Page 22 of The Things That Hold Us

He did it.

My heart swells, and I catch myself smiling at my phone.

“What's got you smiling like that?” Cassie yells from her window above me.

I look up, “Stop being nosey.” I yell back at her.

She laughs, then buzzes me in.

Once I’m upstairs, I take in the job that I agreed to assist on.

This is going to be an all night thing.

“Cassie, remind me again how you got permission to paint your apartment? That you arerenting.” I ask her, looking around and all the changes she’s made since the last time I was here.

Cassie has a very loud personality, so I don't expect her place to be any less. There's old lamps everywhere, crystals, disco balls, and incense burning somewhere. And now she's going to paint.”

“Um,” she finally says, “I just didn't ask?” she says, shrugging her shoulders innocently.

“Cass. You know you won’t get your security deposit back, right?”

“Eh. who cares. I pay the rent on time, and don't make loud noises. They won't ask me to leave any time soon, and I don't plan on it anyways.” she says.

“Cass. What if they want to do a random inspection and see this?” I ask her, now genuinely concerned for her.

“It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission.”

I don't know how true that statement is, but I drop it. Cassie is Cassie and when she sets her heart on something she has to have it.

Legal or not.

“Come on.” she says, “Grab a roller, and that paint tray.'' She points to where the supplies are sitting on the table that's covered in a white tarp.

“What color did you decide?” I ask. “Please don't be like..hot pink or something.”

“No, that’s not cool enough for me.” she jokes.

I open up the paint, and see a rich emerald green staring back at me. It's a beautiful color, but seems rather bold for an apartment.

“Cassie, are you sure?”

She pauses taking down picture frames, and smiles at me.

“Absolutely”

30 minutes pass, and we have two full walls covered.

I start on the next while she makes some coffee. My phone goes off, so I set the brush down, and pull it from my pocket.

I hope this isn't an invasion of privacy, I got your number off the receipt.. But I wanted to let you know the package is in the hands of the mailman now.

It’s Logan. I feel my chest tighten, seeing him texting me. It feels weirdly personal.

“Charlie?” Cassie says as she comes back into the room holding two cups.

My head whips up in her direction. “Hm?” I grumble out.

“Your cheeks are flushed.” she giggles.

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