A Cassarian Story
Varian always knew that he cared for Cassandra. But he didn't realize how much until she was gone.
Six long years after Cassandra leaves Corona, she finally returns. Varian is overjoyed, but she comes bearing terrible news. A stran...
After a moment of awkward silence, Cassandra asks, "Is there any particular reason you're here? Because I'm pretty exhausted and would really appreciate being left alone so I could get some sleep."
Abhu stares at her, long enough to make her feel uncomfortable. "I just... I don't get you."
"You don't get me?" She repeats. "What's there to get?"
"It's hard to explain. You're not who I thought you were."
Cassandra can feel her heart sink lower in her chest. This is exactly why she has been hiding who she really is... "Well I'm sorry to disappoint."
"Me too," he says. Rather sharply, in her opinion.
"Look, I'm not in the mood to be judged right now!" She snaps at him.
"See? That! That is exactly what I mean!" Abhu says, pointing at her. "The Cassie I know would never speak to me like that!"
"And what about the way you speak to me, huh?" Cassandra retorts. "Maybe I'm sick of taking it!"
"Well this is who I am! At least I don't pretend to—"
"I'm not pretending anymore!" Cassandra shouts, tears stinging her eyes. "This is who I am!"
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The two of them stand in silence again. Finally, Abhu breaks it. "When we met, I thought that you were the one. That we were meant to be." His face hardens. "My mistake."
Cassandra shakes her head, too angry to speak.
"Um, what's going on in here?" Varian says, appearing behind Abhu.
"She's all yours," Abhu says, not taking his eyes off of Cass. "Once we leave this island, I'm done." He shoves past Varian, disappearing into his own room.
Cassandra turns away and shuts her eyes tightly, not wanting Varian to see her tears. Abhu has always irritated her, from the moment she met him. She isn't even sure why she let him hang around for so long; it was almost as if she had this inexplicable feeling that he needed to stick around her. But now that he is going, she almost feels... relieved.
She is still furious, though. And upset. It isn't the fact that he is leaving that makes her upset, it is that everything she feared about being herself has come true in him. When she doesn't keep herself in check, people around her only get hurt. It's what she's been worrying about since the day she left Corona.
"Cass...?" Varian says. He has been quiet for so long, she forgot he was there.
"Please Varian, just go," she says, her eyes still squeezed shut. She rubs her arm uncomfortably; she hates feeling vulnerable.
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