𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐓

[14]: Latex

Weeks went by, cooped up inside Luke's apartment. Well, she had actually dared to venture to the grocery store twice, despite having to push past the occasional reporter. Luke was always by her side, so it didn't really matter. She felt herself slowly becoming more used to the idea of going outside and seeing people.

When she was inside, she always had that damn poetry book in her hands. She only ever removed it from its home on the awkwardly built shelf when Luke want home. For some reason, it embarrassed her to be seen with it.

Sometimes, she'd act totally fine when she was alone. But other times, she'd slip into a state of unresponsiveness and not zone back in h TIL Luke returned. It was her way of avoiding her Uncle's visits.

Unfortunately, today was one of those days.

"Cassie, there's someone I'd like you to meet," came a voice. It belonged to Luke. But Cassie hardly heard him. It was like her head was underwater, drowning, and he was on the surface, looking down at her with a wide grin playing on his lips.

She sat in the same old rocking chair as the one Ross had been just an hour prior. She was staring blankly into oblivion and was barely moving. Cassie was reflecting. She was reflecting on the past couple of months.

It was strange after everything she'd been through, to be sat comfortably in a cushioned chair, a poetry book on her lap.

But what happened was still there. She still had a thick bandage of her arm from an angry bullet wound. She still had a patch of gauze stuck to her neck from the wolf. The wolf.

She told the cops it was a wolf...or a dog, she said that she couldn't remember. She couldn't help but feel sad for the false hope she'd fed the policemen, that Officer Martin and his loyal pet were still out there. God, she hoped Kyle was okay.

She couldn't tell Luke any of this, no matter how hard she wanted to. She couldn't tell anybody. It was a secret to be kept between her and Marilyn, and all the dead officers in between.

"Cassie?"

No answer. Luke's brows furrowed as he ushered a short brunette into the room. Cassie didn't even notice, her mind was somewhere else.

"Cassie this is Susanna," He smiled, pushing the girl in front of the mindless blonde. She was pulled out of her subconscious as her eyes landed on the woman. Cassie immediately sunk back in her seat, looking at Luke.

"Hi, Cassie," She grinned, extending her hand out to shake. Cassie didn't move an inch.

"Who is she?" She asked, her emotionless tone proving similar to someone in particular.

"My girlfriend, Cas, she wanted to meet you," said Luke. He finally clocked The World's Wife resting on her lap and smiled once again.

"Oh, hi.." She mumbled, failing to meet the girl's eyes. She didn't mean to come off as rude, but social interaction was still new to her and she didn't like it one bit.

"Hey! Nice to meet you."

Cassie feigned a small smile and raised from her seat. She allowed herself to be squeezed into a hug by the overly-friendly stranger. Susanna stepped back and squeezed Cassie's upper-arms. "Oh my god, you're so gorgeous! You'll have to let me do your makeup some time!"

"Makeup...?" muttered Cassie. She didn't like makeup when Ross did it. He'd smear cheap, crusty foundation over her translucent skin and drag black over her eyelids every once in a while.

"You look disgusting. You look like your dead... there, that's much better, Doll."

"Yeah! Oh, I could take you to your first party. I'm going to a big one tonight! I know it probably sounds too soon-"