Remember Me This Way

VIII

Remember Me This Way

2014

Chapter VIII

 

Tate paced for a good half an hour before he did another round of the house, checking every room for any sign of Cassie.

It wasn’t like she could get into too much trouble since she couldn’t be seen by anyone; but that didn’t mean he couldn’t or didn’t worry about her.

Questions ran through Tate’s mind over and over again and he angrily worked through them, sorting out the questions that seemed to need answers the most.

Was she going to come back?

Where is she?

Did she hate me?

Running his hands through his hair he let out a low growl and made a move to spin on his heel and punch the wall but as he turned, his fist connected with a solid surface, but the odd sound of his fist hitting against it – the sound being something similar to someone punching a slab of cold, raw steak – made Tate open his eyes wider and pay attention to what he had just landed a punch to.

“Fuck!” Cassie cried as she tumbled to the floor, clutching her cheek in horror.  

“Holy shit! Cas? Cas, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were behind me…” Tate frantically apologised, crouching down beside her and pulling her hands away from her cheek to inspect the damage.

As if there would be damage.

Looking up into Tate’s worried, creamy teal orbs, Cassie’s eyes narrowed into a vicious glare that had Tate gulping and frowning.

“You jackass!” Cassie shrieked as she moved forward in a tackle and pushed him onto his back, hysterically hitting at anything on his body she could.

“Cas! Stop!” Tate yelled at her as he tried to grab her flailing arms and pin them at her sides so she couldn’t keep inflicting pain on him.

“You punched me! You dickwad!” Cassie shouted as she continued with her bashing, ripping her wrists from Tate’s grip. Tate gave a low growl in warning but as Cassie’s hand swiped across his face, he’d had enough.

Pushing up and rolling over, he grabbed Cassie’s hands and pinned them underneath him, along with her body as he laid over her and held her to the ground.

The room became eerily quiet, the only sound between them being their laboured breathing. It was then that Cassie realised they were only inches away; his minty, warm breathe fanning over her face lightly – almost creating goose bumps on her skin.

“I’m sorry I punched you Cas. I meant to hit the wall…I’m sorry…” Tate murmured his apology softly to Cassie who couldn’t do much but stare at his lips.

Tate could see the stare she had on his mouth and it took everything inside him to not lean into her captivating stare and claim her lips. Gathering all his restraint and self-control Tate pulled back completely and got off Cassie, who laid back against the wooden floor in a daze.

Cassie couldn’t stop herself from imagining his lips on hers…

She was in way too deep with this.

“I-Um…I came back because I need help with what happened to me.” Cassie finally said, eliminating to silence between them and standing to her feet like Tate had done moment before.

“Cassie-,” Tate groaned but Cassie quickly shut him up, “Look, I know it’s not ideal to help me because we hate each other but I have no other option. I want to move on, and you want to get rid of me, we can help each other. You might think it’s a waste of your precious time, but I’m begging you here Tate. Please.” Cassie pleaded but Tate couldn’t help but notice that she was dead wrong.

He didn’t hate her. Is that how she felt about him? He didn’t want to get rid of her. Did she want to be done with him?

It wasn’t like Tate to feel insecure but he couldn’t help it with Cassie; she brought out the timid boy inside him – the boy who was worried about what she thought about him – It was a ridiculous thing to think about considering their situation but he couldn’t help but feel jealous of any guy who ever had Cassie’s attention.

Ugh! Why was he feeling this way!? She wasn’t supposed to mean something to him; her thoughts weren’t supposed to matter to him. She was just supposed to be his enemy from high school.

It was never meant to be this way.

Although funnily enough, he couldn’t find it in him to regret the time he’d spent with her this last four and a half months. It reminded him of what caring about someone other than himself and family was like, because whether he liked it or not, he did care for Cassie…more than he would ever admit.