Stelring chuckled and picked the tray up, handing it to her with a grin. "Here you are, my lady."
๐๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ช๐ฝ๐ฎ ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ฑ ๐๐ช๐ฌ๐ด๐ผ!
"Thank you, good sir." She giggled, sinking into her food.
Sterling chuckled and leaned back on his hands. "So, what are you majoring in? Orโฆ Did I ask that already?"
She chuckled. "No, you haven't. I'm actually majoring in musical theatre. As strange as it sounds, it's true."
"Oh, that's cool! Way better than my major," Sterling said with a light laugh.
"Come on! Law is cool!" She giggled, brushing her hair out of her eyes.
Sterling crinkled his nose. "Meh. It's a lot of facts and figures. You get to pretend to be someone other than who you are."
"I know, it's great." She sighed dreamily and laid back. "No other problems exist other than nerves about your lines."
"It sounds like a lot of fun," Sterling said with a smile. "But, I suppose, arguing and such is fun for me, too."
"I would love to stay here and be an actress if this entire thing wasn't just a cover." She sighed heavily. "Once my freshman year is over, I'm off. Gone. Never to be seen or heard from again."
Sterling glanced over at her. "Why couldn't you stay?"
"It's just the rules. Never stay in one place for too long. Do what you have to then get out. I don't have a choice."
"โฆSo you basically don't have any control over your own life," Sterling mused softly.
"Pretty much. I'm just a pawn in everyone else's game."
Sterling sighed and reached over to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "I promise you that you are not just a pawn in some game to me."
A tiny smile tugged at her lips. "How sweet. But I'm sure after I leave, you'll forget all about me." Her smile faded. "I'll just be another girl you saw. Move on to someone new."
"You really think I'm going to forget about a beautiful girl with blood-red hair who also just so happens to be an assassin? And has been since she was fifteen? Cassandraโฆ I don't think I could ever forget about you," Sterling said softly as he cupped her cheek in his hand, using his thumb to rub gentle circles on her skin.
"You say that now." She couldn't help but hope he actually meant what he said, his positivity instantly made her day better.
"And I will say it tomorrow. And the day after. And the day after that. For as long as it will take you to believe me."
"Then I hope you got some time to kill cause that's gonna take a while." She chuckled. All the humor died in her eyes. "After being pushed around and forced into an image I didn't ask for, I'm shocked anyone can know me without disgust."
"I've got all the time in the world to convince you of that. And I know you and am far from disgusted by you," Steeling said, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.
She buried her face in her hands. "I didn't want this. I just wanna go home to my cats."
Sterling sighed and wrapped his arms around her, lightly kissing the side of her head. "Hey, it's okayโฆ"
"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine." She repeated it to herself like a mantra.
Sterling softly murmured comforting words to her, just holding her close. He hoped he was helping, but he really had no idea if he was.
His voice was something she could depend on, a constant in her life. She relaxed slowly, his voice was rather soothing to listen to.
"That's itโฆ You're okayโฆ" Sterling murmured, feeling her relax. He pressed a gentle kiss to the side of her head again.
She took a couple deep breaths, resting her head on his shoulder. I'm sorry that you're stuck with meโฆ
Sterling ran his hand through her hair, continuing to softly murmur comforting words to her.
Her eyes, which we're usually a bright and beautiful sky blue, were now dark, more of a deep dreaming color. She sighed quietly.