Chapter Ten
 
               Ashley stood in her kitchen, cleaning the mess that seemed to 
come from the guests.  "Sure I don't have to do a thing," she remarked 
sarcastically as TJ and Zhane came wandering in. 
               "Hey there Ashley, nice party," TJ said, a smile on his face.  
"You sure are a good friend to throw a party like this." 
               "Did you hear what Cassie's giving Andros for his birthday?" Zhane chided.
               "No, what's she giving him?" she asked, looking at the two boys in front of her.
               "Oh, maybe I shouldn't say anything.  It is a rumor after all," TJ stated, 
noticing her edginess.
               "Fine, don't tell me.  I don't want to know." she replied, walking across the kitchen.
               "It's just that, well, she's going to give him a very special gift," Zhane stated, 
a pleased smile upon his face.
               Ashley looked at him as it dawned on her what he was talking about. 
 As unbelievable as it sounded, she knew it sounded just like Cassie now.   
Not wanting to think about it, she pushed it from her mind and continued 
what she was doing. 
               Setting the cake out on the counter, she placed a few candles across 
the top.  Who would have thought she would be holding a party for him?
Grinning, she grabbed knife and lit the candles.  Carefully carrying it out, 
she could hear everyone singing to him.  Cassie made him instantly known 
by all their friends. 
               Sitting it down on the table, she moved back and watched as Andros 
blew out the candles.  He flashed her a smile, before picking up the knife.  
Halfway through cutting the first piece, Ashley saw Cassie lean over and whispers 
in his ear, taking the knife from his hand.  She watched helplessly as Cassie led him up 
the stairs to get his 'birthday' present.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
               At Cassie's house, her parents were hosting the bridge club that night.  
It was time for the winners to move up and the losers, back.  Robert and his wife 
moved up to sit at the table with Sue and Rick.  Glancing around, Sue was nervous 
considering the last time she saw Robert she made a fool of herself.
               Rick tried desperately to hold his temper, but snapped at the thought of
Robert, his friend, with his wife.  He attacked Robert with lightening speed. 
 Before they knew what was happening, the whole night had turned into a shambles. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
               Andros waited in anticipation for Cassie to come out of the bathroom.  
Coming out of the bathroom she slowly shed her robe, revealing a black teddy.  
There standing before him was the vision of perfection, eager and willing, but was 
he so willing?  He watched her close the distance between them until her lips brushed his.  
Andros took a step back.
               "What's wrong?" she asked.
               "You know, I was all set to do this Cassie," he started, then continued. 
 "But I just can't.  It just doesn't feel right.  Not like this."
               "What are they going think if we don't do it?" she replied, caring more 
about appearances.
               "I don't care," he responded.
               "Well I do!" she stated harshly as she gathered her rob and headed 
back to where she had come from.  "When we go back downstairs, you act as 
though it was the best experience you ever had." she demanded as she walked 
from the bathroom.  Walking down the stairs, she put on a big smile and thanked 
everyone for making his birthday so special. 
               Andros walked down behind her and passed Ashley sitting on the steps.
"Thanks Ashley," he uttered quietly.  She simply nodded and watched him go.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
               Andros dropped off a fuming Cassie.  On her way inside, she heard 
her parents arguing, but didn't pay it much heed.  She rushed through the room, 
slamming her bedroom door behind her.   Feeling sorry for herself, she changed
into something more comfortable, and went to the kitchen. 
               Sitting at the kitchen table, she dipped the spoon into the box in front of 
her, pulling out the cool frosty ice cream from within.  Eating it slowly, she tried to 
forget everything that had happened.  She felt miserable.  She could still hear her 
parents arguing and wished they would just go away.
               Suddenly the door burst open, but she didn't care.  It was as though she
were watching them from a distance.  She watched as her father pulled a paper 
from her mother's purse.  Taking another bite of the ice cream, she tried to 
ignore their little quarrel.
               "Since when do you go around spying on people?" Sue asked impatiently.
               "I do it all the time.  It's my job, I'm a cop!" he shot back.
               "But why me?  Your own wife!"
               "My wife.  And just what is this then?  Twenty years of marriage 
and this is what I get!" Rick yelled, his anger rising by the minute.  "If only for one
 brief moment I could feel your lips against mine.  Explain that to me!"
               Cassie stood up in disbelief, but her anger soon took control.  
"Daddy that's my letter, how could you!" Cassie cried, tears beginning to give
 away as she finally broke down. 
               "Your letter?" he asked his voice softer now.
               "Andros wrote this letter to me.  How could you read it?!" she screamed.
Running to her room, she slammed the door, her tears coming full stream now.  
Clutching the letter in her hands, she threw herself on her bed, crying the tears 
she had held for so long.
 
                                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
               Andros walked into his room.  Sitting down on his bed, he stared at the letter, 
which had brought him nothing but trouble, then silently dropped it into a drawer.