She sees her for the first time on a Monday morning. It’s her third day working at the coffee’s shop.
She used to work as a bouncer at a club, but after a particularly nasty fight she got herself into, a completely justified one because men are pigs, she was fired, and her best friend and roommate Rapunzel was kind enough to offer Cassandra a position at her brand new coffee shop “The Sundrop”.
As much as Cassandra hates being around too many people, she takes it anyway, because she needs a job and Rapunzel needs the help, since the last girl who worked here quitted a few days ago.
She is at the counter, preparing beverages, handing sweets, that Rapunzel cooks and serves at the tables enthusiastically every day. She even wakes up at the crack of dawn to bake, and still to this day Cassandra doesn’t get how she manages to do that.
It’s simple, it’s quiet, she figures that a coffee shop is not the worst place to work, maybe being side by side with her best friend will help her stay out of trouble for once.
She has been working there for two days, and things have gone quite smoothly, at least until that Monday morning, when the door opens slowly like in those stupid romcoms she always teases Rapunzel about, but there is no other way to describe it, and sees her entering.
She comes in a swift movement, it’s barely past 6, still she doesn’t appear tired, or cranky, how people normally are in the mornings. Since it’s so early, the shop is empty, she finds no line and walks to the counter, as graceful as a dancer, wearing a light blue pantsuit that probably costs more than Rapunzel and Cassandra’s apartment, her platinum blonde hair perfectly put into a tight braid.
She isn’t paying attention to her surroundings, busy tapping something on her phone hastily, like she has no time to waste. And she really mustn’t have any, if she comes at this hour.
Rich and probably a businesswoman.
When her eyes finally lift from her phone, Cassandra finds herself staring into the most piercing blue she has ever seen. There is literally no part of this woman that is not drop dead gorgeous.
No way she is human.
Cassandra has never been the type of person who openly shows how she feels, always been capable of keeping her emotions in check, hell, she has been teased endlessly for being a stone-cold bitch, even if it’s not entirely true. It’s just that she prefers to keep private things private.
Yet for the first time in her life, she remains speechless. And proceeds to choke on her own air trying to say something. Not one of her finest moments.
The woman in front on her tilts her head slightly. “I’m sorry, did you say something?”
Cursing herself for being so unsettled by a pretty face, Cassandra forces herself to snap out of her idiocy and clears her throat. “I said… good morning, how… what can I get you?”
She tries to lean casually on the counter, but ends up only looking more tense, so she abruptly stops, twitching her hands. She is way off her game today.
Thankfully the woman on the other side doesn’t seem to notice how she is the one causing all of this.
“A tea, please.” She asks politely, her attention shifting on her phone once again.
If Cassandra is a bit let down about it, she tries not to show it.
She starts tapping on the register, then moves to prepare the tea, picking out a green one because the woman looks like the kind of fancy girl who regularly drinks it, maybe even for fun.
Doing mechanical gestures, like taking her money and handing her the cup, helps her stay centered, she feels more in control now, still she is careful not to touch her, she has had enough of a gay panic for today.
Then with a plastered smile she thanks Cassandra and leaves, quietly as she entered.
When the door closes, Cassandra lets herself take a long deep breath, as if she has just finished her morning run, in her mind she keeps calling herself an idiot for being so shaken by something so ordinary, but at the same time asking herself how it is even possible that a woman that stunning actually exists.
The voice from her best friend comes to wake her from her pensiveness, her head peeking out from the kitchen window. “You okay, Cass?”
Cassandra turns to look at her. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“I noticed you were appreciating the view.”
“Raps.”
“What? Your jaw was practically on the floor.”
“Ahah, very funny. I was just… looking.”
Rapunzel laughs mixing something in one of her bowls. “You setting sights on someone? Should I be expecting snow today?”
“Well, let’s just say that if I had known that those are the kind of clients that pass through your place… I would have gotten my ass fired ages ago.”
**********************************************
Much to Cassandra’s delight, and her vacillating sanity, the blonde, who looks exactly like the perfect fantasy of the hot rich woman every lesbian would do anything for, surprisingly keeps coming back.
Every day from Monday to Friday. Same hour. Same order.
If every time she waltzes in Cassandra’s back straightens a little more than usual, it’s a coincidence.
In the end Cassandra starts picking up more and more details.
She is always busy, extremely polite. Possibly a workaholic, because since she has met her, Cassandra has never seen her without her phone glued to her hand, tapping furiously, or answering calls, in a very smooth tone, like she knows exactly what she is talking about and she won’t take any shit from anyone.
Totally the boss.
Despite that, she never sounds mean, or arrogant, always the epitome of diplomacy. Once or twice Cassandra has even heard her give orders and explain things in a tone so gentle and with a speech so elaborate, seriously she used so many words, clearly hiding her annoyance, just not to offend the speaker.
Those times Cassandra really had to hold herself back from snorting.
And every time she lingers on her as she hands her the drink, collects her money, or sees her leave, she feels terrible, and more and more like a stalker, because she really should stop obsess over this hot lady who is probably just doing her job and wants her damn tea in the morning before going to run an empire.
After the second week of their unofficial meetings, in her head she starts calling her The Snow Queen.
Still, she remains entranced, not by her beauty, as strange as it is, she gets used to it. It’s her presence, the way she moves, the way she speaks. There are just some people in the world that have that kind of charm, people who inadvertently attract all eyes and ears on them when they enter a room.
And Cassandra can’t really turn off her observing nature, it’s just how she is, she doesn’t talk much, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t notice what happens around her. Her father has always defined her too smart for her own good, but too quick to fire for her own good.
Being smart and impulsive is not always the safest combo.
It goes on like this for at least a month: the Snow Queen comes in every morning, smiles politely, orders her tea, Cassandra prepares it, takes her money, hands her the beverage.
It’s the same thing over and over again.
Cassandra doesn’t dare to pry or make any sort of move, because she hates it when someone tries to do the same with her. And because of the fact she is at the register every day of the week for hours, it happens, a lot.
Unfortunately for her, it’s mostly men, and she shoots them down every single time.
Sometimes she must specify the obvious like No dude, I won’t go out with you, I’m gay, but some men still can’t take no for an answer, and when that’s the case, she really has to restrain herself from punching them on the spot. She can’t do that of course, because it would be bad for business, and she can’t cause a scene into Rapunzel’s place. She may be impulsive, but cares about her best friend more than anything.
Therefore, she simply rejects them, with snarky comments and glares, then eventually they have the common sense to back down.
That’s why she doesn’t try to talk to her, because she doesn’t want to overstep. Even if a small part of her knows that she also doesn’t because she considers her unreachable, way out of her league, so she settles on keeping quiet and admiring her from afar. And it’s not like she has even shown any kind of interest in Cassandra either, so why risk it? Better play it safe.
Or not play at all.
Still if Cassandra starts paying more attention on the selection and the arrangement of the types of tea the shop provides, she tells herself it’s to improve the service. No further motives.
*********************************************
Maybe it was because she slept barely two hours that night, apparently in Rapunzel’s mind it was perfectly normal to start practicing a new recipe for her apple pie on a Wednesday night and take out all the possible pans and bowls making more noise than a battalion, or maybe the fact that she slept through her alarm and missed her morning coffee, to rush and open the shop in time.
