Mark wrapped his arm around Kassie as he tugged at her Undertaker shirt with a smile. Kassie had her hair up in a ponytail with very natural makeup on. The T-shirt was a bit big on her, but she tucked it in the front, which showed that she was wearing shorts. Security wrapped themselves around the three of them as Mark looked at Eric and gave him a nod knowing that meant that he was ready to go. Kassie placed her hands on Mark's chest as she snuggled against him.
"Okay, everyone, formation through the crowd and to the booth. Let's go!" Eric gave ordered, and in one movement, everyone was in the move. Kassie looked around as she was so surprised by everything that was happening. This was some type of show that was now down to a science.
"You good," Mark whispered to Kassie as they walked, and she looked up at him and smiled. Mark pulled her into a bit tighter and kissed her forehead.
The doors opened, and bright lights came rushing in blinding a bit as Kassie blinked a few times as the group did not stop walking. The area was filled with fans, and the screaming was deafening as they noticed Mark. Fans were screaming; some of them were chanting Undertaker. You could feel all these fans cheering for him wanting and waiting for him to acknowledge them. Mark raised his arm that was not wrapped around Kassie, and the fans got even louder. Kassie looked around and looked up at Mark. She could not believe this new world she was stepping into.
The group finally got to the booth, and Glen and Crystal were already there. Crystal stood up and walked over to Kassie and hugged her. "Nice to see you again," She said into her ear as they hugged.
"Nice to see you. This is insane," Kassie said, and the two finally parted. Mark walked up to Glen, and the two guys clasped hands. The fans were screaming and loud. Photos were being taken, and Crystal just stood next to Kassie until the fans started to settle down. Crystal pointed over to the two chairs in the corner away from the guys. Kassie smiled and walked over and took a seat, and Crystal did the same. "Did you have a good flight?"
"Yeah, Glen always fly at night so then he can sleep. He thinks it helps with jet lag."
"Does it?" Kassie asked a bit intrigued. Crystal shook her head no, and the girls laughed a bit.
Crystal and Kassie chatted as the guys continued to sign items, meet fans, and take photos. Kassie took out her phone, and of course, there was a text message from the girls, but she wanted to remember all these moments that she was having. "So, during this little vacation. I am determined to take photos." Crystal looked at her as she watched her play with her phone. "So, let's take a selfie, and maybe at the end of the session, we can get the guys in a photo too?"
"Sure, why not?" Crystal said, and the girls got together and took a few photos. "Come with me. This is your first Wrestlemania, and there are a few things you need to do" Crystal laughed and grabbed her hand, and Kassie put her phone in her pocket. Crystal walked over to Glen and leaned down and whispered to him. Glen nodded his head and tapped on Mark and whispered to him. Mark nodded his head too. "Okay. Come with me," Crystal said with a giggle as the two of them walked out of the one side of the booth and into the crowd.
Crystal took Kassie all over and introduced her to everyone who spoke to her and always referred to her as "Mark's plus one," which many people could not say enough beautiful things about him. Kassie always felt embarrassed when she spoke to them since she did not know much about the business, and Mark didn't talk about a lot of these people. Crystal and Kassie ran around the event, and the two played the video game on a huge screen, took holographic photos with wrestlers, along with meeting everyone that Crystal could find. They also took tons of photos, which made the two of them belly laugh. The girls finally got back to the booth with the guys. Eric stood at the back of the line. He was cutting off the fans, and closing it down.
Kassie walked passed Mark, and he grabbed her arm. She bent down to him. "Did you have fun?" he whispered, and Kassie shook her head, yes, and he smiled and kissed her cheek. Some of the fans made a "wooing" noise, and Kassie could feel her cheeks starting to flush. Kassie walked over to Crystal as they sat down and waited for the guys.
"Before we leave the booth. Let's get a photo all four of us," Kassie suggested, and the guys looked at each other and shrugged. Fans were still around, and the two security teams were getting ready for the move, and they also were standing around, and the guys knew they would be trying to take photos.
"Eric, can you take the photo?" Mark asked, and Eric walked over and took the three phones. Mark wrapped his arm around Kassie and stood next to Glen. Glen had his arm around Crystal. Eric started to take a photo of the four of them. Each one was stopping and making sure that it looked okay. Each photo the team did something different, making faces or moving around, which made someone in the group laugh, but the photos were raw, and it showed how much fun they were really having. "Thank you," Mark said as he took back the cameras from Eric.
