Chapter 6
Cassandra was driving as quick as she could, cutting through traffic and when she finally got there, she dashed to her son. She found out that her son was sent to the office, and she went to pick him up.
Thomas looked up at her, he was seated on the office chair with his arms crossed, and he walked passed her.
Cassandra walked towards her son, and grabbed him from his back pack hanging on his back, and turned him towards her, “Thomas! What are you doing?”
Thomas was annoyed his eyes were filled with tears, and he wiped them, “I wanna go!” He walked towards the car and went in, she followed sitting next to him, she looked back at him.
“Ok, we’ll go home, but guess what? We have visitors at home so how about showing me a smile before we get there.”
He was looking out the window, Cassandra went turned to the left, towards a drive thru, Thomas was surprised, “where are we going?”
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m hungry and I thought you might be too, do you want something?”
Suddenly, Thomas looked happy the tears were gone and so was his anger. “Aww can I?” He actually sounded excited.
Cassandra smiled, “of course, you can! What do you want? I’ll treat you today.”
She ordered for him, and he was smiling at her as they drove home and he ran inside when they got home, running home excited. “Hi, everyone,” he ran upstairs to his room.
When Cassandra came in, Thomas gave her a hug, “mommy look, what I got my teacher gave it to me.”
The kitchen went silent when they saw Thomas go in, Cassandra turned to look back at him, Thomas handed her a piece of paper, which said good conduct ten points.
“That’s awesome! I think we are gonna hang it on the fridge, and whenever you come to the kitchen, you’ll see it.”
Thomas gave her the paper, and smiled from ear to ear nodding his head, “ok mommy,” she placed it on the fridge and he left happily, back to his room.
Olivia looked, up to him and waved, he waved back, “I don’t think he heard, but I think I should go. We’ll need to be careful not to say too much around him.”
Cassandra said goodbye to her mother, sister and brother. Cassandra agreed to call later to discuss the modeling job that Mr. Swan was offering her.
Julie was with her tutor, studying in the library, he asked her to come the next day to see how he works, and excitedly she agreed.
Mr. Thompson, was going to a social event and the event would be filled with other business people. The event was going to be hosted him, he was going to be the spokesperson, and he wanted her to learn from this event.
Julie was excited to think about the next day, they agreed to meet the next day, to go to the social event. Suddenly, she looked at the electric clock on the desk.
She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was forgetting something, but what? She already studied, then she remembered, the anonymous note from the day before.
“Mr. Thompson, I am supposed to meet someone right now, but I’ll see you tomorrow, I need to leave now before it’s too late!”
Mr. Thomson looked confused, who is she meeting? “ok bye, see you tomorrow,” with a wave of her hand she left the room, and they both headed out the door.
Mr. Thompson couldn’t help but wonder where she was going, he waved back at her, as she smiled when she went into her car, and waved at him, he remembered the day before she was excited about something.
He turned on his car and saw her leaving, he decided to follow her. She was in a red light and he was trying to stay close to not lose her but without being seen by her.
Suddenly she came to a stop, and parked her car in front of a restaurant, then she sat and checked her watch. A man came to view holding a rose, “Julie?”
He felt jealous, but why?
They had nothing between them! He noticed, that he felt weird around her, and he felt like he was losing control. He took a deep breath, relax, she had no idea how he felt for her.
Julie and Jason were laughing and chatting, everything was perfect, “hey, do you want to go somewhere else?”
“Where to?”
“It’s a surprise,” Julie, looked at him in disbelieve, but reluctantly agreed to go with him, and he stood with her, they left in his car.
Mr. Thompson saw them leaving together, is that her boyfriend? He laughed at himself, and decided to leave, he should have never done that, he felt silly for being there.
Jason saw Julie going towards her car, “hey what are you doing? I’ll take you.”
“I’m fine I just prefer to take my car, I don’t feel comfortable leaving it here, and I prefer to drive, I’ll follow you.”
Jason walked towards her, grabbed her hand and he wouldn’t let go, “I said, I’ll take you.”
