by M. R. Joseph
"No. Not really. I mean sometimes I walk to his class and wait for him and they walk out together, but he never mentions her to me."
"Look Case, I'll get right to the point. I think maybe you should maybe keep your eye on Bo. I've seen things that make me well... kind of suspicious."
"Oh really? Like what Carter?" Her voice was defensive and Carter was taken aback by it.
"Relax, Case. There isn't any proof but I have seen them around campus looking chummy, and it could all be in my head. I just want you to be aware of it. I don't want him making a fool out of you."
Casey sucked in her bottom lip rolled her eyes to the ceiling and got up the strength to stand and scowl down at Carter from the table.
"Me a fool, Carter? Me? The only fool I see here is you! You aren't happy in your life and you have no one in it, so you are trying to destroy my happiness with Bo! There is nothing going on between Bo and Drea. He loves me Carter. We have been together for a year. He is devoted and trustworthy and you are a sack of shit for thinking otherwise." She gathered up her books from the table and looked around at the few remaining people in the library. "You know what Carter? I'm taking myself out of your miserable sight. When you have a chance to stop and think about what you just told me, and you know that you are wrong, let me know. Otherwise, stay the FUCK away from me!" She took off towards the exit and Carter blew out a breath and slammed his hand on the table. He gathered his things and left as well.
The next week was unbearable for Carter. He missed Casey so much. He missed her laugh, her smile, her warmth. He missed her sweet face. Period. That Saturday night there was going to be a frat mixer at one of the houses and Carter, Tommy, Jake and a few more of their friends decided to go. Carter had no idea if Casey was going, but he expected her to be there since it was Bo's frat who was sponsoring the mixer. He called Lyla but she wouldn't tell him if she was going. He hoped she would be there for two reasons. So he could see her sweet face and that maybe, just maybe she would get a glimpse of what Bo Adler was all about.
The frat house was moving and grooving with wall to wall people and cray paper thrown in every direction. The guys walked in and grabbed beers. They settled into a corner and started talking about random stuff. Carter saw Bo enter the room they were in and he rolled his eyes but he went up to Carter regardless.
"Carter." He nodded to him. " Bo. Where's Casey?" "She's not here yet. She and Ly are running late." Carter just nodded to him. Bo took a sip from his cup and looked up to see Drea motion her head from across the room to Bo. He excused himself and walked in her direction while she lead the way before him. Carter was right! He knew it! He looked at Tommy and Jake.
"You guys saw that right?" They both shook their heads in agreement.
"What are you going to do Lond follow them?" Tommy asked.
"You got that right. Listen if Case walks in and searches for Bo, distract her until I get back. Do not under any circumstances let her passed you. If I'm right, I don't want her seeing anything nor do I want her hurt."
"OK, Man. Do what you have to do." Jake replied.
Carter made his way out of the main living area and towards the direction Bo and Drea were headed. He was in the mood for some serious James Bond spy shit. He stopped to talk to some girl who stopped hi to tell him how she loved the band. He tried not to lose sight of them but the crowd was thick, and he had to step up on his tippy-toes to see them. The dark haired girl spoke. "Hey, do you want to get out of here? I can make it worth your while." She licked her lips seductively and he winced. Damn it! No, he had to see if he was right about Bo. He had to think about Casey and not about his dick right now.
"Listen honey tomorrow night at Beach Bums after our set come and find me and we'll see what happens." With those words he was gone and onto following them again but it was too late. He lost sight.
Casey walked in with Lyla about ten minutes after Carter was hot on Bo's trail. She spotted Tommy and Jake. Lyla turned to Casey. " I'm not going over there with that walking STD, Casey."
"Come on, Ly. You don't have to talk to him. It's hard on us all not being together and hanging out. He was an ass, yes, but do it for me please?"
Lyla rolled her eyes and nodded yes. They made their way over to where Tommy and Jake were. Casey looked around and didn't see Carter.
"Hey guys, how are you?" She smiled at them.
Tommy tried to speak to Lyla. "Hey Case and Ly. How's it going?" Lyla still loved Tommy but she wasn't giving in to him.
