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Chapter 31

Cassie was still sitting in the hotel bar, all her friends around her, except of course for Ville up in his room and Alyssa back in Helsinki. She missed Alyssa and suddenly realised she had not even told her about Bam. Cassie looked at her watch it was about 9 pm and she couldn’t remember if London where ahead or behind of Finland. No, they were definitely a few hours behind London. Cassie picked up her cell phone and excused herself then made her way outside. She flipped her phone open and dialled in Alyssa’s number. Cassie put the phone to her ear and listed to the dull ringing on the other end of the line.

“Hello dearest.” Said Alyssa’s bright voice, obviously happy to hear from Cassie. “How’s London?”
“It’s rainy” Cassie laughed
“Really? There’s a shock. But seriously, how is everyone, I really wish I could have come.” She said a hint of sadness and jealousy in her voice.
“Everyone is fine I guess. Ville has set a date for the wedding so I’ll be seeing you sooner than I figured.” Cassie said, not wanting to make her and Bam the only reason that she called.
“How soon? I thought it was June?” Alyssa said, mildly confused
“No, she got pissed at him so now its in just over two weeks” Cassie let out a long sigh as she said this, letting the reality finally sink in: in two weeks Ville would be married, then it really was too late for her.
“Oh, that’s harsh. How are you coping?” She asked, concerned about her friend.
“Well alright really, that kinda brings me to one of the reasons I called. I’ve kind of been seeing Bam” Cassie said, waiting for Alyssa to cheer and say ‘finally you’ve given up on Ville’ but she never did.
“Oh. Right, well congratulations I guess” Alyssa said, her voice completely void of emotion. She had never told Cassie but she had always had a soft spot for Bam. Even putting that aside, she still wouldn't have been overly enthused by the idea of Cassie dating Bam.
“What do you mean ‘Oh’?” Cassie said back, slightly confused to not get the reply she expected.
“Well, I just don’t think it’s a good idea is all. You’ll never be happy with him, it’ll always be ‘What if?’ and he’ll always think, ‘She wishes I was Ville’. You must know that yourself sweetie” She said gently, in a very similar tone to the one Mige had used with Ville earlier.
“Yes, I know, but Bam said it doesn’t matter to him. He knows how I feel about Ville. He says he’s fine with, well with friends with benefits.” Cassie said, her voice going quiet as she said the last part.
“Oh Cass, no. You deserve better than that, so does Bam. Please, don’t get angry, but listen to what I have to say next, ok?” Alyssa said, preparing herself mentally to say something she never really thought she’d say to Cassie.
“Alright, spit it out” Cassie said, a little hint of harshness in her voice that she hadn’t meant to be there.
“Alright, well what I want to say is this: If you are sure, I mean absolutely 100% certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is nothing there with Ville, then isn’t it perhaps time to let him go, instead of trying to have these half relationships where you’ll always be hoping that he’ll realise he loves you and come and sweep you off and you’ll live happily ever after. It’s not fair on anyone Cass, especially you.” Alyssa said, she felt bad for saying it, but she felt it needed saying, whether Cassie listened or not was her choice.
“Look, I can never say that I’m 100% certain that nothing would ever happen with Ville, but I’m trying to let go of him before he marries her, if I can’t do it then it’ll be to hard to be around him. I guess what I’m getting at is that this relationship, I guess, is helping me do that. Bam is taking my attention away from Ville, and both of us know it’s nothing serious.” Cassie reasoned, she knew how she felt about Bam and knew how he felt about her, well at least she thought she did.
“All I’m saying Cass, is be careful. You can’t guarantee that you won’t fall for him, or he won’t for you. But I don’t want to fight with you about this so just promise me you’ll be careful?” She said, knowing that Cassie was headstrong and would do what she wanted to anyway.
“I promise. You know me. I know what I’m doing” Cassie said, just a hint of a smile in her voice as she and Alyssa changed the subject to Christian. Cassie filled her in about Dorian and Maria and just Christian’s life in general.
“Do you think they’ll come for the wedding? I would love to see the baby; I bet he’s so cute!” Alyssa gushed, as she imagined a combination of Chris and Maria.
“Yeah he is” Cassie laughed “I haven’t asked if their coming though. I don’t think Ville has really thought things through to be honest. I don’t think he’s even invited anyone” Cassie said laughing again.
“Ah this wedding is going to be a farce isn’t it?” Alyssa said.
“Yep. Just think, she’ll probably turn up in a see through mini skirt” They laughed together before Cassie remembered that she was supposed to be inside with Bam, Mige, Linde, Burton and Gas.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to go. I’ve been out here over an hour and I’m supposed to be in a bar with the guys. What are you doing the rest of tonight?” Cassie said, looking at her watch and realising it was almost half past ten.
“Well I’m going to bed, it’s after midnight and I’ve got to work in the morning” Alyssa said as Cassie mentally cursed herself, London where ahead, not Finland.

