"Nu!" She leaned away from him. "You put me in here and for punishment, you get no affection."
𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓿𝓪𝓽𝓮 𝓡𝓟 𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓙𝓪𝓬𝓴𝓼!
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“Hey, that’s no fair! I was trying to be funny,” Sterling exclaimed, frowning at her.
"Well, being funny has consequences." She bit her lip to keep from laughing.
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Sterling pouted playfully. “Fine, I’m sorry I put you in the ashes……. Please?”
"Nope. Not good enough. I'll decide when I forgive you."
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“But I miss you!” Sterling whined, wrapping his arms around her tightly and leaning into her.
"Well, looks like you're gonna have to keep missing me. Now, we have a clue to find!"
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Sterling grunted and reluctantly let go of her. “Fine, fine… What if we work together, now? Two sets of eyes in the same spot might get things done faster.”
"Is that it?" She pointed to a small corner if white paper sticking up out of the middle of the ashes.
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Sterling reaches over and picked it up. “Looks like it. Should we read it here, or do you want to go change first?”
"I'm impatient, just read it now."
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“All right, all right,” Sterling chuckled as he unfolded the paper. “A trail, a union, together tied. Come across me and you will find, you cannot change the course I'm on, without me you cannot travel on. What am I?”
"Well, that could be a couple different things. A road, railroad tracks, hell just a path in general."
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“Those are good ideas… And maybe we could think about it more during or after lunch? We have to be in the dining hall soon,” Sterling sighed, glancing at his watch.
"Yeah, but I need to change first. I'm not going in there dressed like this. One wrong move and the guys will see too much." She shifted the shirt around her shoulders so it wouldn't slip forward.
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Sterling chuckled a bit and glanced over at her, careful to keep his eyes on her face. “That’s probably a good idea. We don’t need you seducing every guy here.”
"Why? Would a certain someone get jealous? Hmm, maybe I should just go as is."
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“I mean, you’re covered in ashes. If you want to accidentally eat the ash that falls off of your clothes and into your food, go ahead,” Sterling teased with a chuckle.
"Not like I'd eat much anyway." She rolled her eyes. It was just the truth.
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Sterling smiled at her softly and brushed a hair behind her ear. “You have to eat. I won’t have my girlfriend starve because she thinks the food is poisoned.”
"Better safe than sorry!" She threw her hands up in defense.
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“I know, and I understand why you’re concerned. But, Cass… They’re not going to poison the entire freshmen population,” Sterling said softly. “I think you’re safe.”
"You don't know my enemies like I do." Her voice turned cold and flat for just that sentence. She shook her head and it returned to normal. "They'd do anything, harm or kill anyone if it meant I went down with them. I wouldn't be surprised if they did poison everyone here."
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Sterling’s gaze flickered over her face, giving her a sympathetic look. “Cassandra, you still need to eat. If they poison us all, whatever. But I won’t have you starve yourself because of them.”
"I just don't want them to hurt you. I don't know why I'm even still here, I should've left already." She ran her fingers through her hair. "They're dangerous, I'm dangerous. Just being around me makes you a target."
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“I know that, Cass. But I’m not going anywhere,” Sterling assured her, cupping her cheek and gently rubbing circles onto her cheek.
She shook her head. "No, this isn't right. I know better than this." Her eyes hardened but it was easy to see how much it hurt her to do this. "I really have to go, staying longer will only make everything worse. I'm sorry but I have to."
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“Cassandra… You can’t leave,” Sterling said, taking her hands in his. “Please, Cass…”
His voice caressed her name gently, filling her head. This hurt so badly and she knew he could see that. This was dangerous, it could get her killed. "I have to." But it was weaker this time, sounding more like the unwilling hand-over of her life, her choices, her free will.
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“No, Cassie, you don’t,” Sterling said softly, squeezing her hands. “You can do whatever you want.”