"Not a problem," He said, "Let's get the group out of here, and you two can go enjoy New Orleans," Eric said and pointed around to the security. Mark held onto Kassie's hand as the security walked around them, and they started to move. Glen and Crystal were right behind them in another security bubble. Kassie was still unsure why so much security, but it seems to work out. Finally, they were behind the scene, and security scatters as fast as they appear.
"So, Glen knows this small restaurant that he says has beautiful scenery along with food," Mark said
"Sounds like an adventure," Kassie smile, and Crystal walked up to her.
"Good, it is just Landry's. I hope you like seafood" She smiled as she grabbed her purse.
"Yeah, I am not that much of a picky eater" Kassie laughed and Mark smiled and looked over at her. Kassie took out her phone while she waited for the guys to get themselves together. She texted back the girls and smiled a bit.
"Everything okay?" Mark asked, rubbing her arm as she looked up at him and put her phone away.
"Oh yeah, the girls are fine," She said with a smile, and Mark kissed her softly, his lips burning against her. She could not get enough of him.
The group finally made their way to a big dark jeep and a driver. Glen got in the passenger seat, and Crystal, Mark, and Kassie sat in the back. Kassie laid her head on Mark as he wrapped his arm around her and gently rubbed her head. Crystal was taking in all of the surroundings between them. She smiled to herself and looked out the window into the sun and closed her eyes, and just allowed her self to relax.
Kassie held onto Mark's hand as the four of them made their way into the restaurant. She was shocked as she looked at everything around her. Mark gently pulled at her to keep walking. She did so slowly as she took in everything the restaurant was by the river. It looked like the restaurant reserved several of the tables in the one corner for the four of them. It was beautiful; the sun was just peaking through the clouds. Kassie pushed her lips together. She has never seen anything so beautiful till now. She smiled as she could hear the sound of the water hitting the land and reminding her of the times she sat on the balcony at home. The four of them took a seat at the far table. The restaurant was pretty empty, and Kassie was a bit surprised, but they were coming between lunch and dinner.
"Glen, let's get some drinks," Mark said, and Glen nodded in agreement, and Mark leaned over and kissed Kassie's cheek. The two got up and walked back inside the restaurant.
"He could have just waited," Kassie laughed a bit as she spoke to Crystal.
"Yeah, but that is fine we will get double the drinks" She laughed "So, it seems that you and Mark are official?"
"Yeah, it was really strange" She looked up at Crystal across the table "He just told me one day coming into work."
"Oh, well, like I was telling you, these guys are hard to understand." She paused, "But you two seem to mesh really well together."
"Yeah, we do, which I keep telling my one friend that it is too good to be true."
"Aw, don't jinx it," She said, and Kassie laughed a bit. "Glen was telling me you are really doing well at work."
"Yeah, this company is different than any other place I worked at." She paused and pushed her lips together, not knowing how much she should really say. "Do you guys come here every time you are in New Orleans?"
"There are are few spots around the city that Glen's travels now that we enjoy. This place has amazing food, and you can see the view is breathtaking. I wish we could have come later, but with Eric setting up the times. It was was a crab shoot to figure out when to book the table."
"Has Eric been with the guys for a while?"
"He started with Glen and then when Mark decided to leave the ring. Glen got Mark to take Eric. Eric thinks of everything, and that makes the trip easier for the guys and also allows them to enjoy the perks of things that they worked hard for." Crystal said as she closed the menu. "Kassie, you do know that you are coming into Mark's life right at the right time?"
"I- I guess," She said, unsure about what Mark's life was before her. She looked up and saw then guys heading back.
"I hope you ready to try something different!" Mark said as Kassie smiled, and the guys sat down, placing drinks in front of the girls, and the guys place their glass down.
"Crush Buckets, really?" Crystal just laughed a bit as she looked over at Kassie. "Take your time getting it down. There is a lot of alcohol in it."
"You should be fine," Mark laughed. "Knowing how much Jack you have had." Kassie started to laugh a bit.
"Well, thank you" Kassie smiled and took a sip out of the straw, and Crystal was right that first drink was strong.