But Cassandra is cranky, very annoyed, walking the thin line of murder.
And she chooses this particular morning to not keep her mouth shut.
As she is preparing the usual tea for the Snow Queen, she hears her tone raise a little more than the usual, she isn’t having a good day either.
“Gerda, seriously, it’s his job… no, of course I know how Weselton is… but I thought we were past this childish behavior.” She huffs, her fingers tapping the counter in annoyance. “Sooner or later he will have to accept that I am not my father… and that he answers to me now. Is it so hard for him to have a woman in charge?”
Cassandra slides the cover on the cup and something in her brain just snaps, because sleep-deprivation is awful and being without coffee even more, and she is not in the mood for dealing with men and their stupid tantrums first thing in the morning.
“You should tell him that if he doesn’t wanna do his job because he won’t answer to a woman, you’ll call his wife, she surely will be able to do his job better than him.”
It takes her a few seconds to realize she said that out loud.
Oh no.
Grimacing, she slowly raises her head from the register, embarrassed to even look at her.
This time the woman’s blue eyes are not on her phone, her cup, or anything else. This time they are focused entirely on her, surprise written all over them, and Cassandra is ashamed. So ashamed she wishes the ground will open and swallow her whole.
But there is something else aside from shock, there is curiosity.
Then miraculously the blonde chuckles. Like actually chuckles before she restrains herself, biting her lip.
For a moment she instinctively pulls the phone away from her ear a few inches, then clears her throat at her interlocutor. “Yeah, I’m still here…”
She shoots a glance at Cassandra, who is still staring at her dumbfounded. “You know Gerda, I’ll deal with him later. I’ll be there shortly, see you soon.” Then as graceful as ever, she ends the call, putting her phone down on the counter next.
Not leaving once Cassandra’s eyes.
Cassandra is questioning all her life choices right now, contemplating the option of bolting out and hiding in the kitchen, or throwing herself at this woman’s feet.
Is it me or did she just get 50 times more attractive?
And she is now looking at her.
Woman up, Cassandra.
She has to say something. “I am very sorry, that was totally out of line… I don’t know what came over me. I… The tea is on the house.”
The Snow Queen doesn’t seem annoyed, there is a shadow of a smile on her face, almost childlike, it makes her look younger. “Maybe out of line was exactly what I needed.”
She grabs the cup with a sigh, the tension in her shoulders starting to loosen up.
“In that case…” Cassandra leans on the counter, “glad to have been of service.”
Wow Cass, dignity not found 404
“Thanks.” She replies shyer grasping tighter her cup, as if she has just realized she is talking to a total stranger. “For the assistance and… the tea. And I would still like to pay for it, you have nothing to apologize for...”
She takes out her perfectly organized wallet, that Cassandra has seen more times than she could count and slides the money to the counter. As always, exactly the right amount, she has never needed to take out any change with her.
“Anytime.” Cassandra shrugs picking it up, not even counting it. “Even if you don’t strike me as the type who needs assistance.”
The Snow Queen takes the compliment with a flicker of satisfaction in her eyes as she takes back her phone to put it back in her pocket. She starts to move to leave but hesitates, stopping on her tracks to turn back and look at Cassandra. “Can I… Can I ask you something?”
“Yeah, sure.” Cassandra narrows her eyes, she doesn’t know what to expect, everything in this woman is a complete mystery. Just the fact that they are talking today is a miracle itself.
“You used a different flavor on Monday, didn’t you? What was that?”
Of course she noticed.
Stunning and perceptive, what a dangerous combination.
“Oh, yeah the green one I usually pick for you was finished… and I opted for one with hawthorn berry. I didn’t mention it, I hope it didn’t suck. Don’t worry though, I restocked the green tea.”
She shakes her head, it’s the first time Cassandra sees her so unsure, almost anxious. “No, I… I liked it actually. Can you give me that one next time?”
“Okay, I’ll save it for you.” Cassandra doesn’t know why she is so pleased of herself, and for something so stupid as picking the right flavor of tea, but she still is.
The Snow Queen tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. “Thank you and… see you tomorrow.”
“Bye.” Cassandra’s goodbye is so quiet she doubts she has even heard it.
The door closes behind the blonde in a quiet movement, Cassandra lingers with her gaze longer than she should, but she can’t help it. And if she smiles a little to herself, it’s totally a coincidence.
*****************************************
From that day on something shifts, their dynamic changes.
The glances between them get more frequent and longer, the brief smiles they give each other are different, they are not strictly polite, almost seeming friendly.
When she feels particularly bold, Cassandra sometimes even lets herself brush her fingers with hers when she hands her the tea, but every time she does that, in her mind she blames it as an accident.
And she starts to notice how when the Snow Queen comes to place her order, she pays less and less attention to her phone.
It’s probably dumb and Cassandra doesn’t dare to hope, but won’t deny she secretly enjoys it, even if it means getting teased by Rapunzel.
“Aw, you have a crush, Cass.”
“I do not.”
“You were smiling.”
“How was your girlfriend today?”
“She is not my girlfriend.”
“She might be you’ll just give her your number.”
“Raps, did you buy the hawthorn tea?”
“Yeah, we have like six boxes of it, why can’t you deal normally with you crush and ask her out, instead of compulsive buying weird tea?”
Rapunzel has a point, but Cassandra is too stubborn to agree with her and will take this to her grave.
****************************************************
The day something else changes, it begins with her being late.
It’s past 7.30, almost 8, Cassandra keeps eyeing the clock on the wall, or actually glaring at it, and can’t help but feel a little uneasy. She didn’t show up, unlikely of her, because it’s Thursday and not a festive day. She should have stopped by a while ago.
Cassandra tries not to feel disappointed about it, trying being the key word.
She doesn’t have the time to dwell on it, with the shop slowly beginning to crowd, as it usually does from this hour on. A line forms in front of the counter, and Cassandra gets to work with a shrug, accepting the fact that today she apparently has to start the day without seeing her. It’s not like they have a date or whatever.
It’s past 10 the next time she looks up at the clock.
She passes from client to client, serving people mechanically, barely paying attention, so lost in her thoughts, she doesn’t notice a familiar figure stepping in front of her, leaning casually against the counter.
“Hello Cassie.” That voice snaps her out of her daze. She recognizes it with a grimace, then sighs, preparing herself to a not very welcomed conversation.
“Good morning, sir… what can I get you?”
“Come on Cassie, you don’t have to pretend. You know it’s Garrett… A large americano, and if you are feeling more eager today… your number with it.”
You can’t hit him in public. You can’t hit him in public. You can’t hit him in public. You can’t hit him in public.
Cassandra has painfully gotten used to his behavior, telling him multiple times she is not interested, but this man keeps coming back, and worse, doesn’t seem to get the hint, no matter how many times she shoots him down. She really wishes she could punch him in the face.
Still, she goes to prepare the coffee hastily, resisting the urge to spit in it.
Rapunzel seems to sense her uneasiness, looking up at her from the table she is serving with a concerned frown and mouthing: Do you need help?
As much as she appreciates her friend’s concern, Cassandra shakes her head, mouthing back I got this. Because she does, it will take more than a Garrett to get on her nerves.
