War  

"The night is young...we're young...let's live a little!" Lip shouted while scampering through the park.

Chester was behind him pacing a firm but relaxed step to make sure Lip didn't do anything stupid because of the drunken stupor he was in. Cassie and Tate were still holding hands. Mac was behind them.

Tall shrubs caressed Cassie's legs, leaving a ghost trace where the plants tickled her skin. She didn't mind the cold climate but rather appreciated it. The wind was a refreshing mere gentle artic breeze that her complexion welcomed, not like getting doused with bucket of cold ice water.

Cassie was honestly confused about the whole situation. Just holding his hand felt awkward. A high-pitched voice in her head kept saying so...what are you going to do now... as if there was anything to do but enjoy the moment, feeling so alive next to the person she was forced to love.

No...not forced. Cassie rephrased her thoughts, destined, yes, that's the word she was looking for. Destined to love...and destined to die for love.

"When is the festival?" she asked.

She closed her eyes and thought, how could you have asked such a lame question?

Lame or not, it took Tate by surprise, he squeezed her hand as he tried to remember...the dates and events seemed a bit blurry in the fog of all the alcohol swirling around in his brain. Then, he remembered.

"On the 4th...like two weeks from now, right?"

"Yep."

He sighed, "Tomorrow we have an interview with the managers and Uncle Jon is giving us the video."

Cassie couldn't see anything but his lips. He dragged his words off his tongue a bit, making his mouth move slower.

"Can't wait to see it."

Cassie redirected her focus to the empty and abandoned playground. Chester was trying to take Philip down off a rusting kid's climbing frame of bars.

"It'll be great!"

"Right...because I'm in it," she laughed.

"You are starting to sound more and more like me," Tate teased.

"Unlike you, I'm confident not arrogant."

Tate dramatically placed his hand on his chest and threw his head back in representation of ironic agony worth of a scene in a Shakespearian play, "You are killing me."

"Like I always do..."

After a few seconds, Tate replied, "I feel like I've been through a nuclear war and my heart's become a radioactive core."

"Ugh, not your poems again." She rolled her eyes and stepped away from him, but Tate grabbed her hand and pulled her next to him, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"What are you saying? They are great!" He teased as he pushed Cassie gently but dramatically to the side.

"So...here's where the Within Inferno boys hide? I'm going to tell your crazy fans right away!" she teased whil looking over every detail of the abandoned park. Then, she heard him laugh under his breath.

"The inferno of the Inferno boys." He whispered.

"Nice...but my feet hurt."

Cassie kept walking until she realized Tate stopped behind her. He looked directly into her eyes before and kneeling and arching his back forward. Looking at the dirty floor, he said, "Your servant, my prin- damsel."

"What the fuck are you doing...get up?"

Tate looked at Cassie frowning, "That's not what a cute damsel in distress would say."

"I'm not cute...I'm punk," she declared stubbornly. After seeing Tate's smile she added, "And I'm not in distress, I'm...a knight in shining...armor?"

"More like knight in glittery heels."

Cassie glared at him.

"Come on, I'd be your war chariot!"

Cassie shifted her weight from one leg to another and placed her hands on her hips.

"Fine...you leave me no choice." Tate got up and ran to Cassie. She didn't have a chance to react before Tate grabbed her by the back of her knees and lifted her up.

"I would tell you to put me down but the pain in my feet is killing me"

"Wouldn't put you down even if you asked!" he teased.

"A total gentleman." Her body relaxed while Tate carried her to wherever Philip and Chester where going. She placed her arms around his neck, another excuse to touch him.

Tate felt her small body. He was surprised by her light weight...light as a feather, he almost felt like she was made of air. He caught himself staring at her, from the marked skin between her eyebrows (probably from frowning too much) to the tip of her soft chin.

He finally had her in his arms, but had no clue what to do next. He acted like he didn't really care until that moment, like she was just another girl. But with her golden hair and perfect smile; with a war going on inside her mind and thoughts of shooting silver bullets into his heart...Tate found himself with a powerful magnetic attraction to Cassie. It was no longer impossible not to look at her when she entered a room.

"What are you thinking about?" she questioned, already sensing his growing mixed emotions where she, they were concerned.

"What?" Tate actually heard her the first time but snapping back to reality from a daydream was difficult. "Oh," he cleared his throat, "I was, um, just thinking..."

"About what?" Cassie pressed, happy to have him on the defensive for a change.

"Why do you want to know?"

"I know so little about you, I'm trying to make a conversation here, Tate."

"You know more thank you think."

Maybe she did.

Their quick exchange was interrumpted by Lip's scream. He was on Chester's back and Chester was running towards Tate, Cassie, and Mac. On his hand, he had a long wooden branch which still had a few leaves on it.

"Run faster, faster!" he said to Chester. They came closer and Lip pointed at Cassie and Tate with the long branch as if it was a wand.

"I dare both of you to race against me and my horse here..." Chested snorted, "if you win, the prize is this magical wand."

Chester mouthed, "He is crazy, sorry..." to which Cassie and Tate laughed. Mac stared at all of them with his arms crossed and his chin sticking out like he was above it all.

"Mac, would you do the honors and be the judge?" Lip suggested, Cassie and Tate turned around as if it was the first time they noticed him.

"Nah, I'll pass."

"Okay then, Cassie you must get on top of Tate."

Cassie widened her eyes and laughed nervously before burying her face on her hands.

"Well then, rules are rules," declared Tate, mocking her. Cassie hit him on the chest jokingly. Seconds after realizing what he said, Philip covered his mouth but his laughter was louder than one of their concerts blaring at top volume.

"I mean...ride, like a horse...like on his back-"

"You are so stupid," said Chester smiling at him.

"Laugh no more, for this race shall begin," Philip said in character.

Tate put Cassie down and she jumped onto his back.

"Who would guess we would end up like this anyway?" he teased, grabbing her thighs at the sides of his hips.

"Shut up. I want to win!"

Who would know that one of the things they had in common was competitiveness?

"The finish line will be those swings over there. Are you ready?" asked Lip. "Ready... set..."

Chester began running before Philip even said "go" Tate started to sprint screaming "Cheaters!" at the top of his lungs.

While Tate, Cassie, Chester and Philip were running towards the swings, they didn't see Mac being approached by a man dressed in all black, they didn't notice him putting his hand over Mac's mouth and forcing him into his black sedan.