The four of them began to enjoy the late lunch and early dinner and drinks. Mark and Glen started to relax as the Kassie could see that they started to laugh and just let down their guard. Dinner was served, and the girls were picking on everyone else plates trying to see what everything tasted like. The girls chatted over the guys as they chatted with each other. The table was down a few drinks and tons of food. Mark looked over at Kassie and smiled.
She caught him, and she stopped chewing the food, "What?" She asked and then swallowed her food.
"Nothing," He said as Mark just smiles at her.
"Stop," Kassie laughed at him.
"Come on, let's get a photo!" Crystal said and got the waiter's attention and handed him her phone. The four of them leaned in together, and everyone smiled. The waiter handed back her camera, and Crystal thanked him and sent the photo to Kassie. "Babe, do we have time to go walk around the main street?"
"Um, yeah, I guess we could," Glen said to Crystal, "not too long."
"Kassie, you will enjoy this. There are so many different things around here. We have to go see the psychic, Mama."
"No," Glen shook his head and looked over at Mark.
"Why? It will be fun, right, Kassie?"
"I have no idea. I never did it." She said, and Crystal turned her head and looked at Glen.
"No, Crys"
"Why?" she asked again gave him a look.
Kassie turned to Mark, "I am interested in what they will say."
"We will see," Mark said as he smiled and took her hand and then looked over at Glen. They settled up the bill, and Crystal was excited as she bounced her way out of the restaurant and headed down the street. Glen moaned as he followed her, and Mark and Kassie held hands and walked down the block. Kassie could tell that Glen did not want to do what Crystal was up too.
"Come on, Kassie," She said as she laughed Kassie ran up to meet Crystal.
"This is not a good thing," Glen said to Mark, and Mark nodded his head.
"It was Crystal's idea. I am a bit worried about what is going to be said."
"Yeah, me too," Glen said as Crystal spun around and opened the door to the building that she has been in several times before. Kassie looked back to Mark for the moment as she grabbed the door from Crystal. Mark smiled a bit, and Kassie smiled back.
"Crystal, my love!" Kassie could hear an older woman calling to her as she walked into seeing the two of them hugging.
"Hello, Mama, How are you?" Crystal said with a smile.
"I am doing good. I am glad you came back."
"Of course, this time, I brought my friend Kassie. She never did this before."
"Hello there, Kassie," The older woman said as she reached out and shook her hand.
"Hello, nice to meet you," Kassie said with a smile as the old woman smiled and pointed to a table.
Mark and Glen waited outside. The two of them chatting with each other and trying to just blend in with the crowds of people on the street. Mark paced a bit nervous. "How long is this going to take?"
"I have no idea, but remember whatever comes out of this. It doesn't mean that it can't be changed."
"Yeah, I understand that, " Mark said as he looked down, and the door opened. "Hey!" Mark smiled at Kassie and opened his arms to her, and she went right into him and hugged him tightly. "I hope it went well."
"I believe so," She said with a smile, and Mark kissed her head, taking in a deep breath of her hair. The feeling that he could lose her sweep away with the scent.
"Thank you again, Mama," Crystal said as she walked out of the building closing the door behind her. She looked over at Glen and smiled. "Okay-okay," She said as she knew the look Glen was giving here. "Come on, guys, let explore this place" She giggled and took Glen's hand as they started to walk, and Mark and Kassie followed.
They walked around, going in and out of all the small shops. There were tons of things to look at. They walked in and out of buildings and buildings. Kassie grabbed Mark's hand and showed him this small bracelet that had the word "taken" scrolled on it in cursive writing. "Isn't that just funny and adorable all at the same time?"
"Yeah, your mind has such a play on words," he said, and Kassie a big belly laugh that caught both Glen and Crystal's attention. Kassie continued to look as she continued ongoing into the other rooms of the building. Mark smiled to himself and got the attention of the seller.
The night began to pick up as the crowds started Mark and Glen were starting to get noticed about ever few minutes. "Come on, I think it is time to go," Glen said to Crystal once he was done taking another photo. The guys valued their privacy, and once they started to get noticed, it was time to disappear.
"Sounds like a plan," She said and looked over at Kassie and motioned for her to come on. "Time to get going."
"Sounds good. This place is amazing. You are not kidding. I can see why you come back to the area."
"Yeah," Crystal said, and Mark wrapped his arm around Kassie.