With the most fake smile she can muster, she turns and puts the coffee down on the counter, probably too forcefully. “Here is your coffee, and no, Garrett… I am not giving you my number.”
“Come on, Cassie.” The nickname makes her cringe hard, while he stalls, fidgeting with his cup. The people around them are starting to notice something is going on. “How much are you gonna keep me waiting?”
“If I had any intention to keep you waiting I would tell you. But since I am not, I am going with forever.”
A few chuckles come from some clients, but he doesn’t seem bothered by it. “You are missing out, let me tell you.”
“I am really not. Because, as I told you before… I’ma lesbian.”
“But sexuality is only a concept, Cassie.”
Cassandra smacks her hand on the counter and closes her eyes, deeply breathing through her nose, praying God, if there is one, that a lightning bolt strikes him, or herself. Anything to put an end to her misery.
She doesn’t care if it’s cruel, she just wants this to be over.
Then suddenly she hears someone clearing their throat. “Excuse me?”
And the strangest thing is that she knows that voice.
In fact, there she is in all her cold beauty, the Snow Queen herself, and on top of everything, addressing her harasserdirectly.
“Can I do something for you, honey? Pardon me, I’m busy now, give me five minutes and I’ll be all yours.”
Wow. Consistent.
As he gives her back to her, her eye faintly twitches and she coughs again, and Cassandra could swear it sounds different now, firmer. She feels the need to straighten herself.
“This won’t take much of your time.”
Garrett moves to her again. “What?”
She smiles, but it’s not right, Cassandra knows the way she smiles, and it’s not the one she has been giving Cassandra lately, the more open one, but neither is the polite one.
She starts to speak again slowly: “Are you familiar with the word lesbian? It’s okay if you are not, it actually has a very simple meaning. It means that a woman is interested only in other women.” She sounds a lot like a mother trying to teach her toddler a lesson.
Cassandra’s jaw almost drops, not believing her eyes and ears. But judging by the snickers and the quiet whistles in the room, she is not the only one who heard that.
Under her piercing blue gaze Garrett looks smaller now, and much to Cassandra’s delight, getting flustered. “I know what it means.” He tries to dismiss with a laugh, but it doesn’t work, it’s like seeing someone going against a wall made of stone. And Cassandra can’t wait to watch him crash.
The Snow Queen slightly tilts her head to the side. “Then which word is giving you trouble? Is it no?”
This time Cassandra can’t resist and breaks into a laugh, the blonde shooting her a brief glance, trying to suppress a smile herself.
Garrett narrows his eyes and takes a step forward towards her, making her instinctively take one back. When she collides with the counter, just like that Cassandra’s laughter dies in throat, something in her brain screaming in alert instead.
“Listen, miss. I don’t know who you think you are coming here and-”
“Alright now, that’s enough.” Cassandra’s voice raises a little, making everyone turn to look at her, but she has eyes only for one in particular. She has both her hands on the counter, hoping to look threatening, because that’s exactly what she is going for right now.
She is tired of shooting him down, of trying to be nice because she doesn’t want to put her friend’s shop in jeopardy, of him not listening to a word she says, and especially him keeping chasing her like she is a prey just waiting to be caught in one of his traps, because she is not.
“Listen to me Garrett, listen to me very carefully. I would think twice about what you are going to say next.”
She is just mad right now and frankly… very tired of his bullshit.
“I have been patient with you, very patient, and you are very lucky I didn’t meet you outside of this place… because if it had been for me, I would have decked your ass weeks ago.”
Someone even whistles, but she doesn’t give a damn, just wanting to give him a lesson.
“But now I am really done with this, and I am done with you. If you say one more word against my client, waste my time in any other way, or if you even come back here, I will personally escort you out of this place. And by escort, I mean throw you out, literally. Believe me, I can. I am a professional martial artist, I know taekwondo, I can even wield a sword for fuck’s sake... If I wanted, I could break every bone of your body without even breaking a sweat.”
And to make her point she even leans forward and smiles at him, it’s not a nice smile, but Cassandra doesn’t want to be nice. “Have I made myself clear?”
He looks scared right now and judging by the way he is eyeing the people glaring at him, he is starting to get he is not exactly rooted for.
Thankfully, he has the common sense to back down, starting to pull away, he is almost out of the door, when Cassandra acts impulsively, grabbing his forgotten coffee and running around the counter. The people in the room part to let her pass as she shouts: “Wait!”
He is outside now, but Cassandra won’t let anything stop her, especially something so flimsy as a door.
She swiftly opens it, and he makes the mistake of turning: the coffee is thrown at him at a speed that is almost unhuman and soon he is drenched, spitting liquid like he took a dive in a lake.
“You forgot your coffee.” After saying it, she slams the door with a thud.
It takes a few beats, then the clapping starts. And the cheers.
Cassandra can’t pretend she doesn’t enjoy it a little and makes a small bow, relishing in the moment.
Rapunzel has even gone to the kitchen to pick up her frying pan. “You know, if you hadn’t thrown him out, I would have smacked him.”
“I know you would have.”
“Great work.”
She sticks her hand out, that Cassandra doesn’t hesitate to high five.
“Nothing thrills me more than threatening men. Now, show’s over, back to places. This thing doesn’t run itself.”
Rapunzel walks back to kitchen giggling all the way in, and Cassandra goes back to the register, preparing herself for the next client. This time, more relaxed and definitely with a much better attitude.
And of course, the next client is her.
Maybe there really is a God.
The adrenaline is still running through her veins, so she doesn’t stop thinking too much about what she says to her. “There you are… we’re late today.”
“I am. Sorry about that, can I still get my tea?” She too looks and sounds lighter, less collected than usual, apparently standing up to jerks has that effect.
“You can get anything you want.” Cassandra hears the words leave her mouth too late to stop them. She knows how they must sound, but whatever, she is on a roll today.
She turns to prepare it, it’s like a second nature to her at this point, it comes at easy as breathing. As she puts the cup on the counter in front of her, she even hazards a grin. “This time it really is on the house, you know, for the assistance...”
Something flickers in her gaze, but it’s too fast to catch.
“Not like you needed it anyway, you don’t strike me as the type who needs assistance.” She parrots her own words at her, taking a sip at her tea smoothly.
Oh my God, take me right now.
Her eyebrow quirks. “Professional martial artist?”
Cassandra wrinkles her nose. “Yup, and… the other things too. All in the curriculum...” She doesn’t like to flaunt and tries to dismiss it, but it’s difficult when a pair of pretty blue eyes is looking at you. And especially if the owner of said eyes says: “Impressive.”
It should be Cassandra the one bragging about her skills, yet she is the one feeling impressed, she doesn’t recognize her today, hell, she doesn’t even recognize herself right now. Maybe she should just really ask her out and be done with it.
The moment she thinks about it, really thinks about it, it’s like her inhibitions come back in full force. She straightens herself, shaking her head to snap out of those silly ideas, suddenly more aware of what is really happening. “Well… anyway, thanks.”
She seems to do the same, slipping back into her polished stance as quickly as she blinks. “Oh I… you are welcome. Again, you didn’t need it… but I am glad I could help.”
She starts to pull away, and Cassandra is already dreading her leaving, she doesn’t know what comes over her, but her mouth opens on its own accord one more time. “See you tomorrow, don’t be late.”
