Antoine's

[GGJ5]

Since 1840, Antoine's has been noted for its excellent French-Creole cuisine and numerous historical dining rooms. Antoine's has long been a tradition for both locals and visitors to New Orleans. An unmatched dining experience in the heart of the French Quarter.

Unlike many grand restaurants, which have only one central dining room, the century-and-a-half-old Antoine's has 15 dining rooms, each of them with their own unique history and charm ... some of them tucked away in corners, designed for the most private and intimate dining.

Antoine's guests include people from world government, theater, sports and Hollywood. Elizabeth Taylor, Lillian Russell, Julia Roberts, Neil Diamond, Tom Hanks, Jack Dempsey, Tom Cruise, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Joe Montana, Walt Disney, Bill Gates, five American presidents and two British princesses have all experienced the culinary delight of Antoine's Restaurant.

[from their website]

[The Phantom of Paris]

OOC: Double date time! Just so everyone knows, this takes place post Cassie's birthday party/Creepo Man stuffles. BIC:

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

Her dress swished and swayed back and forth as she stepped out of the car and did a little spin on the sidewalk in front of Antoine's restaurant. "This is gonna be so much fun!" she promised her friends with a laugh. "I absolutely love this place, it's so amazing."

"Have a good time, Cassandra," her mom called from the open car window. Ever since Cassie's birthday party and the reveal of what Mike had done, Kristen had been extremely protective of Cassie, insisting on chauffeuring her everywhere she needed to go, calling her constantly to check in, and generally trying to make up for the time she had lost with her daughter when she had been too preoccupied with her affair. In fact, it had been Kristen who had gotten reservations for the four of them at Antoine's that evening. It had been almost fun for Cassie at first, the way her mother had doted on her, but now it was getting old. Can't really blame her though...but still, it's like she's trying to buy me back for all that happened. I'm not sure I can do that yet.

"We will, Mom. Thanks for the ride," she said with a smile. Kristen returned it and waved to the rest of them, calling out, "Have fun, kids!" before driving away. Cassie shook her head. "She means well," she said quietly.

"Let's go!" she said, offering her arms to be linked with Kagayaki on one side and Erin on the other.

"Hello!" she said cheerily to the host when they stepped into the restaurant. "Reservations for Wright, party of four?" The host looked down at a list briefly and then smiled. "Yes, of course, Miss Wright. If you would please follow me. Your table is in our main dining room this evening." Cassie shot Erin an excited smile as they followed him through the elegant dining halls.

The restaurant host gallantly pulled Cassie and Erin's chairs out for them as they sat down. "Someone will be here to serve you shortly. Please enjoy." He gave the four of them a pleasant, obviously well-practiced smile before disappearing into the depths of the restaurant.

Cassie grinned at all of them. "Isn't this amazing?"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Erin had been surprised she'd had such a good time picking out her dress with Cassie in preparation for their first official double-date. And Cassie had even done her hair before they left, too, and it looked so good. Passing up windows and other reflective surfaces, Erin had to smile at herself with the success of her and Cassie's preparation.

Cassie looked pretty elated, too, playing with her awesome dress and being all cute and show-off-y, probably for Aidousan. It was adorable. Erin grinned, arm linked tight with Yukito's, and she looked over at him cheerily as Cassie chirped, "This is gonna be so much fun! I absolutely love this place, it's so amazing."[/b]

Erin giggled at her enthusiasm. "That's what I've been told! I guess we'll find out!"she said, almost like it was a taunt.

Finally they were able to get out of the car-- ever since the whole thing with Cassie's party, Erin tried to avoid the woman as much as possible, blaming her almost completely for the total crap Cassie had to go through... in fact, she didn't even want to think on it any more, and Erin was quick to get out, tugging on Yukito overeagerly to follow.

Erin ignored the woman sufficiently enough, even managing to hold her tongue when she called them kids. At least until she was going down the road again, and Erin muttered, "We're not kids."

"She means well," Cassie reminded her gently.

"Yeah, well, Yukito and Aidousan are legal adults!" Erin reminded her in turn. "They can, like, go to casinos and buy useless crap," she said with a look at Yukito and some little laughs.

"Let's go!" Cassie prodded, pulling Erin into a linked chain. Her friend's mood was contagious, and she perked up as they entered into the (really, really gorgeous) restaurant.

The host and Cassie confirmed their table, and Erin found herself oogling at the environment as they walked over to the table. Everything looks amazing!!

Cassie grinned at all of them when their host departed. "Isn't this amazing?" The similarity procured a little laugh from Erin. "I was totally just thinking that!!" Another glance about her. "Places like these always make me feel kinda stand-out-ish but they are sooo pretty and I love them and it smells so good, too, so they probably have amazing food too, which makes it totally great. Yukito! What do you think?" she asked, turning to him with a bright smile.

[Elda Forever]

OOC: Yukito's outfit – Without the guitar. XD
BIC:

Yukito Maki

"This is gonna be so much fun! I absolutely love this place, it's so amazing." Cassie laughed, spinning in a circle on the sidewalk outside of Antoine's.

"That's what I've been told! I guess we'll find out!" Erin giggled. Yukito couldn't remember exactly how it had come about that the four of them were going on a double date to the fancy restaurant, but he knew that he wasn't against Erin's arm gripping his as they slipped out of the car. Once they had established themselves on the sidewalk, and he had adjusted the blazer, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. - he noted with a hint of a smile the lack of straps or sleeves on her dress. He wondered if she knew how she had happened to pick his favorite colors in her wardrobe choice. But when he'd seen her he had simply sufficed for a simple, 'you look beautiful' and glued himself to her side, intending on staying that way for the larger part of the evening.

"Have a good time, Cassandra," Cassie's mother called out the car window, presuming the strange protectiveness act she had been up-keeping lately. Yukito's smile faded as Cassie said a thank you for the ride. Her mother sent back a quick, "Have fun, kids!" before she drove off.

