"Got any plans for V-day?"

Cassie quirked her eyebrow. "V-day?"

"Valentine's Day." Ava said slowly as if talking to a small child.

"It's a stupid holiday. Right up there with Thanksgiving. It just gives people an excuse to eat an excess amount of chocolates. I don't see the point."

"That's because you're still single. If you were in love you'd understand."

Cassie rolled her eyes. Of course the 14th of February was supposed to be the most romantic holiday of the year, but what was the point of it all? People spent months in advance planning that special day for someone they love, killing themselves trying to come up with the perfect idea, and in all unoriginiality it usually ended in red roses and a cheesy candlelit dinner for two. Sometimes the so-called 'holiday' was forgotten all together. To Cassie, Valentine's Day was just DESSERTS spelled backwards.

...in other words: a major pain in the ass.

"Kyle's planning something special. I can't wait." Ava grinned. Cassie could almost make out the tiny hearts in her eyes.

"How do you know it's special?"

"What?"

"How do you know he's planning anything special?"

She shrugged, her smile widening. "Everything Kyle does is special to me. I love him."

She hated to sound the like anti-cupid, so she didn't comment. Hearing her roommate gush about her too perfect boyfriend was slightly nauseating to say the least, so she gave a lame excuse about having to finish a paper for history class.

Ava nodded. "Kyle might be stopping by later, by the way."

Groaning, Cassie went about shoving the appropriate books into her bag. That's exactly what she needed- to hear her rommate having loud, ridiculous pre-Valentine's Day sex.

Ew.

"Later. Tell Kyle I say hi." she said even though she didn't really mean it, but Ava's attention had shifted to the television. Cass left the dorm quietly, walking across the campus, chatting it up with familiar faces until she found the library.

The library was quiet, like a sanctuary. With the smell of old dusty leather bound books and crisp pages hanging in the air.

The librarian sat at her desk reading a heavy looking book. Her glasses dropping as her eyes scanned the bottom of the page. She looked up once she noticed Cassie. "Can I help you with anything?"

"I'm looking for something that has anything to do with the Greek or Roman Gods, or myths?"

"Alright, let me just take a look here." she typed loudly on the keyboard before suddenly stopping. "How about Ancient Civilization: Realization by Jeff Henderson? Should be in the History section...under 'h'." she added.

Cassie shot her a smile of thanks. She found a table in the back to dump her bag and sweater before setting off into the maze of many aisles. Her fingertips tickled the spines of ancient history. She paused once she came across the right letter.

Halt.

Hamilton.

Hayes.

Helios.

But no Henderson.

Then the groaning began.

Cassie bristled like a cat being petted the wrong way at the sound.

Were people seriously still making out and...other stuff in the stacks?

Wow...

She had to shake her head at how immature she sounded.

"Just back away slowly and pretend nothing ever happened." she whispered to herself. As the moaning increased though, Cass couldn't help but realize that the noise was coming from the other side of the shelf.

A perverse dare bounced around in her head. "That's creepy on so many levels." Another part of her countered, yet it wasn't enough to stop her from soundlessly pulling a book from the shelf to stare.

He sat at the base of the shelf, legs propped up in front of him. Golden brown hair hung in his eyes as he stared, concentrating on the pages of the book he held up with his left hand.

Ancient Civilization: Realization

by Jeff Henderson

That was her book!

She was about to march over there and ask to borrow it for the next half hour when she noticed the way his eyes screwed shut as if he were in pain.

Cassie even went as far as to notice exactly where his right hand was and what it was doing.

"Oh my god!" she shrieked, backing away.

At the commotion, he looked up curiously, removing his hand from his pants. He stood, not bothering to do up his zipper and found his way around the bookshelf to where Cassie was scrambling to shove all the books she had knocked down back in their rightful place.

"Enjoy the show?" he asked casually.

Her gaze immediately travelled to his undone jeans and how flat they appeared notto be. "You're disgusting!"

"Who was watching whom?"

"I was looking for a book."

"Were you?"

