MARSHMALLOWING OUR WAYS

CHAPTER 9:CASSIE

Wes seems to be lost in thought. A lot of thoughts. We just sit there beside each other, slowly having our milkshakes and just thinking. Thinking, thinking, thinking and thinking.
To ease the tension building up, I ask him for some rides.
"Yeah, sure. Which one?"
I point to the Great Wheel, and we head there together.
It seemed like a great idea but not so much anymore. I forgot the part where we both would be 'trapped' together for, like, 15 minutes. Alone. With awkwardness.
Such an appealing ride.
So. Here we are, together, in a bubble of awkwardness and a cabin so small that I can't even sit properly, few feet above the ground.
Also, Wesley seemed to have forgotten initially that he is afraid of heights.
Can't we both have a single normal moment? Like, not that kind of moment, just one where we talk normally.
When we rise a few feet more, the situation is nothing but worsened.
Wes is anxious. I am nervous. We are awkward.
I guess I'll have to comfort him. A job I'm not good at.
"Hey. You okay?", I ask him softly, putting a hand on his arm. He seems surprised by my gesture, his expresions softening.
"I'm fine. Or atleast I'm gonna be. I just need a little distraction...", He said in wobbly whisper.
"Oh. Uh, I can talk to you, distract or something, um, if you want me to."
He thinks about it for a moment then agrees.
"So..."
"So.
"What do I say?"
He laughs a little."Hm. Lemme think. Why don't you tell me about your life back home?", He may have seen my horror, because he adds,"If you want to, that is."
Huh. Maybe I can tell him about it. Maybe it will be my chance to convince him to help me."Okay. Yeah. Sure"
"Um... Well let's start with introduction. Yeah? So. I'm Cassie Burns. 17. I used to live in Marshfield. I was one of the popular people, oh, who am I kidding, I lead the popular people. Trends started with me. I was a cheerleader. I love to read and I loved to gossip, don't anymore. I had millions of friends (figures), online and offline. I was influential. I was, uh, different. Very different"
I take a look at Wes and see his eyebrows raised to his hairline and his eyes so wide they may pop out. I laugh nervously. Did I say a bit too much?
"Whoa. That's...A lot to take in. But...What happened?Why did you change so much? Like, I don't think that Cassie would have worn black as much as you would she?"
I look down at my hands folded in my lap as I say, with a shrug,"I don't think so. She was good and pretty. The kind guys flirt with. This Cassie? No one even notices. They believe I'm invisible but...I'm not. Not that much."
"You see the difference? For that Cassie, the old one, a conversation this long would be normal but... For me? This is probably the longest I've had to talk since the last few months. I changed. A lot. And I don't like this Cassie. No. I liked the Old Cassie. That's why I need your help. I want to change. Or rechange-"
He interrupts me,"Is rechange even a word?"
"Yes. No. I don't know. Is it?"
"I don't think so."
"Wait. Let me check."
"Oh. Wait. I have an app for it. Lemme use that."
"Ah. Okay"
He takes his phone out and begins searching. After two minutes of silence and search, he exclaims,"What the hell? There is a word called 'rechange'. Ugh. I'm ashamed of my vocabulary." He covers his face with his sweaty palms and rubs it.
"Ha! Believe it or not I'm smarter than you!"
We bicker like that for a while until silence overtakes us. This time the silence isn't awkward. We sit like that until I realise that I haven't asked him for the favor yet. I think of how to bring the topic back on point when he asks, "So. You said you needed my help. In what?"
Yeah."Well. The other day, It came to my knowledge that the Elena from Elly Likes To Bake! is your your beloved sister and that her awesome fashion sense is not her own but that of her beloved brother a.k.a. you!"
"Yeah...So?"
Argh. Is he really that stupid?
"So, for my rechange, my appearance is a part. I want to look like Old Cassie but also be comfortable in my own skin. That, my friend, is a job of yours. Or at least it can be. Are you willing to take this job?"
He considers it for a long, long minute, then says,"Okay. But, but, but. What will I get?"
Ughh. "What do you want?"
"Huh. That is not in my knowledge. But we could do one thing...You'll have to fulfill five of my wishes. Nothing much. Just some errands or something. I'll tell them to you later. Deal?"
"Five errands? Easy peasy. Done."

We meet with PJ and Kat at the exit and together we four leave, laughing and having fun. That was the best day I had spent here but I don't want it to be the only one.
I want more fun days. Days when guilt is not on my shoulders. Days when I just laugh and have fun without a second thought. Days which are awkward and cute and bright.
I'll get those days.