"We're not kids." Erin muttered, and Yukito refrained from commenting. Mrs. Spenser's actions seemed too suddenly worrisome, and Yukito had never really liked her to begin with. His skeptical nature made it hard for him to believe that the same lady that was like a venomous snake with someone standing on its tail when she wasn't completely ignorant of her daughter could suddenly 'see the light' and make a turnaround. I give it a month. Two at best.

"She means well," Cassie tried to cover for her mother's unwanted title for the group.

"Yeah, well, Yukito and Aidousan are legal adults!" Erin pointed out cheerfully, "They can, like, go to casinos and buy useless crap,"

"Let's go!"

Yukito arched an eyebrow at Erin as they started for the front doors, “You want me to go buy you some useless crap?”

Cassie went up full of confidence and asked for her reservations. Yukito wasn't sure how he felt about seeing her like this...for him, it had all been so different. In the months after, he had been depressed and secluded, more like Shelby than Cassie. The older Wright sister seemed even bouncier than she had been before. Cassie was happy to link her arm in Aidousan's – a touch from someone Yukito had avoided as if it would burn his skin off from the memories. Things are so different for her. And I'm happy for that.

He wasn't quite as happy when the host pulled out Erin's chair for her, though. He wasn't even given a chance to. But he just stiffened and waited for an opening to sit right next to her. "Isn't this amazing?" Cassie gushed, as they looked around. Yukito shifted on his seat without answering her.

"I was totally just thinking that!!" Erin replied, "Places like these always make me feel kinda stand-out-ish but they are sooo pretty and I love them and it smells so good, too, so they probably have amazing food too, which makes it totally great. Yukito! What do you think?"

He looked down at the fancy table setting, and let just his eyes flicker up to her face, the hints of a smile on the edges of his lips as he stared at her face. I think I'm kind of relieved you feel...eh...'stand-out-..ish'? Because I do, too...

"I think I'm hungry." was all he stated. Then his smile grew, "And I can bet you are, because you're always hungry."

[More than Music]

OOC: Kagayaki's outfit. : ) Yarly. Just remember that Kagayaki's hair is currentlyyyyyyyyy mouse brown aka dishwater blond or something to that effect. KK!
BIC:

Kagayaki Aidou

He followed his friends out of the car and bowed out of habit to Wrightosan. "T'ank you, Wrightosan," he said politely, smiling at Cassie's mother. 'She's changed so much. We've all gotten better. Hm, this is wonderful.'

"We're not kids." Erinchan muttered.

"She means well." Cassie told her, and Kagayaki couldn't help the flutter in his heart when he looked at her. She was always trying to keep people happy. Just like Kagayaki did. Luckily, everyone seemed to be happy already, so their jobs were easy tonight. Be happy, and everyone's happy. And plenty of kisses, just for fun.

"Yeah, well, Yukito and Aidousan are legal adults! They can, like, go to casinos and buy useless crap."

Kagayaki snorted a little. "I don' wan' c***."

“You want me to go buy you some useless crap?” Yukitokun offered to Erinchan. Kagayaki just laughed and sent his friend a playful shove. 'My friend...'

"Let's go!" Cassie urged.

They were finally going on that double-date that Cassie and Erinchan had been talking about, and the two girls seemed thrilled out of their shoes. At least Kagayaki wasn't having any trouble keeping his attention on Cassie instead of Yukito - which had become a problem lately; he hated that - because his girlfriend just happened to be wearing one of the hottest outfits he'd ever seen on her.

Smiling at her softly, her arm was linked in his, Kagayaki couldn't help that overly fluffy feeling inside his chest that made him want to explode like an over-stuffed teddy bear. 'Did you wear that for me, kanojo? Do you know how stunning you are? I love you, you know that? No matter how confused and strange I find I have become, I always know that I love you. Nothing changes that.'

Kagayaki's eyes narrowed slightly at the man who'd led them to their table pulled chairs out for Erinchan and Cassie. 'Those are our girls. Watch your polite person.' He glanced over to see Yukito a bit stiff himself. 'Yeah, and Yukito can kick the c*** out of you do anything to deserve it. Sorry.' "Isn't this amazing?" Cassie cooed.

'You're amazing. All of you are. What have I done to deserve you, all of you? I've never been this happy before, because this time I don't feel bad for it. At all. It's okay. And we're all together. And the girls are beautiful, and Yukito is...' His eyes shifted to Yukito for a moment. 'Himself, which is more than I could ever ask for.'

"I was totally just thinking that!! Places like these always make me feel kinda stand-out-ish but they are sooo pretty and I love them and it smells so good, too, so they probably have amazing food too, which makes it totally great. Yukito! What do you think?"

"I think I'm hungry. And I can bet you are, because you're always hungry."

"I hungry too," Kagayaki murmured as he sat down next to Cassie, slipping his hand under the table to put his hand on her thigh. His eyes met hers and he smiled brightly at her, finding himself laughing. "You have ea' too, Cassie." His hand moved a little on her leg. 'I love you, you know that? Never doubt that. Ever. Nothing can change that. Nothing. It's so nice to see you happy, without worrying about everything, or having someone to look out for. You need that sometimes. I love you...' He leaned closer to her. "Cassiechan. Kimi wa, bishojo desu." He smiled crookedly, leaning farther forwards to translate, his voice lowering in volume. "You, hottie is." He'd learned the term and figured it fit Cassie best of all people. Kagayaki looked over at Erinchan and Yukitokun.

'It's just wonderful to see everyone so happy...'

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

So far, so good. See, Mom? See, Yukito? This wasn't a stupid idea after all. I can be fine...or at least, I can pretend to be. And it seems to be working. Everyone's buying it...except for maybe Yukito. Can't he see that I need to pretend to be happy in order for everything to be okay? If I pretend, then no one has to worry about me. If I pretend, it'll be fine.