"Yes, and I noticed you just so happened to be 'occupying' yourself with the one I needed. I'll just find another one."

"History right?" Cassie didn't bother answering, but he continued anyway. "I just got distracted."

"I'm going to go now."

He chuckled, taking a few steps closer to pick up the books that she'd missed. "Don't you get turned on?"

"Excuse me?" she narrowed her eyes. "If you're insinuating that I may have gotten something out of seeing you do...that than you're sadly mistaken."

"That's not what I meant." Laughing, he finally zipped up his pants and tucked his hands in the pockets as he leaned against the shelf. "I thought you weren't watching me?"

Cassie glared.

"I don't mind if you watched. I guess some people are into voyeurism."

"Voyeurism?"

"Yeah," he grinned. "it means-"

"I know what it means! You're the one doing that kind of thing in a public library- you're sick!"

He scratched at his stubbly chin thoughtfully. "Your name's Jaymes right?"

"What?" How had he known that?

"Cassandra Jaymes."

She watched him warily. "Who are you?" Not that she really wanted to know.

"Gavin. We're in the same history class."

Cassie hadn't noticed him at all. She hadn't really noticed anyone, she was so concentrated on taking notes and not flunking, that she hadn't really taken the time to pay attention and get to know the people in her classes. Though she was fairly sure she wouldn't want to get to know him. "That's nice." she replied dryly.

"What I mean to say is that I've been in this library for an hour now, reading about the Ancient Greeks."

"How interesting for you."

"Fascinating actually. Then I came across the Gods. Aphrodite seemed to catch my attention. They wrote about her lovers, her lust. Sex."

Something tingled in the pit of Cassie's stomach at the way he lingered on the word. She shook it off as a cold chill. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with everything. This book is sexy and I got turned on." he smiled lazily. "No big deal. Noboday saw but you."

"How do you know? Why didn't you just do that in private?"

Gavin shrugged. "My roommate locked me out."

"I'm scarred for life. Thanks for that." she brushed past him to find her way out. She'd just kick it new school and research what she needed to on the net.

Gavin trailed behind her. "No one told you to look."

With a grunt, Cassie shot him a look over her shoulder. "Can you stop making it sound like I wanted to look? I was just trying to figure out what the noise was."

"You couldn't figure it out?"

"Obviously not." she almost cringed at the amount of amusement in his voice. "We're just going to pretend this never happened."

"How come?"

Cass shoved her arms through the sleeves of her sweater once she reached her table. "It's not exactly something I'd like to remember." As she hefted her bag higher on her shoulder, Cass couldn't look Gavin in the eye as she said the words so she looked at a distant invisible point beside his head. It didn't go unnoticed with her short stature. "Nice meeting you and...your hand."

With a twist of her heel, she was the champion speed walker as she rushed from the library.

Not even the shushing of the librarian could silence Gavin's laughter.

--

"Yo."

"I can't find my notes for Lit." Cassandra Jaymes confessed a week later over a ritual phone call with her bestest friend since kinder years, Dina.

"Hello to you too Cassandra. How've you been?" Dina inquired sarcastically. "I've been wonderful thanks so much for asking."

"Sorry. I've got class in 20 minutes."

"Did you ask Ava if she borrowed them and forgot to give them back again?"

"She doesn't take Literature."

"Did you check under your pillow?"

Cass' face screwed up in confusion. "Why would it be under my-" she paused to toss her pillow aside and there, a sight for sore eyes, lay her crinkled notes. "You're a genius."

She sniffed. "I know. Amazing, isn't it?"

"Okay, well I'll let you get back to whatever it was you were doing."

"No!" Dina whined. "Stay and talk to me. The walls are making me feel a little claustrophobic."

"Fine. We're going to get coffee."

"Yum."

"How's New York?"

Dina sighed. "It's alright. School hasn't been that interesting though." She attended the infamous Juilliard in the Big Apple. She'd gained the scholarship and immediately grabbed it for her talents in dancing. Now the two were seperated with only phones and email between them.

"Why not?"

