Heatherfield, Sheffield Institute
Cassidy and Halinor were walking down the corridor, while still discussing about what had happened in Kandrakar.
"But I still can't understand why she didn't tell us before that" Halinor said.
Cassidy sighed. "She said she would have liked, but the change was so ... pressing...".
Halinor frowned. "I don't understand what you mean, sorry ...".
Cassidy sighed again, concentrated to find the right words to express the concept. "I mean, she ...she ...Hi ... ".
Halinor smiled, seeing Edward in front of them, who smiled sweetly. "Hello girls. Another day here, huh? " he said, in a genuine tone.
Halinor giggled. "Oh, well ... as always, after all ...ehr ...I have to go, otherwise I'm late. And then, I won't be too in the way. See you later, Cass! "the girl said, leaving with a big smile on her face, which Cassidy reciprocated, a little forced.
You will pay for this the redhead told her telepathically.
Yeah, sure thing Cass Halinor replied with a laugh.
Then the blonde walked to an empty room, where she assured herself that there was really no one. She gave a look around, then burst out laughing. Girls, this is the right time he'll ask her to go out!
Cass, you're amazing Nerissa thought, smiling.
Eheh, go woman, go! Yan Lin thought, bursting out laughing in the middle of math class.
Well, we have never said that you're not hottie, you lil cub Kadma almost laughed, covering her mouth with a hand.
Cassidy violently blushed and lowered her head to avoid that the guy could notice. I'll kill them all, one by one ...
We'll love you the same, Cass assured Halinor, smiling slightly.
"Are you ok?" he asked, all of a sudden.
She looked confused, and he reciprocated a surprised look. "So. .. What do you decide?" Edward asked.
At that moment she realized she hadn't heard a single word of what he said. Terrible. Feeling embarrassed for the her friends' comments or for not having listened to the person who was standing in front of her, was the same. But she could not withstand both figures of shit. And worse it would have been, if she found out that her friends were spying her and were observing her very bad figure in front of the most beautiful boy in the school.
Cassidy smiled slightly, embarrassed, closing her eyes. "Decided ... what?I am afraid I wasn't listening..."
Edward smiled, just to ease the discomfort of that situation. "I asked you if ...if you feel like it, by chance ...going out ...with ...me? ".
Cassidy kept her breath for a moment. She would expected everything except this. Halinor was right. "Ah ...hanging out with you ... well ... ".
Edward was more puzzled than before, and began to turn the speech around, without putting too much pressure on the girl. "You're not forced, nor anything ...Therefore, if you don't like the idea ... ".
"That's ok for me" Cassidy said all of a sudden, while Edward looked stunned. Maybe not, he would have never understood girls completely.
But he made a big smile. "Ah, well, then ... then ... we go to the beach, if you want to ...?No well, sorry ...you decide ... ".
"The beach is fine" replied Cassidy rushed "At 4 pm okay?".
He smiled, almost incredulously. "For me it's okay". The two looked at each other. "Then ...see you later! "he said and walked off, waving his hand.
Cassidy made a half smile. Yeah...why not.. she thought.
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Heatherfield, Shell Beach
They walked along the shoreline, listless, without ever looking at each other, but constantly looking down, her arms folded across her chest, he with his hands in his pockets, a little milling. That meeting seemed to be a bit forced, one of those where you want to discuss about your problems with friends, family, boyfriend; It was one of those meetings that exist for a specific reason, dedicated to introspection and to the research for mistakes, and maybe you could break through in more complex themes, what I would have done in life, what I really want, the society as I see it, and how it really is. All of which, if you really don't want to talk about, talking about them is not easy, and you are likely to say craps. But maybe because he was listening without saying a word, perhaps because he was an outsider with an actual judgment, Cassidy didn't find any difficulty to talk from top to bottom of all her life, how she saw it, how it might have seemed. After all, she was relaxing.
And Edward listened carefully at her.
