Member
Timemaster
Damo021
Shadow Dragon
Captain UniCassandra and Syleste
There were many things Cassandra had to do, before the camping trip. As she pulled out a tray from the oven, she wiped her brow, and fanned her face, leaning over to open the kitchen's small window, she left the tray of lasagna to cool, and checked on the diced chicken she was cooking, making sure it wasn't burning, before leaning over and grabbing the sauce out the fridge. She poured the sauce over the chicken, and turned the oven to down to let it simmer, moving to dish out the lasagna into a container.
When all the cooking was finished, Cassie stepped back, pulling her shirt off her skin. She loved to cook, but her own kitchen was tiny and got very warm quickly. She decided to have a shower, to get all the sweat off her, before heading out.
Make meals for Aunt Cathy, check She thought to herself, as she grabbed her keys to her little bug, and her guitar. Now, go find and invite Syleste before you forget again, you've only been meaning to for a week now she thought to herself, making sure she had her phone, she put her guitar in the car, and started it up. She pondered where she should look for her first, and then decided to go to the music school- chances were Syleste was there.
Letting her mind wander as she drove, Cassie hummed to herself. after inviting Syleste, I'll stop by the cafe, check on the twins and see what they want for the trip. Don't mention inviting Syleste, let that be a surprise for Gage. See if they'll help me, get them out their house a little bit longer Cassie wasn't sure just what was going on at their house, but she knew it wasn't good. She generally spent as much time as she could luring the boys away from their house, and making sure they were okay. Maybe while waiting for their shift to end, I can hunt up Cody. He seems to have an interest in them, maybe he'll help me figure out a way of keeping the boys out the house longer.
She found a park, and pulled into it, locking her car up, she trotted up the steps. The music drifting about informed her that Syleste was indeed here. Smiling, she leaned against the door to the room Syleste was in, listening to her play for a moment. She didn't think any differently of Syleste for her blindness, Syleste had proven, simply by what she was doing now, that that meant nothing. It didn't stop her from playing, and playing so beautifully. So Cassie figured inviting her would be good, and would also get her out a bit. Besides, everyone should go camping.
"Hey, Syl." She said, after a few moments. Cassie had known the girl for a little while, their love for music drawing them together. Cassie enjoyed the younger girls company, and her friendship. "I've told you about the camping trip we go on, haven't I? I've been meaning to invite you for a while, if you'd like to come. It's tomorrow, and I'm sure the rest of the gang would be happy to have you come"
A camping trip..?
If the sudden sound of another’s voice seemed to have caught her off guard, then it didn’t show at all as the sweet melody continued to fill the room, the young girl’s fingers still graceful as they continued to glide over the keys, her mind, however, preoccupied as she thought over her friends offer- camping had always sounded like so much fun. Spending time with friends, sleeping under the stars, surrounded by nature… laughing together, and keeping warm by the fire… of course it was something she wanted to do- she’d never before in her life been allowed to do anything of the sort; even school camps, unless she was sleeping in a cabin, she wasn’t allowed to attend… a risk her
mother wasn’t willing to let her take…
“I would love to go camping with you, Cassie.” Slowing her fingers and the notes until both came to an eventual stop over the ivories, Syleste lowered her hands back down to rest in her lap, her body twisting slightly over the seat as she turned to face the direction that she could hear her friends voice coming from, “It’s just… well, I don’t think my mother is going to let me go… it takes a lot of convincing just to get her to let me go on school trips… I-... I really want to go with you guys; but I just don’t think it’s possible...”
"Then we lie"Cassie said without missing a beat. "Riley generally brings her caravan, anyway. I'll talk with your mother, if you want. Come on, you have to come on the trip! It will be great" She said, "We'll make it possible" Cassie said, going over to Syleste, "I'll take you to your mother right now and we can go in as a united front. Please...everyone will be there"
Cassandra could understand Syleste's mother's worry, but Cassie wanted Syleste on the trip. She could understand her mother was worried that something would happen to Syleste, and could understand that fear, but...Syleste deserved a chance to be even a little normal.
