"Food !" George's sudden yell jolted Cassie from her sleep.

The blonde girl closed her eyes in resignation as she heard the clamor of the Walter boys descending for dinner. She reluctantly rose from her bed and gazed at herself in the mirror. "God, I look like the living dead," she muttered to herself.

Descending the stairs, she observed everyone seated and devouring their meals like wild animals. Rolling her eyes at the chaos, she made her way towards Katherine, who greeted her with a wide smile.

"Hey, sweetie. How was your day?" Katherine asked, handing a plate to Cassie.

She accepted the plate with a grateful smile. "Thanks. My day was fine, I guess," she replied casually.

Jackie joined them, reciprocating Cassie's smile. She then approached Katherine with an offer to help. "Can I help?"

"Oh! No, thanks. Just have a seat," Katherine replied warmly.

Cassie remained still, scanning her surroundings. Jackie headed towards the seat next to Benny, but Parker claimed it was hers. Jackie then attempted another seat, only for Jordan to beat her to it. Left standing awkwardly, Jackie glanced around unsure of where to sit.

"Oh, hey, Jordan. Can you go grab another chair?" Katherine asked politely.

Jordan stood up and offered his seat to Jackie. Cassie pressed her lips together, silently observing the Walter Boys as they ate.

"Are you going to stay like that all dinner? Come sit next to me, Cass," Isaac said with his mouth full.

Cassie mustered a fake smile and took a seat to Isaac's right. Certainly! Here's a continuation:

As Cassie settled next to Isaac, she tried to ignore the loud chewing noises coming from his direction. She glanced around the table, catching snippets of conversation amidst the clinking of utensils and the occasional laughter. Despite her efforts to engage in the lively atmosphere, she couldn't shake off the feeling of detachment. It was as if she were an outsider peering into a world that she didn't quite belong to.

Lost in her thoughts, Cassie absentmindedly picked at her food, her appetite dwindling with each passing moment. She stole glances at the faces around her, wondering if anyone else felt the same sense of displacement. But amidst the boisterous chatter and animated gestures, she couldn't discern any signs of unease.

With a sigh, Cassie resigned herself to the remainder of the meal, hoping that the discomfort would soon pass. She forced herself to engage in small talk, offering polite smiles and nods whenever necessary. But deep down, she couldn't shake off the feeling of being adrift in a sea of familiarity, longing for a sense of belonging that seemed just out of reach.

Cassie quickly came out of her thoughts when she heard a blood-curdling scream. It was Jackie. The brown haired girl leaped backward, knocking over the plate in her frenzy. Food scattered across the floor as Jackie stumbled away from the unexpected intruder, her heart pounding in her chest. The commotion drew the attention of everyone at the table. Cassie's eyes widened in shock as she caught sight of the serpent winding its way across the floor, its presence sending shivers down her spine.

"Whoa. Whoa," Danny exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Rumple!" Jordan shouted as he ran towards the snake.

Jackie's sweater bore the unfortunate evidence of the spilled food, now adorned with colorful splotches and streaks.

"Oh my god! Can I help you with your sweater?" Katherine offered, concern etched on her face as she rushed to Jackie's side.

"No, it's fine. It's fine. I'm fine," Jackie almost yelled, trying to mask her embarrassment as she left.

As the boys laughed uproariously, Cassie's irritation grew palpable. Isaac, ever the arrogant one, couldn't resist needling her further. "You can let it go now. The snake's gone," he whispered with a smirk, his tone dripping with condescension.

Cassie's jaw clenched in annoyance as she glanced down at their intertwined fingers. She hadn't even realized she was holding his hand, and the realization only fueled her frustration. With a forced smile, she released his hand abruptly, shooting him a glare that dared him to comment further.

"You guys, stop. You guys. Stop- Stop it! Please!" Katherine interjected, her voice tinged with exasperation as she attempted to diffuse the escalating tension at the table. "Look. I know it's a bit of an adjustement to have two new persons in the house, but Jackie has been through more than any of us can imagine. So i just need you all to understand that.

"And we're gonna treat her and Cassie with kindness and with respect just like you do everyone else in the world. Understood?" George's authoritative voice echoed across the table. "Let's eat."

As they continued to eat, Isaac couldn't resist the urge to tease Cassie, but this time, he did it with a touch of subtlety. With a sly grin, he passed her a napkin under the guise of politeness, their fingers brushing briefly in the exchange. Cassie, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture, shot him a wary glance before accepting the napkin with a muttered thanks.

Later, as Cassie reached for the salt shaker, Isaac's hand coincidentally reached for it at the same time, their fingers grazing once again. Cassie rolled her eyes at his antics, but couldn't suppress a small smile at the absurdity of their interaction. Despite her annoyance with Isaac's arrogance and flirtatious behavior, Cassie found herself begrudgingly amused by his antics.

As Cassie retreated to her room after dinner, she heard the familiar sound of footsteps behind her. Turning around, she found Isaac standing in the doorway, a cocky grin plastered across his face.

"What do you want?" Cassie asked, trying to keep her tone stern despite the flutter in her chest at his unexpected presence.

Isaac sauntered into the room, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I just wanted to see if you survived dinner without losing your temper," he teased, leaning against the doorframe.

Cassie rolled her eyes, unamused by his antics. "Funny, coming from the master of sarcasm himself," she shot back, folding her arms across her chest.

Isaac's grin widened, undeterred by her retort. "Touché, blondie. But you have to admit, we make quite the dynamic duo," he remarked, a hint of flirtation in his voice.

