Four years later, I was walking down the street to meet someone, but the reason why escaped my mind as I stared at Cassidy before me.
I haven’t seen that face in ages.
“It is you! I was worried I called out to the wrong person,” he laughed, reaching his hand out for me to shake. I took it instinctively, forcing a smile before pulling my hand away and shoving it into my pocket. “You look nice, where are you going?”
The meeting. I almost forgot. “Home, I just got out of a meeting,” I lied. “You look…”
“Like a prince obviously!” He chuckled. He had a silver bracelet on his right hand and a golden ring on the index finger of his left hand. Small silver earrings hung from his ears, and his blond curly hair covered the freckled forehead he didn't like. He wore a black cardigan and blue jeans with white sneakers. His shirt had a design of a movie or show I didn’t recognize, and on top of it was a thin golden locket. “I’m going to lunch. But, now that you’re here you should come with me, and we can talk!” He pulled out my hands from my pockets and squeezed them, smiling vibrantly. I was pleased to see that hadn’t changed.
I stared at our hands for a moment and he quickly took them away. I stuttered out my response, fearful of scaring him away. “I’d love to talk. It’s been a while.”
Cassidy began walking, averting his eyes from me. “I think a while is an understatement. Four years is so long, so much has happened! You said you got back from a meeting, right? Are you still working at that computer place? Or is it somewhere new? I don’t remember you having to go out for meetings, unless you did and my memory has really gone to shit.”
“I’m still working there, but I’m currently leading a project, and I decided to have meetings outside of the office. We’re trying to make a new music app for our laptops. We noticed a lot of artists use our computers so we’re trying to make it more comfortable for them.”
Cassidy hummed. “I’m guessing that’s a really watered down version of what you’re doing.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “No, not really. Just the basis of it,” I explained. “What about you? Still jumping around?”
My comment caused Cassidy to push back his shoulders, a smirk evident on his face. “Would you believe I’ve been at the same place for two whole years?”
“Two years?”
He snorted and shoved me, sticking out his tongue. “You’re so mean to me, you make it seem like it’s crazy I was able to do it.”
“It is though.”
“I’m tutoring.”
I raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “You?”
“Yessir. I’m tutoring middle school kids on science, math, and English. Turns out I’m pretty good at teaching brats.”
“That’s probably because you are one,” I teased.
He let out a hearty laugh, shaking his head. “Four years later and you’re still criticizing me! Maybe asking you out for lunch was a bad idea, I didn’t plan to have my ego beaten today.”
He grabs my arm and pulls me into a restaurant I’d never noticed before. The space was small and there seemed to only be five tables, three of them occupied. It seemed brand new. “Does this place belong to a friend of yours?”
“My first student ever, actually. Family business. I only got to teach him for a year but he was really fun, and his parents were generous too,” he winked. “I like coming here. They gave me a chance, y’know? So I think it’s only fair I repay them by eating here.”
“Repay them?”
“It was hard getting hired, especially because I only have a high school diploma, which is fine but it doesn’t make me stand out. They said there was something about me that they liked and I was smart enough, so they hired me. Then they recommended me to some friends and, boom, I got a job.”
A fat woman with long white hair pulled back into a ponytail stepped out from the kitchen and waved at Cassidy, then ran back in. A few seconds later a boy who looked almost identical to her walked out rubbing his hands, grinning at Cass. “Hey teach. Do you want the usual?”
Cassidy smiled and wrapped his arm around mine, pulling me forward. “I’m eating in today, I brought a friend. Harry, this is Eustace. Eustace, Harry.” Harry nodded and I smiled back.
“Wow! I didn’t think Cassidy had any friends. Follow me,” he quickly moved away in order to avoid getting a scolding from Cass.
“He’s usually nicer, he’s just trying to show off,” Cassidy whispered, loud enough for Harry to hear. I noticed his ears turning red at the comment and I laughed.
