Seeing Stars
22: Here Comes Goodbye
"Here comes goodbye, here comes the last time, here comes the start of every sleepless night, the first of every tear I'm gonna cry..."
Wake up. It’s June 6th, the day your life ends.
Cassidy’s eyes flashed open as her mind had already begun to reel. The clock on the nightstand to her left read 8 AM. To her right was Jamie’s big-framed body. It moved evenly with his breathing, as he was still asleep. She looked up at the ceiling fan, focusing on one blade, watching as it spun in circles.
You know what today calls for; public declarations of love. And you know what else? Airplanes. More specifically, a plane traveling from Dallas to Vancouver, and then a ferry to Victoria. You know what else is special about today? You don’t get to go on the plane or the ferry. You get to stay in Texas and watch the man of your dreams leave to the syrup loving country of Canada.
She sighed and turned to curl into Jamie’s chest. Without opening his eyes, he readjusted his head on his pillow and draped his arm over her waist.
Look at him. Sleeping like a baby while you’re having an internal conversation with yourself. Today’s just another day for him; just another press conference, and just another trip to his homeland. He doesn’t even know the anxiety you feel because of the questions you may be asked. Face it, life as Jamie Benn is pretty damn nice. And life as Cassidy Knox is dreadful. Crazy girl.
“Cass,”
Cassidy looked up at Jamie as she heard her name. He was staring at her as though he’d just asked the same question several times, and was now aware of the fact that she hadn’t been listening at all. If only he knew her brain was playing devil’s advocate.
“You ready for the press conference?” He repeated, moving his fingertips along the skin of the small of her back.
“Is it really necessary? I mean, you already told the press about me… well that you’re in a committed relationship with me,” she stared at the scar that had formed beneath his eye; a lasting result of the playoffs.
“I don’t want to keep you a secret anymore. I want to be able to go out with you and not be concerned about which pictures are being taken of us, and what rumors are spreading around about the ‘mystery girl’ and me. I want people to know you’re Cassidy Knox. And I want people to know we’re together.”
Cassidy groaned and pressed her cheek against his chest, “did you forget I’m awkward? Just because I’m dating you, doesn’t mean my social skills get exponentially better.”
Jamie chuckled and ran his hand through her hair, “you’ll be fine. We’ll get through it together.”
“Jamie Benn, if I didn’t love you so much, I’d slap you silly,” Cassidy winked at him and reached up to kiss his jaw line; one of the many things she found attractive about him.
Already the lights were blinding. As if the camera flashes weren’t enough, spotlights were put on them like they were livestock up for auction. Jamie’s agent, Rich Evans, had warned them about this. He had flown in from Vancouver to moderate the press conference Jamie had requested. Cassidy could tell that Rich wasn’t her biggest fan. Any person that demanded Jamie’s attention more than hockey seemed to be his worst enemy.
Rich had advised Jamie to drop the presser several times via phone; that it was a bad idea and would probably do more harm than good. Even after flying into Dallas, he tried to convince his client that calling this meeting was a mistake. But Jamie was persistent, and wouldn’t hear any more of it. The press conference was going to happen, and not only he, but Cassidy also, would be given the chance to speak.
That’s why, when she slipped on a conservative and modest black dress, she felt her knees buckle and her throat constrict. The press was going to have the authority to question her relationship with Jamie; her motives, her history, everything.
Now in front of the overpowering lights, Cassidy wished she could disappear; become invisible and walk out of the conference room. Jamie sat beside her, with Rich on the other side of him. From beneath the table, he held Cassidy’s hand, trying to comfort and calm her down despite everything. But his touch wasn’t helping.
“Miss Knox, there’s rumors that Jamie is paying your way through school…”
Before the reporter could even really ask the entire question, Cassidy cheeks became hot and she interrupted him, “I don’t depend on Jamie financially in any way. I have a job, and I pay my own way through college so my father doesn’t have to take out loans. If you want something newsworthy, let’s talk about the thousands of people with crippling student loan debt.”
When her rant ended and she looked up at Jamie, he had a quirky grin across his face as he shook from silent chuckles. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to conceal his smile as he worked to regain his composure. Once he did, he readjusted the microphone in front of his mouth, “Cassidy fights me every step of the way when I pay for dinner. The accusations of her using me and being manipulative, are not only insulting to her, but to me as well.”