Cassie couldn't help but smile despite herself, the tension between them dissipating as they fell into their familiar banter. "Dynamic duo? More like a disaster waiting to happen," she quipped, unable to resist the opportunity to tease him back.

Isaac chuckled, stepping closer to her. "Well, they do say opposites attract," he remarked sarcastically, his smirk widening.

Cassie's eyes narrowed at his playful tone, her patience wearing thin. "Is that so?" she replied dryly, her voice laced with irritation as she met his gaze.

Without missing a beat, Cassie motioned towards the door with a pointed look. "You know what else they say? Annoying people should leave," she retorted, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Isaac raised an eyebrow, a smirk still playing on his lips. "Ouch. Harsh, Cass," he replied, feigning offense as he turned to leave. "I'll remember that for next time."

As he turned to leave, Cassie couldn't help but watch him go, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Despite their constant banter, there was something undeniably magnetic about Isaac that she couldn't quite shake off. But for now, she was content to send him away with a playful retort, knowing that their verbal sparring would resume another day.

Cassie sank onto her bed and leaned back against the pillows, closing her eyes in an effort to block out the lingering tension in the air. But her eyes fluttered open at the sound of footsteps entering the room. She looked up to see Cole entering, his expression gentle as he approached.

"Hey, Sassy Cassie," Cole swaggered into the room with a tray of food for Jackie, he couldn't resist the urge to play it cool. He set the tray down with a casual flick of his wrist. "Got a little somethin' for ya."

Cassie raised an eyebrow, amused by his bravado. "Oh, really? What's the catch?" she teased, eyeing him suspiciously as she accepted the wrapped package.

Cole smirked, his arrogance evident as he leaned against the wall. "No catch, just thought you might be starving or somethin'," he replied with a cocky grin, pretending to be indifferent to her reaction.

Cassie rolled her eyes, seeing right through his act. "Well, aren't you just a regular hero," she quipped, unwrapping the package to reveal a homemade cookie inside. "A cookie? You shouldn't have."

Cole shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "Yeah, well, don't get too excited. It's probably burnt or somethin'," he joked, unable to hide the smirk tugging at his lips.

Despite his arrogant façade, Cassie could see the genuine warmth in his eyes, and she couldn't help but smile at his antics. "Thanks, Cole. I'll try not sheld any tears," she replied, a hint of amusement in her tone.

Cole grinned back, unable to hide his satisfaction at her reaction. "Yeah, yeah, just don't go telling everyone I've got a soft spot," he teased, but there was a hint of affection in his tone that he couldn't quite conceal. As he was about to go, Cole couldn't resist one last jab."Well, I guess I'll see you around, Sassy Cassie," he quipped, flashing her a cocky grin.

Cassie rolled her eyes, but there was a hint of fondness in her gaze as she watched him go. "Don't get into too much trouble, Mr. Smooth," she shot back, unable to hide the smile tugging at her lips.

As Cole turned to leave, Jackie entered the room with a quizzical expression. "What are you doing here?" she inquired, her eyebrows raised in surprise.

Cole flashed her a grin, trying to play it cool. "Dinner," he replied casually, gesturing towards the tray on the bedside table. "I take it someone might not be over their close encounter with the wildlife."

Cassie shot him a glare, her expression clearly conveying her annoyance.

"I'm kidding," Cole quickly added, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "But your face when you pulled Rumple out was... It was something, I tell ya."

"Rumple?" Jackie chimed in, her curiosity piqued.

"Yeah, Rumplenakeskin," Cole replied with a smirk, enjoying the reaction he was getting.

"Jordan's snake," Cassie explained with a sigh, shaking her head at the memory.

Jackie sighed. "Any other dangerous animals i should know about?"

"Just Isaac," Cole quipped in response, injecting a playful note into the conversation.

Cassie seized the opportunity to tease Isaac, "Yeah, just watch out for Isaac's ego. It's been known to devour entire rooms... and leave no space for anyone else."

The room filled with chuckles as they shared a moment of lighthearted humor.

"Okay. Let's go," Cole declared with a grin, brimming with anticipation for the impending adventure.

Jackie's voice held a note of reluctance as she protested, "What? No, I have homework. I got home late, remember?"

Cole acknowledged his misstep, saying, "Yes, about that. I should have waited for you."

"Yeah, you should have," Jackie retorted, her tone firm but playful.

"It's been...a day," Cole admitted, his voice tinged with a hint of weariness. "Let me make it up to you."

Cassie's reaction was swift, as she quipped with a smirk, "Oh, here comes the redemption arc. Better make it good, Mr. Smooth."

"You shut up and sleep. I know you need it, you look like a zombie," Cole said with a teasing but protective tone.

"I'll go count sheep or something equally thrilling. Don't worry, I'll fend off the zombie apocalypse single-handedly if it comes knocking." Cassie quipped, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"Alright, Cass, enough zombie jokes for today. You need some rest," Cole insisted, his tone soft but firm.

Cassie protested weakly, "But it's not even dark yet. And I'm not even that tired..."

Cole shook his head with a chuckle, gently pushing her down onto the cushions. "Trust me, you'll thank me later," he reassured her, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Relenting, Cassie let out a sigh, allowing herself to sink into the comfort of the bed. With a fond smile, she watched as Cole fetched a cozy blanket and draped it over her.

"Sweet dreams, Sassy Cassie," Cole murmured, his voice warm with affection as he gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze before retreating to let her sleep. With a shared glance, Jackie and Cole exchanged knowing smiles, silently communicating their agreement. They bid farewell to Cassie, leaving her to rest peacefully on the bed.