I guess I should give you the prologue to my fic then. It isn't much
so far, but I hope it's okay. I haven't even come up with a name for
the fic yet. It has original characters in it, but I'm not sure if I
even want to give it any kind of romantic twist or not. I hope you
guys like it. Constructive criticism more than welcome!

* * *

The room was silent save the occasional crunching of a carrot stick as
it was consumed. Cassandra sat at the simple table of the office break
room, her nose deep in a book. ?Through dangers untold and hardships
unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin
City, to take back the child you have stolen?? Clear crystalline jade
eyes bore into the pages of the novel. Distractedly, she reached with
one caramel hand to grab a squeeze bottle of water. Eyes never leaving
the page, Cassandra picked up the bottle. She nearly missed her mouth
as she brought the bottle to her lips and drank.

?Isn?t that a kids book?? Thick sarcasm interrupted her fantasy world.
Crystal eyes rolled before looking up to behold the owner of the
offensive voice. He flashed her a righteous smirk as he poured thick
coffee into his mug and leaned against the counter. ?Aren?t you a
little old for that??

Cassandra licked her lips before frowning at the black-haired man.
?Shouldn?t you have grown out of your dick stage by now, Patrick??
Taking a sip from his mug, he raised a thick black eyebrow, amused by
her choice of language. He should have known she would reserve her
most scathing remarks for him.

?Grade school was a long time ago Cass?? He watched as pools of jade
narrowed. Patrick chuckled at her anger.

?You have no right to lecture me about the past.? Chomping angrily on
her last carrot, Cassandra loudly began packing away the now empty
Tupperware which once housed her lunch. Her nostrils flared as he
laughed at her reaction. Always careful with her books, Cassandra
tucked in the bookmark and placed the closed book safely in her bag
before lifting it to her shoulder.

In haste, she jerkily made her way to the door. Anticipating her
desire to leave, Patrick placed his mug on the counter before barring
her path. ?Oh, come on.? He chuckled and moved his hand to the door
frame conveniently blocking the knob from her itching fingers. ?Are
you telling me you still hold a grudge? We were just kids.? She shot
her old enemy a dangerous glare.

?Get out of my way??

His chuckle opened into full laughter. ?You have got to be kidding.
We?re different people now, right?? Cassandra watched as his
brilliantly blue eyes washed over her form.

?Go to hell?? Her voice was quiet and dangerous.

Ignoring her comment, he flashed her a handsome grin. Cassandra was
disgusted by it. ?We?ve both?grown.? Picking his words wisely, his
eyes once again traveled over her lingering in areas that made
Cassandra seethe with anger.

?If I didn?t know any better, Patrick, I?d say this is sexual
harassment.? He chuckled as he squeezed past her to lean his back
against the door. His hand tapped and stroked the knob daring her to
try to twist it.

?What are you gonna do about it?? His smirk darkened as his eyes
searched hers.

?My whole family is made up of lawyers and my dad is friends with your
boss.? Patrick?s eye twitched as his sneer faltered.

Suddenly serious, Patrick glared down at his childhood classmate. His
treacherous gaze followed her as he twisted the knob to release her
from the break room. She brushed past him leaving behind the scent of
Egyptian musk. Patrick pressed his lips together and raised his chin
as his eye twitched. He leaned against the door?s frame; His azure
eyes watched as she quickly fled down the hall to disappear behind her
desk. ?Everything is always so easy for you?Isn?t it?? He mumbled
before pushing off the frame to return to his coffee.

Cassandra rushed past cubicles until she reached a lone desk beside
the boss? door. ?Okay Tabitha. I?m back.? She informed her replacement
while setting her bag under the cherry-stained mahogany desk.

?Well it?s about damn time?? Tabitha stretched her chocolate arms
over her head before rising. Cassandra smiled shyly at her friend?s
gruff response. ?What?s wrong sugar? You look spooked or something.? A
chocolate hand gently pressed against Cassandra?s upon the desk. ?Did
he do it again?? Dark brown eyes widened in dramatic astonishment
before narrowing into passionate anger. ?You just tell me next time.
I?ll kick his ass for you.?

Once again, Cassandra smiled warmly at her friend. ?It was nothing.?
She shrugged and traded places with the taller woman.

Long well painted claws smoothed down thick, straightened hair as red
lips pursed with flaring anger. ?You know you could get him fired for
doing that stuff. Girl, you gotta stick up for yourself more. If you
don?t, I will. You know it.? Cassandra?s smile widened as her eyes
danced with sarcastic disbelief. ?You?re my girl, Cassandra.? With a
motherly smile, Tabitha bent her muscular body toward her friend. She
wrapped her arms around the younger girl?s shoulders and pressed
against her cheek. ?You know I?ll go into ghetto-mode if I have to.?
After straightening, Tabitha smacked her friend?s shoulder. ?That boy
don?t stand a chance against me. Old Tabitha?s got your back.?

