Gatherings and Shiny shoes

The stately mansion with minimal lighting and antique furniture inside looked very elegant.

The towering walls seemed to have been a silent witness to Lucca's life so far. Lucca was silent on her balcony, her gaze straight up at the dark sky that was sprinkled with stars tonight.

Lucca's gaze turned to the book she was holding, it was the book written by Robert her grandfather. In it were written the various prohibitions and duties of demons.

'I shouldn't have gotten into this demon family' Lucca muttered to herself.

The shooting star made Lucca remember the behavior of humans who always prayed through shooting stars.

Lucca closed her eyes, 'I want to live, normally' he said.

°°°

As the coffee maker whirred, a girl in a simple brown suit stood in front of it.

Cassie stretched her sore neck, "I think I slept in the wrong position", Cassie monologued.

Seeing the coffee maker stop, Cassie picked it up and turned around to go to her room.

"Good morning, Cassie." a heavy voice stopped Cassie in her tracks. A man wearing a plain white shirt and cream-colored pants stood in front of her, Cassie raised her gaze. Her eyes now met those brown eyes.

Cassie's heart beat twice as fast as usual, 'Mr. Luca' Cassie thought to herself

"Looks like your coffee is good. Can you make one for me?" Lucca said.

Cassie was silent for a while, her memory drifting back to last night. 'Why is his face getting so handsome' Cassie muttered to herself in amazement.

Liliana's feet stopped when her eyes accidentally saw her friend being alone with a man. But lo and behold, that man was her deputy CEO. "Mr. Lucca?" muttered Liliana, covering her mouth and taking a small jog. Peeking through the crack in the glass door.

"What are they doing?" she muttered again.

"Cassie" Lucca called out, bringing Cassie's consciousness back fully.

Cassie blinked her eyes a few times, "ah... Yes sir, I'll make it" said Cassie hurriedly turning her body around and picking up a coffee powder.

Lucca smiled, her foot now stepping next to Cassie. "I'll return your clothes tomorrow," Lucca said.

Liliana squinted her eyes, "Mr. Lucca is smiling? To Cassie? What's going on?" murmured Liliana, opening her eyes wide to see the interaction inside.

Cassie's head turned towards where Lucca was, "Yes sir, it's okay." Cassie said.

'I have to lure her,'

"Here, sir, the coffee," Cassie said, thrusting a cup of hot coffee in front of Lucca.

Lucca accepted it, "Thank you, good job then" Lucca's hand tapped Cassie twice on the shoulder.

Cassie looked over her shoulder, the man had already walked away. 'I'm going crazy' Cassie muttered to herself.

Cassie poured all kinds of words into the monitor screen in front of her, Cassie yawned a few times when the air conditioning breeze blew.

Cassie looked at the clock on her hand, it was already noon when it was time to take a break.

"Cassie you want to come to the cafe at the intersection, we're going to try the new menu there," Liliana said patting Cassie's shoulder.

Cassie seemed to think for a moment, today was her schedule to meet some clients.

"Like I can't, I have an appointment," Cassie said feeling a little bad about turning down her friend's offer.

Antony pursed his lips playfully "It's no fun without Cassie," he pitched.

Seeing Antony's behavior Cassie pulled the corners of her lips, "Sorry, next time I'll treat." Cassie said.

Mattew, the cold-faced man, also chimed in "Good, you should work instead" Mattew sarcastically, making Cassie purse her lips 

"Just tell me that you want all the work to be done by me, so you can rest," Cassie said.

Mattew turned around, "That's right." he said and left, followed by Liliana and his other coworkers.

"She's such a bitch" Cassie said, closing her eyes for a moment.

Unlike the previous day, the streets were very empty today. Even the people who passed by could be counted by Cassie.

Cassie's feet stopped in front of the cafe she had promised, took a breath and stepped back inside.

A woman wearing all black complete with a hat and mask sat in front of Cassie.

"What's with your appearance?" asked Cassie, to the woman in front of her.

The woman looked right and left, "don't you know that your best friend's condition is currently under threat?" she said quietly.

