The Beautiful Ones

AN: I am sooo freaking sorry that it’s taken me this long to update. I had some major drama, and then I started college.

“So what groceries do you need?” Cassandra asked as they walked into the store. Criss shrugged as he grabbed a cart. He hopped on and began to push himself around with one foot, scooting towards the produce.
“I think I’ll pretend I don’t know you.”

Criss zoomed about, weaving in and out of the tomatoes and cucumbers, humming under his breath. Cassandra trailed behind just enough to look like she wasn’t with him. Suddenly, the illusionist stopped.

“Girls like salad, right?”

“Um, well, yes.” She blinked a few times. “I mean, in general. I don’t think every girl in the world likes it anymore than every guy in the world wants to chomp into a big bloody steak.”

“Every guy I know does.” Criss mumbled as he grabbed a head of lettuce. He began to juggle a few of the bright red tomatoes.

“Hey! Put those down!” Cassandra scolded. She made a leap towards him, but he swiftly dodged out of her way. She stumbled and caught herself, pulling her hands up to rest on her hips as she glared.
“Fine, drop them and embarrass yourself. I have nothing to do with this. You hear me? Nothing to do with it!”

“Of course you don’t. You can’t juggle.” With that, he dropped the vegetables into a plastic bag and plopped the bag in the seat of the car.
“You push.”

“Yes, Master,” she rolled her eyes and tried to pretend that her heart didn’t warm up just a little bit when she heard him chuckle. After all, why should it matter to her if he was amused? She just had to keep her mouth shut so she could keep this job.
“Hey,”

“Hmm?” he turned to glance at her as he studied the loaves of bread. It seemed as though Criss were undecided between Wonder Bread and a gourmet load of whole grain wheat with some sort of seed studding the top.

“So why did you hire me? I mean, you just said that I can’t juggle or anything like that. Doesn’t that make me completely worthless as far as your show goes?”

“Mmm,” Criss just smiled and didn’t respond. Cassandra bit down on her lower lip. She was dying to pester him, to prompt him, to beg for a reason. But there was something that told her he was the sort of man you didn’t bother. He’d tell you when he was ready.

Finally, the man threw the Wonder Bread into the cart and headed towards the lunch meat. He tossed in the packets of ham and turkey. The pair began to walk on before he suddenly stopped and put his hands on the cart.

“Look at me, Cassandra.”

Feeling fearful, she brought her eyes up to meet his. A crackle of electricity seemed to pass between them, and she sucked in her breath. His eyes narrowed, and she could almost feel herself falling into his pupils.

“Oh,” she breathed. The corners of his lips lifted just a trace.

“That’s why I hired you.” He said softly before he began walking again