Before Cassandra could thank her friend, the older woman clicked her
way down the tiled floor toward the break room. Sighing, she pulled
her long black hair from the restraints of the chair?s back before
looking about her desk to get her bearings. Opening a black, leather
bound booklet, she peered at her scribbles to make out her boss? next
scheduled appointment before getting back to business.

Tabitha passed through the white door into the break room to find
Patrick reading a newspaper. He sipped at his coffee without paying
any heed to his co-worker. Dark brown eyes shot him a dangerous glare
before she passed him to rummage through the company fridge. She had
to admit, as she took out a Styrofoam box and placed it in the
microwave, the boy was handsome with his shiny black hair and
brilliantly blue eyes. He was tall and well-built as evidenced by his
partially unbuttoned business shirt. Tabitha concluded that he was the
kind of handsome man that knew he was handsome and exploited it; the
kind that didn?t know the word ?no?.

?What are you staring at Tabitha?? His eyes never left the page as he
spoke.

?You best stay away from my girl.? Tabitha warned. Before taking
another sip of his coffee, Patrick returned her warning with a light
chuckle as if to say, ?whatever do you mean??

?Mm-hmm? Tabitha pursed her lips at his nonchalant laughter and left
the room to enjoy her lunch.

* * *

?You?re usual Cass?? A perky blond waitress smiled at her customer.
Cassandra smiled warmly in return and nodded with a ?Thank you??

The bar and grill bustled with it?s usual small crowd. Cassandra
enjoyed watching people mingle. She produced a notebook and jotted
notes and speculations about the more lively characters decorating the
large room. Within a few minutes, the waitress returned with a glass
of red wine. ?So how are you doing today?? Cassandra put down her pen
and regarded her usual waitress.

?I?m doing okay. Cody?s doing better.? Placing her pencil behind her
ear, the waitress sat at down in the seat opposite her customer.

?Well, that?s good. I was worried when you said he was in the
hospital.? Crystal jade eyes drifted to the table.

?Thank you. Oh and Cody loved the picture you gave him. That?s his
favorite cartoon.? Cassandra blushed and waved her off. ?Really! You
know, we should go do something sometime.? Shifting, the waitress
scooted off the bench.

?Yeah?? Cassandra gave a weak smile as the younger woman waved before
returning to work. When the waitress was out of sight, Cassandra?s
smile fell. ?That?s what they all say.? Her eyes drifted to the empty
seat. Lightly, her fingers traced the lip of her wine glass. Blinking
any sign of emotion from her eyes, she took a refreshing sip of her
drink. Her eyes lowered to the notebook and sighed in disgust. Reality
had always managed to piss her off.

Looking to change her mood, Cassandra reached into her bag. She pulled
out the red hardcover and opened it preparing to bury herself in its
pages.

Patrick laughed as the lip of his beer bottle lingered just above his
lips. He took a swift swig. ?Yeah. I wouldn?t mind tapping into that.?
He grinned with arrogance as he and his friends watched a blond
waitress walk past.

She stopped and set a glass upon the table. Sparkling blue orbs
widened as the girl sat down with her customer. His eyes drifted to
the waitress? companion. Long onyx hair flowed in rivers down the
girl?s back until it ended in loose twists. Her skin was dark.
Instantly, he recognized the orange, Indian-style tunic. The girls
smiled at each other as they spoke.

Briefly, his mind focused on the words of his friends as they, in
turn, appraised the two women. ?Man, I like Asians??

Patrick scoffed. ?She?s Indian boys. Besides, you don?t want her. She
bites.? Setting his beer on the counter, he rubbed his mouth as his
eyes roamed over his co-worker.

?Ooo, Kinky?? Patrick shot his friend a glare. Once again, his eyes
fell to the dark haired girl. She was alone now, her head buried in a
book. His lips twisted into a smirk. Her mouth opened slightly
silently forming words as her eyes danced across the page. She was so
into her little world, seemingly content to hide herself in her fantasies.

Patrick pushed himself off the bar he had been leaning against. ?You
guys want me to introduce you?? Immediately, his friends followed
interested in discovering the exotic woman.

?It?s so easy to get lost in your fantasies. Isn?t it Cass?? Patrick
thought to himself as he waded through the crowd, his entourage in
tow. ?You haven?t changed at all. Locking yourself up in your little
corner; hiding from the rest of the world. How about I give you a
little reality check??

* * *

Okay. That's the prologue. I hope you guys thought it was satisfactory.

--sarina-chan