Her mother was pregnant when she was just eighteen. Because of her naive nature and somewhat revolutionary, often inspired by the rising feminist and progressive ideas in America. She was a native of Arizona, but her father had to move to New York for work issues. The dream of the East Coast, it seemed a world apart, compared to her Arizona. Full of incentives, she could feel that place her own home. She had started reading, reading many books to deepen her culture on art, literature, philosophy. She said that one day she would have gone to Europe, would have seen it all, would have learned at least three languages, in order to try to read in the original language all of the works that she had already read in English.
All things that she did. But in part.
It was 1952, she was just seventeen, when she met a guy who used to work with his father for a small company of shipbuilding in a boatyard near the wharf. He was nineteen years old, a Canadian by birth, born from European parents, originally from Lévis, on the other side of the Saint Lawrence River from Quebéc. He had moved temporarily to New York, to work with his father and learn all that can count on a serious and expanding company like theirs. It was not a very cultured person, he had gone to school, but he had not learned many things. It was a very curious person, however, and was inspired by all the newborn ideologies in those years . Maybe he didn't know what they meant. But he was curious, and it was that same curiosity that made Emily Wessels falling in love, and the capability to trust the new and the unknown.
In 1953 there was the event that changed the lives of both. They didn't expect, or perhaps they had never thought about it. Jake knew many people, among his colleagues and friends, who had been won over too much by certain relationships; but they had never thought to continue pursuing the path of marriage. Certainly, it would have been the easier way out. But he wasn't sure he could have gone that further, as if nothing had never happened. For as he knew himself, he would been felt a coward. And thinking, one day, who knows where in the world, of having a child somewhere else (or, who knows, maybe closer to him than he thought), he would be ashamed even more. They set their wedding day as quickly as possible.
It were the early months of 1954, when he decided to bring his wife to his family, in Canada. It was just the eighth month of pregnancy. Maybe something more. His family was very pleased to accept her as the wife of the eldest son, and was housed for many days in their home. Unexpectedly, however, near the end of February, she started to be sick. There were no many choices, and she gave birth to her first-born.
And before returning to New York, six years passed, in which the twins lived in their father's new home, while, on her husband's permission, Emily began University studies in philosophy, studying and working at the same time. Meanwhile, he kept on working in his family's company in Quèbec.
Tragically, travelling home after a day working, Jake collided with his car into a truck, being killed instantly. She sold the house, and returned to New York with her children in her parents ' home. She was an assistant by a professor specialized in political philosophy at New York University for seven years before the University of California dedicated a tenure to her and she moved to Heatherfield with their two kids.
Edward meanwhile was listening closely. It stopped all of a sudden to look at the sea, watching the seagulls flying over the surface of the water. He remained there, still thinking, while Cassidy was awaiting any reaction on his part.
He looked at her. "But you, are you happy now?".
She returned his gaze, thoughtfully, then turned back toward the sea. She did some deep breathing, thinking of an answer. "I think I can be happy anywhere. I don't think my happiness depends on the place where I am ".
"And what is it that makes you happy, then?".
Cassidy smiled slightly, a bit embarrassed, moving her eyes from Edward to the sea and vice versa. But Edward's gaze was serious, and even that little embarrassment vanished.
"Knowledge. The ability to see beyond things. Try to figure out what I wouldn't see on my own. Understanding people, and why people do what they do. I believe that all of us do something because there's something in us that urges us to do so. And often we do not understand the reasons for what happens around us, because that doesn't fit in our mentality and our way of being. And maybe, we come to hate people. But I want to understand what's behind people. So I can help them, if I can. "
He looked at her.
"And it's also why I don't drool over you, as my friends do" She giggled, he smiled. "I think they often stop to observe the appearance," Cassidy said, Edward looked at her, worried. "To me, it's not enough".
Edward swallowed. "And can you understand, people?" he asked.