"Hi Chlamydia, I mean Tommy." Jake spit his beer across the table in Tommy's face.
"Fuck, Jake! Jesus!" He began wiping the spit beer from his face.
"Sorry man, but that was too good. One point for Ly." Tommy pleaded with Lyla after he wiped his face.
"Ly, can you please talk to me. Can we go somewhere private?"
She laughed. "The only place you should be going is the free clinic, Lingetti. Go fuck yourself." She stormed off. Tommy ran after her.
"Where is Carter, Jake?" Jake started to get nervous.
"Oh he's around here somewhere. Why don't you sit and I'll grab you a beer?"
"No thanks. I just want to go find Bo and tell him I'm here." She started to make her way from the table and Jake jumped in front of her trying to distract her from leaving.
"Wait! Case, I want to ask you your opinion on some new songs we are trying out tomorrow night."
"Jake can we do this later? Please. I want to find Bo." Jake took her by the shoulders and held her there.
"No, Case! Don't." Casey looked at him puzzled and yanked her away from his grasp.
"Jake? What's going on? Where is Bo? Where is Carter?"
"Case, please!" She turned away quickly and made her way through the crowd towards the stairs. Jake followed her. She pushed her way through and when she reached the top she found Lyla, Tommy and Carter standing outside of Bo's bedroom arguing.
"What the hell is going on here? She asked.
"Car, why are you standing outside of Bo's door?"
"Case, please don't go..."
She shoved past him and busted through the door. What she saw made her gasp and cover her mouth in disbelief. Drea was naked, riding Bo reverse cowgirl style on his bed. They didn't even see her come in because they were too caught up in their tryst.
"Bo! What the hell!"
Bo bucked Drea off of him and looked at Casey. He covered himself up with a towel and Drea found her shirt on the floor and did the same.
"Casey baby. It's not what it looks like."
Carter stepped aside Casey and made his way into the room.
"Oh really man. Then what does it look like? It sure looks like you're screwing your brains out."
"Fuck off, London. This doesn't concern you."
"When it comes to Casey, it does concern me asshole." Casey stood there unable to speak. Lyla entered the room and tried to coax Casey into leaving.
"Case come on. He is not worth it. Let's go. Please."
She finally spoke. "So Carter was right? Bo? Why?" Her voice was small and it was nothing more than a whisper.
"Oh for God's sake Bo, just tell her and get it over with." Drea stated.
"What does she mean Bo?" Casey asked.
"What a dumb ass you are, Casey. He's been fucking me the whole time he has been with you. He loves me, not you. He was using you. Don't you see that? He made a damn fool out of you."
Tears began to stream down her face and Carter was right by her side. He put his arm around her shoulders and she shrugged him off.
"Carter. Please, I need to talk to Bo. Alone."
"Casey, you don't have to. He's a piece of shit who doesn't deserve your time."
"Leave, Carter. Now!" She demanded.
He shook his head in frustration but spoke directly to Bo."You are a worthless fuck who never deserved her in the first place. You used her and if I ever see your sorry ass around her again your mommy and daddy will have to pay a plastic surgeon a lot of money to fix what I
will do to you." He walked out of the room with Lyla, Tommy, and Drea.
As soon as they exited, Lyla turned to Drea and punched her square in the nose. Blood squirted out and Lyla said, "So it's true what they say. Whores do bleed." With that Drea went running for the bathroom. They made their way down the steps and toward Jake.
"What they hell happened?"
"Thanks for keeping Case down here Jake. Christ!" Carter said.
"I tried, Lond, but she knew. I saw it in her eyes."
"I went to follow Bo and they had made their way upstairs. I waited till they were in the room then when I heard noises from inside, I opened the door slowly and peeked in. I saw what was up and that's when Ly and Tommy came from the bathroom."
"We didn't want Case to know what was up, and that's when we started to argue about it," Lyla said.
"Ly, she had to know the truth. I know no matter how she found out she would get hurt. I'm going outside. I need air."