After being seated, Cassidy ordered a beef soup and I a turkey sandwich. “You should try their cherry pie, Harry's mom has a true talent for baked goods. Honestly, if I weren’t so desperate for money I would have asked her to pay me in pies.”
I felt my phone vibrate but I ignored it, resting my elbows on the table. “Have you been tutoring kids besides Harry’s friends?”
Cass nodded. “Oh yeah. Currently I have thirteen kids, three of which I got recommended by Harry’s family, six are from his school. The other’s somehow found me.”
“Do you work for a company?”
“God no, I’m not like you. No, there’s just this website where tutors go to and post their information and people call them, that’s all. It’s honestly a miracle the other four found me, there’s people posting there all the time.”
“How much do you make?”
“Twenty dollars an hour, and I meet my students twice a week. That’s around five hundred per week. Not as great as others, but I’m trying to become a full-time tutor, so I’m spending the rest of my time relearning chemistry, physics and French.”
“French?”
“Hey, I took it every year from middle school through high school and got decent enough grades. I just have to freshen up.”
“You should also sign up with a tutoring company, so they can help you out.”
Cassidy flinched at that. “…Yeah, I will at some point. I’m not really comfy with the idea of working for a company yet, y’know?”
I sighed. I knew all too well. “Well, it’s a start. I’m really happy you found something you like.”
Cassidy grinned. “I’m also working as a bartender a few blocks away at night. I like that job less, but I don’t want to quit tutoring so I’m putting up with it because I need the money.”
“So you really settled?”
“It’s a surprise to all of us.”
Harry returned with our food and Cass immediately ordered the cherry pie. “Do you live close by?” Cass asked.
“Not really, do you?”
“Yeah, I still live at our old place. Pity, I was gonna offer to walk you home or something. I want to spend more time with you,” his smile softened and his eyes grew sad. I tried to ignore it by pretending to be invested in the sandwich in front of me. “Damn, I probably look like a stranger to you now, huh? I was always quitting or getting fired but here I am with a job I like. I was also a lot more annoying and reckless, don’t you think?”
“I always worried you’d lose everything,” I whispered. Cassidy’s smile faltered. “I can tell you’re more responsible though.”
“Oh a hell of a lot more responsible. At first I forgot about what days I worked and stuff like that, but after a while it all kind of fell together. I also learned how to cook. Kinda had to after you left, since you always made food. Living off of microwave ready meals got gross a month after you left. I’d say I’m better than you now, actually.” I smiled as I bit into my sandwich, unable to argue with him. “I dated someone after you, too,” he whispered. I stopped chewing at that. “But I broke it off after three months.”
I swallowed my food. “Did something happen? Were they bad?” Cassidy had a tendency of attracting annoying people.
“They were actually really nice. You set the bar too high though; I guess I haven’t really come to terms with the fact that I lucked out with you,” he chuckled. I could tell he meant it and my smile dropped. “I don’t really want to be with anyone right now anyway. That’d be way too much commitment for me.”
“So you’re happy?” I asked cautiously.
Cassidy looked above me and then around himself before answering. “Super happy actually. I don’t think I’ve ever been better.” He reached out his right hand and pat my left, pointing at the ring on my finger. I had wondered if he’d noticed it. “Is this real?”
“It’s a promise ring.”
Cass let out a breath of relief, which I could tell he didn’t notice he did. “I would have been a little pissed if you’d gotten engaged four years after leaving me. We went out for five years and marriage was never on the table,” he recalled. Promise rings weren’t either, but we both failed to mention that. “Tell me about them.”
“You sure?”
“It’s been four years, I can handle it. So who is it?”
“Her name’s Scarlet. I met her through a friend three years ago.”
“Her?”
“Yes, her.”
“Damn. When did you two start going out?”
“A few months after meeting.”
Cass nodded. “What’s she like?”
I hesitated before answering. “She’s got long blonde hair and wears glasses. She’s a ghostwriter. She’s a little taller than me, and has the nicest green eyes. Very optimistic but a little shy. Although, I can’t really remember when she was shy. She’s got a lot of good stories and a nice smile.”