"Well I can't dance because of the sprain so-"

"Sprain? What the hell did you do to yourself?"

"Oh." she paused. "Did I not tell you?"

"I guess not."

"I sprained my ankle. Nothing major, but if anybody tells you different- I was pushed in front of that cab. I didn't jump. Who the hell jumps in front of a cab?"

"Depressed people."

"I'm not depressed, but I am going crazy. There's nothing to do." she gasped. "You should come visit me!"

"I'm boarding my jet as we speak." Cassie entered the cafeteria, immediately entering the short line to purchase her coffee. She looked around at the few people sitting on benches. One in particular catching her eye. "Shit." she whipped her head around quickly hoping he hadn't seen her.

"What?" Dina asked.

"It's that guy from a few nights ago!"

"Oooooh!" Dina squealed. "Did you fuck 'em and chuck 'em?"

"What? No! I was in the library and I witnessed-"

"Jaymes!"

"Did he murder someone?!"

"He was jerking off!" Cass hissed furiously into the receiver.

Dina burst into laughter.

"It's not funny!"

"It kind of is."

"Hey," Gavin greeted from behind her.

She really didn't want to turn around, but when she did, she was surprised it didn't crack from how robotic the movement was. "Hello."

"Didn't you hear me calling you?"

"Sorry, I'm talking to my sick aunt."

"Ah."

"Is that him?" Dina whispered. "He sounds kind of hot."

"Shut up!"

He raised an eye brow curiously.

She smiled tensely. "So..."

"I think I'll leave you to it!" Her so-called best friend chimed in cheerfully. "I wouldn't want you to blame me for 'what could've been'."

"No, don't-"

"I want all the dirty details."

Dial tone. And now she was alone with him.

"Is everything alright?" Gavin asked.

"Peachy." Cass grumbled. She ordered her coffee and attempted to wave off the encounter. "Well it was good seeing you again." Although it wasn't really.

Awkward, was more like it.

"Do you have a few minutes?"

"No, actually. I've got class in about-" she glanced down at her bare wrist. "now. So I really should be going before I'm late."

"I'll walk you."

"You really don't have to do tha-"

"Let me just grab my stuff." he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the table he and his friends had been.

She couldn't remember what hand was what so she shook him off gently. "I really have to go."

"It'll only take a second."

Was this guy oblivious? Cass wondered if she'd make it to the exit in time while his back was turned without anyone seeing.

Probably not.

"Did you get my burrito?" a boy with a shaved head demanded. He had the greenest eyes Cassie had ever seen.

"Nope."

The green eyed boy pouted. "You just don't love me anymore do you?"

Gavin ignored him. "Guys this is Jaymes."

"Cassie." she corrected.

"Nice to meet you Jaymes." Green eyes saluted. "The name's Chase."

"This is Lucas and Pepper." Gavin directed her to a boy with a baby face, and black ringlet curls and a girl with a septum piercing and a polka dotted dress.

"Hi." she offered weakly. This was weird.

"Is she the one who..."

"Yeah." Gavin grinned.

Pepper guffawed.

Cassie died a million deaths.

"And this is Adam." Adam had thick black framed glasses and a woolen purple tuque. He smiled pleasantly at her.

"You probably think we're freaks."

"No," she found herself saying. "Just Gavin."

They all laughed, but that didn't seem to be what Gavin wanted to hear because his easy going smile twisted into a scowl.

"Come on," he muttered. "you don't want to be late, do you?"

"Nice meeting all of you."

"Later Jaymes." Chase blew her a kiss and Pepper swatted him over the head.

Their walk to the English sector of the building was silent.

Cass sipped at her lukewarm coffee as if her life depended on it.

Gavin was humming something annoying.

"I'm not finished."

"What?"

"My history paper- I'm not finished." That's not what she'd meant to say. She didn't mean to say anything at all, ever again.

"Maybe you should finish it."

"I can't."

"Too busy thinking about me?"

"I needed that book. It's got vital information that the web doesn't provide." She tossed her unfinished coffee in the nearest trash bin. "And why are you following me?"

