"You know, i'm pretty sure people in Utah have telephones." Max called from the back, huffing as she carried equipment.

"Yeah, but Suzie's Mormon." Dustin said back.

"She doesn't have electricity?" Lucas gave Dustin a questionable look.

"That's the Amish." Max rolled her eyes.

"I would be so painfully sorry to not have a tv." Cassie carried one side of the cooler while Lucas had the other. "I'd weep for the loss of my Sunday programs."

"Oh god, yeah. I'd cry if you lost your Sunday programs too." Lucas cringed, shaking his head.

"What are Mormons?" Will asked.

"Super religious white people. They have electricity and cars and stuff, but since i'm not Mormon, her parents would never approve." Dustin spoke from the front with a longing sigh.

"How heartbreaking." Cassie shook her head. "Grieving the loss of your soulmate, being separate by something so little as religion. Do you feel as though you need to yank your heart out in order to rid this suffering and loss?"

"It's all a bit...Shakespearean." Dustin hummed.

"This was fun and all, but uh-" Mike called from the back of the group, tapping his watch

El cut in. "I have to go home."

Dustin pointed to the top of the hill. "We're almost there."

"Sorry, man." Mike shrugged his shoulders. "Curfew."

"Good luck." El smiled, the pair taking off.

Cassie sighed. "Now my soul feels crushed and sentenced to death."

Lucas rubbed her back. "It's okay, Cas."

"It's not okay." Dustin scoffed. "I just got home."

"I'm here." Cassie hurried down Mikes basement stairs the next morning when she got the call. "What is the horrible problem that had Mike in utter distress over the telephone?"

"She knows i'm lying. She knows i'm lying." Mike paced around the room with a knowing point.

"I don't even understand. Why lie?" Lucas gave an add look, passing Cassie the box of cereal and moving over so she could sit with him.

"Hopper!" Mike tossed his hands up."He threatened me."

"Did he stare you down, his deadly eyes terrifying your soul, ready to crush you with every ounce of hatred and pain he had, then threaten to string you up and-" Cassie started.

"Kill you?" Lucas finished her sentence.

"No!" Mike gapped at the two. "If I don't do what he says, then he'll stop me from seeing El."

"More forbidden romance? I can't handle this." Cassie inhaled as she held her head. "I feel like i'm seconds from exploding. My brain is so overpowers by such a clique love story that i'll combust and die a slow, painful, agonizing death that will only lead to more pain!"

"Hey, guys, i'm almost set up here." Will called from the table, getting the board together.

"I had no choice. I really had no choice." Mike repeated himself.

"I just wish you'd consulted me, because the way you handled this, you're in deep shit." Lucas pointed out with a knowing look, rubbing Cassies back as she still held her head. "Deep breaths, Cas. Don't let the forbidden love stories over power you."

Mike groaned loudly, tossing himself onto his couch.

"Im not gonna lie, it's gonna be bad." Lucas looked his way honestly.

Mike yelled out, tossing his hands up in the air. Cassie did it as well, Lucas panicked.

"But, you can fix this." Lucas pointed out his way. "It's just one little mistake. I've made hundreds, thousands. Max has dumped me five times."

"Yes, and then I have to listen to the traitorous details." Cassie nodded, sat on the couch with Mikes legs across her lap.

"But what have I done? Huh? Have I despaired? No." Lucas stated, leaning down to Mikes level."I've marched back into battle, and i've won her back every single freaking time."

"How?" Mike sat up.

"I'll show you." Lucas stated, turning to Cassie. "We might need a woman's eye though."

"I'd be happy and exceptional pleased to be the woman's eye." Cassie smiled, taking his hand as he pulled her from the coach.

"I thought she was suppose to be our woman's eye?" Will asked oddly.

"She was." Lucas slapped his forehead.

"I'm just saying, it's romantic!" Cassie defended herself as they walked out of the final store when not being able to find anything. "And for free. What's better then a soul on fire, eyes watering, feeling as though you can float to the clouds in pure joy and ecstasy for free?"

"I don't think El is gonna feel that way about hand picked flowers." Mike huffed, grabbing his bike. "Why would you? You're allergic to most flowers anyways."

Cassie pushed her heart shaped glasses up on her head more. "Then i'll die an excruciatingly slow and painful death, knowing my final moments on mother earth were spend cherishing the soul of my loves gratitude."

"Cas, you aren't gonna make it past seventeen with that attitude." Lucas rubbed her back.

"Isn't this a nice surprise." Max's voice rung, having the group of boys, and Cassie, turn to see her and El walking over.

"What are you doing here?" Mike dropped his bike to look at El in disbelief.

"Shopping." she said back, holding her ice cream.

"This is her new style." Max nodded to El. "What do you think?"

"What's wrong with you?" Mike looked at Max in disbelief. "You know she's not allowed to be here."

"What is she, your little pet?" Max gave a stupid look.

"Yeah. Am I your pet?" El said back.

"Do you think they invited me?" Cassie whispered to Lucas.

He saw the hurt in her eyes. "Of course, Cas. They probably saw you weren't home."

"Why do you treat me like garbage?" El stared at Mike with a shake of her head. "You said Nana was sick."

"She is. She is sick." Mike nodded, looking to his friends.

"Yeah, sick-she's so sick!" Lucas came to his rescue. "That's why we're here."

"Yeah, we're shopping. For Nana." Mike nodded.

"For Nana!" Lucas agreed.

"Also, we're here to get a gift for you." Mike exhaled with a nod in El's direction. "Just, we couldn't find anything that suited you. And I only have, like, $3.50, so it's hard."

"Super hard." Lucas agreed. "It's-it's expensive."

"You lie." El stared at Mike. "Why do you lie?"

The bus screeched, making the two girls look back. Mike gave an innocent look as El walked forward. "I dump your ass!"

Max's face fell, El waved. "Hi, Cassie."

"Hear back from your writing thing yet?" Max walked backwards.

Cassie shook her head. "Not yet."

"You're gonna get in! I know it!" Max smiled, her and El running onto the bus.

Lucas frowned as he saw the look on Cassies face. "I doubt they intentionally left you out."

Cassie plastered her best smile. "I'm heart warmingly okay."

He reached back behind him as Mike watched the bus go off, picking a few flowers from the concrete cracks. He shoved them to Will. "Hold these."

Yanking his bandana off his wrist, he tied it around Cassies head so the cloth was covered her nose and mouth. Taking the little flowers, he held them out to her. "Here, to make you feel better but not to make you die."

Cassie smiled, thought he couldn't see. She took them. "Thanks, Lucas."

•

kylie speaks

lussie <3