Katrina Brought Don Back To Her Place To Find That Neither One Of The Girls Seemed To Be Home. She Checked

Katrina brought Don back to her place to find that neither one of the girls seemed to be home. She checked her phone to find messages from both saying that they would be spending the night with friends. Katrina was slightly relieved by this, as she wasn't exactly ready to have the conversation that she needed to have with them about Don.

"Look like we have the house to ourselves.", Katrina said softly, as she reached for Don's hand. "Why don't I go change in to something a little more comfortable?"

Katrina's nerves skyrocketed once she got in the bedroom. Her eyes roamed over her figure, scrutinizing every detail about it. She hadn't been with anyone in so long, and she was sure that someone as young as Don was wouldn't be happy with her cellulite and wrinkles.

After a few more agonizing moments, she heard a soft knock at her bedroom door.

"Mi amor, are you alright?", she heard his voice as she took a deep breath and opened it. She saw his eyes scrap over her body hungrily, but then stopped when he looked at her face.

"I'm not ready.", she told him, and found that she didn't need to go into more detail about the conversation than that as he swept her into his arms again.

"I understand.", he said, as he rubbed the small of her back. "I'm pretty exhausted, actually. School is taking a lot out of me. Do you want to just....call it a night?"

Katrina leaned up to kiss him softly on the cheek. "Yes, I would like that."

She held his hand as she lead him back to her bed. The two of them crawled in and cuddled up in each other's arms. It wasn't long before Don was asleep, but Katrina laid awake for a bit, memorizing every detail of her beau's face, before she drifted off to sleep.

Dina could see Cassie's face light up behind him at her compliment.

"She is great. I've known her for a long time.", Malcolm said, a protective edge to his voice appearing that she had never heard from Malcolm before.

He had always been rather cold and standoffish. Was Cassandra Goth the key to getting him to show some vulnerability? She wasn't sure, but she also felt that if she could get him to continue to open up to her that it would be her way in to the Landgraab fortune, and being set for the rest of her life.

"I actually should be heading home, Cole", Cassie whispered into his ear, getting up from the bar to give him a hug. He reciprocated, only briefly, as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "You two should stay and talk. If we're to be friends like Dina said, then she should know you as I know you."

"Bye, Cassie. See you at school tomorrow!", she beamed as Cassie waved back, making her way towards the door.

Now that she was gone, she turned back to Malcolm with a different expression. "Cole?", she asked, flicking hair over her shoulder as she leaned in, making sure that their knees rubbed against each other as she did. "That's a cute nickname. What's it mean?"

"She calls me Cole because my heart is as hard and black as coal, Dina.", he said with a smirk as he motioned for the bartender, slipping a card into their hand. "Get me and my lady friend here a beer. Imported. Now."

"I thought it was probably a middle name." Dina said, as the waitress sat the beers down in front of them. Dina wasn't much of a drinker; especially not beer, but she didn't even bat an eye that Malcolm was able to secure them so easily. His family practically owned the whole town. He could get away with just about anything.

"It is, but that's still the reason.", he said as he took a violent swig from the beer, the monotone voice that she had learned to expect from him had returned as soon as Cassandra had left. What was it about that girl that possessed him, and why wasn't he interested in her? It didn't make sense.

"I know you've been asking questions about Cassie and I, Dina, but for your own well being, I would stop. It's not safe for you, or for her.", he said, as he chugged the rest of the beer, standing up from the chair and throwing down a few meager dollar bills on the bar. "This is your last warning. If you do anything to hurt her.....I will hurt you."

Before Dina could stop him, Malcolm had made his exit, followed by the guard that was always lurking in the shadows. Dina was left with far more questions than answers, and while she probably should have headed his warning, she was going to find out what the connection was. If Malcolm Landgraab was engaged to Cassandra Goth, her plans would fall apart at the seams, and she couldn't afford that.

