Ronnie

7

At first Cliff tried to separate himself from Cassie. If possible, he avoided all situations where talking to Cassie would have to happen. He knew that Cassie was puzzled with his actions.
Her smile dialed down during the days he chose not to associate with her. Seeing her upset hurt him, but he wasn't sure what else to do.
It was impossible for him to completely ignore her. A few times a day he would give her a fake smile, a nod, or wave, that was about it. Cliff was drawn to Cassie. The connection he suddenly felt was magnetic.
One night he walked onto the bus after a late night smoke and heard someone crying. Instantly, he knew it was Cassie. Also, during that exact moment he knew he had to stop acting the way he was.
Cassie confided in him. She told him that she was sad with the way he had been treating her. He did his best to apologize to her and give the best explanation for his actions.
She didn't believe his reasons for being so cold, she said nothing about it though. Causing unnecessary drama wasn't her intentions.
They said their goodnight's and went to bed. Of course, that night they were all sleeping on the bus.
Cliff attempted to sleep, but his mind wouldn't stop running. He wanted to understand why. Why now did he feel different about Cassie?
From the moment Kirk had brought Cassie to meet the guys, Cliff found her attractive. From time to time he thought about what it would be like to be with her. To kiss her nice lips or experience how she was in bed. Hell, he was a guy, that was normal. Even if he thought about those things he never spoke about them out loud.
James and Lars never had trouble talking about her in dirty ways, or any other woman to be exact. When Kirk first started bringing Cassie around, the two guys talked about her non-stop. Now that they had known her for so long the crude talk died down.
Cliff never wanted to be in a relationship with her. If she hadn't been Kirk's girl, then yes, he would've tried something, but because of Kirk she was off limits. He understood that, but all of a sudden he had these urges.
He wanted to listen to Cassie talk for hours, he wanted to know every small detail about her and her life. He wanted her to touch him, not in a sexual way. Just in a caring way, like a hug or for her to hold his hand.
He wanted to be with Cassie.
Not for the sex, not to piss Kirk off, and not to brag to everyone else about having a girl.
He wanted the intimacy.
Cliff was a very self-assured man. He knew wrong from right. He did what he wanted to do and never let anyone or anything get in his way.
He understood the severity of his feelings. At this point he couldn't take it anymore, he had to be with her. He knew the consequences, and was prepared to handle them.

June 18, 1986. Sacramento, California
The band and Cassie waited for the bus to pull into the bus station. The next few tour dates got canceled, so they would be home for a bit.
Kirk and Cassie shared a small house just a few roads away from the Metal Mansion. She wasn't sure if he would go back to staying with the guys or if she would have to find a new place. She prayed that he would let her keep the house, she wasn't financially stable to look for another home. The ex couple also shared a car, he would have to drive her back to their house.
She grabbed her bags from the bus and waited for Kirk to walk out, so they could speak. They still hadn't spoken since the break up.
"Kirk?"
He turned to look at her, his face had zero emotion.
"Are you gonna give me a ride to the house?"
"Oh, sure, I guess."
"I can take you if you want me to," Cliff said while his back was still turned around as he was grabbing his bag.
Kirk just shrugged his shoulders at her, "I'll just go with Cliff." He nodded and walked to the car.
Cliff put our bags in the back seat of his Volkswagen. "What do you want to listen to?"
"Pick something for me."
He gave her a small smile and stuck a tape into the slot.
Tuesday's Gone, began to play.
"I saw them in concert you know."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I went with my parents when I was a kid."
"Damn, that must have been great."
"It was, Ronnie Van Zant held my mom's hand for a while when he sang Free Bird. I'll never forget that," she said with a laugh.
He kept glancing at the girl while she sang. Her presence was tranquil, she brought him to reality.
He turned the radio up and drove patiently, making sure to soak in the time he was getting with the girl.
"You can come in, if you'd like," Cassie stated as she exited the car.
"I would but I need to go see my parents, I'll get your bags for you though. Those things are heavy, you packed for a fucking year."
She turned to look at the man, "Cliff," he turned to look at her.
"Yes?"
"We were supposed to be gone for fuckin' year," she said with a laugh, mimicking him.
He rolled his eyes and gathered her bags.
As they entered the house, she noticed something.
Cliff was eyeing her. Not in a suggestive way. In a way she had never seen him look before. It intrigued her.
She turned to face him.
His lips parted slightly, as if he were going to speak.
She stepped closer, expecting Cliff to do something, but he didn't. He stood still, searching the girl's mind.
She unexpectedly felt like kissing Cliff. That desire had never risen before.
The way he was looking at her, that was the reason for her feelings. It was different, so different.
"I need to go Cassie," he said quietly, breaking the silence.
"Okay, Cliff," she said in the same hushed voice.
He walked out, leaving her wondering.
Whatever situation she had just experienced made her realize something. Cliff had feelings for her, and she felt for him too.