Cassidy shrugged. "Sometimes. But I also understand that the more I attempt to see what is behind each of them, plus I get to understand that there is always something that eludes me. And I think this is the coolest thing, "she said, smiling at the boy, who reciprocated the smile.
"And you?".
Edward smiled, and crossed his arms on his chest, kicking some shells. He snorted. "I don't know what makes me happy. I don't think I've found something that makes me happy. Sometimes I would run away, run away, discover something new ... but it's not happiness, this. It's boredom ... apathy ... sometimes I feel like dying ".
Cassidy looked at him sadly.
"Sometimes I think I don't know how to think with my head ...and having my thoughts ... " he said, lowering his head; then he became serious, all of a sudden. "Sorry, I don't think this stuff interests you," he said, trying to leave.
Cassidy took his hand, gently, in an attempt to stop him.
"I don't think so" she said "I don't think anybody is worthy of not being considered".
He looked at her.
A bit embarrassed, she glanced down. "I mean ... I've known you for just a few weeks ... and I won't pretend to know you well".
Edward said nothing.
"But I believe that in every person there is something interesting to discover ... and in you too. And ... that's why hearing such a thing makes me sad... "
Edward lowered his head, thoughtful. But didn't know what to say. Looked at her for a moment.
"I have to go" he said "see you tomorrow?".
Cassidy nodded, smiling softly. "Yes".
Edward smiled, and walked away.
She remained there, watching him from afar, as he went.
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Heatherfield, during the night, 4 a.m.
Cassidy woke up in the middle of the night. She got up and dressed quickly, then opened the window in her bedroom. She jumped out easily, had a look around, to see if someone was watching.
There was a flash.
She quickly turned into a huge wolf. She had auburn fur, four white paws and blue-green eyes. Then jumped the fence and headed toward the cliffs on the beach.
When she got there, she was alone. There was nobody around there.
She sat, and gazed the full moon.
Then thought to herself. Time to be a bitch.
She gave off a wonderful howl, similar to a melody indeed, which resound through the city.
Kadma stood up with a jump. "I can't believe she's still alive. Baby needs some spanking". She got dressed and left.
Cassidy waited a couple of minutes before she saw something flying in the sky.
I am heeeeeeeeeeereeeee!Tell me I am the first one, this time! An eagle said coming.
You're the first one, Yan... Cassidy said, smiling.
I love this kind of meeting! Yan Lin said again.
I think Kadma loves them too Cassidy replied.
Something came running to the cliff.
Here's Hali Yan Lin said, placing on Cassidy's back.
I ran as fast as I could Halinor said, happy. She was a big black-and-white husky with light blue eyes.
Then came Nerissa, a huge mountain lion, and Kadma.
You little bitch! Kadma cried why so late!you woke me up!And I was dreaming Edward!
Hey Kad, Edward's Cassidy's stuff now, dont bother her! Nerissa said grinning.
Let's transform now Cassidy ordered. The guardians followed her example.
"Ok, so, you know what happened with the Heart of Kandrakar and bla bla bla. So now.." said Cassidy with the Heart in her hand, when Halinor interrupted her.
"I think we have a new buddy?" she asked, pointing an animal running on the shore, heading toward them.
It jumped on the cliff and stopped, afraid, when it saw the girls.
"I think it's a friend of yours, Cass" Nerissa commented.
"It must have heard the howling" Yan Lin thought.
It was a white wolf, that was now trembling to the sight. Halinor crouched.
"Come here, puppy" she said, smiling. The animal got slowly closer.
"Halinor, what are you doing?" Kadma asked.
"I love dogs and animals, you know".
It sniffed Halinor's hand and licked it.
"You do like snuggles, don't you?" Nerissa said smiling, while the animal rolled on his back. "Yes, you will be our mascotte!".
Then it saw the Heart of Kandrakar which was hanging down Cassidy's finger. It got closer to lick it.
"No really, better not to eat it, trust me". Cassidy said.