“We have time for a few more questions before Mister Benn, and Miss Knox have to leave.” Rich chimed in, pointing to a reporter, “Sportsnet,”
“Miss Knox, I find it strange no one has yet asked you about your personal life. They’re all too concerned with the countless ways you’re apparently taking advantage of Jamie. I guess I just want to know what type of girl you are? What type of girl has Jamie Benn fallen for?”
Cassidy felt herself blush, and at the same time, Jamie moved his hand. While still clutching hers, he set their hands on top of the table, allowing the reporters to see the physical interaction between them.
She looked up at Jamie and smiled before returning her attention to the Sportsnet reporter, “I’m the Tennessee girl who grew up shooting BBs at Coke cans, and whose first driving lesson was on a John Deere tractor.” Her innocent sounding accent was charming the press; every last one of them. “Honestly, I don’t exactly know why Jamie Benn has fallen for me. All I know is I don’t want him to stop.”
“To answer your question, that's the exact reason why I fell for her.” Jamie was quick to project his own feelings on the matter. “She’s unassuming and modest, and those are qualities that are hard to find these days. Plus she’s a hell of a skeet shooter, and knows her way around a shotgun. What’s not to like?”
“Jamie, is marriage in your near future with Cassidy?!” Another reporter yelled out, obviously wanting a quick answer that would impress his boss. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t get what he was looking for today.
“She’s only twenty-one, and I’m only twenty-four. I think marriage is a ways off for us, but I know that right now I love every minute we spend together. I fly back to Victoria tonight, and it’s going to be rough being away from her for so long. She’s an amazing person, and I have to leave.”
Rich stood up from his chair and held up his hands, “that’s all the time we have for today. Jamie will be back in Dallas come early to mid August. He will be open for interviews then. Thank you all for coming out.”
Jamie stood up, and Cassidy followed suit, their hands still clasped together. She leaning into his side as she watched the reporters gather their things, getting ready to leave. In the quick moment she looked up at Jamie, he pulled her in for a kiss, resulting in a hurried sequence of camera flashes and clicks.
When they parted, Cassidy giggled and brought her free hand up to Jamie’s lips, using her thumb to gently wipe away the traces of her light pink lipstick. He smiled and joined her in her efforts, sliding his fingertips across his lips to return them to their natural shade. This moment they shared together, meant more than anything, because everyone else in the room was unaware of what was happening. Just like when Cassidy had worn Jamie’s Kelowna Rockets sweatshirt to school, it was their little secret that made it so enjoyable.
After leaving the American Airlines Center, Jamie and Cassidy took her car to the airport, while Rich had a driver to take him there. Once at the airport, Rich was eager to get Jamie on the plane and out of the public’s sight. He was afraid of the scene that Jamie would create. But Jamie and Cassidy held each other, talking quietly to each other while Rich stood back, tapping his foot impatiently.
“June 22nd cannot come soon enough. I can’t wait to have you in Victoria with me,” he murmured, pecking her lips once more.
She leaned her forehead against his and smiled, “I don’t want to say goodbye to you.” Cassidy hooked her arms around his neck. Her voice seemed pleading and unwanting of the departure that was about to ensue.
“We’ll have all summer together. Victoria, and Nashville, and then back here… And think of it as ‘see you soon’, not goodbye.”
“Jamie, we have to get going!” Rich screamed out.
Quickly, Jamie backed away from Cassidy and shot his agent a disapproving glance. He then, looked back down at Cassidy, pursed his lips, and kissed her quickly, “I’ll call you when I land.”
She nodded but frowned as Jamie began to back away from her. “Alright, love you Jame.”
“Love you too, Cass.”
Back at the apartment, Cassidy found Kennedy on the couch with Tyler. She was partially lying on top of him, with a throw blanket draped over their bodies. While Tyler was asleep, Kennedy lay with her eyes open, beaming as Cassidy walked into the room. After making an obscene hand gesture, Kennedy carefully removed herself from Tyler, grabbed her sundress off of the floor and pulled it over her head, and followed Cassidy into the kitchen.
“You realize I can never sit on that couch again,” Cassidy whispered, looking over Kennedy’s shoulder to make sure Tyler was still sleeping.
“When you have an urge, you act on it. You don’t wait,” she replied, smoothing out a wrinkle. “How was the press conference?”