Cassandra could smack herself right now. Hit her head on the wall and it would hurt less.
Instead, a sight to behold, the Snow Queen faintly blushes. “I won’t, see you tomorrow.”
And before one of them could say anything more, she gracefully walks away, almost bolting out of the place, leaving an absolutely smitten Cassandra.
Damn what a woman.
Then realization dawns on her like a punch in the face, but since the feeling is not enough, she actually smacks her forehead with her hand, hard.
“I am such an idiot…”
“Oh, don’t I know that.”
Cassandra raises her head and finds herself staring at her best friend’s smug face, waving a tray a few mere inches from her face. “You forgot to ask her name, Cass. Her name.”
“Raps… please don’t rub it in.”
“I’m serious, Cass. At this pace you will probably get old before you actually ask her out.”
“Rapunzel!”
******************************************
It’s still early at the shop, they are opening in a bunch of minutes, and since yesterday Rapunzel has not stopped talking about how today Cassandra’s chance is, and has to talk to her properly, once and for all. Because it’s getting ridiculous, and maybe a little pathetic.
Saying that Cassandra couldn’t wait for today would be an understatement. She is sure now, she needs to get her head out of her ass and finally be forward. It’s not like she has to ask her to marry her, she just wants to know her name at least.
She doesn’t want to refer to her as the Snow Queen anymore, it’s actually far from the truth by now, because how can you keep calling someone the Snow Queen when they have the warmest smile ever seen?
That sounded so stupid. Yup, I am screwed. Royally screwed.
And Rapunzel doesn’t cut her some slack whatsoever. “Remember, Cass. Eyes on the prize.” She points two fingers at her own eyes then at her. “You can do this.”
“Can you not refer to her as the prize?”
“The prize is not her, silly. It’s her name, and you have to focus.” She grabs her face, squeezing her cheeks. “I don’t know what’s happening to you, you have never been so clumsy. Must be a pretty serious crush.”
At the word crush Cassandra jolts back, batting away from her best friend’s grasp. “It’s not a crush.”
“Cass… it’s okay to admit you like someone. It’s not the end of the world.”
“I don’t like her!” She shrugs trying to deflect, but the brunette doesn’t seem convinced. “She is just a regular client, and it would be weird not to know her name by now…”
Rapunzel is half amused half exhausted, tiredly rubbing her forehead. “Who are you trying to fool, me or you?”
She has never heard Cassandra shriek, but apparently there is a first for everything.
“Come on, Cass.” She moves closer to her and boops her nose. “Admit it.”
“She is… cute.” Cassandra finally concedes through her teeth, purposely avoiding her best friend’s gaze afterwards. Seeing her so flustered makes Rapunzel giggle.
“Yeah, sure Cass. Cute, that’s exactly I would go for.”
“Ugh fine. What do you want me to say? That she is pretty? Because let me tell you, she is not. I am pretty, you are pretty, that woman is drop dead gorgeous! Like stunningly beautiful, out-of-this-world-breathtaking. Pretty doesn’t even begin to cover it!”
She feels better after having admitted it, more relaxed, so she doesn’t stop there. “And she is not only the hottest woman I have ever seen, she is also nice, tremendously nice, and funny, and sharp, I’m pretty sure that if she wanted she could probably make everyone bow down to her and call her queen.”
After her outburst, she takes a deep breath, slowly starting to realize with horror what just happened. She closes her eyes and bits her lip in embarrassment, dreading the moment she would eventually have to look at her friend’s face. When she finally does, she is met by a beaming Rapunzel.
Cassandra knows well that expression, it’s the I-love-love-and-feelings-and-all-gushy-things, and she usually finds it quirky and adorable, but now that it is referred to her, she really isn’t a big fan of it.
“Raps, please don’t say anything…”
The warning falls on deaf ears. “It’s so beautiful…”
Cassandra is really being tested this morning.
Then she feels herself being wrapped into a tight bear hug, seriously, how Rapunzel can be so tiny and so strong at the same time will never cease to amaze her. “I am so happy for you...” She gushes in her shoulder.
Cassandra can’t do anything but gently pat her on the arm. “Yeah, yeah, okay you won. Don’t start planning the wedding yet.”
“No promises.”
Cassandra rolls her eyes.
“She won’t be able to resist you, I know it.” Rapunzel excitedly nudges her in the side, a snort escaping Cassandra before she could stop it. “Sure thing, Raps.”
“I mean it.” She put her hands on her hips staring at her with a serious expression. “You are the baddest butch in town.”
“Did you mean baddest bitch?”
“Did I stutter?”
Sometimes Rapunzel can be overbearing, terribly annoying, and too much cheerful for Cassandra’s taste, she still has no idea how they became friends in the first place. But sometimes, sometimes, Rapunzel can be kind of amazing, and Cassandra is glad she has her in her life.
******************************************
When the door opens with a ding Cassandra shoots upright.
The blonde comes in in a few careful steps, today a few locks of hair have escaped her braid and they are framing her face in a gentler way. Her phone is nowhere to be found.
By the time she has reached the counter, Cassandra has already opened her mouth. “Hi.”
She probably has never sounded softer, surprising even herself, but seeing the way the smile opens on the other’s face, she thinks that maybe it was worth it.
“Hi.”
“The usual?”
She nods. “Yes, please.”
“Coming right up.”
While she fumbles through the cups and picks the teabag without even looking, she hears a faint tap on the counter.
“So… how are you today?”
Cassandra has been all over the place for an entire day, but apparently, she has decided to do the first move and ease things for her. She can’t lose this chance.
“No jerks in sight for now. But the day is still long, I don’t want to push my luck.”
She hums in response. “What happened yesterday… does it happen often to you?”
“Enough to make me lose my faith in humanity… not like there was much of it to begin with.”
Cassandra turns, putting between them the cup, dreading the fact that now she can’t hide herself anymore.
“They usually stop when I tell them I’m gay, the few who keep insisting though… I have to be firmer.”
“And the one from yesterday is an example of the second category?”
“Oh no, he is so much worse, he classifies as unbearablemenace, those are the kind who need a little push to get the hint.” As she says it, she lets herself lean beside the register.
The Snow Queen on the other hand lightly chuckles, sipping from her tea without looking at her, before turning back to her usual pensiveness. “He… he called you Cassie or something? You looked really upset when he said that.”
Cassandra shrugs. “Oh yeah, it’s a stupid nickname he gave me. We don’t have nametags here, so one day he heard my friend saying my name, and he started calling me Cassie. I hate it, I absolutely hate it.”
She doesn’t know why she tells her, can’t explain it, but it feels easy talking to her. Too easy.
This is the first time they are actually having a conversation, a long one, and since Rapunzel has decided to practically vanish, seriouslyno idea where she has been hiding for the past minutes, Cassandra is more aware how it’s just the two of them here now, no one can interrupt them.
Her response comes like a lightning bolt. “Then which is it?”
Cassandra blinks. “What?”
“Your name.”
As simple as that.
She wants to know my name.
“Cassandra.”
Her blue eyes flicker.
How does she do that?
“In that case… thank you Cassandra, for yesterday.”
