The Beautiful Ones

AN: Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to let this long go by without posting. I had drama in my house, and I ended up not staying here one night and not being home as much as possible (even after school).

Cassandra sighed as she pushed her drink away from her. She folded her hands on the table.

“I didn’t have anywhere else to go.” She said simply. “I arrived with no money, no friends, no job, no cell phone, and no education. There really wasn’t much else I could do.”

“Why didn’t you go and find a homeless shelter then?”

“I don’t know.” Cassandra sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. “I guess I just felt guilty about taking a bed there when there was someone who might really need it, you know? I mean, at least I had my car. There are some people that have even less than me.”

“Of course now you don’t even have the car.” Criss reminded her. She threw him a dark look.

“Thanks, Captain Bring Down.”

“Just keeping it real.” He laughed and ducked as she balled up a napkin and threw it at his head.
“Why did you come to Vegas in the first place? I can tell you’re not from around here.”

“And just what is that supposed to mean?” she narrowed her eyes.

“Just that a Vegas girl wouldn’t have left her car in a parking lot like that.”

“I didn’t have anywhere to go back where I’m from. That’s all.” She swallowed, hoping that Criss wouldn’t ask her any more questions. She glanced down at her empty ring finger. Truth was, she could’ve gone home whenever she wanted to. She just didn’t like all the things that she had waiting for her.

“What about your family?”

“They don’t care about me.” She said softly. It wasn’t really true, and she knew it. They cared about her, they cared so much they tried to push her into a life she didn’t want and never could.

“So do you actually have any?”

“Criss, it just doesn’t matter! The fact that people exist isn’t important; it’s only important if they love you. And they don’t love me, so please drop it.” Her voice was sharper than she’d intended.
“Look, I know that you probably think this was a dumb teenage stunt, and that I just got told I couldn’t go to the mall or something, but you really have no idea. So now you know why I lied to you, and why I was living in my car. You know I’m not from around here, and you know that I have no one. I think that’s all that you really need to know, don’t you?”

Criss went silent for a few minutes. Her expression was completely unreadable. He nodded once.

“I guess that maybe you’re right, Cass. Maybe I don’t need to know everything about you.” That won’t stop me from finding out, one way or the other, he didn’t add.

Cassandra played with her half empty orange juice glass. The waitress arrived with their food, setting the small bowl of fruit salad down in front of her. She didn’t seem to notice, entranced by the way the orange juice slid down the sides of the glass when she tilted it.

“Hey,” he leaned forward and put his hand on her arm. She jumped, snapping out of her reverie. He was struck by the innocence he saw in her wide eyes.
“Eat, Cassandra.”

“Right, food.” The innocence, the glowing light, was gone. In its place he saw a jaded sort of cynicism. For some reason, it made him sad.
“So, tell me more about this stage act I need to participate in?”

“Right, well…” and Criss began. In the back of his mind, he wondered what it would take to bring that glow back into her eyes.