The four of them made there way back to the car. Kassie and Crystal continued to talk about all the places and things that they have seen today. The guys were happy that the women were happy. Mark smiled; they pulled up to the hotel. They all piled out of the car and into the lobby as the couple said their goodbyes for the night.
Kassie walked into the room first and plopped right down on the bed. Mark closed the door behind him and put his phone and keys on the dresser before laying on the bed next to Kassie. "So, you had a good day?"
"Yes, thank you" She smiled at him and giggled, "I never seen such things before. The whole wrestling show is like a science that is crazy." She laughed. "Then New Orleans, the food is so good, and the people are so friendly. I can see why Crystal loves it here."
"Yes, every city has places you will fall in love with." He said as he pushed her loose hair away from her face as he kissed her softly. "I am so glad you had fun. Tomorrow is just one more autograph session, and we will be leaving for home after that."
"Isn't that just crazy. You are superstar here, and then you are going home to be normal."
Mark started to laugh a bit "Sometimes I miss normal" He kissed her softly once more "I am going to jump in the shower." He said, and Kassie nodded as Mark got up and took off her shirt as he started to get ready.
"Oh, can I have your phone? I wanted to send you all photos for today. I will save them for you."
"Sure," He said as he reached for it on the dresser, unlocked it, and handed it to her.
"Thank you," She said with a smile as she keeled on the bed. She smiled and took one more kiss as Mark walked into the bathroom.
Kassie took off her shorts and grabbed Mark's phone as she took some sneaky photos of her as she changed into her pajamas. She laughed a bit at her self and then started to send him the photos of today. She started to save them on his phone. Kassie began to forget which photos she saved and didn't. She went into his photos and started to scroll through them. She smiled as she saw a lot of photos of his kids. She continued to scroll and noticed there were a few photos of her. She clicked on it and knew that was a photo that she took after she came home from Philadelphia. Her mouth dropped open a bit. Then she swiped a bit more and noticed more and more most of the photos that she had up on the dating site was saved on his phone. She paused at the one photo she knew the man in the photo.
"Holy shit," Kassie said softly to her self. The photo that was staring back at her was Freddie. She swiped again and noticed that it was Caleb. Kassie could not believe this. She left the photo up and started to take photos of Mark's phone of all the photos of her from the dating site. Kassie could not believe her eyes.
"You got all the photos in there?" Mark asked as he came out with a towel on, and he was drying off with another one.
"Yeah, I think I have them all," She said as she looked up at him her face must have had a look on it.
"Are you okay?" He asked a bit concerned.
"Um, yeah, my stomach hurts a bit. You know how it is all the clean eating and now " She snickered a bit.
"Yeah, there are Tums in the bag if you need some," He said and went back to cleaning up.
"Thanks," She said as she watched him turn the corner into the bathroom.
Kassie grabbed her phone and texted Jessica, "What do I do?" and then attached every photo of the evidence.
"Who's phone?"
"Mark's."
"What?! Are those not the guys you have either spoke to or went out with?"
"Yes! That is what I mean. There is no reason why he should have them on his phone, let alone know about them."
"You're going to have to talk to him about them."
"And say what. Sorry I was saving photos to your phone and decided to look through them?"
"Well, yeah," Jessica said, and Kassie's stomach dropped to the floor.
"That is not an option," Kassie said and left out a big sigh as she placed the phone down on the nightstand.
Mark walked back into the room. He smiled at Kassie and got into bed next to her. "Come here, let's just watch some TV, and hopefully, your stomach will feel better."
"Okay," Kassie said as she smiled and propped her self up with pillows. "How am I going to bring this up." She began to think as Mark noticed that her phone was going off. Mark cuddled Kassie in his arms as he flipped through the channels. "Who is he that he would have these men photos like dating site photos on his phone. I didn't see the app on his phone. He must have been on it. Did he delete it?"
"Your phone is going nuts," Mark finally said to her, and she just made a face.
"Its Saturday night. I am sure the girls are out having a blast."
"It must be your generation that goes to a bar and lives on your phone."
"Some of us do," Kassie laughed a bit. The silence between the two of them was growing, and Kassie could not understand why Mark would have those photos. A commercial came on about a dating site, and Kassie thought this might be a good idea to say something. "Have you ever been on a dating site?"
"No, I believe in running into people the old fashion way."
