Lost & Found

The Defining Moment

"Marshmallows?"

"Check."

"Chocolate?"

"Check."

"Alright, I think all that's left is graham crackers."

Nodding quickly, Cassie directed the shopping cart to the aisle where the crackers were located, Kira, Piper, and Caroline close at her heels. In celebration of Lucy's eighteenth birthday, the kids were throwing her beach bonfire party, which wouldn't be complete without smores.

Although Cassie loved the combination of chocolate and marshmallows in any form and the whole idea of the party was sweet, she was nervous. All of Lucy's class was invited, which meant that all of Tyler's friends would be there as well. It wasn't as though she was opposed to meeting new people, but she wasn't sure what the dynamic would be like considering she still had no idea what she and Tyler were to each other.

After all, one date didn't classify what they were doing as a relationship.

Still, despite the fact that all of the kids were aware that Tyler and Cassie were...hanging out, they didn't use that information to make her feel uncomfortable in the slightest.

"So do you guys do this a lot?" she asked as Caroline pulled a few boxes of graham crackers off the shelf and tossed them into the cart. "Have bonfires?"

"We used to do it a lot more when we were younger," Kira replied, nodding towards the end of the aisle to indicate they should proceed towards the checkout. "Like every other weekend, pretty much. It just got harder as we got older and busier. But it was always Lucy's favorite family tradition, so she'll love it tonight."

"It's sweet of you guys to do this for her," Cassie smiled softly.

"We can do it again for your birthday, if you want," Piper offered, beginning to unload their items onto the moving belt when they arrived at the checkout counter.

It didn't even faze Cassie how casually that offer was agreed upon by the other girls. Despite the fact that she'd only been staying at the Copeland house for a few days, she already felt as if she'd known every member of the family for years. They welcomed her with open arms and large smiles and made her feel completely at home to the point where they were entirely comfortable asking her questions that it usually took people a few months to get up the courage to ask.

Such as:

"How are things going with Tyler?"

"Good, I guess," Cassie shrugged as she answered Caroline's question, helping the girls place items from their shopping cart onto the conveyer belt. "We've been on a couple dates and...it's good."

"You don't sound completely convinced," Piper replied, an amused smile kinking her lips. "You can be honest. Jessa and Lucy aren't here."

If she had to fear anyone telling Tyler something she said in confidence, it was Jessamine or Lucy, neither of whom were on the shopping trip because Jessamine, seamstress extraordinaire, was putting the finishing touches on the dress she'd made Lucy for that evening, but that didn't mean that any of the other girls were particularly trustworthy in that area. Tyler was like their brother, after all, so Cassie couldn't expect that they would keep secrets from him.

Not that she really had any secrets. She had meant what she said about things being good between them. In the week and a half since break started, they'd gone on exactly two dates: one to the carnival on the pier and one to the park to watch a local band perform. Both dates had gone pretty well, she thought. They'd laughed and held hands and generally enjoyed each other's company and at the end of the night, he'd walked her to her bedroom door and kissed her goodnight and she'd fallen asleep feeling as though everything was right with the world.