Of All the Bookstores

[Adrianna Carstyn]

"Just sayin' Cassie-Boo. If you haven't checked out his butt, you're not that interested. It's like the laws of attraction or something," Adrianna shrugged, not that she was complaining if her sister hadn't done so. Maybe she was just caught up in that fake ass accent of his. Honestly, he'd been in America since she could remember, how did he still have the same stupid British accent? She didn't understand the appeal in the slightest, probably never would, especially as long as Will had it.

Her sister's response had her nodding, but she knew there was more to it than a senior knowing what he was talking about. Will was a looker, of course, but he was a pompous asshole who liked to piss people off in his free time. And he had secrets that Adrianna was absolutely certain Cassidy had no idea of. Smart girl, read a lot, but didn't study abilities and their side effects. She had no reason to, not like Adrian did. So she couldn't know that Will was going to die at any point in the near future. It would crush her if she got too attached and this study date could do just that. "If he even knows what he's talking about and isn't just using lame ass lines on you. Guys do that sort of thing when they're assholes," She said quietly, still treading lightly not to hurt her twin's feelings.

She smirked, "Hey, you were practically made for the vintage look! Seriously, you'd pull off the corset dresses and bonnets and all that Victorian stuff. And I may have fed into the little collection you've got going. I think the first thing I bought you was a tiny trinket of some kind. I don't even remember what it was, but it was completely old and useless, just cool looking."

[Cassidy Carstyn]

Cassidy was not about to divulge her exact thoughts about Will's anatomy anytime soon. She knew what her sister thought of the shapeshifter and was not about to fuel her anger over him. But when the older Carstyn twin mentioned that Will was just using lines on her because he was an asshole, Cassidy was a little hurt.

She went quiet and hugged the book she had purchased to her chest. Adrianna was opinionated and sometimes it was for Cassidy's benefit but sometimes, Cassidy wished she kept her feelings and thoughts to herself. Especially since she knew how Cassidy felt about Will.

Glad for the subject change though, she brightened up and nodded. "It was an old frame with a velvet back cover. I put the picture of us at the lake on our eighth birthday." She smiled softly, remembering that day like it was yesterday.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Immediately Adrianna knew she'd overstepped that line of what to say and what she shouldn't say. It was only for Cassidy that she'd said it. Of course her own opinions on Will were based on her own experiences with him, but Cassidy hadn't been subjected to how cruel he could be yet and she'd only just met him for the first time today. Adrian had met him back in Bellefonte, she knew the stories that surrounded him and she'd even witnessed a few. He was dangerous, he was rude and he was broken. Much as Cassie may want to heal everything that was wounded, Adrian was certain that there was no fixing him and if she tried, she could get hurt...whether it was emotionally or physically. Adrian wasn't ready to risk that.

She bit her lip and tried to process what she could say to make Cassidy feel less...attacked? "I-I'm sorry. I just don't think he's good enough for you," Because he was angry and cruel while she was happy and sweet. She saw the best in everyone but Adrian couldn't look past what she knew of Will to see what her sister did. If there was anything to even look for. Adrian had been screwed over once by being naive, she didn't want the same for her twin. She didn't deserve it.

"That's right! I remember that! Gosh I miss the lake so much. I miss California. We need to go back soon, Mom and Dad keep bugging me about it and they keep asking about boys and just ugh," Adrianna snorted and shook her head. She curled closer around her sister's arm and squeezed, "I think that you're really going to like these new fabrics and stuff though. They're gorgeous."

[Cassidy Carstyn]

Cassidy didn't know what else to say in response to Adrianna's well-meant remark so she just looked at the taller Carstyn twin and forced a smile on to her face. "I can't wait to see the fabrics." She offered.

"And yeah we should make that trip. I miss mom and dad." She squeezed her sister's arm and leaned against her. It wasn't really her fault that she saw Will the way she did. But there had been a few guys Cassidy had thought weren't good enough for her but she had let Adrianna make those mistakes and learn from it.

She just hoped Adrianna would give her that same luxury, even though she knew Will wouldn't be a mistake. Not that there was even a mistake to make. They were only studying! Will was clearly not in her league anyway. He was pre-med.

[Adrianna Carstyn]

Adrianna couldn't help but frown. She knew Cassie well enough to know when she was just trying to ease her sister's guilt. And although Cassidy was the master at making Adrian feel guilty, Adrian didn't like Cassie worrying about Adrian's guilt. It was just one big cycle of guilt between the two of them. She could shake the guilt for making Cassidy feel bad about her feelings for Will because she was certain that she knew best. She'd experienced first-hand what guys could do to screw everything up for a girl. She'd even experienced first-hand what Will was capable of when he tried to make people hate him. What Cas didn't grasp was that Adrian wasn't just protecting her from Will's attitude, she was protecting her from the grief of his death.

With Cassie leaning against her and the discussion of their parents, Adrianna felt pressured. Not because anyone in her family had ever pressured her into anything, except maybe dancing, but the position she found herself in was difficult. She was certain that their mother would ask about the men in both of their lives. Adrian didn't have just one and she wasn't exactly forth-coming about her sexcapades. Would her sister be forth-coming about her crush on Will? And how could Adrian sit back and not tell them all of the terrible things about this jerk that her sister liked?

"I miss them, too. I don't miss Mom's interrogating though," Adrian laughed and decided for the time being she would put her feelings towards Will on the back burner. If she couldn't get through to her sister, she'd be sure to get through to him. At the very least, she knew he didn't have any good intentions, maybe he'd bow out and ditch her sister without any hesitation.

[Cassidy Carstyn]

Cassidy genuinely laughed at Adrianna's remark about their mother. "I bet the government could learn a thing or two about interrogation from Mom." She chuckled, glad they weren't talking about things even Cassidy had no control over.

"I also miss the lake. I mean don't get me wrong, the lake here is fine and dandy but I've always felt the lake near our home somehow knew me." Her gaze fell to the pavement underneath them and a small, soft smile appeared. Her childhood home held so many good memories.

They continued to chat until they arrived at Cassidy's dorm where the younger Carstyn twin immediately hounded Adrianna to show what she had gotten for her. "This is going to be good, I can tell." A wide smile on her baby face.