Cassie's Saturday

“I can’t find the exit!” Cassie barked down the phone.

Being on her own college campus on a Saturday morning was one thing, but a different college? Please!

“What do you want me to do?” Mario replied. “You know, this is what ‘appens when you go home with strange guys you meet at frat parties.”

Cassie stopped, appalled at her friend’s comment. “It was not a frat party, Mario. It was a mixer, which you’d know if you’d actually bothered to come!”

“I wasn’t in the mood. Are you still pacing up and down in there? Whatta’ you doing?”

Cassie hurried along the dormitory corridor holding her nose. Definitely the boy’s floor. She found a staircase and headed down. There was the exit, leading out onto the green, sun-lit grounds of Silverside College, a mile’s walk from Bright Beach Cove Beauty School.

“I’m not in his dorm anymore, I’m - Argh!” Cassie ducked under a flying frisbee and kept walking, “look whatever, OK! Meet you at Deedee’s, I want a decaf soy latte. 20 minutes. Bye!”

“Whatever, bye!” Mario’s voice vanished as the call ended.

Cassie dropped her i-phone into her purse, reapplied her lip-gloss and pretended to know where she was going, dodging past a work-out group and two guys throwing a football around.

“Hey, Barbie!” One of them shouted after her, “looking for the library? Guess not!”

Cassie turned to look at him. He was tall with a cruel build, designed for football. Dumbass.

“How about I shove my plastic fist up your ass and use you as a compass?” She let out a fake, animated laugh. “Bye, jerk!”

Determined to keep up the appearance of knowing where to go, Cassie took a hard left and found herself in an unmanned studio. The place smelled of paint and warm stone, reminding her of her aunt’s kitchen. Another door beside a row of work desks had a light coming from beneath it. Knowing she totally didn’t have time to explore, she went in anyway and gasped at what greeted her.

Standing before her in a refined semi-circle were 10 mannequins clothed in the most stunning dresses and trouser suits Cassie had ever seen.

A figure-hugging cocktail dress of purple silk ruffled at the waist. A poplin dinner gown with a full gather stood centre stage, its red surface catching the light richly. A twill suit, oversized and completed with a beret pinned with a spiked, glass brooch. In cupro-viscose, a black pencil skirt, black blouse and burgundy jacket, ideal for autumn celebrations or even an overdressed walk to a local bar. Just needs a neck scarf, Cassie smiled.

Her hungry hands caressed the creations as she weaved in between each faceless princesses, resplendent in what Cassie could only ever dream to own.

“Not for a sale.” A voice startled her.

Cassie spun around, instantly apologetic, to see a boy, no older than 20, standing there. Cassie observed him quickly; tape measure round his neck, pincushion on his wrist, coffee cup in hand. “Did you make these?”

“I didn’t make them,” he smiled warmly and went back to his laptop. “I dreamed them…then I made them. Come here.”

Cassie went over, slightly bewildered and allowed him to throw a swath of white cotton around her. He began pinning it.

“Err, what are you doing?”

“You have the best shoulders.” He replied distantly, deep in concentration. “What’s your name?”

“I’m Cassie.” She answered proudly. “And you are?”

“…wondering how you got in here.” He grinned again, clearly not mad about her trespassing.

“I just walked in.” Cassie started, slightly unnerved. I don’t even go here. I – I was…I stayed over.”

“Yes, you were Emmet’s guest.” He said, still concentrating on the fabric and pins. Good thing too, Cassie turned the colour of a chilli.

Emmet! That was his name.

“We just talked all night. I swear.” Cassie stopped herself, squeezing her eyes shut, realising how much worse she was making this.

“None of my business what my roommate gets up to.” He said.

“Oh my god, that’s your dorm?”

He laughed again.

“Why do you keep laughing like that?”

No reply.

“What’s your name?” Cassie asked.

“Claudius. Now keep still or I won’t let you keep this once it’s done.”

Cassie smiled. Exhaling, she realised she’d landed a free dress and made a new friend.