Chapter Two
1029 Words
I walked into the building as though in a daze, lost in my memories.
I'd always liked (had an insane crush on) Matt ever since high school, he had been a year ahead of me, so we'd never really spoken more than a few words, but he always caught my attention. I was always hyper-aware of his presence, watching him from a distance… Somehow I managed to keep it together until I went to college; once I was there it was a different matter.
I got into the elevator and pushed the button up to the floor my office was on, still lost in my thoughts. I vaguely heard the 'ping' indicating the lift doors were about to slide closed.
"Cassandra!" Someone called breaking into my thoughts, startling me, "hold the lift, dammit!" I looked up irritated, "do you have to shout like that?" I snapped as I reached my arm out to keep the doors from closing, "sor-ry!" Kathleen said sarcastically as she got in, "no it's ok, I was just..."
"Daydreaming?" she said grinning, I laughed, "a little," I admitted, "It's just that I bumped into one of my old friends," I explained, "someone I never thought I would see again..." I trailed off, still trying to figure out how I was feeling about it.
"A friend?" Kat asked, her voice laced with skepticism, I nodded, pulling myself together, "yep! Now let's get back to work," I added as the elevator stopped, and the doors slid open.
I was a lawyer, working for a very well respected law firm, and Kathleen was working on a joint case with me, which made it a little less tedious. It's always good working with someone you get along with.
I spent the next three hours between daydreaming and trying to concentrate. I was in a state of disbelief, and by 7 pm I had decided that it had all been a figment of my imagination. I'd definitely imagined it. I didn't have any physical proof that I had seen Matt. I was sitting at my desk, convincing myself of those points when my cell rang. I checked the caller ID, and it said 'withheld'. Nonplussed, I ran my fingers through my hair getting it out of my face as I answered, "Hello?"
"Hey Cassie! Where are you?" I heard Matt's cheerful voice at the other end, I grinned, "hi," I answered, "I'm still at work, actually."
"You poor thing, do you think they'll mind if I come and get you?"
I laughed, reflecting on how great it was to actually be talking to him, "actually, they shouldn't mind, if you wanna come in, I'm just doing some boring paperwork!"
"Right so when do you think you'll be finished with the boring paperwork?"
"I dunno, in about half an hour... I'm whacked!"
"You're not allowed to be whacked!" he said indignantly, "you're supposed to be going somewhere!" that made me laugh, it was so easy the way we talked, not as if any time had gone by at all... as if it had all happened yesterday.
"I didn't say anything about going anywhere, I just said I'd meet up with you!"
"Cass, don't get smart! I'll pick you up in half an hour, ok?"
I grinned to myself, "OK," I said, hanging up after saying goodbye.
I was still grinning when Kathleen came in, "you look like you're in a good mood... not the usual expression one sees at the end of the day around this gloomy place! Was that Derrick?"
I frowned, "oops!" I said remembering that Derrick, my boyfriend of two years, was supposed to be coming back from France tonight.
I felt a sinking in my stomach, I couldn't let the chance of spending time with Matt just slip by, but I also couldn't let Derrik find his own way back from the airport. I felt more than a little bit guilty for forgetting, and what surprised me was that I actually felt disappointed that I wouldn't be able to meet up with Matt. Come to think of it, I didn't even have his number.
Kat looked curious, "So if Derrick is 'oops!', then who was on the phone?"
I looked up, "I do know a few more people other than you and Derrick!" I said irritably, "and the good mood evaporates!" Kat said, usually I would have laughed, but right now she was getting on my nerves, "ever heard of ‘curiosity killed the cat’? Well, make that ‘curiosity killed Kat’, if I don’t have a moment to myself right now... I need to think!"
"I smell double dealing!"
"KAT!" I said loudly...
"Whoa! What's up Cass?" a voice said, I looked up, ready for the attack, but my angry expression was replaced immediately with a huge grin. Kat looked around to see who had spoken, and I watched with interest as her eyes opened wide with disbelief, "Matt!" I said brightly, "you're EARLY!!" he just laughed, "I figured you needed rescuing!" he said, "too true!" I said getting up and gathering up the forms and papers that were scattered all over my desk, and putting them in a folder, "by the way, this is Kathleen!" I said, "Kat, this is..."
"I know, I know … Matt Baker, lead singer and band leader of ‘Flight of the Souls’... - sorry- mega fan,” she rambled, blushing a bit, ”and it's Kat!!" she said, holding her hand out, "Pleasure to meet you," Matt said, I grinned, Kat looked as if she couldn't believe it, "Pleasure's mine," she said with as much dignity as her state of disbelief allowed her.
"Ok, now you know each other, let's go!" I said eager to get away, Kat was looking envious, "see you Kat!" I said grinning, "yeah, see you tomorrow, Cassandra!" she said, giving me a meaningful look, I just grinned and followed Matt to the lifts.
"Have you got anything else to do before we leave?" Matt asked me as we went down, "well... I just... just a sec," I said as my cell rang, I fished it out of my bag and flipped it open, I must have pulled a face at the sight of the name because Matt laughed, "just answer it," he said, I shook my hair back, "hi Derrick!" I said as brightly as possible.
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