by Katie Wright
I was surprised by his offer, "We could eat in too."
He shook his head, "No let's go enjoy ourselves since it's our last night here."
I nodded, and I didn't know why but the last thing he said just gave me a serious case of the butterflies. "Okay then." I went up the stairs and took a quick shower and change. but of course boys are faster no matter what we girls do and Casey was already waiting in the family room for me.
He stood up and I was a bit surprised. He was wearing a nice blue polo shirt and khakis.
"I feel underdressed," I admitted. I looked down at myself and look at my blue shorts and t-shirt. "Hold on," I bolted up the stairs and changed into a pair of light blue capris I brought in case we had decided to go out and a white off the shoulder top.
I ran back down as Casey turned the television off.
"Ready," he smirked.
"Yes," I breathed out.
We walked up the boardwalk and finally Casey told me to hold up.
"I think we need to get off the boardwalk and go down this street."
I followed him towards the lighted restaurant.
"Oh Italian, now we're getting fancy," I had to make a smart ass remark.
Casey turned around at me and frowned, had I really hurt his feelings? I felt so bad but then he busted out laughing. "Oh, God, you should have seen the look on your face."
He thought it was so funny I smacked him in the side, "You're an ass!"
"Hey why do you insist on hitting me," he grabbed my legs and pulled me over his shoulders.
I screamed and screamed until he finally had to put me down before someone called the police on him.
"Jesus Heath, you blew out my eardrum," he rubbed his ears to emphasize that I had really hurt him.
I shook my head softly, "Let's go."
The moment the hostess saw us I knew something was up. She placed us at a dark corner of the restaurant. She must have thought we were together but she was very wrong.
We ordered as soon as our waitress came up knowing what we were going to eat. Both of us were not very original and ordered the spaghetti with meatballs. We also got some salad with it too.
Now it was time for us to actually sit and talk to one another. At least during the movie we didn't need to converse but now there was an awkward silence even with all the people talking and music playing in the background.
"Oh shit," I let slip out.
"What?"
"I forgot my wallet," I felt ashamed.
"No don't worry I was going to pay it anyway."
"I'll pay you when we get home I promise."
Casey waved a hand at me, "No seriously it's fine."
"But I feel guilty I didn't do it on purpose."
"I believe you Heath, think of this as paying you back for everything that happened that night with my girlfriend."
"Casey that wasn't…" But he cut me off.
"No Heath it was thanks for that."
"You're welcome." And it was like the weight had been lifted off both our shoulders and we fell into a comfortable conversation until our food came.
We were walking back home but Casey decided to take a detour back to the boardwalk.
"Do you think everyone is wondering where we are?" I was hesitant because I didn't want him to think I was being a baby but I know my parents.
"Well if they say anything you can blame me."
I laughed, "Okay."
Then he did some thing unexpected, he grabbed my hand. "Come over here."
I followed him into an arcade. He let go of my hand and pulled out his wallet. From his wallet he retrieved some quarters.
"What are you doing," yelling over the incessant beeps and hollers from every machine and child.
"I'm going to win you one of those," he pointed to the glass case in front of us I just noticed.
It was filled with blue, pink, and green squishy, yet pointy, balls. The clamp was idle, hovering and waiting to drop into the pit.
"I hate these games I never win, they're impossible!"
Casey smirked, "Yeah well I'm going to prove to you they're not."
"Why ?"
Casey looked ready to kill me, "I told you I'm going to win you one."
"Yes, I know but why?"
"Why do you always have to question my motives, can't I just be a friend and be nice to you?"
I back away, something stung in that statement. Friend. I nodded, "Fine go ahead, but I bet you can't on the first try."
"You wanna bet?"
"Yes, I bet you can't do it."
"What do I get out of it if I do?" His face gave me those damn butterflies again. He was smirking but something was behind those eyes.
"Um, you," I stuttered.
"How bout I get you to do what ever I want if I get it on the first try."
It sounded like a bad idea as soon as he offered it. But I wonder what could he really ask for from me anyways?
I agreed.
"Alright now I can finally prove to you this is possible."
I laughed he was such a dork sometimes, cute, but a dork.
He placed the change in and the machine started. Only 30 seconds remained. The joystick slid over the balls ready to pick its prey. Casey then dropped it and when the claw came back up it was holding a bright blue one. The claw dropped it into the opening where Casey took it from and handed it to me.
I huffed, "Fine, what do you want from me?"