"I'm walking you to class."

"I didn't ask you to."

"I'm being chivalrous."

Cass shot him a blank look. "Really."

"Yes really. When I'm not attacking myself, I'm actually a pretty nice guy."

"Alright."

"Alright."

"Well...bye." this wasn't her class, but she didn't tell him that. This was just getting weirder and weirder.

"See you around Jaymes."

Not a chance.

--

It was the day before Valentine's Day when Cassie strolled into her history class, late for the first time.

"Thank you for finally joining us Ms. Jaymes." her professer gave her a slanted look. "Take your seat."

She scurried from her dorm with her frizzy curls in utter chaos and her pajama shorts still on. Once she noticed the time, she pulled a sweatshirt over her head and hurried out the door.

Cass wasn't a runner.

She plopped down in her seat and attempted to get her breathing under control while pulling books from her bag.

"What happened?"

She jumped at the voice, banging her knee against her desk painfully.

The professer looked in her direction at the sudden disruption. "Is there a problem Ms. Jaymes?"

"No problem."

She waited until the class was in a heated discussion about the middle kingdoms in Egypt before turning around.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm not sure I get where you're going with this."

"You don't sit there. Why are you sitting there?"

He shrugged, poking her in the neck that seemed to make her spasm. "Pay attention and stop influencing me."

"Are you kidding?"

"Ms. Jaymes!"

Her head shot forward at the sound of her professer's bark. "Sir?"

"If you aren't going to sit quietly or participate then I suggest you leave and come back when you can!"

"But I wasn't-"

"Now!"

With a glare in Gavin's direction, she gathered her things, making sure to slam the door for good measure. Asshole.

Angrily, she barreled back into her dorm. Ava and Kyle looked up at her curiously from their seats on the sofa eating breakfast.

"Hey Cass." Kyle smiled his perfect line of teeth at her. "Would you like some toast?"

"Not right now!"

"What's wrong?" Ava asked.

"Nothing!" she sighed. "Nothing. I'm just having a bad morning."

"Are you going to the party?"

"What?" her mind was currently blinded by rage, not some stupid party.

"You know Mark right?" They didn't bother waiting for her answer. "He's having a party tonight."

"You should come with us!" Ava shouted.

"No, I don't think I'm up for partying."

"No, you have to come! It's going to be so much fun Cass."

"I'll think about it." she sighed. She all but dragged herself to her room, making a grab for her cell.

Dina answered on the fourth ring.

"You've reached Madame Dina. Would you like me to tell you your future?"

"There's a party tonight, and Ava and Kyle want me to go."

"Ah."

"I don't want to go."

"You should."

"I don't want to." she grumbled.

Dina was munching on something. "Well you should. You're not as interesting to talk to when you sit in your dorm all day. Go out and bring me back some news."

"You're a great friend."

"Feel the love."

"I don't."

"Um," Dina remarked. "I have to go. Grey's Anatomy is on. Bye."

And she hung up.

Nice.

Cass flopped back on her bed. Gavin was an idiot. He was the reason she got in trouble!

Double asshole.

Stupid fuckerfuckingfuckheadfuck.

School was important to her. It probably made her a nerd or whatever, but she didn't care. This was her life she was dealing with here, or most of it until she figured out her place in the world.

Now because of Gavin she was going to miss a class full of notes that she'd probably be needing, and she spent the next half hour thinking of someone she could borrow from other than him. Though she hated to admit that he seemed to be the only one that she was close to- the one who enjoyed fondling himself.

She'd never admit it out loud.

Cassie fell asleep with that thought in mind and unfortunately the image of Gavin's stupid smiling face floating in front of her lids.

After what seemed like mere minutes since she'd rested her eyes, but was probably actually most of her day gone by when there was a knock at her door. Ava and Kyle stood in the doorway seemingly joined at the hip like a pair of Siamese twins.

"Is that what you're going to wear?"

"Huh?"

"Mark. Party. Now."

