"Where are you off too Ri?" Zack asks, taking a gulp from his smoothie. It's one of those horrible looking ones, the ones people make reamrks about them being 'full of protein' or 'good for you' just to cover up just how gross they look. Zack drinks them like a religion.
"Nowhere really, just off for some grocery shopping and coffee." I lie. The truth is that Cass and I are off to a cafe in town. We flew her parents in for lunch and mine as well. To tell them the good news. It's been three days since she said yes and I'm still extatic. Still itching with excitement. And soon I hope the guys will be too, I'm telling them tonight.
"You look a little flustered, you don't need some help?" He asks. He's been really happy lately, it's nice to see him so alive. Hayley has brought out some sort of fun-loving less-shy version of him. The guys and I all maje faces and tease him, but we're all secretly happy he's found someone.
"Nah I'm all good. Be back around one at the latest."
"I'll call the cops if you're not back by then" He laughs. I give him a thumbs up and shrug on my coat. Outside the air is crisp, but not anyway near the cold mornings we've had lately. It is getting to winter. I stop at Cassadee's bus and knock, it opens almost immediately. I only get a quick look at how stunning she looks in her body-hugging white dress because she wraps me in a hug quickly, and I laugh in surprise. She looks up at me longingly.
"I'm so nervous. I can't even think. What if your mum secretly hates me? And she forbids our marriage?" She blurts, her olive green eyes widening. I reach out and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and smile at her.
"Cass, this isn't a shakespeare play. She can't do that, I wouldn't let her. I love you and nothing can change that." I tell her. By heart beats fast as she places her hands on my neck and kisses me tentatively.
"You always know the right thing to say." She smiles. I kiss her again- because I can- and she giggles.
"Come on Rian, we don't want to be late. You know how my mum hates tardiness." She hurries, grabbing my hand. She poer walks out of the car park, dragging me along, but she soon slows down. I place my arm around her, feeling comforted by her touch.
"So do you think that they'll be happy? Your parents I mean?" She asks me. When she's worried she gets the hottest dimple in her left cheek.
"Of course Cass, they'll be happy as long as we are."
"I like it when you say we." She smiles and looks down at her feet. I give her shoulder a squeeze.
"Me too. We. Us. Our."
"Mr and Mrs Rian and Cassadee Dawson."
"Now that's something that will never make me anything but happy" I say, kissing her cheek. She blushes and looks down at her finger, which inhabits the ring that she had once pointed out to me on a date. I bought it the next day. I've always known she was the one.
When we get to the café our parents are already there. My mum is dressed formally (she must've researched the place, which Cassadee had picked put for the 'gorgeous decor') in a pale yellow dress, which ironically matched Mrs Pope's yellow suit and skirt thingy. Cassadee smiles brightly at the sight of her parents.
"Mum, Dad!" She hurries over to them and hugs them. Then she moves over to my parents whilst I shake hands with Lenny (or as he tells me not to call him, Mr Pope) and greet Mrs. Pope. We sit down opposite the two sets of parents. Cassadee calls over a waitor and orders a bottle of champagne and a jug of orange juice as well as a tray of assorted foods. My mum raises her eyebrows at me and gives me the look that means 'so you got her back? good job my boy'. She's always liked Cassadee.
"Cassadee my dear, what's the big occasion? Why all the food and champagne?" He mother asks. She gets her looks from her mum, who shares her olive green eyes and fair complexion. Cass looks at me and smiles. I can hear her asking me if she should tell them now. I nod to her. She turns and holds my hands on the table smiling.
"Mum, Dad, Kathy, Dennis. Um... Rian and I are engaged." She announces excitedly. I smile at them too. Their eyes widen with shock. My mum is the first to smile.
"We're getting married!" Cass exclaims. Tears of joy falls from my mum's eyes. Mrs. Pope smiles wildly and gets up to hug Cassadee and kiss me on the cheek. My step-dad pats me on the back and Lenny shakes my hand. I kiss Cassadee passionately and hold her hand for the rest of the lunch. We talk about arranging the wedding, about telling the guys. I tell them I wanted to make sure that I told them first. Cassadee glows, and she looks even more beautiful than she did before.
I'm getting married.