Cassandra can’t believe her ears. “Why are you thanking me? You stepped up to help me, I should be the one thanking you.”
“You could handle it.”
“Maybe…” She tilts her head staring her down. “The reason why I intervened it’s because I can’t really back down from a fight, and I loathe jerks. But from what I could tell, you were doing just fine without me.”
The blonde huffs. “I have had to deal with a lot of disrespectful men in my life, especially at work.”
She could simply agree, but something in her pushes to go further. She wants to ask questions, to know more about her.
“That reminds me, did that idiot who didn’t want to do his job gave in? What was it, Weaselton?” She hopes it doesn’t feel too forward, but they are talking about something they have shared, it could be considered an inside joke at this point, but maybe she sounds too nosy. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop but-”
There is something playful forming on the Snow Queen’s face now as she starts giggling, it’s adorable and a little distracting for Cassandra. “You mean Weselton.”
“Still a stupid name if you ask me.”
“Well, actually… I fired him.” She says lightly, like it’s nothing major, settling her tea on the counter for a second.
Cassandra can’t hold back, breaking into a laugh. She really is one of a kind. “That serves him up right.”
Soon the other is laughing too, always in her graceful, collected manner. “It surely does. My voicemail is full now though, so there is a bad side to it.”
“I can’t say I feel sorry for him. And that proves my point too.”
She quirks an eyebrow. “What point?”
“There is nothing harmless about you.”
Okay, maybe Cassandra is flirting. Maybe she isn’t going to ask directly for her number because she doesn’t want to overstep. But that doesn’t mean she won’t at least try… in a more subtle way.
And she must know that, she is extremely perceptive.
The silence breaks, when a loud unmistakable ringtone startles them both.
She swiftly takes her phone out and answers: “Yeah? Yeah, I’m on my way…”
Cassandra has never hated more an object in her entire life.
Judging by her body language, the Snow Queen must have realized it’s getting late, she is slipping into work mode before Cassandra’s eyes, much to her dismay. But she can’t do much about it, can’t blame her either, it’s not like she can keep her here all day.
Whoever she is talking to, she is walking them through something, and it’s clear that she is needed. As she speaks, she takes out the wallet from her bag, Cassandra reluctantly collects her money, taking her time to put it in the register. Maybe the slower she moves, the later she is going to leave.
Then the Snow Queen ends her call, she doesn’t look thrilled either, and when she turns to her, Cassandra knows their time for today is up.
“I have to go, thanks for the tea.”
“Of course.” She feels herself blushing, opting to shake it off with a joke. “Go, take no shit.”
“I never do…” her laugh fills her ears, “and I sincerely hope you don’t meet any unbearable menaces today.”
“A girl can dream.”
As she is in the process of leaving, Cassandra freezes, realizing that she can’t let leave without asking something important.
“Wait!” In the rush her voice has raised a couple of octaves, she makes the blonde stop with her hand on the handle. “What… what is-”
“Elsa.” She breathes. “My name is Elsa.”
And once again before Cassandra could say another word, she exits, the room falling silent once more, as if she has never been there in the first place.
Rapunzel is so quiet and sneaky, that Cassandra doesn’t hear her approaching, until she is basically behind her. “That went well.”
And of course, it scares the shit out of her.
“Jesus, Raps! What the hell.” She brings a hand to her chest to calm herself down, but to no use, the brunette grabs her by the arm and starts shaking her. “I knew you could do it! And I never would have taken you for such a good flirt too, great work.”
“I didn’t… I wasn’t… Not too heavily at least...” Rapunzel doesn’t believe her, and honestly, she doesn’t quite believe herself either.
“Sure, Cass, you talk to everyone like that… You got her name, this is great!”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t make a big deal out of this. It’s just a name, besides… she asked me first.”
“That means…” she narrows her eyes in a complicit way, “she’s interested too.”
“Or that she is polite.”
Rapunzel groans bumping her forehead on her shoulder. “You are so dense…”
As she gently pulls away from her grasp, she shakes her head. “Just being realistic here.”
“You want realistic? Okay.” She points a finger at her face, making Cassandra back down a couple steps. “She has been coming here every day… and for all this time you two have been smiling at each other like a couple of teenagers…”
“We are not!”
“Cassandra, she started coming here long before you ever did, and she never, ever, smiled like that. She didn’t smile at all.”
That makes Cassandra shut up at once.
Rapunzel takes it as a victory and an invitation to continue. “She stepped up when that dummy tried to hit on you. She told you she was sorry for being late yesterday... and today she came here, started talking to you and asked for your name. She didn’t even wait for you to ask for hers, she just gave it to you! What more proof do you want?”
Cassandra can’t argue with that logic, and despite all these signs pointing into one clear direction, she still can’t wrap her mind around the fact that it could actually be a possibility. Because nothing makes sense, they are completely different, what could they remotely have in common? What could possibly find in her someone like Elsa?
The thing is though, she doesn’t know if she could be interested in her, and she can’t know for sure unless she asks, which she won’t because boundaries. But Rapunzel is right about one thing, there is a strange tension between them, and she does know her name now too.
Elsa.
“It has a nice ring.” She finds herself saying.
Rapunzel looks at her perplexed “What?”
“Elsa. It suits her. Kinda fancy don’t you think?”
It takes a beat, then two, then three. Then Rapunzel smacks her on the arm.
“Ouch, Raps!”
“Your crush is so big it can be seen from space.”
“It’s a perfectly reasonable crush thank you very much.”
“Aha! So you admit there is a crush!”
“I can’t… not say there isn’t a… mild interest.”
Rapunzel looks unimpressed, she blinks once, twice, before sighing. “Oh my god, let me get back to my cookies before I hit you with my pan.”
She strolls back to the kitchen shaking her head, Cassandra still trying to weakly argue with her. “You know? Sure, go ahead. Maybe it will help you, I think you have a little problem called repressed rage.”
“The only thing repressed here is you, my friend!”
And for the second time today, Cassandra shrieks.
***************************************
It’s Sunday, a chill day at the coffee shop, and surprisingly Cassandra is in a good mood.
Today Eugene, Rapunzel’s boyfriend, has come to help, and is now currently working at the register. Even if defining it working is a bit of a stretch, because between one order and the other, he keeps smirking and teasing every client who comes up to him, slowing down the line.
But apparently, he is such an entertainment that no one is complaining.
She would deny it until her last breath, but despite being a huge pain in the ass, Cassandra considers him a friend, like an annoying older brother. And today he took her place at the counter, so she is busy helping out Rapunzel collecting orders and serving at the tables.
Maybe the only thing that really bothers Cassandra today is the noise, the shop is a little more crowded than usual, there are people chattering and moving around, and she should be happy of it, that Rapunzel’s place is becoming a hit, but her introvert self is screaming inside.
She is cleaning up a table, humming to herself, when the door opens letting inside an unexpected but very welcomed face, and Cassandra can’t help but freeze on the spot like a deer in the headlights.
Shit.
Elsa isn’t supposed to be here, not on the weekend, yet she is.
She is dressed differently today, the suit is gone, instead replaced by a more comfortable attire, remaining perfectly polished and elegant with a blue jumper and white pants. The signature braid is still there.
Great, we went from hot to absolutely adorable. Get a woman who can do both, indeed.
