Emily pulled an awkward smile.
"Why don't I show you to your table? We better solve that hangry-ness, hm?" Emily asked.
Rapunzel giggled, while Cass stood there, a deadpanned expression upon her face. She let out an irritated groan followed by a facepalm.
Rapunzel and Eugene lead Cass over to a fancy table, with tall chairs and a fancy tablecloth.
Rapunzel gently sat Cass down on one of the chairs, before taking a seat on the chairs beside her.
With a wide grin, Emily rushed towards the table with a pad of paper and quill in hand.
Cass couldn't focus with Emily practically breathing down her neck. She buried her face in her menu, trying to make sense through her foggy feverish brain what she wanted for lunch.
Emily looked at Cass expectantly.
"Have you decided yet?" Emily asked.
Cass raised an eyebrow, followed by an unamused glance.
"Why don't you go bother someone else?" Cass replied, muffled from inside the menu.
Rapunzel laughed nervously and shot Emily an apologetic look.
"I'll have the hazelnut soup please and a strawberry milkshake," Rapunzel said as Emily wrote it down on her pad.
Eugene grinned, glancing at Rapunzel."Great choice Sunshine! I'll have a cappuccino with two sugars and a roast chicken."
Cassandra's face reddened with embarrassment as all the attention was suddenly on her.
Her eyes darted around the menu, her foggy brain only making it more difficult to choose what she wanted for lunch. Her nagging nausea seemed to be arguing against even the idea of lunch, never mind choosing lunch from a menu.
Her eyes darted around the menu, feeling the pressure of everyone's staring eyes burning holes into her.
Her eyes wandered over to the drinks section.
Iced tea.
The words seemed like they were spelling out heaven to her burning throat.
Cass looked up awkwardly to Emily, trying to hide a feverish shiver.
"T-two jugs of iced tea..." Cass stammered out. " And m-mutton stew."
Even just attempting to make conversation wasn't helping her constant pounding head.
"Two jugs! An excellent idea, Cass! We can all share it!" Rapunzel exclaimed.
"Sure... Share it..." Cass grumbled under her breath.
Emily grinned.
"Excellent choices. I'll go alert the chef and your meals will be with you shortly."
Cass fidgeted awkwardly in her seat, wiping the feverish sweat off her brow using one of the table napkins. She lay her head on the table, exhaustion overcoming her.
Rapunzel peered over at Cass, giving her a reassuring smile and a thumbs up.
Cass returned the gesture, along with a couple of loud coughs. Every cough and wheeze that escaped her chest only made her chest throb more. Her throat burned like a furnace was trying to push itself down her oesophagus.
Cass closed her eyes, drifting off for what felt like ten seconds.
"HI CASS! YOUR FOOD IS HEREEEEE!" Emily squealed, right into Cass's ear.
Cass screamed and flinched in fright.
Cass woke up with a start, sitting up so fast that she smacked her head on one of the plates that Emily was holding with a loud CLANGGGG.
The clang of the plate only amplified the pain of her pounding head. She rose up slightly, attempting to make sense of her surroundings, but her dizziness toppled her off the chair in a dazed summersault.
"WHOOOAAAA!" Cass yelped, toppling onto the floor, her head spinning wildly. She hit the floor with a loud THUMP.
"CASS!" Rapunzel exclaimed, kneeling down next to Cass while Emily awkwardly set down the plates of food.
Cass's face burnt with embarrassment as every head turned to the sound of her falling off the table.
Rapunzel squeezed her hand. "Are you alright, Cass?"
Cass shivered, sweat accumulating on her hands. Including the hand that Raps held rather tightly.
Concerned at the heat radiating from her best friend, Raps slowly reached a hand towards Cass's feverish forehead.
Noticing Rapunzel's outstretched hand and the fear of being found out only caused Cass's heart to thump faster against her chest, as she panicked.
Cass awkwardly pulled herself up using a chair, quickly dodging Rapunzel's hand, setting herself down on the chair with shaking legs. Her head spun wildly as the pounding of her head became more and more evident. She could barely process anything.
Emily excitedly set the beverages in front of the trio. Rapunzel and Eugene thanked her gratefully, while Cass peered straight ahead.