So, she pretended. She put a smile on her face and did a little twirl on the sidewalk, like a character in a movie would. She laughed and gushed and allowed herself to link arms with her friends, even though the touches made her want to scream and run back to her mother's car, to be taken home and lock herself in her bedroom with the blankets pulled over her head and the door securely locked. But she resisted, trying not to let her nervousness show on her face. This is gonna be a lot harder than I thought.

"She means well," Cassie reminded Erin when she complained. To be honest, she could see the reason for her friend's skepticism and lingering anger towards Kristen--she was still upset too. But she's still my mom, and she's trying. Can't that just be good enough for a little while?

"Yeah, well, Yukito and Aidousan are legal adults! They can, like, go to casinos and buy useless crap,"

"I don' wan' c***."

Cassie rolled her eyes, even though she was itching to run ahead, break free from the group with the excuse that she had to "make sure they still had the reservation" or something pointless like that. "Useless crap? You mean like lottery tickets and stuff? Overrated, I'm sure." She paused. "Hey, I'll be a legal adult on my next birthday. How crazy is that?"

They got inside and got the reservation taken care of, giving Cassie the opportunity to shake free from the little 'We're off to see the Wizard' arm-linking party they had going on. "Isn't this amazing?" she asked as they sat down, more for their benefit than hers. To be honest, it wasn't all that amazing to Cassie anymore. It had been the first time she'd been there, when she was a little girl, but now it was just a restaurant she'd eaten at hundreds of times before. She had to remind herself that it was their first time there, and everything was new to them. I guess if I imagine it, I still feel sort of like I did the first time I came here. I was so young...I felt like Christmas had come early or something. Everyone was wearing their pretty dresses and looked so beautiful and everything was so pretty...but I hated the food. I made Adele make me a peanut butter sandwich when we got home that night.

"I was totally just thinking that!!" Erin squealed. "Places like these always make me feel kinda stand-out-ish but they are sooo pretty and I love them and it smells so good, too, so they probably have amazing food too, which makes it totally great. Yukito! What do you think?"

"I think I'm hungry. And I can bet you are, because you're always hungry."

Cassie nodded, pasting a weak smile on her face and flipping through a menu. "Yeah, the food's really good...especially the desserts. There's probably a lot of stuff here with tomato, though, so watch out for that, and if you guys could, try not to order anything with nuts 'cause I'm allergic..."

"You have ea' too, Cassie. Cassiechan. Kimi wa, bishojo desu." His hand was on her leg. She wasn't sure she could handle that, and her eyes widened as her whole body tensed up. "You, hottie is."

"Mmm-hmm, thanks..." His hand moved. She tried to act like it didn't bother her, but after a minute she couldn't stand it anymore.

She jumped up, rattling the table and the silverware, knocking her chair over and causing a glass of ice water placed by the waiter to come crashing to the floor, where it broke and spilled cold water all over her shoes. Immediately, a waiter appeared on the scene, diligently mopping up the mess and replacing the broken glass with a fresh one. "Are you all right, Miss?" he asked kindly, catching the attention of another server and asking her to bring something to clean up the broken glass with. Cassie gave a flustered nod. "Yeah, I'm fine." Her eyes fell on Erin. "I have to use the restroom, Erin, can you come with me please?" It wasn't a question--Cassie didn't even give Erin time to respond before she took hold of her arm and dragged her away with her.

Once in the bathroom, Cassie leaned her arm against the corner of the wall, facing away from Erin and resting her head against her forearm. She sighed heavily. Turning around and running a hand through her hair agitatedly, she gave Erin a helpless look. "Erin, I don't know what to do. I can't do this. I can't."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"She means well," Cassie responded to Erin's complaint.

Instead of responding with what Erin really thought about her meaning, she said, "Yeah, well, Yukito and Aidousan are legal adults! They can, like, go to casinos and buy useless crap."

Yukito arched an eyebrow at Erin as they started for the front doors. “You want me to go buy you some useless crap?”

Erin just giggled at that, not giving him an answer and letting him be creative about it. Sure, maybe it was a little immature, but it was fun to be immature sometimes.

"I don' wan' c***," came Aidousan's sure voice, and Erin gave a little snicker at that, too.

"Fun sucker," she called out, teasing him.

"Useless crap? You mean like lottery tickets and stuff? Overrated, I'm sure."

"Not true," Erin retorted emphatically, an irrepressible smile on her face. A dollar ticket where you could win a million? Heck yes!" She started thinking about the different things you could buy for a million as Cassie realized, "Hey, I'll be a legal adult on my next birthday. How crazy is that?"

"It sucks!" Erin spouted automatically, then hastened to explain, "I'll be left behind." She gave a playful pout, turning to Yukito and leaning on him and tugging his arm a little, silently flirting.

"Isn't this amazing?" Cassie asked once they were sitting down. And it totally was. Erin was itching to take pictures of everything in here, but past experiences told her she'd either get kicked out or have her camera taken from her. Something about the flash being disruptive or something. Whatever. "I was totally just thinking that!!" she said aloud. "Places like these always make me feel kinda stand-out-ish but they are sooo pretty and I love them and it smells so good, too, so they probably have amazing food too, which makes it totally great. Yukito! What do you think?"

"I think I'm hungry. And I can bet you are, because you're always hungry," Yukito said, grinning at her.

"Or," she countered, smiling coyly. "Maybe someone has to make use of the groceries your mom keeps buying. She buys like you actually touch any of it." Erin stuck her tongue out at him childishly. Because she could. Not the most attractive gesture, but she'd manage somehow.