“Intimidating. Although the Sportsnet guy treated me like a human being, and not a gold digger…”
“Well that’s good,”
Cassidy rolled her eyes, “I don’t know how he does it; the constant criticism and the ever-watching eye of the press. I tried to flake out today, but Jamie would let me.”
“Dating Jamie Benn and its discontents. But on the bright side, you get to go to Victoria and meet his family.”
From the living room, Tyler began to stir, sitting up on the couch. “What if his family hates me,” Cassidy began. “Their opinion is important to him.”
“Everyone loves you; you’re Cassidy Knox.”
Tyler stepped into the kitchen, adjusting his boxers around his waist. He was eyeing Kennedy, but spoke to Cassidy, “how was Chubbs?” He wrapped his arms around Kennedy’s chest, nibbling on her neck, which resulted in her amused giggle.
Cassidy stared at him. Was he really going to go there? He had to know that it was a sore subject, considering they’d be apart for weeks. Leave it to Tyler to try and get a rise out of her. So instead of giving him that satisfaction, she played it cool. “Jamie,” she emphasized his name to make a point that ‘Chubbs’ wasn’t a good nickname, “is fine. He’s excited to see his family.”
“You know, you’ll be fine. His family will like you; hell, they liked me.” Tyler grinned, only partially realizing that he had insulted himself. After tugging on Kennedy’s hand, they were off towards her bedroom, presumably to start round two or three of their nocturnal escapade.
Meanwhile, Cassidy was left alone. With nothing else to do, she went to her bedroom, hearing Kennedy’s eager shrieks. After crawling into bed, she opened her laptop, inserted The Notebook into the disc drive, and pressed play. The last time she had watched the movie, Jamie vowed they would be birds together. Now since then, a budding relationship had started, and so did the revelation that the birds they would become were sparrows.
Several things became abundantly clear to Cassidy as the movie progressed, recounting the love between Noah and Allie, from teenagers to senior citizens. Firstly, Ryan Gosling was attractive and there was no way around it. Second, clearly the gene pool in Canada was above par because he was literally perfect. And lastly, she hoped that she and Jamie would have the same kind of love that Noah and Allie had. Well not the whole forbidden love part; that seemed like it sucked; but the whole endless love, and keeping promises, and foregoing all others to be with each other. Those parts sounded ideal.
And already they had endured similar things to Noah and Allie; like the saying goodbye part. Unfortunately, Cassidy found herself getting good at that part. Like saying goodbye to Jamie was the only natural progression of events; he was here and then he was gone.
Just as the scene where Allie’s in the bathtub, looking at Noah’s picture in the paper, Cassidy’s phone vibrated. She hurriedly picked it up, expecting to see Jamie’s name, but was mildly dissatisfied when she saw that it was her dad.
“Hi dad,” she tried to sound as pleased as possible, despite the growing disappointment in her stomach.
“How’s everything going Cass? I’m chomping at the bit for you to get out of school and come back to visit me.” His voice seemed hopeful for the fact that he’d see his daughter in just a few weeks.
Cassidy sighed and looked down at her lap. Now she’d be the one to disappoint him. “Actually I won’t be able to get to Nashville until sometime in late July.”
“But what about our annual fourth of July barbecue? And the cornhole and horseshoe competitions?” His voice raised an octave as though he was in physical pain from the news she was exposing. “Where are you going to be?”
“Canada, with Jamie,” she muttered with a bit of sass in her tone. Oh great, only two hours away from Jamie and she turned into the world’s biggest bitch. If only he were here to see it.
“And Canada’s gonna keep you away from your old man all summer?”
Cassidy shrugged as though her dad could see her reaction. Without her response, he soon kept going.
“Well if Jamie doesn’t respect our family values, then he’s not as good of a man as I thought he was. Cass, you have years to go off and fall in love; I just hope you remember where you came from. The door’s always open for you when you want to come home.”
She laid back on her bed, looking up at the ceiling, hoping it would convey some answers to questions she had about her life. But it offered nothing. “You think it’s wrong of me to want to spend time with Jamie?” Her voice was soft, no longer containing any resentment.
“I think you’re losing sight of the person you were before him; the person who didn’t need a Jamie Benn in her life to define happiness. I want to know where that girl went, because I really liked her.”
“I liked her too,” Cassidy murmured, pulling the sheet up and over her head. “But I also like the person I am with Jamie. He makes me really happy, dad.”