Cassie and Alyssa ended their conversation and Cassie went back inside to find the boys had become much drunker in the time she’d been outside. She walked towards them and felt her body pulled side wards as she landed in Bam’s lap, his arms tight around her waist.
“Where’d you go gorgeous?” Bam asked, kissing her lightly on the shoulder.
“I was on the phone to Alyssa. I realised I hadn’t told her about us, or about Ville’s wedding.” Cassie said, craning her neck to place a soft kiss on Bam’s lips.
“Oh right. What did she say?” Bam asked, moving Cassie on his lap so that she was facing him now.
“Nothing, well not much anyway. She said if we’re sure it’s what we want then she’s happy.” Cassie said her voice fading away as she finished her sentence.
“But she’s not sure that you’re sure?” Bam asked. Cassie didn’t respond. She did not want to have this conversation in front of everyone; instead she just looked hard at Bam trying to psychically tell Bam she didn’t want to talk about this now.

He seemed to get the hint as he dropped the conversation there and was quite for several moments. He was thinking to himself that maybe he should be honest with Cassie. Maybe he should tell her everything he knew about how Ville felt about her, then he would tell her honestly how he felt and that way she could make an informed decision. All he really decided was that he wasn’t in the mood for a party anymore, all he wanted to do now was to go back to the room and sleep, maybe talk to Cassie a little when he’d sobered up.
“Hey, do you wanna get out of here?” Bam whispered to Cassie. She nodded and they said their goodbyes to the rest of the group and left the bar.

As they walked towards the elevators they saw one open and watched as Ville talked on his phone, completely unconscious of Bam calling out to him as he purposefully strode towards the door. Bam just shrugged his shoulders and kept walking hand in hand with Cassie to the elevators. They managed to make it just in time to catch the one Ville had emerged from only seconds before. They rode it up to their floor, when they came out Bam pressed Cassie against the wall pressing his lips against hers passionately. He let his hands wander and slip under her shirt resting softly on her waist. Their kissing grew more heated until they were disturbed by the opening and closing of a heavy door not far from the door to their own room which they were currently leaning against. Cassie’s head snapped up away from Bam’s as her passionate reverie was broken by a familiar voice to her left. As she listened carefully she instantly recognized the voice, her suspisions confirmed as she turned her head coming face to face with the all too familiar figure of Danni, her arms looped around the neck of a man Cassie had seen once before, outside a bar in Helsinki.

Description
Chapter 31

Cassie was still sitting in the hotel bar, all her friends around her, except of course for Ville up in his room and Alyssa back in Helsinki. She missed Alyssa and suddenly realised she had not even told her about Bam. Cassie looked at her watch it was about 9 pm and she couldn’t remember if London where ahead or behind of Finland. No, they were definitely a few hours behind London. Cassie picked up her cell phone and excused herself then made her way outside. She flipped her phone open and dialled in Alyssa’s number. Cassie put the phone to her ear and listed to the dull ringing on the other end of the line.

