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Post by Cass Schiffer on Apr 19, 2007 11:13:51 GMT 7
Stepping outside the Cinema, Cass paused a moment to draw in a deep breath of fresh, spring evening air. After a moment he found himself coughing in mild surprise––what was he thinking? This was Jersey, and it was April––the evening air was cold and crisp, still edged with winter. Clearing his throat, he glanced sideways at the person next to him who was giving him an odd look. After eyeing them for a good three seconds, they looked embarrassed, pushed off the curb and trotted into the shadowy parking lot to find their car.
Cass watched as the person, a teenage girl who was probably sixteen, looped arms with some guy who had sprung off the curb to catch up with her. They laughed together and started to hurry for the car, which made Cass feel awkward. He rolled his shoulders and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jacket and began to slowly walk away from the theatre. Anna was supposed to go to the movie with him, but something came up and she ducked out last minute––leaving Cass disappointed, but unwilling to turn around and head straight back to New York where he stayed with his dad's old buddy from the marines. The bus ride was 30 minutes and after coming all the way to Huntley on a day he didn't have to work, he decided to go to the movie anyway and try to enjoy it.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 19, 2007 11:35:39 GMT 7
Lexi was crossing the street, heading for the theater, and glancing at the newspaper in her hands, looking for a movie that was starting soon. She had needed some time to think about everything that was happening recently. Liz's drama over Dean, meeting new people, going to the Wreck Room with Christian, and just the usual pressures of being a student at a university. She wanted to get out, and just sort through some of it in her mind. And maybe a movie, where she didn't have to think of anything, and she could turn off her cell for a little while.
She was looking at the paper, thinking she had seen something that she wanted to see, and not looking where she was going when she crossed the street. Suddenly she sees something out of the corner of her eye, and she bumps into someone, dropping her paper onto the street below. Looking up in surprise, she sees this tall, somewhat thin guy standing in front of her. "Oh, my god, I'm so sorry! Are you okay? I wasn't looking, it was all my fault!" She seems really embarrassed, her dark eyes blinking, as she looks the guy over, thinking he was okay. But she wanted to make sure, and she had forgotten about the movie, for the moment.
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Post by Cass Schiffer on Apr 19, 2007 11:49:10 GMT 7
Cass's mom used to compare him to a tomcat for many reasons; one being that in any given situation he almost always seemed to land on his feet. While walking, Cass had been staring into space, his consciousness lulled by the blink and tap of break lights as people crammed up the outlet of the parking lot to the main road. Someone skipped up onto the curb, but it didn't register right away with Cass. He kept walking, and that person evidently didn't see him, and they knocked into one another with a good deal of force. A cuss word slipped from Cass's mouth as he tripped a little bit and teetered off the curb onto the lane, scantly missing the SUV that zoomed past.
Stepping back onto the curb after throwing the SUV a dark, despising look, he hears whoever ran into him start blubbering apologies. Turning toward her, he interrupts abruptly: "No, no, not your fault––you had an excuse." At that, he stooped down and prised her newspaper off the ground with an odd halfsmile. Then, once he was looking her full in the flace, he blinked.
"Oh, hey Lex. Didn't get a black eye from my shoulder or anything, did you?"
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 19, 2007 12:09:01 GMT 7
Lexi glances as the SUV narrowly misses the guy, and she cringes, almost closing her eyes because she didn't want to see him get hit. Why was she so careless lately? Maybe thinking too much about things, probably. And she had enough drama on her own, without being sucked into anyone else's. She then lets out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, as she realized that he was okay.
But as he was disputing her, and her apologies, the voice sounded really familiar. Looking at him in the dim light, she recognized him a split second after he said something to her. "Cass, is that you? It's been a while. And no, no black eyes, just almost a heart attack!" Oh great, that was exactly what she needed, to bump into Liz's ex, when she was trying to get away from all the drama for a little while. And he was probably going to ask about Liz, at some point in the conversation. Maybe she could distract him for a little bit...
Smiling slightly, trying to be friendly, she lifts her brows, her brown eyes meeting his. "So, how have you been, Cass? You still working over at the liquor store?" She actually would go in the store on occasion, and buy something with her fake ID. But sometimes she would not go in, if she saw him working behind the counter.
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Post by Cass Schiffer on Apr 20, 2007 10:48:28 GMT 7
It's been a while. Cass couldn't agree more.
He only vaguely remembered the last time they had talked to one another––or rather, the last time they'd seen one another. On the rare occassions he did something with Liz, there was only one time he could remember that Alexia came with. That was months ago, probably, and who knows if they really said much to one another.
Shoving his hands back into his pockets, he gave her another crooked smile. "Yeahh, I'm still there," he responded with a slight cringe. "I got boosted up to manager, so I'm there a lot more than I used to. The pay's a hell of a lot better, so I'll probably be renting an apartment here in Huntley and just take transit to the city. Parents offered to pitch in a few grand for me to go to a tech school there and get a teaching degree. Actually, my dad did, since he didn't think I would make it in the miltary."
Cass rocked on his heels, feeling out of place. This was weird––talking to Alexia––and it made him wonder what Liz was up to. Normally the two of them were always doing stuff together, especially on the weekends. His brow wrinkled a little, but he maintained an aloof air and casual tone.
"So... what are you up to? Going to catch a late show or something?"
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 20, 2007 11:09:00 GMT 7
Still the same old Cass, it sounded like he hadn't really changed one bit. Except for making manager, and for thinking about renting an apartment here. "That's really good, I mean, it's nice having some money, and being able to rent your own apartment. And tech school, to be a teacher? I didn't realize that is what you wanted to do, Cass." She felt a little out of place too, and not really sure what to say.