From the other end of the phone, her dad sighed and took a few hesitant breaths, “well alright then. I’ll see you sometime in July. Have fun in Canada; you better bring me back something.”
Cassidy chuckled and rolled her eyes, “okay. I’ll bring you back some syrup or something.”
“Don’t forget now. Love you, Cass.”
After saying goodbye and hanging up, Cassidy felt less like a bitch than she did five minutes ago. Sure, the conversation had started on a less than pleasant note, but at the end of the day, her dad was important to her and she wasn’t going to compromise her relationship with him for anything.
In the few moments she spent thinking about everything that had happened in such a short amount of time, her bedroom door creaked open, and behind it, stood Tyler, nudging the door open wider.
“Kennedy’s in the shower…” he muttered, stepping in closer to see the frozen computer screen, still with the movie paused.
“And you’re not in there with her?” Cassidy giggled to herself.
Tyler shook his head and sat on the edge of the bed, forcing Cassidy to move her legs and make room for him. “That’s a bit too intimate for me. I’m more of a hump and dump kind of guy.”
“Please never say that to me again,” Cassidy shut her laptop and turned on her back to look up at Tyler as he was already looking down at her. “So you’ve got some deep seeded commitment issues. A ton of young guys do.”
“Not ‘O Captain, My Captain’. Jamie will be the first to get hitched; he’s like every parent’s wet dream. Usually I make fun of him about his dates or whatever; you know, chirp him, give him a hard time. But honestly I’m a little jealous. He actually gets to wake up next to a girl who gives a shit about him.”
Tyler’s attempt at being sentimental was slightly overshadowed by his inherent use of profanities. Choosing to ignore it, Cassidy sat up, facing Tyler. “Eventually you’ll find a girl who gives a shit about you. You just have to start avoiding girls who are an easy lay if you want to find her.”
He gripped onto her hands and held them in his lap, now sitting closer to her than before, “I hate that Jamie reeled you in first. You’re really an awesome person.”
“You would’ve humped and dumped me; you said it yourself.”
“Maybe you could’ve been the one to change me…”
Tyler sat there a moment, as if he were contemplating the idea. He then excused himself from Cassidy’s bedroom, and just a few minutes later, he was out the front door. He was good at that; the leaving part. Only his departures never ended with a goodbye.
Wake up. It’s June 6th, the day your life ends.
Cassidy’s eyes flashed open as her mind had already begun to reel. The clock on the nightstand to her left read 8 AM. To her right was Jamie’s big-framed body. It moved evenly with his breathing, as he was still asleep. She looked up at the ceiling fan, focusing on one blade, watching as it spun in circles.
You know what today calls for; public declarations of love. And you know what else? Airplanes. More specifically, a plane traveling from Dallas to Vancouver, and then a ferry to Victoria. You know what else is special about today? You don’t get to go on the plane or the ferry. You get to stay in Texas and watch the man of your dreams leave to the syrup loving country of Canada.
She sighed and turned to curl into Jamie’s chest. Without opening his eyes, he readjusted his head on his pillow and draped his arm over her waist.
Look at him. Sleeping like a baby while you’re having an internal conversation with yourself. Today’s just another day for him; just another press conference, and just another trip to his homeland. He doesn’t even know the anxiety you feel because of the questions you may be asked. Face it, life as Jamie Benn is pretty damn nice. And life as Cassidy Knox is dreadful. Crazy girl.
“Cass,”
Cassidy looked up at Jamie as she heard her name. He was staring at her as though he’d just asked the same question several times, and was now aware of the fact that she hadn’t been listening at all. If only he knew her brain was playing devil’s advocate.
“You ready for the press conference?” He repeated, moving his fingertips along the skin of the small of her back.
“Is it really necessary? I mean, you already told the press about me… well that you’re in a committed relationship with me,” she stared at the scar that had formed beneath his eye; a lasting result of the playoffs.
“I don’t want to keep you a secret anymore. I want to be able to go out with you and not be concerned about which pictures are being taken of us, and what rumors are spreading around about the ‘mystery girl’ and me. I want people to know you’re Cassidy Knox. And I want people to know we’re together.”
Cassidy groaned and pressed her cheek against his chest, “did you forget I’m awkward? Just because I’m dating you, doesn’t mean my social skills get exponentially better.”
Jamie chuckled and ran his hand through her hair, “you’ll be fine. We’ll get through it together.”