Carter turned from them and made his way to sit outside the house and wait for Casey to finish talking to Bo. The time seemed to go on forever. Carter paced back and forth outside. His stomach was in knots. Seeing the look on Casey's face made his stomach feel as though there were a million needles poking it. He continually ran his hands through his hair with worry in his heart. He questioned why she didn't listen to him in the first place? Did she not trust his instincts? Just then the front door opened and Casey was at the top of the steps. Mascara smeared down her cheeks and her nose red. She looked beautiful as always in spite of her smeared makeup. He looked up at her and she ran down the steps and fell into his arms sobbing. He held her and kissed the top of her head. She tried to speak and he interrupted her. "No, Case. Don't. It's ok. It will all be ok sweet face." Carter walked Casey home to her apartment. He ran a bath for her with her favorite magnolia bubble bath and set her pajamas out on the sink for her. She stood in the doorway and watched him testing the water for her.
"It's all ready for you and I'll go make you some tea. OK?"
She nodded. He made his way out of the bathroom and she made her way in.
"Car?" She spoke softly to him.
"Yes, sweet face? What do you need?"
"Will you stay with me tonight. I...I don't want to be alone. I'm so tired. Just so tired."
"As you wish," he replied.
He went down stairs to make her tea and Tommy and Ly walked in.
"How is she?" Lyla asked.
"She is taking a bath. She hasn't said a word. I don't think she plans on it either."
"Tommy and I found out that he has been seeing Drea since they were in high school. She followed him here but they never really dated. He always had a girlfriend but always kept Drea aside like a mistress. How pathetic is that? On both their parts."
"All I know is she wants me to stay, so I am. What about you two? Why were you in the bathroom at the frat house?"
"Momentary lapse in judgement," Lyla said not looking at Tommy.
"I'm outta here," Tommy said walking out the door pissed.
Lyla shrugged her shoulders, gave Carter a kiss on the cheek, and made her way to her room.
Carter made Casey's tea, as she liked it, two sugars and a splash of milk.
He shut off the kitchen light and made his way to Casey's room. When he entered, she was cuddled up under the blankets and her blonde waves sprayed out across her pillow. Her face was angel-like and still red and swollen from her tears. A dozen white tissues surrounded her. He grabbed an extra blanket from off a chair and a pillow from the bed and began to make his way to the floor in front of Casey's bed. He would stay by her all night. He would let her cry and he would let it drive him into madness at the fact that someone had made her feel that way. Caused her pain. There was no excuse. She should never feel it. He would never inflict any kind of pain on her. Then she spoke,
"Car. Please come hold me. I need you to hold me." Her voice was tiny, cracked, and full of exhaustion.
He took off his shoes and shorts but left on his shirt and boxers. He crawled in behind her and she grabbed for his arm. The touch from her hand sent goose flesh all over his skin. He was so close to her. Could she feel his heart beat on her back? The solitude in his heart from her not being his laid dormant, if only for a little while. She was in his arms, he was keeping her safe so he went along with his temporary fantasy that she was his. Casey placed his hand in front of herself and in between her own. She shut the light off and there was silence except for their breathing.
"Thank you Carter. For everything. I love you." His heart ached and he felt tears stinging his eyes. He shut them firmly. Carter held her a little tighter and wished that when she finally said the words, they would be because she felt the same way he did about her. That hurt the most. Knowing that wasn't the case.