"Really?" she said and looked up at him as she tried to straighten her self out in the bed.
"Yeah, if you are meant to be with someone, your paths will cross."
"Yes, that is the law of the universe." She paused, "Can we talk about something, and I don't want either of us to get upset."
"Sure," He said as he leaned up against his elbow "Oh, not to change the subject, but I wanted to give to you." He sat up and reached over to grab his jeans and took out a black box. He smiled and handed it to Kassie.
She held the box in her hands and pushed her lips together. She wanted to open it, but she needed to know the answer to this before she could continue to just fall head over heels for him. "How was she going to do this?" She thought, "Mark, you didn't have to buy me anything."
"I know, but- but you will understand why I did once you see it." Kassie looked down at the box. She knew it wasn't a ring which right now she was grateful for, but couldn't get herself to open the box.
"Mark," She said as she looked up at him her hand on top of the box "I need to know the truth" She took a big deep breath "I was saving the photos on your phone, and I ended up scrolling through them." she looked at him and his face still a brick wall. She could not figure out if he had a clue yet what she was talking about "You have all my photos from the dating website" She was quite a bit.
"Well, once you told me about you being on that site. I admit I went on there and looked at what photos you had up." He paused, "I know it really sounds stupid because I know you would just send me photos, or we would take photos as time went on." He looked away from Kassie, and she knew the timeline was wrong. "Your remember Beth. She was one of few people that I would confide in about how much I really liked you."
"Mark," She paused. "I hate to do this, but your lying. I told you about that site after I already delete all my photos from it along with my profile." She rolled her eyes "You also have photos of several of the guys I meet from the site." She said, and he sat up a bit confused about what she was saying. She reached for his phone and handed it to him. "Unlock it" He took it from her hand and did it and handed it back. She scrolled and got to the photo of Freddie. "This is Freddie." She held up the photo to Mark, and he looked at it and looked at her "He is a 30 something graduated from Yale, I believe. He was arrogant, full of himself, and never left me to get a word in when we meet at the bar. I went to the bathroom and ditched him." She stopped and looked at Mark, who did not say a word. "Why do you have his photos?" He did not say anything. Kassie scrolled to the next one, "Caleb," she said and showed him and then scrolled to the next one. "Edi," She said out of breath as she could remember how much he hurt her. "Why?" her voice started to crack, and she swallowed as hard as she could.
"Let me explain," Mark said and took the phone from her. He locked it closed, and he looked at it for a bit. He didn't say a word, and Kassie could hear her phone receiving text after text... the buzzing the only sound in the room.
"Mark, explain," She said as she looked at him. She swallowed hard, trying hard to hold back any tears that might slip out.
"I know this is going to sounds really stupid. When I first saw you, I was/ am so infatuated with you. You know there is an age difference between us. I am not that interesting. I am a washed-up superstar in the wrestling world. I am now holding down a normal job. There was no way you would go out with a man like me." He paused, "So, I just changed my appearance a bit and made up a names and got your attention. I made those profiles and only looked at you. Once I knew that you are are were serious I stopped. I wanted to be with you. I never thought I was hurting you. "
"Why?" She asked, and there was silence, "Why?" She asked as her voice cracked a bit, "Do you understand these guys hurt me." She paused, and the light bulb clicked in her head, "You- You hurt me." She looked down at the box as her eyes started to fill up with tears that she tried so hard to just hold in.
"No, Kass" Mark reach out to touch her cheek, and she looked up at him "I never never want to hurt you."
"But you did, Mark," She said as she looked down at the box that sat in her hands.
"Come here, Kassie," He said as he got on his knees and pulled her into him. "I never-never ever wanted to hurt you. You know me... You know I won't hurt you." He held onto her tightly against his chest, unsure what was going to happen next.
Kassie got dressed the next morning in a black tank top and put her Undertaker hoody on top of it. She wore skinny jeans with some wedges. She put her hair into loose curls and more natural makeup. She looked the part of a wrestler's girl but sure did not feel like her bubbly self. Her mind went back to the conversation that the two of them had last night. She leaned against the sink in the bathroom as she put on her finishing touches. Mark walked into the room with some coffees in his hands. "I got you one," He said and placed it down on the counter-top next to her in the bathroom.
"Thank you," She said as she looked at it and then looked at him.
