The Art of Knowing [Completed]

19. • farewell •

[to all waiting to escape, wanting nothing more than adventure and love to find you along the way.]

• • • •
"Hey!!" Cassandra scolded with an airy laugh, slapping Ryan's hand as he leaned for another one of her fries.

"I'm allowed," Ryan muttered with a grin.

"Oh yeah? How so?" The brunette probed with a teasing glare. Her arms rested against the table as she awaited his response, all while trying to suppress the ever growing grin that mirrored his own.

"You practically devoured all the bread on the first date," he said with conviction, "I think I have the right to have at least one." His argument was followed by a quick snatch of one of her fries, victoriously taking it with a content grin. It was then that the young artist couldn't care less about the steal, but more about the words that had absentmindedly escaped his lips.

Her face was overtaken by a sudden heat wave- no doubt reddened by now, she thought- as the words echoed in her mind. She remained silent with a coy smile towards him, ultimately allowing her feelings to resurface.

"Date." She echoed with a determined gaze towards him.

Wispy brown locks remained near his face as he kept his eyes lowered on his phone for a moment, only to allow his stare to lift up towards Cassandra's voice. She didn't know why, but she expected a vehement opposition. Nevertheless, he had proven her wrong by letting a swift smile play on his lips.

"You heard me," he mumbled coyly before sipping on his soda, happily looking back down at his phone with evident confidence radiating off of him. The upturn of his lips proved to be impossible to suppress as seconds passed.

"Well, if I would've known this was a date I would've picked something way better." She chuckled after her own words, Ryan's shoulders quickly rising as he responded with a stoic shrug.

"I mean I told you I didn't want McDonalds," he justified with a smirk, "you should've taken the hint."

"What a shame," Cassandra countered with a subtle grin.

The pair exchanged smiles soon after, swift silence now engulfing them. It wasn't like one of those mundane awkward silences, the ones Ryan was all too familiar with back home. Those types were the dreadful silences that made his heart clench in anticipation and despair, wanting nothing more than to be anywhere else. He absolutely despised any deafening silence with every fiber of his being, and yet it was unfortunately the main characteristic of the rather tense dinner nights with his family. But with Cassandra, he was evidently astonished. Comfortably basking in someone's presence was something he had never experienced before, and yet it proved to be the single most important quality about his time with Cassandra Amherst.

"I'll miss you." Her voice rung out with ease, and yet it was strong enough to shatter the quietness.

It was then that he noticed the sudden shift in demeanor from her, the glimmering eyes she always obtained now dimmed a bit. Ryan could feel the ominous dread now draping over his own behavior while he looked down at his watch.

'5:40 pm' Ryan noticed, nonchalantly staring down at the watch that had been mercilessly declaring a mere death sentence for him. His broad chest heaved as he took a deep breath. There was nothing in his mind that could alter his mood right then, grimly shifting his gaze back to Cassandra. She looked rather content, or so he thought, as she sat in front of him in silence. The vividness on her face had diminished within seconds once she stood up with a short sigh.