Emily awkwardly waved at Cass. "Cass? Uh... Your food's here..."
Cass didn't even acknowledge Emily's existence. She couldn't hear anyone; everything was just extremely fuzzy, and she could barely think straight.
Emily's face creased into a concerned frown and she gently waved her hand in front of Cass's face. Not a sound left Cass's throat in response.
Rapunzel shifted awkwardly in her seat and chuckled nervously.
"P-perhaps Cassandra would be more up for conversation after her meal?" Rapunzel suggested as she peered at Cass, trying to smile reassuringly.
Eugene agreed with a nod.
Emily fidgeted nervously. She looked Cass up and down, anxiously and slightly bewildered. "I-I- s-suppose so." Emily stammered. "E-Enjoy your meal."
Taking one last concerned glance at Cass, Emily stepped back from the table, followed by a small bow.
The only sound that echoed across the table was the scraping of cutlery against plates.
Dry coughs hacked from Cass's burning throat, her chest growing tighter with each cough.
Her chest heaved, her pounding heart thumping against her ribcage. The voice attempting to produce in her throat was croaky and burned with each attempted noise.
Cass stared right ahead at the two jugs in front of her. Iced tea.
Her pale and clammy hands slowly crept up to the jug of delicious iced tea. Cass's mouth practically watered at the sight.
She yanked the jug roughly towards her, and with one swift movement, tipped the entire thing upside down and hung her mouth open like her jaw had come loose. Loud gulping noises echoed around the table as she drank the iced tea.
Rapunzel and Eugene's jaws dropped to the floor, their eyes as wide as saucers.
"Cassandra!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Rapunzel quickly rose from her chair, almost knocking it over. She tried to gently pry the jug out from Cass's hands.
Cassandra's grip on the jug only got tighter, her knuckles going white.
"I'M FUFILLING...MY DESTINY!" Cass shrieked in between loud gulps, the entire café turning their heads at the commotion.
Rapunzel's face turned almost as white as the tablecloth, gasping as her stomach turned at the painfully familiar phrase.
"What are you talking about, Cassandra?!" Rapunzel exclaimed.
Eugene looked uneasy and shifted in his seat. "Yeah, Madame Ice Demon. I knew you were a weirdo, but even this is freaking me out."
The last drips of iced tea dripped into Cass's open mouth. She swung her arms backwards and threw the glass jug behind her with a grunt. It sailed through the air and hit Emily in the head, smashing loudly.
Rapunzel gasped as a group of waitresses rushed over, tending to Emily.
"OH MY GOSH! I'M SO SORRY! I'M SURE SHE DIDN'T MEAN IT!" Rapunzel gasped out.
Cass didn't even seem to react. Instead, she slowly reached towards the second jug on the table.
Rapunzel's head seemed to be in a thousand places at once. Her head turned back and forth towards Emily, and back to Cass.
Cass pulled the jug towards herself, tipping it towards her mouth once again.
Rapunzel reached towards the jug, yanking it away from Cass. It was only met with unhappy sounds from Cass.
"Cass, I think you've had enough!" Rapunzel stated sternly.
Cass glared at her. "NOOOOOOO! GIVE THAT BACK!"
Rapunzel's face widened in surprise.
"Cassandra!" She exclaimed in shock.
Cassandra stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry in response. Even Eugene was stunned.
Rapunzel and Eugene stared at Cass, attempting to say anything, but their mouths just opened and closed like a fish.
Across the restaurant, Emily lay on the floor, surrounded by several waitresses, groaning in pain and a rag pressed to her bleeding forehead.
Cass blinked twice, the fog clouding her mind becoming slightly clearer. Her hearing became less muffled and her vision began to clear. She soon became aware of the cold jug in her sweaty and feverish hands, and Emily's pained groans filling her ears.
Cass looked up, Rapunzel's and Eugene's bewildered stares almost burning holes into her.
Cassandra's face creased into a concerned and bewildered expression as she turned her head, taking in all the chaos.
"What on earth happened here!?" Cassandra asked, rather panicked.
"You know, we were going to ask you the same thing," Rapunzel replied.
(That's it for this chapter! :) Thanks for reading! :)