Cassie had started flipping through the menu. This time, she'd make Yukito pick for her. No more reading menus in front of people, thank you, not for her. "Yeah, the food's really good...especially the desserts. There's probably a lot of stuff here with tomato, though, so watch out for that, and if you guys could, try not to order anything with nuts 'cause I'm allergic..."

She gave Yukito a nudge and gestured with the menu. "Your turn to order, Yukito!" She hoped he'd catch her thoughts somehow: Please don't make me read it in front of everyone else.

"You have ea' too, Cassie. Cassiechan," Aidousan said, spouting off something in Japanese that Erin didn't quite catch. Slow down so I can try to understand you! She listened closer, in case he was going to translate himself. She couldn't help it, she was curious. Instead, she heard his unique compliment: "You, hottie is."

Erin's smile widened in mirth. What a totally dorky and adorable way to compliment Cassie. I need to help him widen his complimentary vocabulary, definitely...

Erin let them be to themselves and turned her attention to Yukito. For some reason she enjoyed playing with the collar on his jacket, running her fingers close to his neck. She tilted her head up and kissed his cheek perkily, then a brief kiss on his lips.

She was about to kiss him again, but the jolt through the table completely snagged her attention. "Cassie?" One of the glasses had fallen, smashed onto the floor. Immediately a couple of servers appeared to remedy the mess and to check on Cassie, who assured them she was fine. But she'd jumped for some reason.

"I have to use the restroom, Erin, can you come with me please?" Cassie asked, immediately taking her by the arm and over to the restroom. She couldn't help complaining a little at the unexplainable urgency. "Cassie, I was busy! What's so important all the sudden?"

Cassie turned from her, to the wall, and immediately she wished she hadn't said what she did. I keep forgetting you're hurt. She swore angrily at herself for her negligence. Cassie sighed. "I didn't mean it like that..."

Turning around, Cassie looked so anxious, finally bursting out, "Erin, I don't know what to do. I can't do this. I can't."

"But..." But you have to, Cassie, because we're all so good together and we're perfect just like this, and if you can't then it'll all be messed up! But you have to, because I want to keep going out on these double date things! But you have to, because you makeAidousan so happy without even doing anything! But you have to, Cassie, because I want you to! I'm scared you'll get stuck somewhere and left behind because you think you can't! She swallowed, gently stepped closer to Cassie, and tried again. "But... Cassie... you can. I know you can!" She bit her lip, fumbling for words that would help her, would make Cassie see that she had to believe she could do this, otherwise, it was all moot. "You know we're all here with you, Cassie, and we love you. No one's going to let anything bad happen. Especially Aidousan. Cassie, you know he's not bad..." She sighed. That was all wrong. Erin tried again. "Look... it's okay, I mean, I think it's okay to... feel uncomfortable about some stuff right now. I mean, I think you should... Did he do something you didn't like, Cassie?"

She swallowed, trying very hard to pick the right things to say. And she was so bad t it, too. There wasn't a training manual on this kind of thing, after all. And if there was, she wouldn't have read it. "I think you'd feel better if you told him. You know, it's okay not to do some things. It doesn't make you any less of a girl for not wanting to right now. He'll agree with me too, I can promise you that. There's no race to finish first here, Cassie... it's okay. Really. But you need to tell him so y'all can work together."

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"Yukito! What do you think?"

"I think I'm hungry. And I can bet you are, because you're always hungry," Yukito said, grinning at her.

"Or," she countered, smiling coyly. "Maybe someone has to make use of the groceries your mom keeps buying. She buys like you actually touch any of it." Erin stuck her tongue out at him. He stuck his tongue out back at her.

"I'm just not a big-eater. Get over it." he growled at her playfully.

"Yeah, the food's really good...especially the desserts. There's probably a lot of stuff here with tomato, though, so watch out for that, and if you guys could, try not to order anything with nuts 'cause I'm allergic..."

Yukito arched an eyebrow, "What if I don't want to share with all of you? What if I want something with tomato in it?" He didn't like the idea of Aidousan picking off his plate.

Erin nudged him and gestured to her menu. "Your turn to order, Yukito!"

He shrugged, glancing over at the listings. "I dunno..." He leaned a little closer, then pointed to a random picture of something with cheese all over it. "That looks tasty to me." He tilted his head to read it better, but he couldn't pronounce it. It was French. Filet de truite meuniere...how do you say that?

"I hungry too," Aidousan said, cuddling closer to Cassie. Yukito ignored them for a moment, still staring at the picture of a dish he couldn't pronounce. His lips moved but no sound escaped, as he struggled to figure it out mentally. He was brought back to the actual moment when Erin started playing with the collar of his jacket, and he shivered a little when her fingers brushed his neck. Yukito started to smile when she kissed his cheek, then moving onto his lips. "Hullo..." he whispered, just when the table experienced an earthquake, making them all jump.

"Cassie?" Erin said in disbelief. Yukito watched her face quietly.

"Cass..."

"I have to use the restroom, Erin, can you come with me please?" She pulled Erin out of the room in an instant, and Yukito turned to Aidousan with a solemn expression.

"What happened?"

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

He'd gone and done it again, hadn't he? It'd all been perfect until he'd tried to push it a little farther. Why did he always do that? Why couldn't he just be happy with the way things were and not try to make them better? Sometimes things were suppose to just be 'okay' and not be what he hoped they would.

But how come that didn't make it any easier? He wanted Cassie to trust him. She didn't, she couldn't. All he'd done was touch her leg, just trying to give her a gentle reassuring gesture, but it made her jump up and leave.

Why did they always leave?

Erinchan and Cassie left, supposedly for the restroom, leaving Kagayaki alone with Yukitokun. Kagayaki buried his face in his hands, supporting himself by leaning his elbows on the table. He braced himself for what he knew was coming.

"What happened?"