While Cass was searching for something to say, Lexi was trying to think of the best way to get her paper back, and sneak off on her own. That had been the original plan, and only if she had been looking where she was walking, then this may have never happened. But she realized that it was only wishful thinking. And she was slightly surprised when he asked what she was doing. Smirking slightly, she shrugged her shoulders, as she sighed. "Yeah. I was thinking about it. I just wanted to get out of the dorm for a while, you know?' Pointing to the paper still in his hands, she says, "Can I have that back, Cass? I was still looking at what was playing." Still not wanting to bring up the subject of Liz with him, she decides to ask him the same thing. "What are you doing here? You weren't going to see something too, were you?" She was trying to be nice, and friendly, she knew that he and Liz were still friends. But it still felt really awkward for her to be around him.
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Post by Cass Schiffer on Apr 22, 2007 10:27:06 GMT 7
Cass handed back her paper with a small shrug. "It's not my preferred career," he admitted with a brisk sigh, pausing briefly while he shifted his stance. "But it's something to fall back on, you know? ––and no, I'm actually leaving to catch the bus. I saw 300, although not necessarily a good film, I admire Gerard Butler. I just wish he could find himself better roles; he has talent, but he puts it forward in all the wrong places. He needs very little to convey to his audience what he needs to, it's truly a marvel. Especially since he's an actor with such a late start. Proof that there's hope for me yet!"
Shaking his head in wonderment, Cass reached a hand back to ruffle his dark hair. He didn't seem too interested in the dorm life because he did not pursue the topic. His eyes peeked over the fringe of the paper, wavered a minute, as if reading the times, then flicked back to her face. You really should get going, his conscience remarked, or you'll miss the bus.
Although tempted to leave, Cass couldn't help but be curious. "So where's Darce? It's weird seeing running into you and not her at the same time. Really weird, that is."
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 22, 2007 11:29:48 GMT 7
Taking back the paper from him, Lexi starts to look at the movie times, as she halfway listened to Cass talk about tech school. She wondered if Liz knew that he was going there, maybe it didn't matter all that much. She glances up at him, when she starts to realize that it wasn't something that he wanted to do. "Having a fall back can be a good thing, Cass, you never know when you might need it." That was one thing she really didn't think she had, and maybe she should.
She was slightly relieved, and felt slightly guilty, as Cass said he was going to catch the bus. She didn't mean to feel that way around him, but it just wasn't a very comfortable feeling. Hearing him describe the movie he saw, she thinks about when she saw it, and for other reasons. "I liked Gerard Butler, I thought he was good in it too." She smiles a little, he seemed to really enjoy the acting, and be inspired by other actors.
And then the question she was dreading came up, Cass wanted to ask about Liz. She surprised herself, she actually was able to smile a little, and not show how she truly felt. "Weird? Cass, Liz and I don't do everything together! She's back at her apartment, I think, doing something." She sighs, she knew they were going to get into this conversation. "When was the last time you talked to her, Cass? I think she told me that you still talked to each other." Maybe she was going to regret going into that much detail with him. But now she was curious, and she didn't want to see Liz get hurt anymore. Maybe she would find out something useful.
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Post by Cass Schiffer on Apr 22, 2007 11:38:55 GMT 7
Cass held up both hands defensively. "Hey, I do know that you two do a lot together," he protested, fixing her a furrowed brow momentarily. "But true enough... you two don't do everything together. Sorry, I just figured she wouldn't be one to let you go to a movie all by your lonesome. She'd interfere and buddify the situation, spunk you up like she always does, you know?"
He trailed off here, now slightly regretting that he got onto the topic of Liz with Lexi. Wincing a little, he edged away from Lexi, not sure how she'd take his answer. "I think it's been two months since we last saw each other, but roughly a week ago I got a short call from her. It seemed like she was calling just to call." That was mostly true; he felt it was wise to leave out the bit that she asked him to give her a call before she hung up and he hadn't quite decided whether or not he was going to do it. She had done a good deal of talking about some Dean kid, a subconscious splurge. Cass felt that not calling her might help her, oh, 'move on'? He wasn't sure how he felt about Liz's still being attached to him––it made him feel uncomfortable, and even a little inadequate.
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Post by Alexia DeMarco on Apr 22, 2007 12:01:55 GMT 7
And now she was feeling defensive, it felt like he was attacking her friendship with Liz. Crossing her arms over her chest, she narrows her dark eyes, slightly glaring at him. "Look, Cass, I know that you might have some issues with her, but you're not going to make me start hating her. I know how she is, we are friends, and I accept her as she is. And I'm here by myself because I want to be. Is that too hard to understand?" She was on the verge of losing her temper, and she desperately didn't want to do that with him. So she sighed, and tried to calm down enough so she wouldn't start yelling at him.
Shaking her head slightly, closing her eyes, and rubbing her temple, Lexi then looks at Cass, and sighs again. His story about the call from Liz made her a little more curious. "I'm sorry, I just have a lot on my mind, Cass. She did mention something about trying to call you, I think she just wants to talk. You know how she likes to talk to people." Maybe he would share a little more, but she didn't dare ask if he had called her back. She would have to wait and talk to Liz about that later. She didn't want Cass to think that he might still have a chance with Liz, since she was trying to get with Dean so bad. That thought made her sigh again, one more reason to be on her own, so she could think about what to do about him.
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