Cassie paused "But, does it have to be like this, Hanna?" Cassie said to the woman dressed in all black who turned out to be her best friend, Hanna.

Hanna opened the hood of her jacket, "I don't want to be suddenly ganged up on by my fans" she said.

"Do they know that the story is yours? Didn't you use a pen name? Do they know the author's face? No, don't they?"

Cassie pulled off the hat and mask that Hanna was wearing, making Hanna fidget and try to take it back "I'm not comfortable talking to you if you're like this" Cassie said making Hanna freeze.

Hanna rolled her eyes lazily, "well, what is it then?" asked Hanna curiously, "don't tell me... You want to ask me to sign a contract" continued Hanna.

Cassie moved her body closer to Hanna. "Please do me a favor, just this once... Just this once" Cassie said, rounding her eyes in pleading.

Hanna looked into Cassie's eyes, "I can't" she said, turning her face away

"Come on Hanna, otherwise the director will scold me again," Cassie said hopefully.

"So it's that crazy director again?" interrupted Hanna.

Cassie stammered, "I-I... Yes... That director made me do this. If killing wasn't a sin and I wouldn't be in jail, I would have killed that director first." Cassie grumbled, a very annoyed look on her face.

Hanna and Cassie breathed in together, lamenting their respective fates which were sometimes very annoying.

Hanna's eyes stopped at the seat across from them, a man wearing sunglasses was watching them.

"Cassie... I think I need to leave soon" Hanna said, a look of fear on her face.

"Why, what's wrong?" panicked Cassie as she saw her best friend hurriedly put her hat and mask back on.

"There's this guy who's been watching us," Hanna said, "that... The one with the sunglasses over there" she continued.

Cassie followed the direction of Hanna's gaze, looking right and left. Her nets stopped when she found the object she had been looking for, Cassie's body stilled.

"I'm going to go, I'm afraid of suddenly being stabbed by him," Hanna said, running hurriedly out of the cafe.

The man was seen walking towards Cassie. Cassie was completely frozen, her body seemingly locked by the man's face.

"Where did your friend go?" the baritone voice broke Cassie's reverie.

Cassie blinked her eyes a few times "Mr. Luca... What are you doing here?" squeaked Cassie.

The man smiled, "I'm relaxing, it's break time" he said, and sat down casually in front of Cassie.

"Ah... Yes... It's break time" Cassie laughed discordantly, cursing her stupid question

"What are you doing here?" asked Lucca.

"I'm... I'm meeting a client here, yes meeting a client" Cassie explained.

Lucca was seen nodding slowly, "The one from earlier?" she pointed in the direction where Hanna had disappeared.

"Yes, that was my client hehe" replied Cassie quickly and was answered with a nod of the head by Lucca.

Silent for a while, Cassie looked at the clock in her hand. Actually, there were still a few more people Cassie had to meet today.

'Why do I have to meet him here' Cassie muttered to herself,

Cassie looked at the man with sunglasses, all he did was stay still and read a book that had no idea where it came from.

'How do I get out of here?' Cassie thought to herself, it felt so awkward to meet Lucca. Especially after what happened last night.

With a brilliant idea popping into her head, Cassie ventured to start the action.

Cassie opened her cell phone and typed in a few words to send to her best friend, Hanna.

'Hanna please call me, quickly!'

That was approximately the content of the message sent by Cassie. A few minutes later a cell phone rang, it was Cassie's cell phone and Hanna's name was written on the screen.

Lucca took her eyes off the book, "pick it up" he instructed.

Without waiting for long, Cassie's hand moved over the screen of her cell phone and swiped to the right to receive a call.

"Hello Cassie, what's up?"

"Yes, Hello. I'll be there soon. Please wait a moment I'm on my way. Yes... Well, thank you, sorry for the delay" Cassie said at length, ignoring Hanna's words on the other side.

"What are you talking about-" Cassie hung up the phone call before Hanna could finish her sentence.