Surprisingly, she is not alone today, a redhead girl trailing after her almost bouncing. She is slightly shorter than her, but so joyful, her presence easily fills the room.
The most unexpected thing seeing Elsa smiling, but it’s not timid, not even one of those secret smiles she reserves to Cassandra. It’s wide, open, carefree… it lightens up all her face.
Cassandra has never seen her so at ease, it looks good on her.
She turns, giving her back at the door, but she is so lost in her thoughts, she doesn’t notice Rapunzel passing through and walks straight into her.
“Woah Cass, you okay?” Cassandra is definitely not okay, and Rapunzel notices it right away. “What is it? What happened?”
“She is here.” She mutters through her teeth with widened eyes.
“Who?”
In response Cassandra points at the newcomer with a little tilt of her head, Rapunzel’s gaze following the direction and soon softening in understanding.
“Oh. Her.”
“Why is she here? She is not supposed to be here on the weekend.”
“Is it such a bad thing?” Rapunzel pokes her with her notepad. “Maybe she is here for you.”
“Raps be serious, she is here with someone.”
“She might be a friend. And you should still go say hi.”
“No… is she coming this way?”
“I don’t think she saw you… oh now she definitely did.” The brunette waves. “Hello, welcome back!”
“No, Rapunzel, no.” She hisses trying to stop her, but it’s too late, she has already left, and is approaching her in a few light steps.
Cassandra is considering the possibility of fleeing to another country. But she should at least get Rapunzel away from Elsa before she does something that will embarrass her.
In fact, her best friend, being the epitome of friendliness, is smiling widely and introducing herself to the Snow Queen, who passes from a moment of startlement to a warm expression, and her companion, who welcomes her, if that’s even possible, with as much glee as her.
Then Rapunzel turns to Cassandra’s direction, and being as subtle as a hammer, she gestures at her to reach them and shouts giddily: “Cassandra, look who is here!”
Cassandra wants to die, but mostly she wants to kill her best friend, for putting her in the spotlight like this. She can’t run from this now, so sighing loudly, starts walking towards them.
“It’s so good to finally meet you, you have been a regular here for so long I feel like I already know you!” She hears Rapunzel gush as she approaches, fearing and expecting the moment they will finally notice her.
She comes to a stop right beside her best friend, crossing her arms and silently praying that no one will see her. Obviously, her prayers go unanswered, Elsa’s soft voice drags her back to reality in a snap of fingers. “Hello Cassandra.”
“Hi...”
They stay quiet for a bit, not knowing what to do beside eyeing each other in awkward silence, thankfully, miraculously, Elsa appears almost as flustered as she is.
Until someone decides to break it to make a stop to this exhausting tiptoeing, that someone being the feisty redhead, who literally reaches for Cassandra’s hand and starts shaking it forcefully. “So you are the famous Cassandra! I am so happy to finally meet you, I’m Anna!”
There are so many wrong things in that sentence.
Famous? Finally meet?
She blinks at her, dumbfounded. “W…what?”
Rapunzel unceremoniously gives her a shoulder nudge, making her stumble in surprise, and out of her idiocy to glare at her. She hisses in a whisper: “What the hell, Raps?”
Her brunette friend simply smiles, answering through her teeth. “Cass, this is Anna, Elsa’s sister.”
Cassandra needs to reboot her brain to process this new piece of information. It takes two, maybe three seconds, before she can finally grasp the meaning of it.
Her sister.
She widens her eyes and tightens the grip on her hand. “Oh, oh. Hi, I’m Cass.”
“I know.”
The way she says it leaves Cassandra even more perplexed, but she doesn’t have the time to unpack all of that, because Elsa steps forward, yanking her sister back with her arm. “Anna.”
“I didn’t say anything…”
Elsa just shoots her a panicked look, and Anna catches the message right away.
“Okay… shutting up now.”
Cassandra and Rapunzel follow the silent conversation between the two sisters with raised eyebrows.
Cassandra tries to pull herself together after a quick cough. “So, what… what are you doing here? You don’t usually come on weekends.”
Now she will think you don’t want her here, you are doing amazing, Cass. Bloody idiot.
“Not like you can’t come here on weekends! You totally can, you can do whatever you want...” She rushes to explain herself.
Since Elsa is taking her time to answer, her sister takes advantage of it to cut in: “Oh that’s my fault actually. She told me so much about this place, that I wanted to see it with my own eyes.” She talks so fast, that is barely impossible to keep up fully. “She works a lot, so I told her Come on Elsa, you need a break. Let’s go have breakfast together. Where there is that cute-”
“Place!” Elsa finishes her sentence for her before she could. “That cute place where I always come to get my morning tea. Right, Anna?”
Anna nods enthusiastically. “Yes! yes, absolutely.” She is biting her lip, almost trying to prevent herself from laughing.
Cassandra doesn’t know what to think, this is literally the weirdest conversation she has ever been part of, she feels like she is missing something.
Elsa laughs nervously and addresses Rapunzel. “You really do have a lovely place here.”
“Thank you, oh my gosh you are so nice.”
“Do you have a free table for us? And please tell me you have something with chocolate. A massive amount of chocolate.” Anna pleads with big puppy eyes.
Talking about work, that’s a safe place, Cassandra can totally do that. “Oh yeah, sure. Rapunzel bakes a terrific cake, or cookies, if you prefer.”
“Cake! Yes cake, we’ll take the cake!”
“Come on then, follow me…” Rapunzel tucks Anna with her arm around her shoulder, “I like you, I’ll give you the best table and the best piece of my cake.”
“I think we are gonna be great friends.”
“Oh same.”
Both girls run away together, leaving Cassandra and Elsa alone to deal with each other. Before they could fall again into silence, Cassandra decides to play it safe and comments: “That’s your sister.”
“Yup.”
“She is…”
“Crazy?”
“I was gonna say intense.”
“She kinda is...” Elsa rubs her forehead, there is a fond smile on her face, it’s clear she loves her deeply even if she drives her crazy. She timidly raises her head to meet Cassandra’s eyes. “Sorry about all of… that, she means well.”
On her part Cassandra can’t help but tease: “Really though? Chocolate? You barely put sugar in your tea.”
“Well, my sister is the one with the sweet tooth and I… I am partial to chocolate.”
Her expression is so adorable, so far from her usual controlled self, that Cassandra can’t decide if she wants to scream or kiss her right there, but unfortunately, she can’t do either, settling instead for quietly chuckling. “Then you have come to the right place. Come on, now. I don’t trust those two together.”
“You are probably right.”
The moment the sisters are both seated at their table, Cassandra almost sighs a breath of relief. But she was stupid to assume it was safe, she really thought she was going to make it. Rapunzel is her best friend, she is supposed to have her back, and yet.
“Sorry guys, I really wish I could stay. But I have to get back to work. It has been nice meeting you. Elsa, Anna, I’ll leave you in Cassandra’s good hands, bye!” She even squeezes her shoulders before bolting, abandoning Cassandra right there, alone, with her crush and her incredibly friendly crush’s sister. Both staring at her.
It’s fine. She is fine.