He tapped a finger on his chin, "I'm not sure, I guess I'll have to get what I want from you later."
We walked back to the house, "I can't believe you got that on the first try."
"I have good hands."
My mouth went wide open, "Oh my goodness."
He laughed and when we finally returned to the house I grabbed his arm.
Casey looked back, "They're probably not even home yet."
"Yeah maybe."
We entered and my cousins and the girls were playing a game of scrabble on the kitchen table. Everyone looked at us wide eyed.
"Where have you two been" Jane asked.
Sarah for some reason lightly hit Jane in the arm. Jane looked back and made an apologetic face. I didn't know what was going on and I didn't want to assume so I left. "I'm going to bed."
"You too Casey?" Mickey asked and wiggled his eyebrows.
I growled and turned around leaving the kitchen and heading upstairs. I heard quick footsteps ascending the steps behind me. Only a few feet from my bedroom when I felt myself being turned around.
I expected to see him standing there looking sympathetic but he wasn't.
"What are you smirking at?" I asked Casey.
He released my arm, "Why do you let them get to you?"
"Who?"
"Everybody, you're very short tempered, plus Mickey was saying that to me. If anyone should be upset it should be me."
Another sharp pain in my stomach and I tried not to think about it.
"You're right you should be upset about it, I mean the whole thing is ridiculous," I started turning but Casey pulled me back again.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, I mean you know what he meant by what he was doing and saying."
"Yes but why is it ridiculous? Didn't you have a nice night?"
"Yes, what are you implying?" I folded my arms over my chest.
Casey bit his bottom lip, "You know what just forget about it." Then he turned around and left me.
I was confused and tried not to understand him. Did he think I honestly didn't have a good time?
I finally made it to my destination, bed. Before I closed my eyes I heard the door open and Jane saunter in.
"Hey, I know you're not asleep."
I turned over on my side, "Yes Jane?"
"What happened today we thought you guys would be home?"
"We watched a movie and then Casey took me out to dinner since we were hungry."
Jane nodded, "Did you have a good time?"
"Yeah
I did, we didn't even argue."
"Do you like him Heath?"
I closed my eyes, "I don't know. But I can at least say I can consider him a friend now."
"Why?"
I was tired of the questions especially this one. I knew Casey just wanted us as friends, "Because he told me so. He told me when he won this stupid thing from the arcade he wanted to do something nice for a friend."
Jane clucked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. She didn't do it often but I knew when she did the wheels were turning, "Heath guys like Casey don't have friends that are girls and they don't win something for them unless they want something more than friendship."
"But he told me…"
Jane cut me off, "Well you're friends now but I don't think it's going to be that way forever."
I grumbled, "We just got into a fight outside and I don't know why, except I was mad at Mickey not Casey and now I'm mad at them both."
Jane walked towards the bathroom, "That's okay I already hit Mickey for that comment, he's an ass."
I wanted to speak with her more, especially about Mickey, but she left me in the dark. I finally drifted off to sleep listening to the shower running.
Chapter 12: The End of a Splendid Little Weekend
Sunday was, well interesting. This was the official last day of our weekend. Monday we planned to drive home early so that we could take the day to just relax. You know a vacation from your vacation.
My dad of course said we still had to go to church even though we were at the beach and it was the furthest thing from our minds. Casey also was forced to go due to my cousin's parents. He never argued but I could tell he wasn't used to being told what to do. He lived by himself after all and was twenty some odd years old.
The pews were very long so we all poured ourselves into the seats. Most of the people there, like ourselves looked like they were ready to jump into the ocean. I felt overdressed in capris and sleeveless top I was wearing.
Casey ended up sitting next to me somehow and I knew he felt awkward by the entire situation. At least in church I didn't have to speak to him. When mass started I got up and grabbed a music book but my floppy handling had it dropping to the floor. Casey bent down and picked it up for me. Our fingers brushed slightly as I retrieved the book.
We looked at one another and I muttered a small thank you. He nodded in return and then stood up straight and didn't look at me until it was time to do the 'peace be with you.' We shook hands briefly and thankfully because touching him in any sense seemed to be driving my nerves astray.
I didn't know what was happening to me. I had never felt such anger yet likeness for someone at the same time. I wondered if he expected me to apologize for last night but then I realized I had no idea what I was apologizing for. If anyone should apologize it should have been him because he walked away abruptly from me and when I attempted to do the same he wouldn't let me.