“Jamie Benn, if I didn’t love you so much, I’d slap you silly,” Cassidy winked at him and reached up to kiss his jaw line; one of the many things she found attractive about him.
Already the lights were blinding. As if the camera flashes weren’t enough, spotlights were put on them like they were livestock up for auction. Jamie’s agent, Rich Evans, had warned them about this. He had flown in from Vancouver to moderate the press conference Jamie had requested. Cassidy could tell that Rich wasn’t her biggest fan. Any person that demanded Jamie’s attention more than hockey seemed to be his worst enemy.
Rich had advised Jamie to drop the presser several times via phone; that it was a bad idea and would probably do more harm than good. Even after flying into Dallas, he tried to convince his client that calling this meeting was a mistake. But Jamie was persistent, and wouldn’t hear any more of it. The press conference was going to happen, and not only he, but Cassidy also, would be given the chance to speak.
That’s why, when she slipped on a conservative and modest black dress, she felt her knees buckle and her throat constrict. The press was going to have the authority to question her relationship with Jamie; her motives, her history, everything.
Now in front of the overpowering lights, Cassidy wished she could disappear; become invisible and walk out of the conference room. Jamie sat beside her, with Rich on the other side of him. From beneath the table, he held Cassidy’s hand, trying to comfort and calm her down despite everything. But his touch wasn’t helping.
“Miss Knox, there’s rumors that Jamie is paying your way through school…”
Before the reporter could even really ask the entire question, Cassidy cheeks became hot and she interrupted him, “I don’t depend on Jamie financially in any way. I have a job, and I pay my own way through college so my father doesn’t have to take out loans. If you want something newsworthy, let’s talk about the thousands of people with crippling student loan debt.”
When her rant ended and she looked up at Jamie, he had a quirky grin across his face as he shook from silent chuckles. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to conceal his smile as he worked to regain his composure. Once he did, he readjusted the microphone in front of his mouth, “Cassidy fights me every step of the way when I pay for dinner. The accusations of her using me and being manipulative, are not only insulting to her, but to me as well.”
“We have time for a few more questions before Mister Benn, and Miss Knox have to leave.” Rich chimed in, pointing to a reporter, “Sportsnet,”
“Miss Knox, I find it strange no one has yet asked you about your personal life. They’re all too concerned with the countless ways you’re apparently taking advantage of Jamie. I guess I just want to know what type of girl you are? What type of girl has Jamie Benn fallen for?”
Cassidy felt herself blush, and at the same time, Jamie moved his hand. While still clutching hers, he set their hands on top of the table, allowing the reporters to see the physical interaction between them.
She looked up at Jamie and smiled before returning her attention to the Sportsnet reporter, “I’m the Tennessee girl who grew up shooting BBs at Coke cans, and whose first driving lesson was on a John Deere tractor.” Her innocent sounding accent was charming the press; every last one of them. “Honestly, I don’t exactly know why Jamie Benn has fallen for me. All I know is I don’t want him to stop.”
“To answer your question, that's the exact reason why I fell for her.” Jamie was quick to project his own feelings on the matter. “She’s unassuming and modest, and those are qualities that are hard to find these days. Plus she’s a hell of a skeet shooter, and knows her way around a shotgun. What’s not to like?”
“Jamie, is marriage in your near future with Cassidy?!” Another reporter yelled out, obviously wanting a quick answer that would impress his boss. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t get what he was looking for today.
“She’s only twenty-one, and I’m only twenty-four. I think marriage is a ways off for us, but I know that right now I love every minute we spend together. I fly back to Victoria tonight, and it’s going to be rough being away from her for so long. She’s an amazing person, and I have to leave.”
Rich stood up from his chair and held up his hands, “that’s all the time we have for today. Jamie will be back in Dallas come early to mid August. He will be open for interviews then. Thank you all for coming out.”
Jamie stood up, and Cassidy followed suit, their hands still clasped together. She leaning into his side as she watched the reporters gather their things, getting ready to leave. In the quick moment she looked up at Jamie, he pulled her in for a kiss, resulting in a hurried sequence of camera flashes and clicks.
When they parted, Cassidy giggled and brought her free hand up to Jamie’s lips, using her thumb to gently wipe away the traces of her light pink lipstick. He smiled and joined her in her efforts, sliding his fingertips across his lips to return them to their natural shade. This moment they shared together, meant more than anything, because everyone else in the room was unaware of what was happening. Just like when Cassidy had worn Jamie’s Kelowna Rockets sweatshirt to school, it was their little secret that made it so enjoyable.