"What time is it?"

"8:30."

"Okay." Cass said, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She should go. She should, right? Get her mind off of earlier. There were always going to be 'that guy Mark's party', but this would probably be the one and only time that she'd go. At least then she could say she did something wild and spontaneous during her college years. "Okay." she repeated. "Just give me 10 minutes."

Ava beamed, dragging her boyfriend from her room. "This is going to be so much fun!"

As Cassie wrestled her hair into a ponytail, she ditched her shorts and sweatshirt for a green silk camisole that she'd never thought she'd wear, and shimmied her way into a pair of jeans. She wasn't that big on make-up. Never had the patience to stand in front of a mirror every morning to paint her face, but had the basics handy just in case. Swallowing the dryness in her throat, she stood in front of the mirror.

"You're going." she told herself. "You already agreed."

With a sigh, she dusted her caramel skin with a bit of foundation, nearly poking herself in the eye with her black eye pencil then applied a few coats of mascara.

"Are you ready yet?"

You'd think Ava would give her all the time in the world considering Cassie never usually did stuff like this.

Ignoring the fluttering of nervousness in her chest as she pulled on a black cardigan, Cassie slipped on a pair of ballet flats. She wouldn't bother with a purse. "I'm ready." she walked out of her room and would've walked right out the door if Kyle hadn't said anything.

"You look nice."

Damn. "Thanks."

"Oh my god! Cassie you look great!" Ava exclaimed then frowned. "Hold on, you're missing something." she flounced to her room, and came back with a tiny cylinder thing in hand.

"What is that?"

"Go like this." Ava pouted her lips in example. Feeling like a 13 year old, Cassie did as she did. "This color'll look great on you." She spread the sticky sweet mixture on Cassie's lips, stepped back and grinned. "Great. Now you're good to go."

It was like she was Cinderella. Ready for the ball with the help of her fairy godmother and mice friends.

Okay- not really. She hated Cinderella's story as a child. Well the Disney version anyway. And Cass was sure that if she knew any mice, she sure as hell wouldn't be dressing them up in doll clothes.

It was only until the twins were ushering her into Kyle's Jeep that Cass started to freak out just a little.

"I thought the party was on campus."

"Nope." her roommate turned to look at her in the back seat. "Mark's having the party at his parents house in Covington."

"Right."

Not-so-Cindy spent the rest of the ride there biting her nails down to the quick.

Kyle couldn't seem to find a parking space anywhere, and if she didn't get out now she would teach herself how to drive back to school. Cassie pinched herself, squeezed her eyes shut and said, "Let me out."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm okay to go in by myself." her feet felt like they were caked into cement as she got out of the car. Each step to the house seemed to weigh her down.

"We'll come find you!" Ava shouted out the window.

Music blared, and Cassie thought the door would fly off from the base of the song, but decided that that was impossible and she was losing her mind to panic. Once inside, she recognized people from off campus, some on the same floor as she was. A few people gave her strange looks and that seemed to be enough for Cass. Bulldozing her way through what seemed like millions of people, not stopping until she found the kitchen. She felt as if her rapidly beating heart was going to fall out of her ass or something.

Again, also impossible.

Ava and Kyle would easily find her in there.

...or so she thought. She waited and waited, but they never showed. The only people hanging around the kitchen were the ones looking for a quiet place to drink and have conversation and others who stumpled in searching for more booze.

"Those bastards forgot about me." she declared. People in relationships tended to do that when they realized that 3 was a crowd.

Too chicken shit to leave the kitchen and actually talk with other human beings, Cassie sat herself on a countertop, nursing a bottle of beer that she didn't really like in a place that she didn't really want to be. She was shit out of luck.

When suddenly there was a loud bang as if something expensive and made out of glass had just become friends with the floor.

At least someone was making friends.

In strolled a beautiful girl with fiery red hair, laughing so hard that it was a msytery she didn't burst with candy flying all over the place. She was pulling someone in with her by the hand. He was laughing too, light brown hair hanging his mischievous eyes. His shirt was undone in the front halfway, exposing a smooth chest.

