There I Go Again

Chapter 37

Kassie watched Bruno set up his

guitar, play with his brother's drums and test the piano off to the

side of the stage.

"Kassie...he is a babe. I wouldn't

tell you otherwise." Liz smiled at her castmate.

"Ugh. I know. He's very cute."

Kassie told her. "But what I'm really stoked about is that there

are no cameras, no mics, nothing. Just the music and friends." she

smiled at several of the girls she had met in the past few weeks.

"I know. But I think it will all be

worth it in 3 weeks when the show premieres. Oh my gosh. And the

shoots, and the clothes and the..."

"The complete and utter disregard

for reality?" Kassie interjected suddenly getting upset at the

drama she and Bruno had recently caused.

"What do you mean? I thought you had

a thing for that guy David too? Didn't you go out for dinner with

him?" Erica, one of the minor cast members asked.

She shrugged remembering the lunch

date. "I only did it because Nick pushed it on me."

"Wait, he does that to you, too?"

Liz asked.

"Does what?" Kassie asked.

"Create unnecessary drama. I mean,

half the crap we do is not real."

"I guess we just deal with it and

see what happens." Erica said..

**

"Move overrr..." Kassie pushed her

sister over so she was sitting in between Olivia and Bruno with a

large bowl of popcorn.

"Ouch. That hurt." Olivia

answered.

"Sorry dude..." she replied. "Will

the popcorn make it better?" she asked.

"Yeah it should..." Oliva answered

grabbing the bow.

"Oh...shush..it's starting..."

Kassie said loudly turning up the volume.

"The Heights is such a dumb name..."

Bruno interrupted during the opening credits.

"But I look hot. That's all that

matters..." Kassie laughed.

They watched the thirty minute show

introduce the four main characters. Clarissa, a street smart former

fashion school student with out of this world blonde hair, Liz, the

older – by two years- and wiser promoter, Erica, the privkleged

girl who gets everyone thanks to her name, and of course Kassandra-

the recent college grad moving towards the American Dream with a stop

in promotions.

"The season previews are always my

favorite..." Kassie said toward the end of the show. "Actually,

it kind of scares me..." Kassie finished. They watched the last

minutes of the show in silence.

"Oh my god." Bruno responded.

"That is complete shit. That isn't

how any of this happened." she replied in response to the clip

including Kassie yelling at Bruno for hooking up with Boobs

followed by them sitting in

at a restaurant talking about his recent writing gig with Atlantic

Records and how that would "tear them apart."

"He told me to say that." Kassie

said standing up with the popcorn bowl turning off the TV.

Bruno followed Kassie out to her porch

where she was overlooking the sparkling infinity pool. He wrapped his

arms around her waist kissing her neck. She pushed him away from her

turning around to look at him with tears in her eyes. "Stop Bruno.

Just stop." she responded. "Don't you think that maybe I could

just use a friend right now? Someone to talk to about how the

decision to do this show was one of the worst decisions in my life?"

"Kassie...I am your friend. When was

I not? When was there ever a moment when you couldn't talk to me?"

he asked her.

"It's just so much to take in. I

think maybe I'm scared of what's going to happen...you did how

many? 3? I did 1...and they want to add twelve more depending on the

ratings. I'm just nervous. What is going to happen tomorrow? Or the

next day or the day after that? Are people going to think I'm this

sleazy girl who does nothing during the day and then hooks up with

random exes at night? Is it what I want? To be the center or

attention...for everyone to want to know what's going on? I thought

that was what I wanted...but now...it scard me."

"Kassandra..." he touched the

tears on her cheek wiping them away. "You can't pay attention to

the people that don't know you, baby. If I let every single thing

anyone has ever said bad about me, Kittie..I would be one very mean

and bitter guy. "

"I guess..." she said sitting down

on a chair off to the side of the porch.

"Kassie..you weren't there when I

got dropped. I couldn't pay someone to say something nice about me

or my music. It was all me. You even told me to go home. Who did I

listen to?"" he asked. He pointed to his chest. "My heart. And

that's what you need to do.." he said poking her. "Listen to

your heart, Kittie. Don't let anyone break it or your spirit.

Because both are amazing...and beautiful....just the way you are."