The wolf looked up.
"Sorry, we have some work to do now. You can just stand here watching if you'd like".
The wolf sat down.
"Ok guys" Cassidy started "I guess we better train before even starting with our mission on Aquardas. During the last one on Meridian we made disasters".
"Perfectly agree" Yan Lin said "After all, you and Nerissa have different powers now. So maybe better for you to practice".
"Alright, let's start".
The guardians took place and started their training.
Kadma was trying to lift up as much sand as possible and Halinor had to turn it into glass.
Yan Lin was trying to fly as fast as she could and create huge tornados.
Nerissa was trying to manipulate waves, failing.
Cassidy got closer, grinning. "May I help you?".
Nerissa slowly turned to her. "I was only having a try" she said with a smirk.
"Ok" Cassidy said grinning again, and left.
Nerissa tried again, failing once more. "C'mooon" she pleaded through gritted teeth.
The white wolf looked happy to see the training; it was sitted on a cliff watching every movement of the guardians.
Meanwhile, Cassidy fell on her back after being hit by a lightning of Quintessence.
Nerissa got closer with a funny smirk on her face.
"Don't tell me you have problems with Quintessence?".
"Make your own business!" Cassidy joked, biting her leg and laughing.
Suddenly, Halinor sent a flame to Kadma, who jumped on a rock and jumping down again she turned into his animal. She was ready to jump on Halinor to block her, when Cassidy, jumping, turned into her wolf form and blocked her.
Ok, you've won Kadma admitted, and turned into her normal form.
I know I've won Cassidy joked.
"Girls, it's almost time" Yan Lin noticed, seeing the sun rising.
"Better going home" Kadma said, transformed, and left with Nerissa running at the speed of light.
"I'm going too" Halinor said "See you later girls".
"Wait, I'm coming with you. See you later Cass!".
"Bye girls!" Cassidy greeted and started her way home.
She suddenly turned to see the wolf.
It was running away on the shore.
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Heatherfield, Sheffield Institute, Cafeteria
Cassidy was drinking her coffee at the counter, when a familiar voice got closer to her ear.
"You look like you haven't slept for ages". She raised her head and turned around, noticing Edward behind him. "Cass?".
Cassidy leaned on the counter again, trying to stay awake. "Don't worry it's just ... just a few nightmares that don't let you sleep" answered.
Edward sighed, leaning over the counter with an elbow. "It is not strange ...". He remained silent for a few seconds. "Listen I ... I thought about your theory of personality, last night... and ...you have thought anything about ... me? "he asked, with a smug smile and a bit provocative.
Cassidy made a sarcastic smile. "I'm afraid not ...".
Edward smiled "Well ..." he said "you're better than I thought in observing what lie beyond things ...".
"Really?" Cassidy asked, bored.
"Sure," he replied smiling.
She closed her eyes.
"So. .. what would any common mortal think about my attitude?" he asked, in a provocative tone.
Cassidy breathed deeply. "Anyone who would say that you're flirting with me ...you would like that we could become a couple ...and maybe you'd like to fuck me somewhere. And I believe that too. But I don't think it's your first aim. You are making great efforts to know me better, and there's no pervert who'd do that.. my legs would be enough. I don't doubt your desire to fuck a beautiful girl. But it's not your first purpose ".
Edward turned pale.
"Now, I'm sorry," Cassidy said, leaving money on the table and starting to make her way out the cafè.
"Wait," Edward said, taking her hand gently. "I ... I'd like to see you again".
Cassidy looked at him, suspicious.
"I ... I really like speaking with you ...really ...and ...I would do it again ...I ...I don't want to hurt you ... "he said, sheepishly.
Cassidy looked at him in the eyes. He looked like a puppy, a child who wished to apologize a thousand different ways for the prank he did. Then he glanced down, shamefully.
Cassidy felt compassion.
"After school?".
Edward nodded slightly. "I'll wait for you".