Cassie noticed right away who the guy was. Who else could it possibly be?

He hadn't seemed to notice her yet, and she'd rather he'd not so she turned her back to the couple, pretending to look for something in the fridge instead.

"I'm going to get some air."

"Maybe I'll come find you later." It was Gavin.

Cassie heard the backdoor close and knew the red head had left.

"Cold enough for you?"

She didn't want to turn around. "What?"

"You're standing in the fridge." his voice held tinges of amusement. "Are you trying to find something in there?"

Idiot.

She turned around slowly, with a scowl.

When who she was clicked in his head, the moron grinned. "Were you hiding in there Jaymes?"

"Are you following me or something?"

"What do you mean?" Gavin asked with a tilt to his head.

"For some reason you seem to be everywhere I go."

He paused. "Maybe you seem to be everywhere I go."

"Are you stalking me?"

He laughed. "Not my thing."

"I wouldn't be surprised." she grumbled.

"Did you just get here?" he questioned, grabbing her forgotten beer from her hands and took a swig.

Cassie stared at it distastefully. "That's none of your business."

"You don't look like you're having much fun."

"I'm having oodles."

"Then why do you look like someone just ran over your puppy?"

"I don't have a puppy."

"If you had one."

"Why would someone run over my puppy?"

"Ah, I get it."

"Get what?"

His eyes twinkled. "You haven't had enough to drink."

"I'm not much of a drinker." Cassie confessed.

"I can see that." he shrugged. "No worries. That'll all change."

"I have no intention of becoming an alcoholic, thank you very much."

"Will you relax?"

"I am relaxed!"

"You will be." Gavin said with a wink. He poured a clear liquid into a plastic cup and then added cranberry juice. He offered her the cup. "Drink this."

"What is it?" Cassie asked, staring into the contents.

"Just drink it."

Cassie took a sip.

Gavin stared at her expectantly. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of answering. She'd completely forgotten about her being pissed off and all.

"You're an ass."

The corners of his lips quirked. "Am I?"

"You got me kicked out of class today."

"Uh huh." he hopped up on the counter next to her.

"You're an ass."

"Have you ever ditched class before?"

"What? No."

"Consider this an educational first." he said, scratching at his stubble. Except now his 5 o'clock shadow was beginning to look kind of beard like. "We'll avoid the fact that you got kicked out- but I have a feeling you've never gotten kicked out of class either so I guess it still counts."

"It was your fault!"

"You could've sat somewhere else."

"I always sit there. Why didn't you sit somewhere else?"

"Alright, alright. We could do this all night." he jumped off the counter and stood, placing his beer where he'd previously sat. He leaned in, bracing his arms on Cassie's thighs. She didn't push him away. "But the party's out there, and we're in here."

"I see your point." she said dryly.

"Forgive me?"

"No."

His hands travelled to her hips and he stared at her, beaming. "You look different."

"You look drunk." she shot back.

"Not even close. Come on," Gavin pulled her from the counter, her plastic cup falling to the floor. "We'll get you another one of those."

"Let go of me!"

He looked back at her curiously from over his shoulder, pulling her through the kitchen doors as if he hadn't even heard her. "Who'd you come here with?"

"None of your business."

"Boyfriend?"

"Would you let go?" she demanded, attempting to pry his fingers from around her wrist.

"Girlfriend?"

"Yours might be a little pissed that you're following me around instead of her don't you think?" Even as Cass said the words, she didn't really mean them. She didn't much feel like slinking back into the kitchen- alone. The thought of Gavin leaving her too absolutely depressed her as she waited for him to answer.

His eyes widened. "You're a lesbian?"

Actually, the thought of being alone was looking pretty good right now. "You're really a pervert you know that?"

"I was asking a simple question."

"No, I'm not a lesbian."

"Too bad. I would've liked to witness that...you know, to even it out between us." he winked.

"Gav!"