"Please. It won't be fun without all of us together"
Cassie’s voice had gotten louder, the girls footfalls giving way to the fact that she had moved closer to where Syleste was sat at the grand piano. Lying..? The thought of lying to her mother made her slightly uncomfortable; but it seemed as though Cassie really wanted her to come on this trip… why, she wasn’t sure; but she wasn’t going to question a chance to spend time with the friends she’d managed to make over the years.
“I-... I don’t know, Cass… I’ve never lied to my mum before, about anything… I wouldn’t even know how to lie to her…” Sighing softly, Syleste let her head drop, her beautiful though cloudy light blue eyes dropping to rest on her hands in her lap as she continued to think about it- was it really going to be worth lying to her mother just so she could go camping..?
“..who else is even going on this trip anyway..? You only ever mentioned you and Riley were going…”
”Everyone” Cassie said, feeling like she was convincing Syleste. [color=f6989d]”Riley, Miranda, Cody, Aron, Gage...you know, everyone”[/color} She said, in a voice that was nonchalant, although she was sure Syleste was listening to all the names. ”And it’s not really lying...I’ll just say we can stay in the caravan, and that I’ll watch out for you, which is truth anyway. That its not dangerous-which it isn’t. It’s just a fun time. We’ll have food, and we’ll just hang about. I’ll have my satellite phone, so she can call you if she panics” She said, trying to convince Syleste that it would be all okay, but knowing it would be a heck of a lot harder to convince her mother.
Her head lifted up as the names of those who were meant to be going were listed off, her eyes seeming to light up slightly, and a small though shy flicker of a smile played over her soft pink lips as a particular name hit her ears- Gage was going..?
“Well, I-... I guess that could work…” Biting down shyly upon her lower lip, Syleste let her eyes drop for only a moment before she lifted her attention back up so that she was once more looking in the direction she thought her friend to be in, “..do you really think he’s going to be there..?”
Cassie didn’t need to ask who Syleste meant, she smiled to herself, and said ”Sure I do. If he and Aron aren’t there, I’ll hunt them down and drag them up with us. It will be good for them to get out, just like it is for you” she said, her voice changing slightly as she thought on the boys home life. ”We’ll go convince your mother and we can go get some food for the trip, if you want” She said, knowing full well she was going to stop by the cafe along the way, to see what food the boys wanted.
Shifting slightly on the piano stool as tryed to find some way not go along with the plan that would make her mother furious beyond belief, Syleste eventually gave in, unable to help the excited smile that lit up her features as she nodded her head, “Okay..! I really wanna go anyway… so, let’s go talk to ma.”
Twisting back around in her seat, she leant her body forward, her hands reaching out and her fingers gliding over the piano so that she could gather her things in her arms, and hugging them close against her chest before she stood herself up, her long and wavy bubblegum pink locks bouncing lightly over her back as she took the couple of steps back to the main floor of the room, stopping just at the bottom so that Cassie could take the lead, “..I really hope this works…”
”Awesome!” Cassie said cheerfully, although she hoped that neither Syleste nor Gage figured out she was trying to nudge them together. It would simply ruin it all. She lead the way to her car, taking Syleste’s hand so she could make sure she got into the car alright, she jumped in and started it up.
”It will work” She said, although she started to think of arguments as she drove, just in case what they already had wasn’t enough. If need be, Cassie would simply beg. If she said it was important to her, maybe Syleste’s mother would go along with it.
The drive wasn’t a long one… and the route was familiar- Cassie had driven her home enough times over the years that it basically became second nature. And if it wasn’t Cas; it was Riley, the two of them had been a constant in her life for so long now. They like the sisters she never had; two of the few people her mother had come to trust with her completely... and it was because of that fact that Syleste even had faith that this plan might actually work.
“..well my mother does love you and Riley… and-… well, if Cody is there too then she should have a hard time saying no to you guys.”
Climbing out of the car once it came to a stop in her driveway, Syleste smiled brightly, being sure to carefully close the door behind her before she hurried off up the path and towards the front door, her hand barely having time to slip into her purse for her key before the door was opened, and a older blonde woman was welcoming them both in with open arms, “Cassie; dear..! It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you in our home; how are you darling..?”