Trying to stay calm and not break down like he wanted to - because that was more than silly, it was downright stupid; he wasn't the victim here, Cassie was - by not looking up at Yukitokun.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I was so stupid to think that everything would turn out the way I wanted..." His voice was hushed; he hated the idea of anyone staring at them. He swallowed down the tears, closing his eyes tightly and using all his energy for a few moments to try and stay calm. "It's just hard, you know? Loving her so much but not being able to hold her, or touch her, or anything without scaring her... I... I can't... I can't do anything without reminding her of him." He looked up at Yukitokun for a second, then covered his face again to hide his shame. "But, no... I'm so selfish... She's been hurt and all I've been doing so far is be selfish. I'm such a... a horrible... horrible boyfriend." He got up, taking in a deep breath that turned out to be too shaky. No. Sitting back down, he pushed everything out of his way and laid his head on the table.

"Why can't it just be like it is for you and Erinchan? You have problems, but you can get through them. There's no way to get through this, Yukitokun. Everything I do to help turns out to make it worse. I can't help her, and by loving her, I'm hurting her." Feeling a tear slipping down his face, he muttered about how stupid he was, wiping all traces of it away, only to find more followed it. "Why am I crying, anyway? She's the one that's hurting right now, not me."

'Maybe, this time, you can understand instead of making me feel worse? Please? I don't need you to show me how I'm feeling. I'm being as open as I can with you, hoping no one else is watching, hoping you'll see that I really need you right now.'

'Can't you see that, Yukito? I need you.'

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"There's probably a lot of stuff here with tomato, though, so watch out for that, and if you guys could, try not to order anything with nuts 'cause I'm allergic..." she said, realizing that she sounded like her mother or Adele with all her allergy worries. Hey, it's not my fault. I've already had one allergy scare with my boyfriend and I really don't think I want another one. Not when I'm still trying to pick up the pieces and move on...I really don't think another overnight stay at the hospital would help that very much.

"What if I don't want to share with all of you? What if I want something with tomato in it?"

Cassie shrugged. "Um, well, it kinda depends on the allergy, Yukito. I mean, when I was a kid I had to sit at a special nut-free lunch table in the school cafeteria even though I could still eat peanuts and peanut butter and stuff. I'm so allergic to nuts that I could have a reaction just from smelling it, or touching something that has touched a cashew or an almond or something. So really, don't get anything with nuts...please?"

The talk turned to what everyone was going to order, and Cassie silently decided on the Chair de crabes au gratin for starters--crabmeat in some sort of creamy, alfredo-like sauce and baked into a casserole--followed by Filet de truite aux ecrevisses/crevettes cardinal. She knew she was probably ordering too much but figured she could share if need be. Besides, she had skipped lunch because she had known they would be going to Antoine's. "Oh, by the way, guys, get anything you want. It's my treat tonight. Oh yeah, and if you didn't notice, the description of the food is under the French title thing...although it was interesting watching you trying to magically understand the French, Yukito." She raised her water glass at him mockingly with a smile.

An awkward compliment and one too many touches later, Cassie had jumped up, white-hot fear seizing her, and run to the shelter of the ladies' room with Erin in tow. "Cassie, I was busy! What's so important all the sudden?"

She turned away, taking solace in the wall covered in fancy, old-fashioned wallpaper. Of course. You were busy. That's what always happens, isn't it, Erin?

Erin's tone turned guilty. "I didn't mean it like that..."

She turned to face her. "Erin, I don't know what to do. I can't do this. I can't."

"But..."

But what, Erin? But I have to, because we have to all remain together forever and get married and live happily ever after and all that jazz? That doesn't exist. I've seen it. But I have to because everyone expects it? I'm tired of doing what people expect. But it'll get easier? YOU try living through this, Erin, I dare you! I dare you! I can't do it! It's just too hard! I can't!

"But... Cassie... you can. I know you can!" Cassie stared at her in disbelief. "No. No I can't."

"You know we're all here with you, Cassie, and we love you. No one's going to let anything bad happen. Especially Aidousan. Cassie, you know he's not bad...Look... it's okay, I mean, I think it's okay to... feel uncomfortable about some stuff right now. I mean, I think you should... Did he do something you didn't like, Cassie?"

"Yeah," Cassie said simply. "He touched my leg." It immediately hit her how stupid and childish that sounded, and she tried to regroup. "God! I sound like such an idiot right now! 'Oh, woe is me, my boyfriend touched my leg' Argh! I just...I can't handle that right now but he's all so 'Let's just pretend everything is all right and everything will be all right! Yay! I have discovered the secret way to coping with everything!' But I can't pretend, Erin, not anymore, and all of you people seem to magically think I can! But I can't!"

"I think you'd feel better if you told him. You know, it's okay not to do some things. It doesn't make you any less of a girl for not wanting to right now. He'll agree with me too, I can promise you that. There's no race to finish first here, Cassie... it's okay. Really. But you need to tell him so y'all can work together."

Cassie sighed heavily. "What if I don't want to work together anymore? I don't know, Erin. I just don't know."

She glanced towards the door. "We should probably head back. I don't want to, but we should."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"But... but... Cassie... you can. I know you can!"

Cassie just stared at her blankly, like she'd just said the stupidest thing. And maybe she had. "No. No I can't."

She frowned at the response, completely at a loss as to what was going on inside her friend's head. Erin wanted to just clap her hands and snap her out of it, but that was also stupid. She tried to let Cassie know as well as she could that it would be okay. Even though she had no idea... "You know we're all here with you, Cassie, and we love you. No one's going to let anything bad happen. Especially Aidousan. Cassie, you know he's not bad...Look... it's okay, I mean, I think it's okay to... feel uncomfortable about some stuff right now. I mean, I think you should... Did he do something you didn't like, Cassie?"

"Yeah," Cassie said simply. "He touched my leg."

Erin nodded, showing she understood, at least how it was to be in Aidousan's position. At least she could speak for him, a little better than for Cassie anyway.

