Disclaimer: Blah blah, I don't own RFR, blah blah, I only own Cassandra Watson, etc.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews! This chapter is the beginning of the end, though, sorry. I'm working on tying up the loose ends in Chapter 10, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to squeeze in an 11th... but stay tuned!
CHAPTER NINE:
Choices
Cassandra looked up in time to see Robbie walk in, eyes surveying the late afternoon crowd, looking for someone in particular. He finally spotted Cassandra, strolling over to her small corner table, and sitting down across from her. "You do realize that we're on at 4pm right? As in, half an hour?"
Cassandra nodded, too preoccupied with her thoughts to give any further acknowledgment of his presence. "Robbie, can I ask you something?"
"Yeah, of course. Shoot."
Sighing, she went on, "Why does love have to be so confusing?"
Robbie shook his head, but before he could respond, she continued, "Why can't love be cut-and-dry, black and white, yes or no? What's with all the in-betweens, shades of grey, and maybes?"
Robbie shifted in his chair, feeling uncomfortable. When had his friends' lives become a bad soap opera? "This is about Ray and Travis, isn't it?"
Cassandra wasn't surprised that he knew about Travis. She nodded.
"Listen, I can't tell you what to do, but I can give you something to think about: What is your heart telling you? Not your mind, not what I'm saying, or what Lily says, or even Ray and Travis — but you."
She stood slowly, saying quietly, "Yeah, you're right. Now let's get to the station."
The two were just in time for RFR. Lily commented on their tardiness, but Robbie shrugged off their questions, saying that he and Cassandra had simply got caught up in a conversation at Mickey's.
Soon the five were on the air, with Robbie starting them off as usual. "I'm Question Mark, and I'm —"
Cassandra quickly interrupted, "Hey QM? Mind if I ask the listeners a question?" Robbie nodded, fully understanding her intentions. Lily and Ray traded confused and suspicious looks across the table, while Travis kept his face carefully blank.
"This is Chaos, and I'd like to know if anyone out there has been caught between two equally tempting options, and thus became confused as hell?"
The phone rang, and Travis held up a small chalkboard with the caller's name. "Go ahead, Justin, you're on the air," Robbie said.
"I'd just like to say that I know exactly how Chaos feels. I loved my girlfriend but had to break it off when someone better came along, and we've been together for 2 years now. It hurt at first, but I realized it was for the greater good, you know?"
Cassandra was glad for the callers' responses. It would help make her decision that much easier. After the show, she followed Ray and Lily to Mickey's, as it was open-mike night, and Lily was set to perform a new song she'd written.
Robbie told them that he and Travis would catch up.
Emerging from the tech booth, Travis gave Robbie a questioning stare.
"You've made a move, I take it?" asked Robbie.
Travis' mouth quirked into a subtle smirk as he grabbed his jacket from the couch. "You could say that. And yes, I'm intelligent enough to realize that Cassandra's question earlier was about Ray and I." His smile faltered. "Is there something else?"
Robbie shrugged as they trekked up the stairs. "No, just wondering how you can be so passive about the whole situation."
"I'm not. It's just that I'm letting Cassandra decide what she wants, and I'm content with waiting for her to do so."
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At Mickey's, meanwhile, Cassandra was finding it difficult to pay attention to what Ray was talking about. He was either trying to discuss some lucky baseball card or glazed doughnuts with sprinkles. Cassandra couldn't tell; all she could think about was discussing something more meaningful with Travis. She wasn't surprised to realize that she felt nothing more than physical attraction for Ray and an appreciation of his class-clown humor. Cassandra needed something more, and Ray was just the goofy best friend.
Ray squeezed her hand, bringing the girl crashing back to the present. "Are you okay? You look a bit... spacey."
Cassandra forced a smile. Looking him straight in the eye, she spilled the truth. "Things really aren't working out between us, Ray. I'm sorry for leading you on."
Ray pulled his hand away, smiling to cover up the pain of rejection. "Yeah, it's okay, I understand. You 'just want to be friends', 'it's not me it's you', et cetera, right?"
Lily took to the stage right then, beginning to play a slow, melodic rift on her guitar.
"Ray, look, there's something you need to know," Cassandra went on, not caring if it wasn't really her place to say it. He still refused to look at her, wanting to bolt, but staying for Lily's sake. "It's about Lily. She told me a few nights ago that... she likes you. A lot. More than friendship."
Ray was stunned. He'd been waiting his whole life to hear those words, just under different circumstances. Finally, Ray met her gaze. "You're serious?"
"Of course! She's been lying to herself, and um, she knows as well as you and I do that... the two of you belong together." Cassandra stood, startled to feel tears streaming down her cheeks. "Ray, as soon as Lily steps off of that stage, promise me that you'll tell her you love her."
Ray tried to smile, but it came across as more of a grimace. He simply nodded, watching her disappear out the doors of Mickey's.
Blinded by tears, Cassandra had rammed into Robbie in her haste to get away from Ray and find Travis.
Robbie grabbed her arm. Concerned, he asked, "How did it go? And why are you crying?"
Cassandra brushed the wetness from her eyes, managing a watery smile. "Oh Robbie, nothing's wrong anymore. But where's Travis? I thought you and he were coming right behind us."
Robbie grinned suddenly, happy and relieved that everything was falling into place for his friends. "He decided to stay back at the station to mix a few tracks for the next show."
She gave him a quick hug, hurrying off to the warehouse. She burst in, this time giving Travis a scare. He stopped what he was doing, giving her a cautious smile. "You've made your decision?"
Cassandra threw her arms around him, savoring the way their bodies seemed to fit perfectly together, his chin resting against her temple as he hugged her back.
Travis pulled back a bit, wiping her joyous tears away, cradling her face in his hands. They kissed, and neither could think of anywhere else they'd rather be. He figured that a profound saying would help cement their feelings. "...and from chaos, comes clarity."
Cassandra grinned. "Definitely."