Cassie followed Syleste, smiling brightly at Syleste mother, and hugging her, enjoying the warmth of the hug. ”I’m well, thank you. It has been too long...I was just inviting Syleste to the camping trip we all go on, it's tomorrow and I know it’s short notice, but, well...I just wanted Syleste there, you know? We’ll have a caravan, and I’ll have my satellite phone, and Riley will be there, and Cody, and you know we wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Please, may Syleste come with us? It would mean so much to all of us...and to me, I like being around Syl” She said, keeping her voice hopeful, as she spoke, knowing she would get down on her knees and beg if she had to.
“A camping trip..?”
Frowning slightly with obvious worry, Elise turned her attention over to where her daughter was neatly stacking her music books on the top of the grand piano, her hands tightening around her mug slightly as she thought about what was being asked of her- Cassie and Riley were going to be there… Cody as well… she could trust them enough with her daughter; they hadn’t proven her wrong, or let her down before, “..you’ll have the satellite phone..? And you’re sure that Cody will be there with you girls..? I don’t want to say yes, and then hear all these rumors that you went off on your own without someone there to keep you girls safe…”
Cassie nodded, ”Yes, I’ll have the phone. I’m not about to get stranded in the woods. Cody will be there. He’s already put in a request for s’mores” She said with a smile, ”And Miri will be there too, and you know she’s not going to let anyone or anything hurt any of us”.She said, trying to think of everything to make sure she got the yes for Syleste.
Pursing her lips slightly, Elise once more shot another glance over at her daughter, watching her as she made her way back over to the kitchen so that she could stand next to her friend, the young pink haired girl reaching out to take hold of, and hug her friends arm into her body.She
“Please mama..? Oh, please can I go..? I promise I’ll be careful; and I promise that I won’t leave Cassie and Cody’s side..!”
Sighing softly now that her daughter had joined in on the conversation, Elise lifted her hand up to lightly rub at the back of her neck, her head nodding lightly in defeat, “..alright, you can go… but please be careful girls… and make sure you text me when you get there, okay..?”
”We will, thank you!” That had been easier than she thought it would be. Cassie smiled. She looked to Syleste and said ”Did you want to come with me while I get some of the supplies? You know me, if I don’t have someone to keep me contained I’ll buy the whole store out of food”
She decided not to mention that they’d stop by the cafe first, even though she could simply text the boys, she wanted to see them in person.Taking Syleste with her was just a bonus. Still, she didn’t think that was something Syleste’s mother wanted to know
Practically bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet, Syleste hugged her friends arms closer into her body, her smile bright and lighting up her features as she turned her attention back in the direction she could feel Cassie, her head nodding excitedly in response to her question, “Oh, yes please..! Do-… Do you think we can get some pocky..? Their so nice, and fun to eat- strawberry ones are my absolute favorite..!”
”Sure thing” Cassie said, laughter in her voice, giving Elise a grateful smile, knowing she would do everything in her power to make sure Syleste got home safely from the trip. She started to lead Syleste back to her car, more then happy. She had managed to get Syleste onto the trip, and that for her was a fantastic win.
”We’ll get all sorts of flavours, but especially strawberry” She opened the door for Syleste, before getting back behind the wheel, and starting for the cafe. When she could find a park, she pulled in, saying ”I hope you don’t mind, I’m going to ask the boys what they want, and maybe we could get a little lunch first? May as well make a whole day of this, don’t you think?”
“I-I, uh…”
She’d known that the boys were coming on the camping trip… it was one of the reasons she had agreed to going in the first place; but she hadn’t known that they were going to go and see them right at that moment.
Unable to help the way that her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink to match her hair, Syl shifted slightly in the passenger seat, her stomach fluttering nervously with butterflies though she did what she could to ignore them and what they were doing to her- Gage was… there was no one way to describe him… He was so sweet, and kind, and caring; and above all, he was a great friend and brother. He was just-… he was just so amazing…
Like he was ever going to see her as anything more than a friend…
“U-Uhm… l-lunch sounds great, Cas…”
Cassie smiled, taking Syleste’s hand, leading the way to the cafe and to a table, glancing over and seeing Cody talking with Aron, she decided to wait a moment before talking with him, instead going over to the bench and calling to Gage ”Gage? Do you mind coming out here when you can?”