After leaving the American Airlines Center, Jamie and Cassidy took her car to the airport, while Rich had a driver to take him there. Once at the airport, Rich was eager to get Jamie on the plane and out of the public’s sight. He was afraid of the scene that Jamie would create. But Jamie and Cassidy held each other, talking quietly to each other while Rich stood back, tapping his foot impatiently.
“June 22nd cannot come soon enough. I can’t wait to have you in Victoria with me,” he murmured, pecking her lips once more.
She leaned her forehead against his and smiled, “I don’t want to say goodbye to you.” Cassidy hooked her arms around his neck. Her voice seemed pleading and unwanting of the departure that was about to ensue.
“We’ll have all summer together. Victoria, and Nashville, and then back here… And think of it as ‘see you soon’, not goodbye.”
“Jamie, we have to get going!” Rich screamed out.
Quickly, Jamie backed away from Cassidy and shot his agent a disapproving glance. He then, looked back down at Cassidy, pursed his lips, and kissed her quickly, “I’ll call you when I land.”
She nodded but frowned as Jamie began to back away from her. “Alright, love you Jame.”
“Love you too, Cass.”
Back at the apartment, Cassidy found Kennedy on the couch with Tyler. She was partially lying on top of him, with a throw blanket draped over their bodies. While Tyler was asleep, Kennedy lay with her eyes open, beaming as Cassidy walked into the room. After making an obscene hand gesture, Kennedy carefully removed herself from Tyler, grabbed her sundress off of the floor and pulled it over her head, and followed Cassidy into the kitchen.
“You realize I can never sit on that couch again,” Cassidy whispered, looking over Kennedy’s shoulder to make sure Tyler was still sleeping.
“When you have an urge, you act on it. You don’t wait,” she replied, smoothing out a wrinkle. “How was the press conference?”
“Intimidating. Although the Sportsnet guy treated me like a human being, and not a gold digger…”
“Well that’s good,”
Cassidy rolled her eyes, “I don’t know how he does it; the constant criticism and the ever-watching eye of the press. I tried to flake out today, but Jamie would let me.”
“Dating Jamie Benn and its discontents. But on the bright side, you get to go to Victoria and meet his family.”
From the living room, Tyler began to stir, sitting up on the couch. “What if his family hates me,” Cassidy began. “Their opinion is important to him.”
“Everyone loves you; you’re Cassidy Knox.”
Tyler stepped into the kitchen, adjusting his boxers around his waist. He was eyeing Kennedy, but spoke to Cassidy, “how was Chubbs?” He wrapped his arms around Kennedy’s chest, nibbling on her neck, which resulted in her amused giggle.
Cassidy stared at him. Was he really going to go there? He had to know that it was a sore subject, considering they’d be apart for weeks. Leave it to Tyler to try and get a rise out of her. So instead of giving him that satisfaction, she played it cool. “Jamie,” she emphasized his name to make a point that ‘Chubbs’ wasn’t a good nickname, “is fine. He’s excited to see his family.”
“You know, you’ll be fine. His family will like you; hell, they liked me.” Tyler grinned, only partially realizing that he had insulted himself. After tugging on Kennedy’s hand, they were off towards her bedroom, presumably to start round two or three of their nocturnal escapade.
Meanwhile, Cassidy was left alone. With nothing else to do, she went to her bedroom, hearing Kennedy’s eager shrieks. After crawling into bed, she opened her laptop, inserted The Notebook into the disc drive, and pressed play. The last time she had watched the movie, Jamie vowed they would be birds together. Now since then, a budding relationship had started, and so did the revelation that the birds they would become were sparrows.
Several things became abundantly clear to Cassidy as the movie progressed, recounting the love between Noah and Allie, from teenagers to senior citizens. Firstly, Ryan Gosling was attractive and there was no way around it. Second, clearly the gene pool in Canada was above par because he was literally perfect. And lastly, she hoped that she and Jamie would have the same kind of love that Noah and Allie had. Well not the whole forbidden love part; that seemed like it sucked; but the whole endless love, and keeping promises, and foregoing all others to be with each other. Those parts sounded ideal.
And already they had endured similar things to Noah and Allie; like the saying goodbye part. Unfortunately, Cassidy found herself getting good at that part. Like saying goodbye to Jamie was the only natural progression of events; he was here and then he was gone.