“Your hurting me, let go…” Mr. Thompson, saw her struggling and ran behind him, he tapped his shoulder. Jason turned to see who it was.
Mr. Thompson glared at him, and Jason’s face turned pale, “leave her alone!” He pushed him away from her, making Jason fall on the concrete.
Jason stood as he ran to his car, he turned to look at him, with a fist to the air he yelled at Mr. Thompson, “I’ll get you for this!” as he drove away.
Julie was shocked, and she had tears streaming down her eyes, he got close to her and placed his arms around her. “Are you ok? Did he hurt you?”
“I’m ok…” she was hugging him too, “how did you get here?”
“You should go home, I was near by and I saw you struggling, just thought you needed help.”
She let him go, she wiped her tears, “thank you, but I don’t want to worry anyone, I can’t go home right now, would you like some coffee? My treat... As an appreciation for saving me.”
Mr. Thompson, looked at her, “ok, but I‘ll buy,” they went back to the restaurant, and they sat together.
“Let me buy them, you did rescue me, and there’s no other way I can repay you, I really owe you big time, thank you.”
“It’s nothing really…”
She took the bill and paid it, “thank you, Mr. Thompson, for what you did for me. I appreciated, no one else would have done it, since you were the only one that noticed.”
Mr. Thompson saw her walking away towards her car, he sighed and turn to walk behind her, “Julie, there’s something I have to tell you, but promise not to think I’m a crazy guy?”
Julie turned to him, “ok, what is it?”
“I’ve had this… ah… feelings for you since the day I met you, I still don’t know what it is… I might be falling for you and I do not feel strong enough to control myself any longer.
For that reason I can’t see you any more, I’m resigning from being your tutor, I got a business proposal and will began working elsewhere, I will assign someone new,” he sighed long and hard, “ tomorrow will be the last time we’ll see each other, for the event I’m hosting, I’m sorry and goodbye Julie.”
Julie, was shocked she just stood there and watched him walk away. But she couldn’t help but feel her heart breaking for a moment. Why did she feel like this? She didn’t really know him.
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It turned late and Cassandra was chasing her son around, to make him put on his pajamas, “Thomas, come on sweety, I don’t wanna play right now, it’s already getting late and you have to go to school tomorrow.”
Thomas was hiding and he wasn’t coming out, he was silent hiding from her, laughing softly because she didn’t find him. He was quietly sneaking up on her, and when he was behind her he gave a loud, “got ya!”
Cassandra jumped and turned to him, “ok young man, go to your room right now! And get into your pj’s it’s already your bed time.”
Thomas looked up at her, “mom I was just playing… sorry,” he marched up to his room.
Cassandra followed him and put him in his bed she kissed him on the forehead and left, she left down stairs and she saw Julie coming in, “hey, how did it go?”
“I went but…” she sighed, “so much happened that, I have a headache and I don’t know what to think, I mean this guy just… you know what? It was great, I’ll go to sleep I have so much to do tomorrow.”
Somehow, Cassandra didn’t believe that, but Julie left before she could ask her about it, she was so happy yesterday what changed to make her feel differently?
Cassandra went up to her son’s bedroom to check up on him, “Thomas, I know I was hard on you, I know you were only playing, I’m sorry sweetheart, I just have too much in my mind that sometimes, mommy is just too tired, but I’m not mad at you, I love you.”
“I love ya, mommy, can you stay until I fall asleep?”
“Sure honey,” after a while Thomas was asleep, it was hard to believe that he could look so peaceful, after being such an amusing little jumping joy during the day.
Cassandra went back to her room, but found herself thinking of Thomas’ dad and what he said, he knew she was pregnant and he still abandoned their baby! He deserves to never find out about him.
She cried softly, not for her but for her son, he abandoned him, and hugged her pillow for support, he had always playing with her, and she was so naïve she fell for it, but that was her young and stupid.