Lucca's eyes didn't stop watching Cassie. He didn't know what he was looking at or thinking about, but Cassie knew that the man had been watching her all this time. And that was what made Cassie uncomfortable and wanted to leave immediately.

"Sir... I'm sorry, I think I should go" Cassie said a little nervously when she saw Lucca take off the sunglasses that were perched on her sharp nose.

Lucca was silent for a few seconds, then her head nodded slowly.

Cassie got up from her seat, slung her bag over her shoulder, and bowed her head slightly in farewell.

Cassie took a deep breath when she arrived outside the cafe, "I think I'm going to die" she muttered and shook her head slowly.

This time Cassie sat in the living room with a cup of tea that someone had provided. A thirty-year-old woman sat across from Cassie.

"I'm sorry to have to make you come to my house," she said as a conversation starter today.

Cassie smiled "No problem, I should be the one apologizing for interrupting your time," Cassie said.

The woman smiled back and shook her head lightly.

"Well... I came here to talk about your novel" Cassie said, this time getting to the point.

As if she understood the direction of the conversation, the woman smiled and displayed a row of white and neat teeth "I know" she said.

The woman took a breath, "I want to finish it, and I want you to take care of my book for the last time" she said again.

Cassie wrinkled her forehead "Last time?" she asked with certainty

"Terminal cancer." said the long-haired woman making Cassie open her eyes wide.

"I want to finish my last book since I'm not much older. After my book is finished, I'm going to have surgery. Because no one knows what happens after the surgery." she explained.

Cassie understood what the woman in front of her was saying, Cassie understood because she also had the same disease as her.

"I understand," Cassie said rubbing the woman's hand gently "I'll take care of it, but please promise to finish your last book." Cassie continued, she really hoped that the woman before her could finish her last book. Not because of the contract, but because Cassie hoped that this woman could live longer by hoping for her dreams.

Cassie walked down the streets that were already crowded, it was already seven o'clock in the evening. After finishing the second meeting today, Cassie returned to the office and ended up walking home.

There was only one more meeting that Cassie had to have today, this meeting Cassie had to do at night because her client today was an actress.

A closed-looking man was sitting in one of the restaurant seats. Cassie sat across from the man.

"Sorry for being late," Cassie said

The man in the black mask raised his gaze, "I don't have much time, hurry up and finish your business" he said.

Without delay, Cassie handed over a piece of paper in her bag. "Please sign this," said Cassie with a haggard face.

"Contract?" asked the man

"I beg you, finish your book for this time" Cassie begged

The man averted his eyes "I can't, my company doesn't allow it" he said and walked away, ignoring Cassie's screams.

"Axel, please. Just this once!" shouted Cassie as she lowered her voice.

Cassie dropped her head on the table until it made a loud noise and attracted the attention of several people. Today was really tiring for her. All the clients she met today were only Laura who wanted to renew the contract, even though she too would eventually terminate the contract after the surgery was over.

"Why is everyone so annoying, it's like they're just using me," Cassie muttered. 

Cassie's feet walked down the streets that were still crowded with people, it was after work so naturally the streets were crowded at this time.

Cassie stopped her steps, her ears buzzed and her vision blurred.

'Not now, please' Cassie silently pleaded.

It seemed like Cassie had forgotten to take her medicine that day, so she had to relapse at an inopportune time.

Cassie roared in pain, her hands squeezing her head tightly. People passing by looked strangely at Cassie.

No one helped her, that's how bad the city of Nelson was. Its people lacked empathy.

'Argh... It hurts so much'

Cassie's body actually fell this time, her vision fading. If no one helped her, Cassie only begged that no one she knew would see her in this state. Especially her younger brother.

A pair of shiny shoes stood in front of Cassie, Cassie raised her gaze. Her eyes were blurry, she couldn't see anything. Cassie blinked her eyes several times trying to make her vision clearer. But she couldn't, the face was completely invisible.

The more Cassie tried to neutralize her vision, the more her head throbbed with pain.

'Help' Cassie muttered

The energy in Cassie's body felt like it was being slowly sucked away until finally her consciousness completely disappeared.