"Kassie, I am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you." Mark said as he leaned up against the bathroom door.
"Mark," She stopped playing with her makeup and looked at him "I don't even know what to say." She paused a bit "I don't know how to feel" She took another breath "I don't understand why you even did that"
"Kass, I told you. I didn't believe that you would take me as me." He started in telling her the same line that he told her last night. Kassie just couldn't believe it. She looked over at him, staring straight into his eyes.
"But do you understand that you hurt me." She paused. "YOU hurt me," she repeated, and Mark's eyes went to the ground. He looked like a sad puppy. She couldn't believe it that she had to explain this to him.
"Eric will come up later and get all the bags in the room. Make sure you have everything you need ready." He said and took a deep breath as he could smell her perfume lingering in the bathroom. He noticed that Kassie's phone was sitting next to the sink and saw that it had gone off since the little light blinked on the top. Kassie finished her makeup and began to clean up her things. She grabbed her phone off the sink, and Mark moved to sit on the small love seat in the room. He watched her as she got the bags packed up. Kassie pulled her phone out of her pocket and responded to a text and put it back in her pocket.
Mark sat there and watched her "Can I help you?"
"No, I am good" She paused and looked at the bags that Eric brought up for her, unsure if she should even take them. She just left them where they sat. If Eric grabbed them great if not well, she would be fine without them. Kassie reached for her phone again and texted someone back and put it away.
"Everything okay?"
"Um, yeah," She said as she stood up, putting her hands on her hips and looked at him. She put a few items that she wanted to carry with her into her small backpack, including the box Mark gave her last night. She held the box in her hands as she stared at it. Her feelings are so mixed she had no idea what to do. A knock on the door grabbed her attention as Mark walked passed her and put the box away.
"Hey Eric," Mark said, and he walked in, and Mark pointed to the bags and as the two discussed the bags and getting out of the hotel.
"Understood," Eric said and caught Kassie's eye and smiled at her. "All ready?"
"Sure," She said as he put her backpack on, and the three of them headed out. The car ride was very quiet. Eric sat in the front seat while Mark and Kassie sat in the back as far apart as the back seat allowed. Kassie looked out the window as she saw crowds and crowds of people even bigger than the other day.
"So, today, we are going to take you right up to the booth." He said and looked back at Mark, who nodded his head. The car stop security surrounded it, and Eric gave the orders. Kassie got out first and then Mark. Mark reached out to her, and she took his hand, unsure what else to do. The team of people made it through the screaming fans. Kassie looked over at Mark and moved a bit closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her small body.
"We should be there soon" He leaned over to Kassie and whispered, and she shook her head. He could smell her perfume again.
The two of them walked up to the booth, and Glen and Crystal were already there. Crystal smiled as she seen the two of them and then noticed that the energy around them changed. Crystal stood and hugged Mark and then Kassie as Mark took a seat next to Glen.
"Come, lets chill," She said as she whispered to Kassie. Crystal was getting antsy as she could not stand the energy that she could tell Kassie was send out. "You want to go for a drink?"
"Please tell me there is a place for a beer around here?" Kassie said as she looked over at her, and Crystal knew she was not joking.
"I can find one" She smile and squeezed her arm. She walked over to Glen and whispered in his ear again, and he looked up at her, which Kassie noticed and gave her a look. Crystal shook her head and said something she could not hear, and then Glen shook his head, yes, and Crystal turned back again. "Come on" She smiled and wrapped her arm around Kassie's shoulders.
Kassie and Crystal sat in a corner with their four empty beer glasses and snacks. Kassie went into the bag and pulled out the box that Mark gave her last night. She put it on the table and looked at it.
"I don't know what to do anymore," She said and looked at Crystal "I want to see what it is, and then I don't."
"Well, let me look." Crystal said and opened the box, and then closed it and passed it back to her. Crystal felt horrible. She knew what Mark has done, and now Kassie found all the evidence that he left behind. "It is pretty" She finally said, "Don't open it until your ready" She paused "Kassie, I can tell you still have so many feelings for him. Do you think he was telling you the truth?"
"But I can not understand why he would do something like that to me?"
"Would you of seen him for him back then?"
"Yeah," She paused "He is my type... my stereotypical type and here- here I am hurting" She placed her head into her hands and took a few deep breaths. Crystal rubbed her back, and the tears slowly started to seep out.
