Cassie’s head whipped around to see if her dad was paying attention. He wasn’t.

“Have you told dad about him?” Cassie’s eyes were wide.

Sylvia grinned mischievously. “Why don’t you ask him?”

Cassie groaned. “Come on, you know how he is. He will drill Trik for an hour and want to know everything right down to his blood type.”

“Well that could be important information. What if you needed blood and he was the only donor and your dad was the only person who was there to tell the doctors his blood type?” Her m om gestured to her. “See, then you would be glad that your dad was so thorough.”

“Seriously, mom?” Cassie threw her hands in the air and marched into the dining room.

“So dad,” she fidgeted with her shirt. “I met this guy, and we’ve sort of been seeing each other and I really like him.”

Her dad smiled up at her and it was a smile that said the cat has caught the canary.

“By all means, invite him for dinner. I would love to meet him.”

“Dad, promise you won’t make him fill out a form with all his information like you did with Cory.”

“That information was important. I needed to know his parents’ names and numbers. What if you two had been in an accident and we found out first?”

“You asked him his sexual orientation and if he had ever been sexually active,” Cassie folded her arms across her chest and tapped her foot.

Her dad frowned. “I still say he was lying.”

“What, like it’s impossible for a seventeen year old guy to be a virgin?”

“I believed that part. I was talking about the sexual orientation,” he told her. “I didn’t think I had anything to worry about with him.”

“Promise me.” Cassie stomped her foot. Her dad started laughing and when her face continued to stay contorted in anger he held his hands up in surrender.

“Okay, okay, I won’t make him fill out a form.”

“Or give him any what if scenarios .”

“Those are important, he needs to be prepared.”

“Dad,” Cassie groaned. “You asked the last guy what he would do if he was intimate with me and realized he didn’t have a condom.”

“And he got it wrong. The correct answer was I wouldn’t be intimate with your daughter, sir. The dummy said, uh, not go any further.”

“Dad,” Cassie growled.

“Fine, no scenarios,” he finally relented.

Cassie stared at him for another minute. A knock at the door finally had her turning away.

She opened the door to Elora’s scowling face.

“Hi sunshine!” Cassie plastered a huge smile on her face.

Elora stomped past her. “Stuff it.”

“Oookay then,” Cassie muttered as she closed the door.

“So where is lover boy?” Elora asked as Cassie closed her bedroom door.

Before Cassie could answer, Trik stepped out of her bedroom mirror.

He walked straight over to Cassie not even bothering to look at Elora.

“Well hello to you too,” she smirked at him.

But Trik’s eyes were on his Chosen.

“Everything okay?” She asked him when he was standing inches from her.

He smiled, but Cassie noticed it didn’t meet his eyes.

“Everything’s fine.” He stood there staring at her. He didn’t try to kiss her or touch her and Cassie was suddenly unsure if she should touch him.

Elora clearing her throat finally breaking through their senses.

Cassie turned to look at her friend. She stepped away from Trik and for the first time he didn’t attempt to keep her close to him.

“Elora has agreed to be my reason for leaving today. I’m going to leave with her and meet you somewhere,” Cassie explained.

Trik nodded, “I’ll meet you at the park downtown.” He stepped up to her and kissed her on the forehead and then he was gone, moving quickly through her window and away from her.

“Did something seem off to you?” Elora asked her.

Cassie nodded. “Maybe Lorsan took it harder than he thought.” Cassie said as way of explanation but not believing a word of it.

Chapter 10

“I’ve given you my heart; I’ve given you my soul. What else can I give? I’m asking you to stay with me. I’m asking you to pick us. I see in you the man you don’t think you can be, but I know you can. The man who has held me in his arms like I was the most precious thing in his world, that man cares, that man is who I need, who we all need. I’ve given you everything, what are you willing to give me?” ~Diary of Cassie Tate

Trik watched from the shadows as Cassie climbed out of Elora’s car. She waved at her friend and made her way into the park. Elora’s car didn’t budge and he knew that she wouldn’t leave until she saw him with Cassie. He watched as she looked around for him. The words for him ricocheted off his mind. She was here for him . He took a deep breath and let it out. He wanted this day with her. He wanted to show her what he could give her.

He stepped out of the darkness moving quietly towards her. He could have made his entire approach silent, she would have never known he was there until he touched her, but he didn’t want to scare her so he purposely snapped a twig with his foot. She turned at the sound and her eyes locked with his. He saw the apprehension there, the insecurity because of the distance he had kept between them in her room. His heart ached because he had put that look in her eyes.