She tries not to think about the fact that the table Rapunzel picked for them is actually in Rapunzel’s sector, she is not gonna focus on that, otherwise she would go, and use that pan Rapunzel loves to wave around and smack something with it. But she is not gonna do that, because she is a calm, rational person, perfectly capable of controlling herself. Especially if Elsa is here.
It wouldn’t look great.
Maybe on break. Then Rapunzel will hear her.
Anna leans on her hand, studying her from head to toe, making Cassandra feel weirdly under scrutiny, so she picks her notepad out of her pocket, clicking her pen as a distraction. “So, what can I get you?”
Anna doesn’t answer, and the smug expression on her face doesn’t help. This is really starting to get on Cassandra’s nerves, she is not a lab rat.
She is about to snap at her, when Elsa intervenes: “Just two pieces of the chocolate cake, please.”
Cassandra doesn’t miss how she keeps shooting nervous glances to her sister. She appears on the edge today, nervously tucking the same lock of hair behind her ear. Cassandra has never seen her like that, it’s worrying and a little bit endearing at the same time.
And just her voice works like a charm, all her annoyance has disappeared into thin air.
“Anything else? Do you… do you want me to make your usual tea too?”
Cheeks faintly reddening, Elsa gives her another one of her small smiles. “That would be lovely, thank you.”
At this point it goes without saying Cassandra is not having a gay panic, the gay panic is having her. It has been holding her hostage for the past months and turning her into a first-grade dumbass.
Honestly, she passed the line of dignity a while ago now. She jumped that fence like a deer.
She barely manages not to squeak when she speaks again: “Okay… I’ll be right back.”
*****************************************
Cassandra brought the tray with their orders at least half an hour ago and opted for a safe and cowardly retreat, hiding behind her trusted counter, yet despite her best intentions, her eyes have barely left that cursed table. And she is lucky that for some miracle there is no line, or any customer needing attention, a rare peaceful moment of the day, so she can keep doing her studying the situation in peace.
The bad side though, is that Eugene is there.
“Hey Cass, how is the patrol?”
She groans, hoping that ignoring him will make him go away, but he doesn’t budge, his face opening in a smirk worthy of the Cheshire cat. “Is that her?”
Cassandra grimaces, because the only way he must have known about Elsa, it’s through Rapunzel, and she is really not thrilled about it.
I am gonna kill her. I am gonna kill both of them.
This could mean relentless torment for her, Eugene would never pass the opportunity to tease her.
“I am warning you, if you say one wrong thing to her, I will murder you and make it look like an accident.”
“Relax, Cass. I am not gonna do anything… But if you need help, you know I am an expert in ladies’ compartment.”
Before she can react, he moves out of her way, and she is left with free hands and an incredible urge to slam his face on a hard surface.
“Quit it, Eugene. Unlike you, I am a professional.”
“That’s why we have you here, Cass. You handle professional, I handle fun.” His head pops up from the kitchen window, his girlfriend’s realm, where he knows Cass can’t touch him, without being scolded by Rapunzel herself. “But you seriously should work on your technique, it’s pretty rusty.”
Rapunzel decides that that is the right moment to step in. “Are we talking about Cassandra’s crush?”
Cassandra leans with her back against the counter brooding. “We are not talking about anyone’s crush.”
“Go talk to her already, you have been standing there staring at her, and it’s starting to get weird.”
“This is what I call a pining by the book, my friend.” Eugene plunges a finger in one of Rapunzel’s bowls and licks it.
“I am not pining.”
“She is totally pining.” Rapunzel wrinkles her nose and quietly laughs, making Cassandra roll her eyes.
“Cass,” Eugene points at something behind her. “I think the other one is calling for you.”
With her brow furrowed, Cassandra turns to look.
The picture she is presented to, it’s not something expected. First of all, Elsa is nowhere to be found, and secondly, alone at the table, Anna is gesturing at her to come closer. In a quite frenetic way too.
Cassandra simply shrugs and walks around the counter to reach her.
“Hey Anna, you need something?”
She shushes her with a look, and also with a forceful grab of her arm, making her crouch at her level. Cassandra almost yelps.
“Listen…” Anna stares her down with an incredibly serious look, “Elsa went to the restroom, and she is frighteningly fast, so we don’t have much time. We have to be quick.”
Cassandra doesn’t know what to do, for her sake, she chooses to simply indulge her. “Okay…”
“Great, now listen. We didn’t come here because of the place, no offence, but whocares about the place... I mean, it’s nice, Rapunzel is great, and the cake is amazing…”
“Anna, the point.”
“Right, right… as I was saying, I made her come here because of you.”
“Wait what?”
“Oh my god you are so oblivious… She likes you, okay? She likes likes you. She thinks she is sneaky about it, but she mentions you way too often. She is driving me insane! Frankly, it went from cheesy to exhausting really quickly. And she has this weird look when she does talk about you, but that’s not the point.” She vaguely waves at her face to make her understand, then plants her gaze one more time on Cassandra. “Point is, she keeps coming back here because of you, not because of that weird ass tea you make her every day, that apparently only you can make… seriously it’s really weird, where did you even find it I have no clue… and you are no better than her! You obviously like her too, and if I know my sister, and believe me… I do, she is waiting for you to do something about it. Elsa is annoyingly patient and the epitome of stubbornness, she won’t budge even if you catch her dead. So, for the love of God, please, please, please, just ask her out. Put an end on a sister’s misery.”
Cassandra can’t believe her ears.
She can’t believe how in less than a minute she has been dragged relentlessly by a complete stranger, who probably looked at her twice, and managed to expose her in the less delicate way she has ever experienced, and it’s saying a lot considering how she is basically the queen of bluntness. But especially she can’t believe that she heard with her own ears that Elsa likes her.
Like actually likes her. And is waiting for her to act on it.
I mean, she is not stupid, she can see the signs, Elsa has been blushing and smiling too often not to be noticeable, she is not completely indifferent to her. But from that to expecting Cassandra to actually do something about it is a whole other level.
Still, the only thing that makes sense that comes out from Cassandra’s mouth is: “You want me to do what?”
Anna groans.
“Everything alright?”
Both Anna and Cassandra jump out of their skin at the sudden appearance of the subject of their conversation, who on her part, keeps shifting her gaze between her and her own sister, with wariness.
And probably worry too.
Cassandra literally takes a step back, her heart losing at least a couple of beats. “Shit! You are quiet! What are you, a cat?”
Elsa raises an eyebrow.
Anna brings both her hands to her chest. “Come on Elsa! Way to sneak up on people, do you want your sister to die?”
“If you got so scared, that means you were probably doing something you knew you shouldn’t… were you, Anna?” She crosses her arms, displaying the strongest big sister energy ever witnessed by mankind, and that really makes Cassandra grateful for having been born an only child.
Anna is not so lucky, mustering a nervous smile. She probably has been caught by her sister doing things that she shouldn’t have more times than she could count. “I wasn’t doing anything, I was just… talking to Cassandra.”
“About?”
“Well… I was… asking for the check!” She blurts out fast, almost too fast. “Isn’t that right, Cass? The check?”
She is clearly expecting Cassandra to back her up, and who luckily for her, has the promptness to reply quickly: “Yeah sure, the check… In fact, I was just… going… to get it. Be right back.”
She takes this opportunity to escape, before Elsa can turn on her and read the truth on her face.