Cass looked over at the person who had shouted, and saw Pepper and the red head walking over to them. Pepper was obviously wasted out of her mind as she stumbled over to where they were. Her jet black hair was twisted into two buns on top of her head, one of which looked as if it were unraveling.

"Hey!" Pepper shouted in her face once she was close enough. "I know you!"

"Leslie this is Jaymes." Gavin instructed the red head.

"Cassie." she corrected. He finally let go of her arm.

Leslie looked at Cassie with interest. Out the corner of her eye, Cassie pretended not to notice. She felt like the ugly step sister standing next to her. Why was she even here? It was clear that she and Gavin had something going on and Pepper was a good friend of his, and what was she? She wasn't anything and she didn't belong there with them.

"Does she know?" Pepper was shouting again.

Cass looked up at Gavin expectantly. "Do I know what?"

Pepper slung her arm around her and grinned between her and Leslie. "He likes her you know."

Although to anyone else, you couldn't exactly figure out who she was speaking to.

Then Pepper finished by vomiting the contents of whatever she'd eaten during the day, a bit of the bile finding it's way onto Cass' shoe.

Fabulous.

She whimpered all the way to the bathroom while the two lovebirds hung back to take care of Pepper. Once she found a room that didn't seem to be taken, Cassie snuck into what seemed to be the master bedroom and closed the door behind her and tossed her shoes on the floor before laying back on the bed miserably.

She tried Ava's cell a few times, but no luck. The shithead wasn't answering.

A bang at the door startled her into a sitting position on the mattress.

"Someone's in here!"

Without another warning though, Gavin was poking his head through the little space of the door.

"How'd you know I was in here?"

He grinned, slipping inside to lean against the door, staring at her until it clicked shut. "I have my ways."

"Do you know how creepy that sounds?"

"Okay, Leslie saw you come up here."

"Your girlfriend?"

His forehead crinkled confusingly when he sat down on the bed beside her. "You think Les is my girlfriend?" he snorted.

"Isn't she?"

"She's my sister."

They looked nothing alike, and she told him so.

"We don't have the same dad."

"Oh."

"Sorry about Pepper. She's kind of a light weight." he was playing with her fingers.

"What are you doing?"

"What?" he asked innocently, staring down at their hands.

"You're touching me." she pointed out. "Why are you touching me?"

"Because I want to?" he let go of her hand though as he fell back on the bed. "I've wanted to." he spoke the words to the ceiling.

"To touch me?"

"Mhmm." When Cassie looked over at him surprisingly, his eyes were closed.

"Where?" She gave herself a mental kick in the head at that one. That came out wrong...

Though she couldn't really concentrate on speaking when her throat felt dry and the fluttery tingles tried to make their way out her mouth. "I didn't mean it that-"

She shut up as soon as she felt Gavin's lips pressed against hers.

Cass nearly fell off the bed. She kept her eyes open, staring at his closed ones. After he noticed that she wasn't kissing him back, Gavin slowly opened his eyes and they sat there, in the master bedroom on the bed, staring at one another, their lips touching together.

Awkward was a bit of an understatement at this point.

She pushed him away. "What...uhm...what do you think you're doing?"

He stared at her for a long time before laying back on the bed. "I don't know." he said dejectedly.

"Right." she said uncomfortably. Getting up from the bed, she smoothed out her wrinkled shirt and walked out of the room stiffly.

"Where are you going?" Gavin called out.

She'd forgotten her shoes. It didn't really matter. They were gross and dirty. "I'm going to find my ride home."

"Will you just wait a second?" He asked, grabbing her arm.

She shook him off. "What for? Coming to this party was a mistake when I've got so much to do. A lot of homework to get done."

"You'll get it done."

"I know I will."

He smile was lopsided this time as he ran a hand through his hair. "You know, I think I like you." he professed.

"Good to know."

"I'm somewhat sure that you like me," he eyed her as if to tell him differently. "but I like you. A lot."

Huh? "So what Pepper said-"

"She was talking about you."

"Right."

"Right." he grinned. He started playing with her fingers again.

