I'm sorry, I'm a lazy bum- but here you go. Sort of a filler, but a long one- R&R please!
Obsessing Over It
Cassie woke the next morning with a smile on her face as she felt the sun beaming in through her window.
Such a beautiful morning.
It suddenly occurred to Cassie that she never took the time to appreciate beautiful mornings anymore. With all the nightmares, all the worries, all the fear, she couldn't remember the last time she woke up feeling so deliriously happy. She wasn't sure she ever had. Why was that? Why this morning? She sat up and looked out the window. She could only think of one reason, only one person. And he was Jake Berenson.
Cassie couldn't help but sigh as she remembered the night before. It had been short, much too short. But so romantic while it had lasted. The way he'd just pulled her into his arms and held her there. The way he'd looked at her, as if she'd been the only person, the only thing in the world that mattered.
His intense gaze as he'd leaned in and kissed her; the way his lips felt against hers.
Perfect.
No, wait. Cassie stepped out of her daydream. Not perfect.
She and Jake were only friends. This couldn't happen. It would screw up what they already had, and besides, she was too young to be feeling the way she was.
But you are, she told herself. And it's already happened.
So what now?
***********************************
Jake woke up on Saturday morning with a mile wide grin on his face. After all, just eight short hours ago, he had worked up the courage to kiss the girl of his dreams.
And she'd kissed him back.
Of all the ways he'd been afraid she'd react when he kissed her - that she'd slap him, run crying into the house, call the cops, what have you- he'd never expected her to actually kiss him back.
As it was, he wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything until he kissed her again.
He heard the knock on his door. "Hey Jake, you up?"
Jake's mood faded as he heard his "brother"'s voice.
"Yeah, what?"
"Dad wants you downstairs, so get your puny butt out of bed, kid."
Jake tried to block the wave of rage and despair that threatened to wash over him and replace it with mindless brotherly insults. "I'm not a kid, jerk."
"Hurry up and get dressed" was Tom's reply as he snapped Jake's door shut again. Jake threw a shirt on over his pajama pants and headed downstairs, where his father was reading the paper in the kitchen.
"Hey, son, how was the dance?"
Jake grinned. "It was great. So what'd you need?"
Mr. Berenson smiled. "I'm glad you had a good time. I just wanted you to take some supplies over to Mr. Verenda for the clinic, before you get to mowing the lawn this morning. He said the Barn should be open; you could just drop them off in there."
"Sure, Dad," Jake said, hiding his smile. He wondered if Cassie was up yet.
****************************************
Cassie switched on the lights in the barn, intending to let her chores occupy her mind for awhile. That was all she needed, really; this whole thing about Jake would blow over. He'd probably forgotten all about that one, isolated little kiss. He certainly wouldn't be obsessing over it like she was. All she had to do was keep busy, she thought as she put water out for the horses.
"Shouldn't be hard," she said under her breath.
"What shouldn't be too hard?"
Cassie jumped at the sound of Jake's voice behind her. It was as if her incessant thinking of him had somehow conjured him into appearance. "Geez, Jake, you scared me half to death."
"I'm sorry," Jake replied, his eyes intent on her face. Cassie tried not to notice the way he looked in his T-shirt, jacket and jeans, with his hair still damp from the shower. She took a step back as he took one forward. "So what was it that shouldn't be too hard?"
"Oh, nothing-just, ah, my chores today," Cassie improvised. "What are you doing here, Jake? I thought the meeting was later."
She was so cute, Jake mused, all nervous in her overalls. He'd always loved her in those. "My dad wanted me to bring this stuff over for the clinic." He grinned and decided to try his hand at flirting with her. "Which, incidentally, gives me a great opportunity see you again."
Cassie blushed a deep crimson. Was he flirting with her? "Ah..."
Jake only grinned. "So, where should I put these?" He said, gesturing with the box under his left arm.
Cassie held back a self deprecating sigh. She wondered just how pathetic was it that she hadn't even noticed until now that there'd been anything in his hand. Jake pressed on.
"Never mind, I see a perfect place." He reached around her slowly and placed the box on and empty cage behind her. He slowly came back around and leaned on the cage so that his arms were on either side of her. "Hey," he said.
Cassie looked away. "Jake, we need to talk. About last night, I mean."
"You want to talk about the kiss?" Jake cut to the chase. "Me, too."
"Could - could you maybe back up just a little?" Cassie asked, not very forcefully.
"Why?" Jake replied. "I like being near you. I want to be near you all the time." He inched his face forward. "Now, about that kiss..."
Cassie closed her eyes as he closed the distance between them. How could this be wrong?
When the kiss ended, Jake eased back. "See you at the meeting later" was all he said. Cassie watched in dazed silence as he left.
It was going to be really hard to stay away from him, now.
