A/N: Hey guys! Sorry this update is so late. I haven't gotten a lot of time on the computer lately. Hopefully the next one won't take me as long!
"What?" Raph asked, although he had heard just fine. He shook his head. "No ya aren't, ya can't be! She has a jewel in 'er forehead."
"It was fake."
"Long, brown hair with magenta streaks --"
"A wig."
"Magenta eyes --"
"Contacts."
"She has dark markin's all around 'er eyes--"
"Makeup! Raph, I'm sorry, I really am." She apologized. "I wanted to tell you earlier, but Master Splinter wouldn't let me."
"Yeah, I'm sure he wouldn'." Raph replied sarcastically as he started to leave.
"He wouldn't, Raph. It all started ten years ago. I wanted to go with Splinter to the Battle Nexus, but he wouldn't let me for fear you would follow and find out about me." Cassi leapt over top of him and stopped him from leaving. "Raph, please listen!" She pleaded. "I had to compromise with him. Celveliare was the compromise! As long as I pretended to be her, I could go."
"I suppose this was just another big game for you, huh?" He snapped.
"No! It wasn't! Nothing I've ever done has been a game!" She yelled back, tears stinging her eyes. Raph softened a little. He had never seen her cry before.
"Cassi, I..." He started.
"Don't apologize!" She told him as she fought her tears back. "I know I deserve this. To put it in your words, or thoughts, I'm a scheming bit…I won't say it the word, but you're right. It's just; I had a great time with you at the Battle Nexus."
"Ya did?" He brightened a bit.
Cassi smiled. "Yes, I did," She replied softly, "and I think I even started to fall for you."
"And I think I jus' did. I dunno, I guess I jus' expected more from ya, Cassi."
"What do you mean 'expected more from me'?" She was quiet, and then walked back into the dojo and to her punching bag. "I don't get it, Raph! Gad, why do you all think I'm so perfect?" She exclaimed furiously, kicking the punching bag. "I'm not! I worry, I have a temper, I can get stressed out easily, and I make mistakes all the time, I…" She kicked the bag again, but harder than the first time and the bag tore open, freeing the sand. It pooled down near her feet. "I just don't get it." Cassi muttered as she sank to her knees.
"I don't think yer perfect."
A sad smile flickered across her face, "Believe it or not, that's got to be the nicest thing I've heard in a while, Raph."
"An' I never did."
"That's not true; you did for a while, which only made your hate for me grow, but it wasn't me you hated, was it?"
"I…"
"No, it was the change I brought. A new turtle living with the four of you meant a different life. When Leo fell in love with me that only made it worse, didn't it? Things would change even more."
"Life's 'bout change Cassi. Nothin' can stop it."
"You're right, Raphael. Life is full of change that can't be stopped," At that moment, Cassi wasn't sure why, but she thought of Leo, "So why do you try?"
"'Cause I hate it." He muttered while walking over to her side.
---
Cassi lay on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She had been home in her apartment for some time now, but she couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts were buzzing around her head. That was one of the things she hated about being a genius; she would over think things and make simple problems complicated.
"At least he doesn't hate me anymore…" Cassi mumbled to herself.
At first, she couldn't believe that Raph had kissed her, and she had let him. It was Leo who she loved, wasn't it? Now Cassi wasn't so sure. She really did feel like she was falling for Raph. To make matters worse, there had been a definite spark between Mike and her. What am I getting into? I've got to stop it. It's just as I feared would happen when I was 16; they're all falling for me.
Cassi turned on her side. She had to get to sleep. The five had an important rehearsal in the morning. She couldn't erase her thoughts or dampen them. To take them off her mind, Cassi turned on her radio. A smile crossed her face when she realized it was their début song playing. She was nearly asleep when it ended.
"Those five are really talented. They're going to go far." One of the radio announcers said.
"I agree, and they have such awesome names! Cassiopeia, Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Donatello are supposedly their real names." The other replied.
"Nah, I don't believe they are." Cassi laughed at that remark. You had better believe it she thought as she finally drifted off to sleep.