But Cassie suddenly seemed to fly off on a rant directed at herself, taking Erin aback. It immediately hit her how stupid and childish that sounded, and she tried to regroup. "God! I sound like such an idiot right now! 'Oh, woe is me, my boyfriend touched my leg' Argh! I just...I can't handle that right now but he's all so 'Let's just pretend everything is all right and everything will be all right! Yay! I have discovered the secret way to coping with everything!' But I can't pretend, Erin, not anymore, and all of you people seem to magically think I can! But I can't!"

Erin held up both hands in a gesture silently begging, "Woah, hold up for a second!", concern etching her face. I don't know what I'm doing! They don't train you for this in friendship school! "I think you'd feel better if you told him. You know, it's okay not to do some things. It doesn't make you any less of a girl for not wanting to right now. He'll agree with me too, I can promise you that. There's no race to finish first here, Cassie... it's okay. Really. But you need to tell him so y'all can work together."

Cassie sighed heavily. "What if I don't want to work together anymore? I don't know, Erin. I just don't know."

Oh my god, is she saying she wants to break up with him? Already? No! No, Cassie, don't do that! You're just scared is all, and that's okay, just please don't do something like that, not now, please! It took everything in Erin to hold back from taking Cassie's shoulders into her hands. So she linked them together tight behind her back, fingertips playing with the sash on her dress. "Cassie!" Half chastise, half plead. "You have to..."

Instead, Cassie looked towards the doorway. "We should probably head back. I don't want to, but we should."

For some reason, her words were the last straw for Erin. She shifted away from pleading with her, the tone of her voice edgier now, brows knit in intensity. "No! You need to just hold up and listen to me! Cassie. He doesn't have any idea that he made you feel like this, and you're not even gonna give him the opportunity to know what he did wrong?! How do you expect to ever be able to get real with anyone if you don't even tell them anything?! Cassie, just freaking talk to him!" She gestured out the door with her hand, her tone a little louder than necessary for an upperclass restroom. "Seriously, it does make a difference. I know! If Yukito didn't tell me when I did something he didn't like, we wouldn't even be together now!" Erin stopped, the realizations of her words freezing her. One, that what she said she believed to be entirely true; and two, she had no idea what Cassie did or didn't know about why that had come up between them at all... She'd never told Cassie how bad she felt about pushing too far one time, and she was pretty sure that Yukito hadn't said anything about his history to anyone else. "I made him feel the same way Aidousan made you feel..." she said, feeling slightly embarrassed about the entire thing. "Only I didn't just touch his leg," she muttered, now in full rare blush. Afraid her friend would think she was some kind of slut. "And I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't told me why he pushed away..."

Erin looked back up, trying to recover her formerly bold tone. "But Cassie, it can be done. It can work. It really, really can!" She sounded pleading again. "Please don't give up, Cassie... please." She bit her lip, trying to stop herself from ruining it more.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

The instant the girls escaped the room, Aidousan buried his face in his hands, looking broken and mournful. Yukito's expression changed little, and his voice was distant and calm. But utterly serious. "What happened?"

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I was so stupid to think that everything would turn out the way I wanted..." Yukito said nothing. Aidousan's voice came up muffled and nearly strangled by his attempts to remain calm. Yukito waited. "It's just hard, you know? Loving her so much but not being able to hold her, or touch her, or anything without scaring her... I... I can't... I can't do anything without reminding her of him." When Aidousan looked up into his face, Yukito had something to say. But he didn't. Aidousan, don't you see? Don't you understand? It's the same with me. Can't you know it's not you, it's what you do, how you touch? It's a memory. It can't be stifled. And it's only associated with one person. The person who dealt the harm.

Aidousan dove down into his handheld refuge again. "But, no... I'm so selfish... She's been hurt and all I've been doing so far is be selfish. I'm such a... a horrible... horrible boyfriend."

Suddenly, Aidousan leapt up, and appeared to be overwhelmed with a desire to leave, to go away. To follow Cassie, or to run away.

"Kagasan, sit down." Yukito said quietly, "Please. Running won't do you any good."

After awhile, he sat back down again. But Yukito would never know if it was his own decision or if it was because Yukito had asked him to. He wasn't sure if it made any difference, but it seemed like it should. "Why can't it just be like it is for you and Erinchan? You have problems, but you can get through them. There's no way to get through this, Yukitokun. Everything I do to help turns out to make it worse. I can't help her, and by loving her, I'm hurting her." Aidousan wiped away the growing tears on his face, showing embarrassment as he tried to wipe away the dampened trails down his cheeks. "Why am I crying, anyway? She's the one that's hurting right now, not me."

Yukito had sat back in his seat, folding his arms on his chest and gripping both elbows with the opposite hands, looking deep in thought. "Is she?" The question was asked with true wonder. "You're hurt by the fact that she ran away..." Just like Erin. You two are so much alike. But you can't pretend it's all okay.

"You should talk to her. It's the only way to deal with it. Even if it hurts." He wanted to tell Aidousan that he knew how Cassie felt. He wanted to explain to Aidousan that this sort of the thing was the reason Aidousan was always looking to Yukito like he was constantly disapproving of him. Why he had had to watch Yukito run away from the things he couldn't explain or talk about. Yukito couldn't forget when he had freaked out over a silly comment by their friends. It had more than shaken Yukito, even if it meant nothing - it had scared the hell out of him. Aidousan had never understood it, and Yukito had never gotten the guts to try to help him understand it.

"You don't know the boundaries. You don't know what you can do. She has to tell you that." His words were spoken gently, and meant so, but with a finality in them that couldn't be ignored. "And you can get through it. You just haven't done it yet. So don't give up so easily." He tried to offer a smile, but it vanished a little too quickly.

"Kagasan..."

