Places of business always freaked Cassie out. Everyone was either tired of their job, just trying to do their job or loving their job. No matter what, there was some way for Cassie to feel as though she were obstructing that. At the moment, she found herself sitting in the far back of a hotel restaurant, she was in the portion that was also a bar. Her phone had seemed increasingly interesting despite it being off. All she could do was think of other stuff while she waited to see Chris, the one who invited her out.

People came and went and she was sure someone thought she was crazy for just sitting there without a drink or food, just staring at her phone. Cassie thought about this and felt the room getting a bit smaller. Man, I need to get out of here! She was thinking about just running out when finally someone came to her table. While she wasn't terribly excited about who the person was, she was happy to see Chris.

"Sorry, I got held up before my break." He said. Something always has to happen when it's me who's anywhere huh? "but I really didn't think you'd show up, especially since you won't eat in public and you don't drink."

"I know, but you said you wanted me here and I had to go out today so..."

"Oh, so I was just a secondary thing in the back of your head?"

"No! I mean I remembered, but was nervous about-"

Chris started to chuckle.

"I'm kidding, I know you're busy." He said while touching the top of her head, "anyways, I just wanted to see you," He got a bit closer and whispered; "some of the people here are regulars and it takes a lot out of me just to turn them down."

Huh?

"So you wanted me here as a distraction?"

"Sort of," he began, "really, I just want a few of the people here to understand that I might be taken. I want to actually focus on my job, but I can't do that if I'm being hit on all the time now can I?" She stared at him, "but don't worry, I won't ask you to do this again." He winked while saying that and suddenly someone called out his name allowing Cassie to blush without him seeing.

"Chris!" A pair of girls approached him, Chris got Cassie to her feet and they stood beside each other. Once the girls got to them, they pretty much struck Cassie down with their glares. "Oh, who's she?"

Cassie could tell the girls were trying to be nice, but you're not very good at it.

"This is Cassie!" Chris paused and looked at her, Cassie was, of course, even more nervous to be standing in front of people. She didn't even bother to make eye contact with anyone after the initial look when the girls approached them. "Isn't she just so cute? I'm helping her get over her anxiety."

"So she's like some helpless friend or something?"

You better be glad I don't like attention, bitch.

"No, she came here all by herself, it's amazing compared to when we first met." Chris chuckled, "She could barely even speak, but now we can talk without an issue!" Chris said all of this and was putting his arm around her shoulder now. "Well, at least when it's just us." He added, but quickly moved on, "since this is my only break today, we were going to head out."

"But we-"

"Sorry, this is important to me. Don't worry though, you two, I'll come back and be sure to cater to you. Until then, I'm sure someone else can help you." As he said that another waiter approached the girls. Their fake smiles greeted the man, and in the meantime, Chris easily led Cassie out of the restaurant and into the hotel lobby. Chris spoke once they were alone.

"Sorry about that, I really didn't think they'd show up." What kind of attention do you bring? "Normally it's just older women who think I don't have a girlfriend."

Because you don't.

"But, you don't have one."

Chris smiled, "Yeah, but there's always room for you." No. "Most the time people just assume we could be dating. I guess that's how good we look together."

Cassie looked at her feet. "Won't those girls just go after you again? They seem pretty tough and going up against someone like me would be easy for them."

"Yeah, but that's why I said what I did. They know I only care about a few things in this world, which is why they visit me so often. They think somehow I'll care about them. I said I care about you and that you're important, so they won't bother me as much and know not to mess with you. Because it won't be a pretty sight."

"...But that's just what you said to get them to go away right?"

Chris laughed, "Only you would say that!" Well... "No, I mean it--you are more important than most things in my life." Cassie was extremely grateful they were in public as looking away from him wouldn't seem too strange. He chuckled. "but that aside, where do you wanna go?"