Intertwined

Eight

Houston

Since the first rodeo when I met Kate and she ended up asking me out, I was so excited for today and nothing was going to change that. I finally had the strength to put myself out there, since what happened in Fort Worth and Camila cheating on me. I thought initially that she was the one for me, but something inside me - either a separate thought or nerves - told me there was someone else.

Which was ridiculous.

I seemed to like Kate, and that was it. Cassidy might be the most beautiful woman I saw, and she also might get on my nerves and she might also be stubborn, overly emotional, and sometimes irresponsible. However, everything I noticed about her seemed to be the qualities I couldn't stop thinking about: the way she was so passionate about the ranch, how she cared for all the animals and me, and her unwavering optimism.

Cassidy and I could never work, so there was no use even trying. Besides, I was five years older than her.

The girl sitting across the table from me took my attention away from my thoughts, as the orange light from the lamp illuminated her hair. Kate asked with an eyebrow raised, "Is something else on your mind, Houston?"

In reply, I shook my head and blurted out the worst thing I could have, "No. W-When I was eight years old, I-I fed cinnamon toast crunch to my sister's pet hamster... a-and it died."

For a moment, Kate looked at me with either confusion or worry on her face, and I had no recollection of what I just said. Maybe, she thought I was a sociopath.

"B-But I wasn't the one to kill the hamster," I replied too quickly, the feeling of sweat creeping up my neck. "He died of a small heart attack. M-My brother Austin told me that I'm not a cold-hearted murderer like I thought I was."

Eventually, as the words came flooding out of me, there was no way she would think of me as a sane person. Kate leaned over the table, a curious look on her face, "Are you really okay, Houston?"

I nodded, then said, "Yes. Yes, I'm fine. Sometimes, a thought comes into my mind and I have to say it out loud."

"Okay," Kate said slowly, leaning back with an unsaid question in her eye. "You know, Houston, I actually thought you were going to stand me up because I saw the way you looked at Cassidy."

This was the exact moment I was worried Kate would mention, mostly because there was no clue of how I could explain what Cassidy and I had. No one could ever understand the feelings I had for Cassidy, not even myself.

I asked, playing dumb, "When did I look at Cassidy?"

"At the rodeo?"

"Oh, I did look at Cassidy at the rodeo," I replied dumbfoundedly, even as Kate knew all of what I said. "She's just a friend."

"I know that, Houston," Kate reminded me as we waited on our food, for what felt like forever. "Did anything happen between you and her?"

I almost laughed in her face and exclaimed, "No, nothing happened between us. Well... to be completely honest, I did almost kiss her that night. It will never happen again."

When all of the words that were on the tip of my tongue fell out, I saw the look on Kate's face, disappointment mixed with sadness. I never meant to tell her the complete truth, but I ended up telling her anyway even if it ruined any chances for me. How was lying so easy for some people, but hard for me?

Kate finally spoke again, able to regain her composure, "Do you have feelings for Cassidy?"

"I have feelings for Mitchell?" I exclaimed, letting the nickname I gave Cassidy slip out from between my lips. "No- You know, why aren't birds called wind mice? They should be called that. I-I hate birds."