I went through something a lot like Cassie did. That's why. That's the reason I don't get close to you, or anybody else. That's why I don't hold people close, even if it's all I want to do. That's why there's only Erin. My mother can't even hold that place anymore. Just Erin. If she could get through to me, and hold me, why can't you wait to hold Cassie?

He just found himself staring at Aidousan, mentally explaining it to his best friend. He was sitting silently, like an idiot. But the words were as locked into his mouth as if he had welded them with hot iron and steel. He was silent for far too long. Finally, he turned his head and just looked down at the floor next to their table. "They'll be back soon." He mumbled stupidly, "Don't forget - Erin and I had our ugly points, too. Though those were mostly my doing..."

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou
"
Kagasan, sit down. Please. Running won't do you any good."

"Yeah, Yeah I guess not," Kagayaki breathed, even though he didn't return to his seat for a few more minutes.

"Why can't it just be like it is for you and Erinchan? You have problems, but you can get through them. There's no way to get through this, Yukitokun. Everything I do to help turns out to make it worse. I can't help her, and by loving her, I'm hurting her." He realized he was crying. Kagayaki laughed nervously, wiping away his tears. "Why am I crying, anyway? She's the one that's hurting right now, not me."

Yukito was quiet for a moment before finally speaking: "Is she?"

Kagayaki looked up with with surprise, his hands falling limply to the table. "What you mean?"

"You're hurt by the fact that she ran away..."

His gaze falling to his lap, Kagayaki nodded. "K-kinda... yeah... Yeah, I am."

"You should talk to her. It's the only way to deal with it. Even if it hurts."

He nodded, but didn't look up. 'You don't understand, do you? You don't know how it feels to hold someone, to touch them, and have them run away from you. You never have that problem. You're at the other end, the one being scared. Saikochan should be in here with me, and you should be in there with Cassiechan... then maybe they would make more sense. Saikochan doesn't make me feel so stupid. It's like she understands how that feels.'

'It's not that I'm not happy you want to help us, Yuyukun. It's just... I wish you knew how I'm feeling! I wish you knew how it was to be rejected, over and over again. Not because I want you to be hurt, but just so you'd understand me. Just... for once. Once I wish you were in it as bad as I am.'

"You don't know the boundaries. You don't know what you can do. She has to tell you that."

Kagayaki could hear the sincerity, but he still couldn't take Yukito seriously. He was closing himself off. That was all he could think to do. 'I know the boundaries she wants. She wants me to just back off and stop making her scared. She never wants me to hold her ever again. And I should do that... but I can't.'

"And you can get through it. You just haven't done it yet. So don't give up so easily."

He just swallowed, not looking up because he was crying again. This time, he didn't wipe the tears away. He let them slip down his face, tickling his cheeks and chin, trailing down his neck and making his collar wet. 'I ruined everything... again...'

"Kagasan..."

There was something in Yukitokun's voice just then that Kagayaki didn't recognize. He looked up, making himself stare into his friend's face. Just, waiting. 'Keep going.'

He didn't. They weren't like that... they didn't deal with stuff like that. They got into a fight when they should have said it before. Things never came out when they should.

"They'll be back soon," was what Yukitokun said instead. Kagayaki tried not to look disappointed, just nodding in response as he wiped his face. "Don't forget - Erin and I had our ugly points, too. Though those were mostly my doing..."

"Yeah, but you don't already know you're gonna mess it up," Kagayaki muttered, not looking at his friend; he watched where he hoped Cassie and Erinchan would come back from to occupy his eyes. "Because you and Saikochan are in it together. You're both up to speed. I can't... I can't get her back for the life of me. You and Saikochan are adjusting to each other. Just when Cassiechan and I started adjusting..." Kagayaki just shook his head. "It's like starting father back than the beginning."

He made himself meet his friend's eyes this time. "I'm just waiting for myself to mess up worse than ever again. Because I love her more than I've ever loved anyone... and she actually loved me, I think. Before. And that means we'll both hurt more than ever before, right?" He shrugged, standing up, kind of shocked he'd actually said it instead of thinking it like he'd planned.

"I have to go see why they're not back yet... It's driving me crazy."

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

For some reason, Erin seemed more upset about Cassie's outburst than she was. I guess you really don't like things to change, do you? I didn't either. Now...I still don't. But I don't try to save things that might be unsaveable. It's hard for me to admit it, but I just don't...how can we come back from something like this? I just...it's kind of a point of no return. I'm sorry that I brought this all on you guys. I'm sorry that I caused all this, I'm sorry it's because of stupid me that we're going to be a broken family again. But I'm used to dealing with things that are broken now.

Sorry, Erin...I never wanted this to happen either...

"I think you'd feel better if you told him," Erin said, almost pleading. "You know, it's okay not to do some things. It doesn't make you any less of a girl for not wanting to right now. He'll agree with me too, I can promise you that. There's no race to finish first here, Cassie... it's okay. Really. But you need to tell him so y'all can work together."

But I can't! I've tried that already, it didn't go well. It's better this way, really. It would just be pretending again, pretending everything's okay. We all know that that didn't work at all. I can't pretend anymore. I can't just lie and tell you all that everything's going to be okay. I can't keep telling myself that if I can be happy today, then I'll cry tomorrow. I'm done.

"What if I don't want to work together anymore? I don't know, Erin. I just don't know."

"Cassie! You have to..."

"I have to what?" Cassie challenged. "Stay in a relationship I'm not sure is right for me right now? Forget the fact that I'm terrified whenever he even looks at me? What do I have to do?" She glanced towards the door, her will to fight leaving her. "We should probably head back. I don't want to, but we should." We should go home. That's what I'm trying to say.

Her words were a breaking point for Erin, and Cassie's eyes widened as her friend snapped at her. "No! You need to just hold up and listen to me! Cassie. He doesn't have any idea that he made you feel like this, and you're not even gonna give him the opportunity to know what he did wrong?! How do you expect to ever be able to get real with anyone if you don't even tell them anything?! Cassie, just freaking talk to him!"

