Immaculate Misconception

Just Tired

Josh's POV

I smiled as Cassie skipped around happily ahead of me as I walked alongside Chris.

"So you two then? Are you like.. a thing?" He asked and I sighed "I dunno. She's like I little sister I guess." I said and he nodded and I sighed as I noticed she had disappeared into a store.

"She really needs to quit that." I laughed "you find her. I'll catch up later at Starbucks." Chris said and walked off.

I sighed and went through a few stores, calling out her name. "Cassie?!" I yelled out and sighed as I texted Chris to just keep an eye out for her just in case. "Cassie?!" I yelled again, getting stared at, but receiving no reply from anyone anywhere.

I ran around yelling her name as panic set in. Ricky is gonna kill me for losing his sister. I sighed as I pulled out my phone and found a picture of her from when we had lunch at one of the stops on the way here.

"Excuse me, mam," I asked a lady who was walking past "have you seen this girl?" I asked and showed her the picture "sorry, hun, I haven't" she shook her head and I sighed "tanks anyway." She nodded and I continued my search before I had a good idea of where she might just be.

"Hot topic." I whispered to myself and ran my way there and after looking through the whole store without finding her, panic began to set in and I felt myself freaking out.  In a minute or so my phone buzzed with a text from Chris.

'Hey I found her. She just went into A store called Zen Garden.' I texted back, thanking him and ran over to a map of the mall and quickly found my way there.

Cassie's POV

I sighed as I walked into Zen Garden and looked around the store at all the Japanese cultured items.

They had, in the back, all these different nunchucks and hatchets. Since I was 18, I had decided to find something I wanted to get.

I found an axe that had shiny green emerald-like stone on the blade and the end of the handle. I decided I would ask how much it was.

"It's about 58, but I would need an ID to confirm you are at least 18." The cashier said and I dug through my purse and found my school ID from Senior Year.

I handed it to him and he nodded "Just being honest now, I like your hair. It's cute." He said and took the hatchet off the wall.

"I like your tattoo by the way." I said, pointing to his tattoo which was a clock that said "time goes on." Below it in cursive and the writing curved around the clock. "Thanks." He smiled "did you ever get any tattoos?" He asked as he wrapped up the hatchet for me "I am in the middle ground of wanting a tattoo and wondering what I want on my body forever." I said and he nodded.

"A personal tip is to get something that means a lot to you. Something you want to remember." He said as I dug out five ten dollar bills and a five and a few ones. "Thanks." I said and smiled and heard heavy breathing and turned to see Josh running in "you really need to stop running off." He sighed and I giggled "uh oh, somebody is in trouble." The cashier said and I laughed and shook my head "well, thanks for this. I will see you around." I said and bid him farewell and he smiled and waved as me and Josh walked out of the store.

"What'd you buy?" He asked and I sighed "you're gonna have to wait and see. Where'd Chris go off to?" I asked and he shrugged "probably Hot Topic or Spencer's." He said and I nodded "you wanna head to Starbucks?" He asked and I nodded "I can use some iced coffee." I said and smiled and we began our walk to Starbucks.

I saw a bunch of these skater-type guys sitting on the corner of where we needed to go. "skinny ass bitch." One of their girlfriends I'm assuming, commented and I sighed, but saw Josh tense up a bit. I just nudged him and he looked over to me and I shook my head, telling him they weren't worth getting upset at. "They shouldn't say those things to you, Cass." He said but I shook my head "it doesn't bother me, Josh, just ignore them. All they really want is attention." I said and he nodded and I could hear them making snide comments about be behind my back, but just walked away, not listening to them. 

They could have said worse things, too so it isn't that big of a situation. "You alright?" He asked and I realized I had been quiet and thinking "yeah, I'm just thinking." I said and he turned his head curiously "I don't wanna talk about it." I felt my phone buzz in my pocket and took it out and saw who it was from. I wanted to ignore it but I couldn't. I know I said people like her want attention, and here I am. giving that attention away like free candy. 

A-Hey there Skellington. How's Scranton?

C-Leave me alone, Alex.

A-But, honey, I don't want to. It's fun. watching you slowly break.

C-Do you get off on this? watching my life? is it fun for you?

A-It's fun yes. watching you slowly die from starving yourself. 

I put my phone away after that. I was aware I don't really eat, but I didn't want to hear. or read.. people telling me about it. I'll be fine as long as I eat a little bit here and there.  "who texted?" Josh asked as we sat down in Starbucks and waited for Chris. "Just Ricky." I said and he nodded and I sighed "Something bothering you?" He asked, a bit concerned, and I just wanted to spill it all and just tell him everything. I wanted to tell him about how Alex betrayed my trust. I wanted to tell him about the texts and recently the videos. I wanted to tell him everything. 

"I'm fine. Just tired."