Invisible Girl

Cas thought that the building he saw must be where the restaurant was at. God, he didn’t like restaurants. Restaurants didn’t like him either. It just didn’t match. Fancy food with lots of vegetables that he would eat but never really enjoy and a waiting staff that was so friendly it made him feel uncomfortable. But maybe it wouldn’t be too bad, maybe he could have some fun. “Okay, but what kind of boyfriend am I? Am I like the annoying one who has an opinion on everything but doesn’t know what he’s talking about? Or just plain dumb? Or actually an okay boyfriend? I could also flirt with your mom and her boyfriend if you want to get them really uncomfortable, but that’ll cost you extra,” he grinned as they stepped into the restaurant. He then kept his mouth shut, just standing behind Nellie like a child in some huge ass fancy store, not knowing what to do but just try and not be noticed.

Nellie listened to Cas’ question. She hadn’t realized that she hadn’t specified, and said he just had to come along to keep her sane. She didn’t need him to be playing her boyfriend. That is, if he was being serious. “Well, if you really want to play the boyfriend, be reasonably normal. I’ll leave the rest open to artistic interpretation. But you don’t have to play the boyfriend if you don’t want to. Although, it’ll be nice to get some sweet revenge with the B-Bomb if you do.” Nellie explained, before turning back to the man at the desk. He nodded, and told the two of them to follow him to the table. As they approached, Nellie’s Mom stood, and greeted her daughter with a hug, as the host slinked off. “Hey, Mom,” Nellie greeted, “Hi, Matthew.” She addressed her Mom’s boyfriend, before turning to Cas. “Oh, Mom, this is Cas. I figured it would be okay if I brought someone along? You did say that was fine, right?” Nellie asked, feigning ignorance about her choice to bring another person with her. “Yes, of course, it’s no problem at all.” Her Mom said, watching the boy for a moment. “Uh, Cas, this is my Mom, Melinda, and her boyfriend Matthew.” She introduced, glancing back at Cas.

He followed her, was walking next to her, but watching her every move, figuring she knew where she was going and he didn’t have to pay attention to anything or anyone but her. It formed a nice contrast with the way she seemed to want to ignore him. Did he do something? He was honestly curious, maybe even a bit worried, because their silences never felt this uncomfortable. And then Cas heard the word Ohio. So, maybe that was is. “Yeah. I mean, it sounds like it could be fun, and what are my other options? I don’t have anything keeping me here anymore, and I could audition for new things, sure, but I’m still some messed up alcoholic who -if he even manages to get a job- can’t keep it. Don’t think I deserve a new chance just to mess it up again, hm? Ohio sounds good enough. Maybe get myself a horse to keep me company or something.”

The lights of the restaurant appeared in the distance, and Nellie sighed. “I don’t know, I’ll bug you about it later. We have to get through this dinner first,” Nellie explained more to herself than Cas. “I just wanted you to know that I, for one, would miss having you around the city-- if that means anything.” Nellie approached the front of the restaurant. “I don’t know if anyone has said that, but I know  that’s what I would want to hear from someone right now.” The gossip blog was filled with lies, but Nellie had a feeling that the post about Bare held some water. “Uh, alright, let’s do this.” Nellie pulled open the door, holding it open behind her to let Cas in. “Uh, yes, I was meeting Melinda Boone here. Are they at the table yet?” 

After all, as soon as he got fired and had nothing that kept him in New York anymore, he’d almost immediately packed his bags to just get the fuck out. Some childish dream of how he’d be better off somewhere else and that he’d maybe just live on some small farm and do nothing all day but ride horses and occasionally smile at people had him almost gone not a day after. He knew it was dumb, he knew he wouldn’t be better off. His problems were the kind that followed him. But breaking through the pattern just felt like a necessity, he had to get away. Maybe even if it was just because he wanted to see if anyone would try to stop him. Well, he was stopped, if only for a while. He’d told Nellie he’d do this, knowing he wouldn’t have wanted to go meet some boyfriend of his own mom like this if she was still alive. So, Cas was here now. He hadn’t left yet. And maybe that was good. He didn’t know.

Nellie started towards the restaurant, glancing at her feet, light posts, cars parked along the street-- basically anything that wasn’t Cas. Mostly because the only thing she could think of to talk about was his threat to move to Ohio. Of course, he saw it as a choice. Nellie, however, saw it as a threat to a friendship she really didn’t want to lose. She was really bad at the whole not caring thing. Still, just asking if he was still moving or had found a place couldn’t really hurt, right? “So...you’re still hell bent on Ohio?” Nellie finally asked, breaking the far from comfortable silence between them.