“Hello dearest.” Said Alyssa’s bright voice, obviously happy to hear from Cassie. “How’s London?”
“It’s rainy” Cassie laughed
“Really? There’s a shock. But seriously, how is everyone, I really wish I could have come.” She said a hint of sadness and jealousy in her voice.
“Everyone is fine I guess. Ville has set a date for the wedding so I’ll be seeing you sooner than I figured.” Cassie said, not wanting to make her and Bam the only reason that she called.
“How soon? I thought it was June?” Alyssa said, mildly confused
“No, she got pissed at him so now its in just over two weeks” Cassie let out a long sigh as she said this, letting the reality finally sink in: in two weeks Ville would be married, then it really was too late for her.
“Oh, that’s harsh. How are you coping?” She asked, concerned about her friend.
“Well alright really, that kinda brings me to one of the reasons I called. I’ve kind of been seeing Bam” Cassie said, waiting for Alyssa to cheer and say ‘finally you’ve given up on Ville’ but she never did.
“Oh. Right, well congratulations I guess” Alyssa said, her voice completely void of emotion. She had never told Cassie but she had always had a soft spot for Bam. Even putting that aside, she still wouldn't have been overly enthused by the idea of Cassie dating Bam.
“What do you mean ‘Oh’?” Cassie said back, slightly confused to not get the reply she expected.
“Well, I just don’t think it’s a good idea is all. You’ll never be happy with him, it’ll always be ‘What if?’ and he’ll always think, ‘She wishes I was Ville’. You must know that yourself sweetie” She said gently, in a very similar tone to the one Mige had used with Ville earlier.
“Yes, I know, but Bam said it doesn’t matter to him. He knows how I feel about Ville. He says he’s fine with, well with friends with benefits.” Cassie said, her voice going quiet as she said the last part.
“Oh Cass, no. You deserve better than that, so does Bam. Please, don’t get angry, but listen to what I have to say next, ok?” Alyssa said, preparing herself mentally to say something she never really thought she’d say to Cassie.
“Alright, spit it out” Cassie said, a little hint of harshness in her voice that she hadn’t meant to be there.
“Alright, well what I want to say is this: If you are sure, I mean absolutely 100% certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is nothing there with Ville, then isn’t it perhaps time to let him go, instead of trying to have these half relationships where you’ll always be hoping that he’ll realise he loves you and come and sweep you off and you’ll live happily ever after. It’s not fair on anyone Cass, especially you.” Alyssa said, she felt bad for saying it, but she felt it needed saying, whether Cassie listened or not was her choice.
“Look, I can never say that I’m 100% certain that nothing would ever happen with Ville, but I’m trying to let go of him before he marries her, if I can’t do it then it’ll be to hard to be around him. I guess what I’m getting at is that this relationship, I guess, is helping me do that. Bam is taking my attention away from Ville, and both of us know it’s nothing serious.” Cassie reasoned, she knew how she felt about Bam and knew how he felt about her, well at least she thought she did.
“All I’m saying Cass, is be careful. You can’t guarantee that you won’t fall for him, or he won’t for you. But I don’t want to fight with you about this so just promise me you’ll be careful?” She said, knowing that Cassie was headstrong and would do what she wanted to anyway.
“I promise. You know me. I know what I’m doing” Cassie said, just a hint of a smile in her voice as she and Alyssa changed the subject to Christian. Cassie filled her in about Dorian and Maria and just Christian’s life in general.
“Do you think they’ll come for the wedding? I would love to see the baby; I bet he’s so cute!” Alyssa gushed, as she imagined a combination of Chris and Maria.
“Yeah he is” Cassie laughed “I haven’t asked if their coming though. I don’t think Ville has really thought things through to be honest. I don’t think he’s even invited anyone” Cassie said laughing again.
“Ah this wedding is going to be a farce isn’t it?” Alyssa said.
“Yep. Just think, she’ll probably turn up in a see through mini skirt” They laughed together before Cassie remembered that she was supposed to be inside with Bam, Mige, Linde, Burton and Gas.
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to go. I’ve been out here over an hour and I’m supposed to be in a bar with the guys. What are you doing the rest of tonight?” Cassie said, looking at her watch and realising it was almost half past ten.
“Well I’m going to bed, it’s after midnight and I’ve got to work in the morning” Alyssa said as Cassie mentally cursed herself, London where ahead, not Finland.

Cassie and Alyssa ended their conversation and Cassie went back inside to find the boys had become much drunker in the time she’d been outside. She walked towards them and felt her body pulled side wards as she landed in Bam’s lap, his arms tight around her waist.
“Where’d you go gorgeous?” Bam asked, kissing her lightly on the shoulder.
“I was on the phone to Alyssa. I realised I hadn’t told her about us, or about Ville’s wedding.” Cassie said, craning her neck to place a soft kiss on Bam’s lips.
“Oh right. What did she say?” Bam asked, moving Cassie on his lap so that she was facing him now.
“Nothing, well not much anyway. She said if we’re sure it’s what we want then she’s happy.” Cassie said her voice fading away as she finished her sentence.
“But she’s not sure that you’re sure?” Bam asked. Cassie didn’t respond. She did not want to have this conversation in front of everyone; instead she just looked hard at Bam trying to psychically tell Bam she didn’t want to talk about this now.

He seemed to get the hint as he dropped the conversation there and was quite for several moments. He was thinking to himself that maybe he should be honest with Cassie. Maybe he should tell her everything he knew about how Ville felt about her, then he would tell her honestly how he felt and that way she could make an informed decision. All he really decided was that he wasn’t in the mood for a party anymore, all he wanted to do now was to go back to the room and sleep, maybe talk to Cassie a little when he’d sobered up.
“Hey, do you wanna get out of here?” Bam whispered to Cassie. She nodded and they said their goodbyes to the rest of the group and left the bar.

As they walked towards the elevators they saw one open and watched as Ville talked on his phone, completely unconscious of Bam calling out to him as he purposefully strode towards the door. Bam just shrugged his shoulders and kept walking hand in hand with Cassie to the elevators. They managed to make it just in time to catch the one Ville had emerged from only seconds before. They rode it up to their floor, when they came out Bam pressed Cassie against the wall pressing his lips against hers passionately. He let his hands wander and slip under her shirt resting softly on her waist. Their kissing grew more heated until they were disturbed by the opening and closing of a heavy door not far from the door to their own room which they were currently leaning against. Cassie’s head snapped up away from Bam’s as her passionate reverie was broken by a familiar voice to her left. As she listened carefully she instantly recognized the voice, her suspisions confirmed as she turned her head coming face to face with the all too familiar figure of Danni, her arms looped around the neck of a man Cassie had seen once before, outside a bar in Helsinki.