She slapped his hands away. "Stop that, it's annoying." It wasn't actually. "I have to go."

He looked so much like a wounded puppy that she wanted to laugh, but that would be rude.

She did it anyway.

Gavin frowned.

"You can't just leave. I poured my heart out to you here." They were standing in the hall, right near the long line for the bathroom. Someone threw up on someone else's shoulder who happened to be waiting in line. That person just so happened to be sober. Fists started to fly.

Cassie cringed.

"I'm telling you how much I like you right now and you're not even listening."

"I am listening, but you know what I think? I think it's bullshit."

He raised his brows. "Excuse me?"

"You don't actually like me. I think just because we've run into each other so many times, you've got the notion in your head that we're 'meant to be together'. You probably think that it's fate right?"

"I don't know what I think." He pushed Cassie against the wall, trapping her with his arms. "But I know I like you. Not just because you seem to be stalking me," he grinned when she tried to kick him. "or because I think we're 'meant to be together' although I think we'd make incredibly sexy babies." Wink. "I like you because I like you. It's simple and in your face."

"I don't want it in my face."

"Why don't you stop thinking for once and do what your heart tells you."

"My heart might be lying." she grumbled lamely.

"Well I'm not." he searched her eyes for something before his hands were cradling her face and he was kissing her again. This time was far from awkward as his mouth slanted over hers and one of his hands barried itself in her hair and Cassie tried to remember if she'd brushed it earlier, but all thoughts floated away from her at the sensation of Gavin nibbling on her bottom lip.

She locked her arms around his neck and her toes curled when he pressed against her.

Vouler-vous couchez avec moi, ce soir?

Most certainly.

--

He was late.

He'd made plans to meet her bright and early for lunch the next day, and he was late. Cassie forced back the thought that he'd stood her up.

If he did- she'd hunt him down and castrate him.

Yes, that seemed appropriate.

"Darling, honey, sugar bear!" A familiar voice bellowed.

Cassie glanced up from her menu of the cafe she was meeting Gavin at. She glared at him when he took his seat.

"You're late."

"I'm sorry baby."

"Don't call me that."

"Fiiiiiiiiiine." He whined. "But I had a good reason."

She raised her brow expectantly. He made a grab for her menu and held it up in front of his face.

She waited.

Waited...

"What happened?"

He revealed his eyes, which even they seemed to be smiling at her, crinkled at the corners and lifting. "You're going to love it."

"Me? But I didn't get you anything. Why would you get me something?"

"Because you might need it."

"What is it?"

Gavin put the menu down, beamed and handed her a rectangular, freshly wrapped in red paper gift. "Happy Valentine's Day love of my life."

"That's not funny." though she said it with a smile, and took it from him. "It's heavy."

"That it is."

"What is it?"

"Open it."

She immediately started to tear at the paper. When it was cleared away, she looked up at him, baffled. "Seriously?"

"Seriously, seriously."

She laughed, holding up a copy of Ancient Civilization: Realization by Jeff Henderson. "This is exactly what I wanted."

"Now we can partake in sexual favours together!"

Her smile dropped. "Is this the same one that..."

"No. New copy. It's clean. Although the one from the library would've held so much more value in this relationship."

"Thank you, I love it." she grinned, resting the book next to her on the table.

Gavin sat back, waiting.

Cassie sipped her cappuchino.

Gavin cleared his throat.

Cassie looked up. "Is something wrong?"

Gavin rolled his eyes. "What does a guy have to do to get a kiss around here?"

"Arrive on time?"

He kissed her anyway, and she loved that too.

--

Neat-o! I was so excited for this because I wrote like 20 something pages and that's got to be the most I've ever written and I'm stoked. I hope you like it:) I wrote it especially for Vday...which is weird because I don't much care about today either way. I'm only in it for the excessive amount of chocolate. Obviously. I probably shouldn't have written this. All my inspiration could've been flowing in the direction of Cheap Mondays or something right? Right. Still. Hope you liked it and happy Valentine's Day to you all!

Lotsa smooches,

Sasha