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Cassie quickly made her way out of the restaurant. She did not want to be there any longer than she had to. If she stayed longer, then there was the possibility of actual plans being made with Dani. And that prospect in no way appealed to Cassie. She hailed a cab and went home.
After changing into more comfortable lounge wear, Cassie sat on the couch and flipped through her notes from the meeting. Jade’s foundation was something Cassie really did want to be apart of. Working to make the world a better place, was an idea she had clung to through her childhood and into adulthood. Cassie had gotten so busy living out her passion, writing music, that she forgot about other goals she had made when she was younger.
Working with the foundation would be perfect, except for Dani. Well really Dani was not the problem. Luke was the problem. Cassie shook her head, stood up and began to pace across the floor. The man was getting on her nerves. He seemed to be creeping into her life when she did not want him there.
“What the hell is wrong with me,” Cassie said out loud and flung herself back onto the couch. She pulled her legs up and sat cross-legged.
Leaning her head back, Cassie ran her hands over her face and laughed humorlessly. At least I’m getting over Christian, she thought.
Cassie looked around the room for the third time since she came home that evening. After several rearrangements of the furniture, Cassie finally had the apartment looking like she wanted; felling like she wanted. Her eyes landed on the upright piano she had moved from one wall to where it stood in the corner. She had not played since her return from traveling the world.
Deciding it was time to become reacquainted with her old friend the piano, Cassie sat down and played a few scales and chords before she started playing a few of her favorite classical pieces. It was so easy for Cassie to get lost in the music. When she played her mind did not wander to other things such as situations with certain people.
Casie’s fingers missed a note as she was jolted out of her musical trance and her concentration broken. The phone rang. She got up from the piano and walked over to the offending object that interrupted her personal concert.
“Hello,” Cassie said into the phone annoyed.
“Hey, Cassie it’s me. Why do you sound so annoyed?” Jade asked.
“Oh, nothing. I was just playing the piano,” replied Cassie as she went to sit on the couch.
“Are you working on something new. Because if you are, I can always call back later.”
“No, I’m not. I was just playing a few pieces. What’s up?”
“What did you think about the meeting?” Jade asked.
“It went well. But I’m not sure if you really need me, so I think I might...”
“Don’t you even dare try to back out of this Cassie.” Jade warned.
“Why not?”
“Because, I know you enjoyed yourself. And I know you are into this project. After you got over your shock of seeing Dani, you had a lot of good things to say.” She explained.
“Jade...”
“No, Cassie. I won’t let you quit. Look just give it a couple of months and you’ll see. Everything will be fine. And maybe working with Dani won’t be so bad. She’s a nice person. I don’t see why we can’t all be friends.”
“Well, she’s not conspiring with someone you can’t stand now is she?” Cassie asked.
“Don’t go there Cassie. I don’t think you really feel that way about Luke. In fact I think it’s the opposite. You are afraid of what might happen if you let someone else, particularly a man, into your life again. Be it as a friend or something more than a friend. Look a couple of months is all I ask. After that, you can do whatever the hell you feel like doing.”
“Fine, fine. Whatever you want. But two months is all I’m putting into this Jade.” Cassie said.
“I don’t expect anything more. I just wish you would give him a chance. From what I’ve heard, he doesn’t sound like a bad guy.”
“What have you heard?”
“I talked with Dani for a few minutes after you and Sean left. She was telling me about Luke and how he’s one of her closest friends. It sounds like he’s really nice.” Jade explained.
“Well, it doesn’t matter. I don’t plan on running into him again anytime soon, or ever.”
“You don’t usually plan to run into someone Cassie.” Jade laughed.
“You know what I meant. I don’t need any more friends.”
“Yes, you do. I’m like the only one you have as far as I know.”
“I have other friends.” Cassie protested.
“Really, have you talked with any of them since you’ve come home? Do they know why you left? Do they know about your unwanted run-ins with Luke?”
Cassie sat quietly. Jade was right. She only had a few close friends. Most of the people she spent time with before Christian’s death and before she left were in the music industry. And since she was not writing, Cassie tried desperately to avoid the music industry altogether. That included talking with or spending time with people she once kept in close contact with.
“Look, Cassie, I know you’re trying to avoid questions about why you’ve stopped writing. But it is not healthy to have only one or two people to talk to. Being alone too long with your own thoughts can drive you crazy, and I don’t want that for you. And I know you don’t want that for you. So give Dani a chance, and give Luke a chance. Maybe they’ll both end up being good friends for you.”
“You might be right about the being alone thing, and I’ll try and reach out to some of the people I haven’t talked to in a while. But I will not give Luke a chance. There’s just... I don’t know.”
“He knows how to get a reaction out of you and you don’t like that I know. Like I said, I think that’s a good thing.”
Cassie could picture Jade smiling on the other end of the line. “Well, it doesn’t matter what you think.”
“I know, I know. Get back to your playing. Maybe inspiration will hit while you’re at it and get you out of this funk you’ve been in for the past year or so.”
“Goodbye Jade.”
“Bye Cassie.”
Cassie hung up the phone and shook her head. It was unlikely she would write anything new, but she did do as Jade suggested. She went back to the piano and took out an old book and decided to teach herself a new song.