Finally, church was over and everyone pulled out to go to the beach. The rest of the day with my parents seemed to allow distraction. I talked mostly with my mom and Jane. We all went into the ocean together and I didn't need to worry about Casey or my stupid cousins playing any tricks on me.
All in all the day was very uneventful yet peaceful and I enjoyed it. There was a last big family dinner and no arguments came about. I could still feel the sudden awkwardness when me and Casey would catch one another's eye. I tried to act nonchalant about it but then I would do something stupid like twirling a fork and it would fall on the floor or in someone else's lap. From that I would hear, "Heather would you stop goofing around, what's wrong with you," from my father.
I didn't answer him because Casey and I both knew what was wrong with me. Now my dad had made it ten times more apparent to Casey and everyone.
No matter, that night everyone settled in for a movie and I decided I was too tired to watch it and ascended the stairs to bed. I heard another door close as I fell asleep; I guess someone else also didn't want to see the movie. I didn't think too much about it and fell asleep.
The long Labor Day weekend was officially over and I was now home, helping my sister, Sarah, pack for school. My dad was driving her back. I would miss her so much but I knew that fall break was not too far away.
I gave her a hug, "I'm going to miss you so much!"
"You're squeezing me to death," Sarah breathed out.
I let go, laughing I said, "I'm sorry, but I miss you already."
"Oh jeez," she mocked.
I hit her arm lightly, "I am shut up."
Then her and my dad got in the car and drove off, leaving me and mom standing in the driveway all by ourselves.
"It's going to be more quiet without her," my mom said.
I nodded, "Tis true."
We headed back inside when the phone rang. I picked it up and answered.
"Hey Heath it's Jane, did Sarah leave already?"
"Yeah she did."
"Oh damn it I wanted to give her that shirt I had over the weekend, she liked it a lot."
"Well I suppose you could send it to her."
"No, maybe I'll just wait till her first break."
"Okay, what else is up with you?"
I heard a blow out of breath on the other end, "Oh I don't know, Cara called me when we got home."
I was shocked, Cara called, she must want something. "Oh no what'd she say?"
"Oh, drama, her boyfriend cheated on her and now she's all upset."
"Oh that sucks," I honestly felt bad for Cara. Yes, she may have ditched her best friends over for a guy but she didn't deserve to be cheated on.
"Yeah it does," I could sense the lack of sensitivity in Jane's voice; she was a bit more pissed about the situation than me.
"Do you think I should call her?" Not sure if I really wanted to, but friends are supposed to be there for one another.
"Go ahead if you want but I bet she'll probably be calling you she told me she was going to after work."
"Yeah, great, okay then." There was a silence, which was odd, because Jane and I never had those kinds of moments.
"Hey, Heath?" Jane's voice was timid, I knew something was up.
"Yeah?"
"Um, nothing, just I wanted to know if you wanted to hang out this weekend maybe we could cheer Cara up."
"That sounds like a good idea," I said.
"Great I'll call you Friday during the day, okay, bye."
"Bye," I said right before she hung up on me.
Not dwelling on the pause in conversation and the strange way Jane was acting I went to occupy my mind and read a book.
Sitting back in the book filled room still didn't permit me to keep busy. Dan was asking me how my little vacation was. I would only be seeing him today, Friday, because Dan had been off those couple days and allowed me to be too.
"So, who from your family went?"
I tried to act like I was thinking, "My cousins, Brian, Mickey, their parents, my family. That's it."
He leaned over the table on his elbows, crouching over me like a preying tiger. "What'd you do?"
"Went to the beach, twice, although the first time Casey had to take me home," and then I tried to catch myself, realizing what I had said but Dan picked it up.
"Casey went?"
"Oh, yeah," I acted liked I had forgotten his presence which I wished I really had. "Mickey and Brian invited him unexpectedly."
"Oh, did you bring any friends?"
"Yes Jane, and Sarah brought her friend Lucy." It didn't bother me that I hadn't invited Dan, because he wasn't my best friend or even a very close one.
"Oh, I was just wondering. Did Casey give you any trouble? He seems kind of rough around the edges."
"Yes he is, a bit. But he didn't give me any trouble, really. I mean, we got in a bit of a fight, but that was probably to be expected, considering it's me and him," I shook my head and rolled my eyes towards the ceiling.
"I didn't see you guys fighting too much the night I was there." Now Dan had taken a seat
next to me.
I shrugged, "Probably because he wasn't very occupied with me."