“You like her a lot?”
“I love her.”
Cassidy picked up his spoon and played with his soup, smiling. I could tell he wasn’t jealous, and I tried not to wonder about how that made me feel. “So you’re happy?”
I nodded. “Super happy actually,” I copied.
It was getting dark when we left the restaurant. I had five missed calls which I continued to ignore as Cass said his goodbyes. “Can I walk you to your car?” Cass asked. I nodded.
Cass was terrible at making up his mind. He was always indecisive, and refused to think about the future. One day at a time was his motto, and it drove me up the wall. Eventually I couldn’t handle it anymore, and we were forced to end things. But now we're here. Walking to my car.
“I’m glad I saw you, I never thought we’d meet again. To be honest I wanted to look for you, just to tell you I’d gotten better. I’m really proud of myself and I wanted you to see,” he admitted, but I could tell that was only part of the truth. “And I’m also glad you’re happy too. You living in a nice place?”
“I stayed with a friend a while after we broke up, but I got my own apartment six months later. Not as nice as what we had, but nice enough.”
“I told you that you should keep the place, after all it was yours first,” Cass sighed.
“But it was easier for me to get a new place than it was for you,” I argued.
We walked in silence until we got to my car. That’s when Cass said something I wasn’t expecting. “It’s today, isn’t that ironic?” he giggled. I look over and raise an eyebrow.
“What is?”
“Our anniversary,” he smiled, looking down at his feet. “At least it would’ve been.”
I scoff and shake my head, laughing. “Really?”
“August 21st.”
I looked down at my phone and nodded. “You remembered.”
He grinned at me with closed eyes, choking out, “how could I forget?”
He never remembered anything. He’d forget about his shifts, important events and what day it was. It was a miracle when he remembered my birthday or in this case our anniversary, but usually he had to be reminded days or weeks before the event. And yet here he was, remembering all on his own. I couldn’t tell how that made me feel. “Cass, I changed my phone number. Can I give it to you?”
Cass shook his head, refusing to look at me. “Better not. Scarlet might not like that.”
“She wouldn’t mind.”
“Still, better not,” he repeated, and I didn’t push it further.
“Will you be okay walking home?”
Cass pointed to the left. “It’s not too far, remember?”
I nodded. “Just wanted to make sure you knew how to walk by yourself.”
“Oh Eustace the clown, isn’t he a marvel? Funniest guy in the world,” he teased. I only rolled my eyes in response. “I’ll be fine on my own.”
“I know you will be.”
I walked around the front of my car and stood in front of the door, knowing Cass hadn’t moved from his place on the sidewalk. Just as I was about to open the door, I remembered. “Hey Cass.”
“Yessir?”
“You asked me about the promise ring.”
“I did.”
“And when Scarlet and I started dating.” I looked up this time.
Cass’ eyebrows were furrowed and he was clearly biting back a remark. “Yep.”
“You didn’t ask when we stopped.”
Instantly his eyes widened. “When?”
“Yesterday. I was supposed to meet her today to give her back the ring but I didn’t go in order to have lunch with you.”
He stared at me wide eyed and scoffed, looking at the sky. “You’re shitting me.”
“I’m not.”
Cass crossed his arms and shook his head. “You’re an ass.”
“So I’ve been told.”
There was silence between us for a moment until he spoke up. “Then I suppose I can take your number, but only to stay in contact,” he smirked. “After all, you said you love her.”
“That I do.”
Cass nodded. “Then I’d like to tell you why I was hoping to meet you.”
“Why?”
“To tell you I’d gotten better, and maybe get a second chance.”
“That could be arranged,” I started, “but later.”
Cass grinned, walking over to me and pulling out his phone. “Yes, later.”
Copyright © 2022 Ilhy Gómez Del Campo Rojas. All rights reserved.
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