally had enough of being tossed around as soon as it was convenient for his care takers and decided to run away. He lived in and out of the streets until he finally got a part time job working at a glorified fast food restaurant. Now he worked at a record shop in the middle of town. Cassian basically managed the store now he had been there since he was 17. He enjoyed the slow paced environment that constantly surrounded him with music. Most people who came in were like minded. He never had angry customers throwing things at him like he did at his old jobs. For once he felt peaceful, until the dreams started. They seemed to get so mixed in with reality he had trouble figuring out what was real and what was a dream. He considered seeing a therapist but he didn't want to be sent to an institution. Mostly though he just wasn't comfortable talking about it. Yet he could with Jyn who was basically a stranger to him, but there was something there with her. An unmistakable connection. he hadn't told his best friend Reed about her yet. Usually he told him everything that was going on with his life when he eventually got around to it. However Cassian enjoyed knowing Reed didn't know about her or anyone he knew didn't. It was like having a second life.

Cassian dressed himself in a tight fitting blue long sleeve shirt with his usual jeans. He grabbed his winter coat and headed to work.

Jyn paced around her apartment anxiously. Ever since the attack she couldn't sit still. Her boss gave her the week off after learning what had happened but the last thing Jyn wanted was to be alone sequestered in her home. She didn't have friends to call or anybody to keep her company. So days off felt even more lonely, she loathed how much self pity she was giving herself. She was stronger than this and she knew it. But she couldn't shake this empty feeling. After gathering up the courage Jyn decided to take a walk into town. This time she armed herself with a pocket knife kept securely at her hip.

On her trip out she decided to venture to local record shop. She gingerly opened the door looking up when a soft jingle went off above her head. "I'll be right there!" A man's voice called from the back.

"No rush!" She called back. The store was warm and smelt of dust and old carpet beneath her feet was majorly outdated, it was some obscure pattern from the 60's Brown and yellow with white stripes. Jyn cringed at the ugly carpet and decided to head for the shelves. She had just discovered some old jazz music when she was greeted by the man in the back.

"Fan of jazz are you?" He asked behind her starling her.

"I'm getting into it a bit but i tend to prefer rock." She said her eyes still on the cover of Frank Zappa's 'Hot Rat'.

"Jyn?"

Jyn looked up to see Cassian. He was wearing a tight fitting shirt that accentuated his muscular physique.

"Whoa hey! Sorry I was kinda day dreaming.

"How are you doing?" He asked his eyes glazed with concern. This made her feel oddly happy.

"I'm okay..." She said not wanting to lie not wanting to complain. Cassian raised an eyebrow. Jyn had obviously not fooled him."Okay how about we talk about it over coffee?" Cassian blushed this time. "Uh yeah sure. I'll be off in like half an hour if that cool?"

Jyn nodded. "Sounds good."