Just as the scene where Allie’s in the bathtub, looking at Noah’s picture in the paper, Cassidy’s phone vibrated. She hurriedly picked it up, expecting to see Jamie’s name, but was mildly dissatisfied when she saw that it was her dad.
“Hi dad,” she tried to sound as pleased as possible, despite the growing disappointment in her stomach.
“How’s everything going Cass? I’m chomping at the bit for you to get out of school and come back to visit me.” His voice seemed hopeful for the fact that he’d see his daughter in just a few weeks.
Cassidy sighed and looked down at her lap. Now she’d be the one to disappoint him. “Actually I won’t be able to get to Nashville until sometime in late July.”
“But what about our annual fourth of July barbecue? And the cornhole and horseshoe competitions?” His voice raised an octave as though he was in physical pain from the news she was exposing. “Where are you going to be?”
“Canada, with Jamie,” she muttered with a bit of sass in her tone. Oh great, only two hours away from Jamie and she turned into the world’s biggest bitch. If only he were here to see it.
“And Canada’s gonna keep you away from your old man all summer?”
Cassidy shrugged as though her dad could see her reaction. Without her response, he soon kept going.
“Well if Jamie doesn’t respect our family values, then he’s not as good of a man as I thought he was. Cass, you have years to go off and fall in love; I just hope you remember where you came from. The door’s always open for you when you want to come home.”
She laid back on her bed, looking up at the ceiling, hoping it would convey some answers to questions she had about her life. But it offered nothing. “You think it’s wrong of me to want to spend time with Jamie?” Her voice was soft, no longer containing any resentment.
“I think you’re losing sight of the person you were before him; the person who didn’t need a Jamie Benn in her life to define happiness. I want to know where that girl went, because I really liked her.”
“I liked her too,” Cassidy murmured, pulling the sheet up and over her head. “But I also like the person I am with Jamie. He makes me really happy, dad.”
From the other end of the phone, her dad sighed and took a few hesitant breaths, “well alright then. I’ll see you sometime in July. Have fun in Canada; you better bring me back something.”
Cassidy chuckled and rolled her eyes, “okay. I’ll bring you back some syrup or something.”
“Don’t forget now. Love you, Cass.”
After saying goodbye and hanging up, Cassidy felt less like a bitch than she did five minutes ago. Sure, the conversation had started on a less than pleasant note, but at the end of the day, her dad was important to her and she wasn’t going to compromise her relationship with him for anything.
In the few moments she spent thinking about everything that had happened in such a short amount of time, her bedroom door creaked open, and behind it, stood Tyler, nudging the door open wider.
“Kennedy’s in the shower…” he muttered, stepping in closer to see the frozen computer screen, still with the movie paused.
“And you’re not in there with her?” Cassidy giggled to herself.
Tyler shook his head and sat on the edge of the bed, forcing Cassidy to move her legs and make room for him. “That’s a bit too intimate for me. I’m more of a hump and dump kind of guy.”
“Please never say that to me again,” Cassidy shut her laptop and turned on her back to look up at Tyler as he was already looking down at her. “So you’ve got some deep seeded commitment issues. A ton of young guys do.”
“Not ‘O Captain, My Captain’. Jamie will be the first to get hitched; he’s like every parent’s wet dream. Usually I make fun of him about his dates or whatever; you know, chirp him, give him a hard time. But honestly I’m a little jealous. He actually gets to wake up next to a girl who gives a shit about him.”
Tyler’s attempt at being sentimental was slightly overshadowed by his inherent use of profanities. Choosing to ignore it, Cassidy sat up, facing Tyler. “Eventually you’ll find a girl who gives a shit about you. You just have to start avoiding girls who are an easy lay if you want to find her.”
He gripped onto her hands and held them in his lap, now sitting closer to her than before, “I hate that Jamie reeled you in first. You’re really an awesome person.”
“You would’ve humped and dumped me; you said it yourself.”
“Maybe you could’ve been the one to change me…”
Tyler sat there a moment, as if he were contemplating the idea. He then excused himself from Cassidy’s bedroom, and just a few minutes later, he was out the front door. He was good at that; the leaving part. Only his departures never ended with a goodbye.
Notes
This chapter is titled after "Here Comes Goodbye" by Rascal Flatts
please update!!!!
5/2/16