Now, she’s more realistic, and was living for her son. She could never again let her decisions affect her, or her son. No more tears in the nights, or broken hearts for her.
Julie was in her room and Mr. Thompson’s words kept going around in her head. She didn’t understand why, she felt confused she just didn‘t know what to think.
When he told her how he felt, something inside of her changed, she felt strange and she couldn’t explain it.
The next day Cassandra was woken up by her son jumping on her bed, she stood and they got ready fore the day. Thomas put on his uniform and went down stairs.
His mother was making his breakfast and he looked happy, she loved seeing him like that.
“Glad to see you are happy today? Come on, eat up so we can leave.”
Cassandra was in a hurry because she had to meet her mother and talk about the job offer from Mr. Swan, but she also wanted to meet her friend and ask about her date.
Mr. Thompson, was thinking about the day before and his confession to Julie, he decided to call her. After all, he had told her to be ready for the social event he was taking her to.
Julie was ready when he arrived, and their car ride was a silent one, nothing but small talk.
Finally, Mr. Thompson decided to turn on the radio a song came up, “that’s my favorite song,” they said in unison. They looked at each other, and Mr. Thompson turned to look at the road, while Julie turned to look out her window.
Julie was enjoying the view of her side of the window, it was fall and she loved the colors of the trees. She didn’t know what to say, this was their last day together. How awful was that.
Although she just met the guy it was sad to watch him leave, she didn’t know if she was just use to him coming to tutor her every day, but what was this feeling? She couldn’t help it.
Mr. Thompson, stopped the car, and she didn’t notice, “hey, we’re here!”
“Ok, coming,” she got off the car quickly and joined him, they went in together.
Investors, and the company’s president was there waiting for him, as soon as the president saw him he stood, Mr. Thompson and Julie walked through the glass doors.
Everyone shook hands and they sat around the tables, while Mr. Thompson, stood at the front of the microphone on the stage. He gave out a plan to save their business, everyone taking notes. He would be in charge of increasing their company gross salary.
Cassandra dropped her son off at school, and decided to pay a visit to her mother, when she arrived her mother was in her study with Cassidy and Mr. Swan, when she walked in everyone went silent.
Mr. Swan stood, “I was waiting for your mother to tell me, are you interested in the modeling job?”
“I wanted to ask you about it, I know it’s once a month, but I have no experience, and on top of that my son is only four, I don’t want him…”
Mr. Swan was surprised, “she has a son? I didn’t know this, but don’t worry this won’t change a thing, look many of my models are mothers and wives. What truly matters is that they do their job, and we have to teach you.”
“But what about my son? Will I be able to bring him with me? Where ever I go? I can’t leave my son while I travel.”
“Of course, just as long as he is not a distraction for your job, he can be there with you, although I wouldn’t recommend you, to bringing him to the photo shoots, his a kid and he will get bored.”
“Than you can count me in.”
“Perfect!” He smiled widely, “I’ll have the papers ready for you to sign, you can look them over, and when you sign them I can have them picked up. Now I’ll leave you two to talk. I’m sure there’s a lot you guys have to talk about, now that you’re taking the modeling job.”
Olivia looked happy to see her daughter accepted the modeling job, “oh. Hon I’m so proud of you, I had no idea you would do it.”
Cassidy came in, “Mr. Swan left the papers with me, so do you wanna go over them?” She sounded excited.
Olivia took the papers, “thank you, Cassidy you should tell your sister what Mr. Swan told us, she has to know...”
Cassidy turned to her sister, and her smile faded away, “it’s about Thomas’ father…” Cassandra was silent, “he studied aboard, remember? He is an investor… he’s keeping your secret about his son.”
“I don’t care, well if that was all then I wanted to come to ask you guys about the modeling job, and pretty much that was all, now that we have the papers, we should look over them and…”
“That’s not all, he is the investor in Swan’s modeling agency, and you might just get to see him, but the good news is that he won’t see you because you will not look like yourself, what I mean to say is the only day you’ll come close is in the campaign they’re hosting next month, no one will know who’s behind this mask.” Olivia finished telling her.