"You don't get to tell me that," said Cassie, her eyes flashing in anger. "Hey, Erin, any time you wanna switch places with me, just say the word. How would you like to live with this hanging over your head, hmm? You have no idea. No idea. And neither does he. I mean, my God, if you knew how long it's been since I've slept, really slept, without waking up screaming because of him, or how many nights I find myself curled up in my pajamas on the floor of the shower with the water turned on so hot it burns my freaking skin just because I dreamt about him again and that's what I did the night after it happened, so I could burn his touch away from me? You. Have. No. Idea."

"Seriously, it does make a difference. I know! If Yukito didn't tell me when I did something he didn't like, we wouldn't even be together now!I made him feel the same way Aidousan made you feel...Only I didn't just touch his leg...And I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't told me why he pushed away..."

Immediately Cassie's expression softened. "Oh, Erin, I know...I'm so sorry...when did you find out?"

"But Cassie, it can be done. It can work. It really, really can! Please don't give up, Cassie... please."

"I don't know, Erin! I tried. I've been trying. I am trying. And I guess I can try harder. But...I just don't know how much more I can take. I just...I hate this whole thing...I hate it! But that doesn't matter now. I just...how? How do I tell him--all of you--what you can and can't do, when I don't even really know the answer to that myself?"

She sighed, biting her lip and looking down at her shoes on the beautiful antique floors. "They're probably worried or something by now..."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Cassie, just freaking talk to him!"

Her stupid words of advice-- or rather, her own private rant-- backfired into her face.

"You don't get to tell me that." Was this the firs time Erin had seen Cassie angry? If it wasn't it was definitely the most angry Erin had ever seen her. Which said something about the redheaded temper stereotype. Erin froze in surprise at the sudden burst from her normally peaceful friend. "Hey, Erin, any time you wanna switch places with me, just say the word. How would you like to live with this hanging over your head, hmm? You have no idea. No idea. And neither does he. I mean, my God, if you knew how long it's been since I've slept, really slept, without waking up screaming because of him, or how many nights I find myself curled up in my pajamas on the floor of the shower with the water turned on so hot it burns my freaking skin just because I dreamt about him again and that's what I did the night after it happened, so I could burn his touch away from me? You. Have. No. Idea."

She had a little idea, actually. Just a little one.... From case studies she heard on TV or from her dad in conversations or class, and then closer to home, from Yukito... He never told her outright what exactly happened, but she knew it was close enough to what Cassie went through to cause this weird sense of affinity she found between them now. Like they were part of a club no one wanted, the same kinds of clubs that cancer victims and widows were part of.... And Yukito's hurt came from someone in the inner circle, someone who was supposed to be trusted more than anyone else. He was supposed to protect you, not tear you apart.... The words Cassie spoke made Erin realize something that she had been too scared to think of before, were she honest with herself. How often did Yukito feel the same way, even now? How often did he cringe at a touch, flash back to that moment and feel that fear, or wake up screaming? How could a person do something like that to another human being? Your own flesh and blood? Erin couldn't find the right words to say what she was feeling about this.... she didn't even know how to explain it without spilling Yukito's secret... So she stayed on the same track of thought, pressing on in spite of herself. "Seriously, it does make a difference. I know! If Yukito didn't tell me when I did something he didn't like, we wouldn't even be together now!I made him feel the same way Aidousan made you feel...Only I didn't just touch his leg...And I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't told me why he pushed away..." Erin felt the familiar wave of guilt when she remembered how she'd made him feel, the knot building in her throat and the pressure pushing on her eyes.

"Oh, Erin, I know...I'm so sorry...when did you find out?"

Find... out...? The comment got Erin's full attention. She knew already... Yukito told her already... maybe before he even told me... The realization hit her like salt in an open wound. It hurt. So. Bad. A selfish, childish hurt that Erin forced herself to swallow in light of Cassie's turmoil. The hardest thing to swallow she'd ever attempted.

"After your birthday... we were on a date," she explained quietly, feeling the heat in her face-- an outward sign of her guilt. "And I, I, um, kissed him... lower than he wanted, and we'd been swimming, so... it was... not so... good... " Erin fiddled nervously with her hair, dislodging some of it from the styled curls atop her head. She knew how horrible it sounded. She knew it would sound even worse to Cassie, and a fear was growing in her that Cassie wouldn't want to be her friend anymore because of it. And she hadn't even told her everything... it was so hard already.... "And he told me why we couldn't do that..." Her voice was much, much more quiet now. "I wish I would have known before... But he did tell me, and we talked about it, and we'll still talk about it, Cassie. He said that he can't tell me where the line is, because he doesn't really know either, but when he does know, he has to be okay with telling me and I have to be okay with listening, and then we can get it and understand it better and all, and it's not like this huge wall that we keep hitting over and over...

"But Cassie, it can be done. It can work. It really, really can! Please don't give up, Cassie... please."

"I don't know, Erin! I tried. I've been trying. I am trying. And I guess I can try harder. But...I just don't know how much more I can take. I just...I hate this whole thing...I hate it! But that doesn't matter now. I just...how? How do I tell him--all of you--what you can and can't do, when I don't even really know the answer to that myself?"

"Just tell us," Erin muttered, feeling helpless. No matter what she could do or say, Erin felt like Cassie was determined to find holes in her argument. "Just say, 'I don't want that', or 'no', or 'not now, please', or something, but just... say it..."

Cassie let out a sigh. Erin was sure she still lost this one. She sucked at stuff like this, so bad... "They're probably worried or something by now..."

Erin nodded. "Cassie... I'm sorry. Can we start it over?" She gave her friend a hopeful smile, one foot half out the door. I just want it to be better.