"Who's gonna drive me to school ever morning?" Cassie sat on Jonathan's bed as he got the last of his things packs. "Who's gonna watch silent movies with me and not get annoyed when I voice the unspoken, heartbreaking, soul crushing dialogue?"

"I can still call you and we can watch them at the same time." he pointed out, zipping up his bag. "Your dads already called and said they were gonna send you to see us all the time."

"Still." she huffed. "Your my favorite friends brother."

"Do any of your other friends have brothers?" Jonathan cracked a grin.

"No, that's my entire, whole heartingly point!" she did a backwards roll. "I mean, it's not the same with Steve. You're better then him, but don't tell him I said that. Wouldn't want to hurt his weeping, slowly dissolving, tiny little ego more then I already have."

"Come on, Cassie." Jonathan pulled her up as they walked outside with the rest of the group. Lucas looked back when she walked out, the early morning sunrise making her glow a little different today, her smile a little prettier, her eyes a tad bit shinier.

Will hugged her tightly as Cassie held the back of his head. "Love you, William. Don't meet anyone else like me."

He had to laugh. "I don't think that's possible."

"Just incase." she shut her eyes. "Well, are you going to say it back?"

"I love you too." he kept it together, swallowing and pulling back to meet her eye. "Can you give me some words before I go?"

"Well, there's a deep meaning behind the act of moving." Cassie nodded as he stared at her. "While it is pulling our hearts from our own beings, moving symbolizes new beginning. A new beginning will be beautifully, fantastical for you."

Will smiled as she pressed her index finger to the tip of her nose. "I'll be awaiting your call tonight!"

He moved onto Mike, giving Cassie and El their space. El sighed loudly, dropping her bag as she hugged Cassie tightly. "Come with?"

"Can't." Cassie leaned against her. "I'll send you all my favorite poems though, to help with grammar before you have to attend school."

"Yeah, but..." El sighed, pulling back from Cassie. "You help me."

Cassie smiled, holding her face. "Still will. Just from a little far away."

El frowned, leaning in and hugging her again as Cassie did the same. She thought she was gonna keep it together, but her tears started to leak from her eyes. "I hate tragical endings. Have to wait for the sequel for my heart to feel as though it's on fire with love again."

"El." Max spoke up. "You guys gotta go soon."

"Yes, yes, hug Max." Cassie pulled back and whipped her eyes. "Love you."

"Love you too." El repeated, sniffling as she let her hand go.

Mike put his arm around Cassie as she frowned, looking toward Dustin as he joined in on the small hug, Lucas following, Max doing the same. They all watched as the moving truck headed off, leaving them in the sandy drive way of the house they practically grew up in.

"I've gotta get home." Max spoke up with an inhale, picking up her bike. "See you tomorrow?"

"Bye, Max." Cassie gave her a wave. "Tomorrow."

She didn't have the energy for her big words, the remaining four getting their bikes as well. Lucas made sure Dustin and Mike were out of ears link as he approached Cassie. "Hey, Cassie?"

She turned back with a smile. "Hey, Lucas?"

"I was just wondering..." he trialed off. "Do you want to walk home together?"

She watched Dustin and Mike leave with a wave, getting off her bike. "My bike chain is still terribly rusty and could possibly break on me any deadly second now."

"That was a pretty crazy summer." he spoke as they started to walk, not too far from the Byers home anyways.

"Tell me about it." Cassie agreed, their walking on sync. "I hope Max's poor heart isn't terribly broken for too long."

"She seems like she's doing okay." he nodded his head. "We'll just be there for her."

"Oh, definitely." Cassie nodded her head.

"She told me. About her and El." he looked over as Cassie met his eye. "We kinda broke up a few days ago."

Cassie stopped, dropping her bike. "I'm so sorry, Lucas. Do you need to let your feeling fly within words to my ears?"

"No, I don't need to talk about it." he shook his head, picking her bike up for her as Cassie grabbed it again. "I kinda expect it, I mean, it wasn't really right."

"Understandable." Cassie nodded, pushing her sunglasses up more when they started to slip. "You two are still friends though?"

"For sure, you didn't hear us preforming Dustin's song?" he asked, making her laugh loudly. "We're better as friends."

"Most people are." Cassie agreed.

"Yeah, most." he agreed, hesitating. "Not all though."

Cassie gave a nervous side glance as they walked. "Suppose not."

Lucas cleared his throat as they approached their houses. "Do you-"

"I w-" Cassie started at the same time he did, they both paused and laugh. "You can make your statement first."

"No, no, you go." he shook his head quickly, they frozen in between their houses.

"I was gonna say that I wanted to see if you wanted to attend orientation together tomorrow?" Cassie nodded her head. "For freshman year. I was thinking about signing up for a few extra circulars."

"Oh, yeah, me too." he smiled down at her.

"Now, you say what you were wishing to moments ago." she encouraged, some of her hair falling from under her sunglasses as she squinted, the sun coming up a lot more.

"I was just gonna ask if you wanted to maybe..." he trailed off with a minor shrug. "Go see that new, and very gross, romance movie coming out?"

"I don't know. Can I tell you what I think about every soul crushing, eye watering scene?" Cassie cracked a half smile as she tilted her head to the right.

Lucas had to laugh. "I wouldn't expect anything different."

"Mike and Dustin probably won't like it much, and Max says that my talking during the movie distracts her." Cassie pointed out with a shrug.

"Well, yeah." Lucas cleared his throat. "That's why I was thinking...maybe just the two of us?"

Cassie blinked, her face burned. "Really?"

"If you wanna." he shrugged with wide eyes. "But, no pressure."

Cassie smiled, giving a single nod. "I'll meet you by the mailbox at seven."

"Great." Lucas smiled, the pair stood awkwardly. "Okay, see ya."

"See ya." she agreed, they crossed paths, going to their own drive ways. Cassie stopped at her mail box, getting the mail for her dads sake, knowing they both forgot. As she headed up to the house, she dropped her bike violently. "Lucas!"

"What!" he yelled in a panic as he turned.

"Lucas!" Cassie shouted, sprinting across her yard. "I got in!"

"What!" he yelled again.

"The school paper!" she lit up as she ran up his driveway. "They picked me!"

•

kylie speaks

this has been my favorite
ending so far, i'm literally
over here in tears. i'll see
you guys in a month with
some more cassie context.
xoxo!