Cassie and Dina, and the rest of the gang, took turns singing on the microphone for a few hours various songs of all genres. Dina wasn't sure she had ever seen Cassandra laugh and smile so much. She seemed to really be having fun, which Dina was actually grateful for it. If what her father said was true; that she spent so much time isolated away from other people, it would be good for her to spend time out having fun.

Dina took to the dance floor with the girls, only to glance over her shoulder and see Cassie seated at the bar, watching her. She had tried to convince her to come out and dance, but Cassie said she had been born with two left feet and that dancing was not her forte.

She let herself get lost in the music, the rhythm of the song pulsing through her head. It was only when she took a spare moment to herself to look back over her shoulder to check on Cassie that she noticed Malcolm Landgraab sitting there.

This was her moment.

She broke away from the pack, making a beeline for the empty seat. She gently tapped on his shoulder, drawing his attention away from Cassandra for once.

"Is this seat taken?"

"Not at all. Go ahead.", he replied, watching as she stepped up onto the edge to slide into the seat. "Cassie and I were just talking about you."

The school day went on pretty much as normal for Oasis Springs High. Dina was happy, as it gave her a chance to not think about her mother or the situation. She wanted to be happy for her mother, but she just didn't trust this man. Something about him was off, and she couldn't quite put a finger on it. Still, she knew that it wasn't her place to dictate her mother's love life. She deserved to be happy after being alone for so long.

In her final class of the day, her teacher drew all their attention to a girl standing in the doorway.

'Ah, Miss Goth. Would you like to come inside?", Mrs. Coombs asked as a slender girl with dark hair walked into the classroom.

The girl didn't say anything, instead starring down at the floor.

Dina was intrigued, as it was a little late in the year to be getting a new student.

"Class, this is Cassandra Goth. She is a transfer from Willow Creek.", the teacher explained casually, as though she was reading from a script. "She will be finishing out the year here with us and graduating with your class at the end of the month."

Dina's eyes flickered over to her sister, who was sitting in the front row. Everyone knew who the Goth's were. They were as famous as the Landgraabs in Oasis Springs. She also knew that Cassandra was only fifteen years old, and should be a freshman - not a senior. She had heard that the girl was a genius, but that was a bit much.

Dina was curious as to why she would be transferred here, considering as far as she knew, she still lived in Willow Creek. But, she had heard from a very reliable source that young Malcolm Landgraab had been spending quite a lot of time at the Goth Manor as of late. Is it possible that could have something to do with it?

Nevertheless, Dina was sure that things were about to get very interesting for her.

"Cassie? Are you two already buddy-buddy? Doesn't it usually take you some time to sink your teeth into somebody?", Sofia chuckled at her own joke, confused when Dina didn't sass her back.

She knew that Sofia wasn't being serious, but sometimes, Dina listened to all of the things that people said about her. Most of them were her own doing, and she had to make peace with that. She had spent years crafting this reputation of being cutthroat and conniving to protect herself; but on days like today -she didn't feel like living up to her own reputation. She just felt like being left alone.

"I'm just worried about her. That's all." Dina said, as she reached into her purse to pull out her phone. It wasn't like Cassie to miss school, and everything had seemed fine the night before. Did Malcolm say, or do, something to her to convince her to stay home?

She didn't have Cassie's number, but she did have her added on the Social Bunny app. She quickly typed up a message and hit send in the middle of Mrs. Coombs lecture.

The response came after lunch as she was sitting at the table with all of her friends, and her sister.

"I'm fine. Had a bunch of appointments today. Meet me after school at the Space Museum. I'll explain everything."

For once, Dina believed her. She didn't think that Cassandra had a manipulative bone in her body; and that was probably what Dina liked about her. She was simply trying to be herself, and that wasn't something that Dina had ever found the courage to do.

"Nina, tell Mom I will be home late. Drama club is running long today and I have to help with the costumes and the set design."

It was a lie - but not that farfetched. Her mom wouldn't think twice.

welcome baby teddy!