CHAPTER 5
Meet Mr. Perfect
Carter felt the chunks of his earlier dinner rise up to meet his throat as the image of Jordan Reid's arms around Casey played out in front of him. Carter was singing one of Casey's favorite songs, Santeria and he thought his dedication of the song to her would maybe somehow show her what Carter was feeling. No such luck. He knew meeting him was inevitable so when he finished this song he put on his game face and meet his match. A match he so desperately wanted to win. Carter gazed at the two of them. Casey ran her hands through Jordan's hair, his hands dangerously close to her ass, soft, little sweet kisses he was planting on her face, on her sweet face. He thought about her face being his sweet face. He prayed that Jordan wasn't going to the reunion in a few weeks. This was their time. He had a month to convince Casey that he was good enough, strong enough, and loved her enough for her to be his. Jordan Reid was an obstacle he needed to get passed. Carter thought of ways to make Casey his, but all in all, the realization was that like Bo Adler, maybe Casey needed to see things for herself. When the song ended and the crowd went wild, Carter noticed Casey and Jordan had made their way back to the bar area to see Lyla and a few other people they graduated with from Bayshore. Carter began packing up his guitar when Tommy leaned over his shoulder and said,
"So that must be Mr. Perfect, huh Lond." He chuckled. "Lond he is Godiva and you're a fucking M & M. Don't do it to yourself kid. Just accept it. Be satisfied with what you have with her."
Carter didn't even acknowledge what Tommy said because he knew the truth and because Tommy was right on all points. Carter went about his business. He looked up in Casey's direction and she motioned for him to come and join them. Let the fun begin. Tommy and Jake both shook their heads. Jake noticed his girlfriend Chloe had joined the group at the bar so he made his way down with Carter. Tommy did not follow for fear of the wrath of Lyla. He saw a few people he knew who looked a bit shady but made his way over to them regardless.
Carter began to sweat and his stomach suddenly went into knots. Ulcer maybe? Love...definitely. Jake put his hand on his shoulder and said, " Lond I know this is going to be hard but wouldn't you rather see Casey be happy than not? Give this guy a chance. Maybe all rich guys aren't douches."
Jake calmed Carter's nerves down a bit and he nodded in agreement.
"There you are, Car!" Casey wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. She rocked his body back and forth in a friendly embrace. She turned back to Jordan who was perched on a bar stool. "Jordan, this is my very best friend in the world Carter." He didn't even give her enough time to finish her sentence when he jumped off the stool and took Carter's hand in his and began to shake it rigorously.
"Carter London, it is such a pleasure to meet you. Casey has of course told me everything there is to know about you."
Carter shook his hand as he mentally proclaimed his desire to take his girl away from him and make her his forever.
"Well, Jordan you say you know everything there is to know about me, but the unfortunate thing is our girl here kept you her dirty little secret for the last six months." Carter looked at Casey disapprovingly and made a tsk-tsk noise. Jordan looked at her confused.
"Jordan, I'm sorry but I wanted to wait till he got home. I wanted to see where this was going." She motioned her hand between her and Jordan. He grinned at her and bent down to place an understanding kiss on her nose. Carter felt his stomach clench at the scene unfolding in front of him.
"He was home when he called me at my house. He was here the whole time he just wanted to surprise me. Wasn't that sweet?"
Carter nodded his head and clenched his fists a few times to calm himself down. Jordan began to speak again.
"I was in California for business about four months ago and I saw you guys and you were unbelievable!" Casey smiled up at him while he spoke.
"Car, he saw you at the Ford Amphitheater in LA. I told him to go to your show when he was out there and he did. How cool is that?"
Carter could do this. He could act. He could pretend that all was right with the world, that Jordan Reid didn't affect him. He wanted to pretend he didn't see the way Casey looked at him adoringly.
"That is very cool man and glad you enjoyed the show." Carter stuck his hand out again to shake Jordan's.
"Look at my two favorite men in the world shaking hands. I'm a lucky girl."
Casey introduced Jordan to Jake and Chloe, and Jordan suggested they move to an area a little less busy, so they could all talk without yelling out their conversations. They strolled over to the cabana area at Beach Bums. They were usually reserved for private parties but there was one that just happened to be available. When they reached it they were all shocked to find the inside illuminated by cream colored candles and white twinkle lights. It gave off an alluring ambiance. The table was large enough to hold at least fifteen to twenty people. In the center of the table was a a tray with a square ice block inside it. It must have stood a foot tall and in the center of the ice were bottles of all kinds of rum, vodka, tequila, long with all types of mixers to accompany the liquor. Garnishes surrounded the ice square. Bob Marley sang out of the private speakers.
"Jordan, did you do all this?" Casey questioned.