"Don't be too hard on yourself. You might never understand why he did what he did, but now you need to put yourself together."
"Your right" She sniffles a bit "Let me text my one friend and have her pick me up at the airport."
"Sounds like a plan. Once you get some space and time to think, it might be better to deal with him then."
"Yeah," She said as she sniffles again.
"Come on; we got to get ourselves back tot he guys." Crystal said as the two settled up the tab. Crystal and Kassie started to chat about other things, which made Kassie forget about what was going on for a few minutes, and she even laughed a bit.
The girls walked back into the booth, and Mark could tell that Kassie was crying. The girls sat down and waited for the event to be over. Crystal and Kassie chatted and were on their phones. Finally, Eric came up to the table. "That was longer than yesterday," He said, and Crystal smiled.
"Well, that is a good thing that means you are getting the fans in" Crystal laughed at him and Eric nodded with a smile.
"I have to give all the credit to these two. I just coordinate it all."
"Yeah yeah, don't make his head bigger than what it is," Crystal said, and Glen gave her a slide look and smiled while Eric just laughed.
The team started to clean up, and Mark walked over to Kassie and Crystal. "So, shall we take a photo to remember this?"
"I think we got enough yesterday," Crystal said as she stood up, and Kassie stood up and looked up at Mark, not saying a word. Mark ran his fingers against her cheek, and she closed her eyes, allowing her self to fall into that loving feeling.
"Kassie," Mark whispered, and her eyes opened to meet his. The two did not say anything as their eyes just met each other.
"Come on, love birds," Glen teased, and Crystal hit him. "Let's go. We got to get to the airport." Glen wrapped his arm around Crystal, and she leaned her head into Glen's chest.
Kassie sat in silence as she held her backpack on her lap as she looked out the window. Mark asleep on her shoulder as they were heading home. The sun was beginning to set, and she watched it wishing she was on the balcony with a drink in hand. She sighed and looked down at her hands, and at Mark, her mind replaying everything that has happened.
"What is going on?" Glen finally asked Crystal, and she looked up from her magazine
"I have no idea what you're talking about" Glen gave her a look, "I told her I would not tell anyone."
"You need to tell me."
"No, you will just tell Mark." Crystal said as she turned the page in the magazine. "When it is the right time, I will tell you." She said to him and thought to herself, at least she will give Kassie a head start before Glen tries to fix the world.
Mark and Kassie waited to pick up their luggage. Glen and Crystal were not far away, and Glen was noisily wanting to know what was going on. Mark reached over to Kassie, who grabbed her phone and looked at it. She put it away and looked over at Mark. "Everything okay."
"They are fine," She said as she caught a glance of her bag and grabbed the one and placed it on the ground next to her. Mark found one of his, and then Kassie grabbed her last one. Mark grabbed his last one and threw it over his shoulder.
"Let's get you home," Mark said to Kassie, and she pulled her one bag over her shoulder and picked up the other one. She stood in front of Mark and took a deep breath.
Crystal tugged on Glen's shirt, and he stopped staring at them and looked at her "What?"
"I need you to look at me." She said, and Glen looked into her eyes and just waited for what seems to be forever. " Kassie found out, and she is falling apart." Crystal said very slowly and very softly.
"Mark, I am not sure what is going on between us, but I can not pretend that I am not hurting," She said as she looked at him "I have to go, alone," She said and turned around and walked away. Mark stood there for a moment. Crystal looked over at him; it was like he was frozen in time. Glen turned around and watched Kassie, just walking away. He couldn't stop her, and now his friend was feeling the pain that he thought was never going to come.
Kassie grabbed the back seat door handle and opened it putting both her bags in the car. She then got into the passenger side of the car. "Thank you for picking me up," She said and looked over at Jessica.
"Not a problem," She said and reached over to her and hugged her tightly, and just like that, all the tears that she held in for the last 24 hours just came out and fell. Kassie could not breathe as she cried into her shoulder harder and harder "It is okay... we will get through this... you will get through this." Kassie sat back and shook her head and wiped her far her makeup running down her face. She looked down at her backpack and saw the box sticking out of her bag. She picked it up and held it on her lap. "What is that?"
"I am not sure," she stuttered as she tried to speak. She opened it slowly to see gold cursive writing words on a bracelet "Secret One."