In fact, Elsa doesn’t appear convinced, and slides back on the chair across from Anna, not once breaking eye contact with her.
As she taps on the register, even from afar Cassandra can see the two girl quietly whispering something, their back and forth really is a sight to behold. There is Elsa, who looks distressed, possibly a little flustered, and who keeps hiding her face behind her hand as she talks. On the other hand there is Anna, gesticulating widely, probably trying to dodge her sister’s questioning, but betrayed by her own nervousness.
“They are talking about you.” Eugene comments appearing beside her.
“No, they aren’t.”
“Yes, they are.” Rapunzel adds.
The trio can’t deny their interest, even leaning forward as if to hear better, and Anna’s voice is too loud to ignore. “Just do it, then!”
Elsa stands abruptly, a frustrated frown on her face, making her chair lightly trembling, all three leap at once. Cassandra’s eyes widen.
“She is coming here.”
“Oh God she really is.”
“Good luck, Cass.” Eugene pats her on the shoulder.
When Elsa arrives at the counter, the couple has miraculously vanished. Cassandra knows that she can’t run from this anymore, whatever this is now.
Elsa does nothing to conceal how tense she is, instead sighing deeply and planting her gaze on her. “I have to apologize for today. For my sister, for my… behavior. I don’t know what… honestly, I don’t really know what I am apologizing for. Everything has been tremendously awkward...”
She is rambling, Elsa is rambling, that is not something Cassandra ever saw coming. “But Anna told me what she said to you, and it was not her place, that was extremely out of line, I’m truly sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
“You didn’t, don’t worry.” She gulps. “You could never bother me. Actually I… I am flattered.”
“You… are?”
“Yes.”
She shakes her head in disbelief. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure…”
“Then why haven’t you given me your number? Or asked me out?”
It comes out so fast and so unexpectedly that Cassandra thinks she has probably imagined it. But judging by the way Elsa’s face is becoming red, she is pretty sure it wasn’t a figment of her imagination.
Elsa is even averting her gaze, tracing a patter with her finger on the wood’s counter. “I’m sorry, but I mean... why haven’t you? It’s because… you are not interested? It’s okay if you are not, please just tell me, so I can-”
“Oh no. No, no, no, no, no. No.”
How many times can a person say no without seeming an idiot? Cassandra probably passed that limit, but the disappointment is reading on the other’s face is proving her that she is really being an idiot.
“Okay, I didn’t mean that harsh but…”
“No wait! That came out wrong, I am so sorry… it’s not like that, what I meant is… yes, yes, absolutely, yes.”
Elsa tilts her head. “I’m sorry, I’m confused.”
Cassandra is probably going to smack herself. She deserves it.
Why is it so difficult?
She takes a deep long breath. “What I am trying to say… really badly because clearly, I can’t from a coherent sentence today… is yes, I am interested. Very interested. So much interested. Been interested in a while.” She clarifies, because it’s really time to come forward. Enough with the tiptoeing and the excuses.
This thing has been dragging itself since forever.
Elsa blinks at her. “You… are?”
“Yes. Again, a lot.”
Elsa falls silent, it takes her one, maybe two beats, then she groans. Loudly.
“But why didn’t you say anything?”
“You would have said yes?”
“That’s not what I asked you.”
“I have wanted to do it probably two days after you took a step in here.”
“Cassandra.”
“I thought I would be overstepping!”
“You are kidding right?”
It’s official, Cassandra is a 100% certified idiot. She has basically been digging her own grave from the start.
“Okay, okay, okay… let me be perfectly clear now.” She shakes her head to properly focus, putting both hands on the counter, and looking directly at her as she speaks. “I wanted to ask you out, I really do. But I thought I would be inappropriate, because personally I think that hitting on a client is bad. Especially without consent. And I didn’t want to be like those cliché idiots who write their number on the cup…” She is basically blubbering at this point, but who cares, she has to get it out once and for all. “Not to mention, you are way out of my league. I couldn’t possibly expect you to say yes.”
“I would! I totally would! I have been waiting for you to just ask!”
“You… were?”
“Yes!”
Cassandra stares at her.
“Oh.”
“Yes, oh. And I’ll let you know, I am perfectly approachable… I am not, in absolutely no circumstance, out of your league.” Elsa rubs her temple and lets escape a chuckle. “Have I made myself clear?”
“Crystal clear.” Cassandra dips her head biting her lip.
They fall back into silence, probably waiting for the other to actually do something.
Then Cassandra moves first, with one hand reaching for the abandoned check next the register, and with the other grabbing a pen. She begins scribbling hastily, looking up once or twice at Elsa to make sure she is still there. And she is, eyeing her curiously.
When she is done, she puts the pen down, then as smoothly as she can she passes the flimsy piece of paper to her. “Your check.”
“Oh… thanks.” She sounds disappointed and perplexed even, so Cassandra feels the need to add something: “Turn it, Your Majesty.”
She doesn’t comment on the nickname, even if her face tells she really wants to, but when her eyes fall on the back of the check, where a series of numbers is displayed in a rushed calligraphy, she pierces her lips, blush on her cheeks staying firmly put, if not more evident.
“That’s…”
“Yes.”
“Well, thank you...” she teases timidly raising her eyebrows, “… took you long enough.”.
At that, Cassandra gasps outraged. “You know, if you were so eager to have it…” saying that sentence gives her an incomparable satisfaction, “you could have asked.”
Elsa leans forward and lowers her tone, as if she is telling a secret. “I thought I would be inappropriate if I asked you… I didn’t want to be like those people randomly hitting on you at work.”
That’s extremely thoughtful and frustrating at the same time, Cassandra can barely suppress a smile, she tries to casually lean on her hand. “For once, I wouldn’t have mind. At all.”
“Good to know.” She shoots her a look, and Cassandra remains partially entranced, by how much expressive she can be with just her eyes. This time though she doesn’t feel awkward, doesn’t let her gaze fall either.
At some point Elsa brings her hand to her face, hiding her mouth behind it, if that’s even possible it makes her even more unsettling in Cassandra’s opinion. A little bit hotter too.
Their charged staring contest gets quickly interrupted by the familiar voice of Anna: “Elsa! Did you get it?”
The semi smug expression falls from Elsa’s face, replaced by plain embarrassment. “Anna!”
“Come on sis, please tell me you did it!”
She turns to her and hisses, loud enough for her to hear. “Yes Anna… please stop...”
Anna doesn’t stop, instead she raises both her arms in a cheer. “Yes! That’s my sister!”
If Elsa could, she would hide her entire face behind her hand, but unfortunately for her, she can’t.
She coughs. “I… I think it got pretty late, and we really should go.”
“And I thought my friends loved to drag me...”
“Not like her, believe me.”
“I am not so sure about that, but I’ll take your word for now.” Cassandra grins, nothing to hide anymore. Everything has happened at this point. “You can go, you are free.”
“What about the real check?”
“Consider it a gift from me.”
Elsa raises her eyebrows, piercing her lips. “Don’t turn this into a habit, I won’t let you do it on our date.”
“We’ll fight about it then.”
She shoots her a glance that means this conversation is far from over, that means only trouble, but again, Cassandra has never been the one to run from trouble. And she can’t wait to face this one.