Cassandra’s face became pale, Cassidy was holding out a mask, “it’s going to be a masquerade ball, and you will see him, but he won’t see you. Ok maybe you won‘t see him either, since he is wearing a mask, but…”
Cassandra was wide eyed she wouldn’t speak, “Cassandra honey, come on now, it will just be that one day, and he won’t even recognize you, besides you should know, after that he will be gone, he’s leaving for good.”
Cassandra took the mask, “are you sure he won’t recognize me, in this?”
“I’m sure,” her sister and her mother said in unison, “I know it’s a bit out of usual but…”
“A bit? Are you serious? I didn’t even know this! If he recognizes me then what?”
“He is not you two won’t come close to meeting each other again, that’s what I’m saying, so don’t worry, I am a hundred percent sure.” Cassidy smiled.
“Ok he doesn’t have to know, Mr. Swan already knows and he will make sure you two aren’t ever left alone, he’s giving you an artistic name and that’s the name he will recognize you as.”
“Ok. I guess it’s alright, he’s not going to know who I am, I like it, it’s called having my enemy closer, without him knowing. I‘ll just stay away.”
“That’s the spirit! Now that we know he will be there you will have to give you an artistic name to keep your personal life from becoming tomorrow’s news, your name is Mystique.”
“Mystique?”
“Yes, it represents charm and beauty, and it gives you that life privacy you so desire.”
Cassandra sighed, “but if I could think about it, Thomas is leaving anyways so why would I?…”
“To keep an eye on him when he is here, you can make sure, he never even looks for you again, and find out about…”
“I know you’re probably right, but I am scared I might not know who he is, and if I speak he will recognize me, and he won’t leave me alone.”
“You are not the speaker, and you are going to help raise money, the closest you’ll ever come to him, is you’ll be on stage with him, like all the other models, you have to remember you won’t ever be alone, he won’t talk to you.”
“Good, that’s the way it should be,” she looked at them both before signing, “I am doing this, because I want to give my son more time he needs a stable place to live, and after my friend finishes her studies, she can take over what I do, mom I know you wanted me to work for you in your company, but…”
“Honey, I knew you weren’t staying to work for me forever, I wouldn’t have had that! I had to bring you home somehow, I knew where you worked because of the detective who told me, I just wanted to offer stability for you and your son, that’s all.”
Cassidy had met him before and they didn’t like each other, he was spying on her from behind a bush, “yeah, I remember him, you know that man has no manners. Where did he study, in a cave?” And he’d been in the house before.
Olivia was surprised, “you met him before? When was this?”
“Come on you guys, it’s not important, he was walking off. I saw him coming out of this study, I thought he was going to be part of your business,” she sighed, “well at least now I know. I don’t like him at all.”
“Wow, I didn’t know that, I don’t either, but why don’t you?”
“He is just like any other stuck up, snobbish and conceited, my friend thinks he’s ‘cute’ but why would he follow me around, I caught him behind a bush once, and I asked him about it.”
“What did he say?”
“He said, it was none of my business, and that he wasn’t really doing that, he made me look like I was crazy, but where ever I went he was there,” she made a fist, “I wanted to run from him but I’d still see him wherever I was. Agh! Why wouldn’t he just leave me alone?”
“Well, he did tell me he was following you, he didn’t know where your sister worked, or where she lived, but he must’ve found out somehow that you knew, he showed me that you were seeing her, remember?”
“Mother, I know, but not leaving me alone wouldn’t have…”
“I know sweety but I thought since Cassandra always told you everything then, I knew you would have to have known something…”
“Did he go through my stuff!?!”
“Well… he did his job.”
“As long as I never see him again!” Cassidy had never been so mad, “I have to go to school I have an essay due this week and the only way I‘ll turn it in is if I do it today,” she left the room.
Olivia shook her head, “what am I to do with your sister? I made plans for a secret party for her birthday, Mr. Campbell is coming,” Cassandra was surprised.