Intertwined

Nine

Cassidy

The days leading up to Plainview's Memorial Day celebration were the worst day of my life. No matter what I did Houston was avoiding me, and I was avoiding the ranch every second I could get. If he had the ability to avoid me like the plague, then I did too - which meant I spent most of my days at Avery's apartment.

Over the course of the last few days, Avery and I delved deeper into preparing for the town celebration as an attempt to stray from thinking about any boys. At least, that's what I hoped for, but my best friend had other ideas.

"So if you like Houston, why did you tell him you hated his guts?" Avery questioned as we combed the feed store for what we needed to set up the booths.

"I never said that I hated his guts," I replied, immediately feeling horrible for twisting my words. "I just didn't like how he assumed I would like him."

"But you do?"

"I know that I like Houston," I said through gritted teeth, spotting the tall ranch hand we spoke about. "You don't have to keep insinuating about it."

"I don't have to, but it's just so fun." Avery exclaimed as her nose scrunched up, alighting her eyes with light and happiness. Her outburst caused the majority of people around to glance at us, with immediate disgust or typical girly things.

I ignored her continued questions and rounded to the next aisle, immediately bumping into the one person I desperately tried to hide from. In this small town, and even when he lived across the hall from me, it was impossible to avoid him.

"Cass!" He blurted out, and I took a step back concealing myself behind the aisle.

Before I could think about the urge to run out of the store, the two people who had completely opposite pursuits for me found me hiding in the back aisle and blocked the way to escape. Avery was the first to start a conversation, "Cass, I should head back to my apartment and start decorating."

I immediately gave all my attention to my best friend, trying my best to not give the man standing by me any of it. I asked curiously, "But we haven't finished all of the shopping yet?"

"I can get it tomorrow," Avery said with a sly smile on her lips, and I knew what she had to be insinuating. "I should head home; I have to go to work later."

"Are you ditching me at the store?" I immediately spat back before Avery could think about getting away.

There was no way she was ditching me, so Houston and I would talk it out. We weren't going to.

"It appears I might be doing that," Avery replied, glancing between my eyes and Houston's. "But you have someone who will take you home, so that is a win in my book."

I spat back fast, even as she headed to the checkout counter, "It's not a win in my book."

By the time Avery was gone, I knew that my best friend ditched me because she either hatched a brilliant plan that only she thought was good. Or she- No, that was the only reason Avery ditched me.

I faced the inevitable and focused my attention on Houston, who already had a perpetually curious look on his face as he eyed the same doors Avery walked out of. He asked, "So what was all that about?"

"N-Nothing," I stammered at his almost immediate question, once Avery was out of earshot. "I'm going home."

Before he could reply, I pushed past him, started walking towards the front doors, and then stopped realizing I was a mile away from home. Houston let out a laugh and then asked, "Did you realize you have no one to take you home?"