"Just hold still." Sookie grunted as she applied the last coat of my spray on foundation. I couldn't help it. The lingering liquid that set on my skin was causing me to do an uncomfortable jig. I hated butting on makeup let alone feeling the need to have to cover roughly 70% of my body with it. Since I made made my final transformation a lot on me had changed.
Most of it I didn't mind but one of the most annoying would have had to have been then whole natural yet unnatural glow. A couple of days after I had gotten home from Ireland, I had decided to go to the bank to deposited my money. I tried to tell myself that it was my money but to be honest I felt dirty as soon as I signed that deposited slip. I felt like a part of me had sold my soul to the devil….an pale blond haired, egotistical devil.
Any who, I could not have left that bank any sooner. Between the glares the women were giving me to the almost lawsuit worthy ways the men were staring at me I was kicking myself in the teeth for not going through the drive through…then again, thinking about it in retrospect I don't think I would have been able to make a deposit like that through the drive through. All I wanted to do was go home and continue my relaxation. It would all be over tomorrow because of work. I know what you're thinking…Casey…you're a hundred thousand-aire why do you need to work? Well for three simple reasons.

When you think about it 200,000 isn't really a lot and I refused be another one of those idiots who buys a car and a house and winds up flat broke. The thought of house hunting did cross my mind though but I wanted to talk it over with Sookie tonight. I was young and I had seen the world but it didn't hurt to get a second opinion.

I needed to stay active. So I planned on taking half the money and placing it in a savings account to let it grow interest….I wasn't actually sure what that meant but I heard a lot of people say it on TV….and if it was good enough for them it was good enough for me.
I didn't want anything to change that much. With everything that had happened in my life I just wanted to make sure that I kept my head on straight.

It was a beautiful day and I planned on making the most of it. I went to Sookies bathroom to give my body the once over one more time. It was almost exactly like my complexion. I wanted my skin to look a bit duller. I was still trying to get use to the fact that I had to put more work into looking normal but it the alternative was so much more of a pain in the ass. You see, since I made my transformation I have become…lets say…more desirable to men while, I don't know if this is an affect my my change or if I have just been running into a slew of bitches, but women seem to not like me as much. Of course, this is not the case for Sookie. Come to think of it, this only seems to be the case for humans.
I felt very strange calling peoples…humans. Just a few months ago, I thought I was one of them.

I waited for the makeup to dry and put my clothes back on. When I came back down stairs Sookie was pouring two glasses of lemonade.

"Thanks a lot Sook." I said pointing to my arm.

Sookie shot me a warm smile. She was in her bathing suit with some jean shorts on. This could only mean one thing. "Tan time?" I asked smiling.

"Tan time." Sookie laughed as she walked over to hand me a glass.
I couldn't really tan. Sookie was mainly saying that for herself as well as an invitation for me to keep her company…which I didn't mind at all.

"What do you have planned for the rest of the day?" Sookie asked. We both had the afternoon off and I felt kind of weird asking her if she wanted to spend the day together. I don't know why. Maybe it was because every time we spent time together someone wound up either in the hospital or dead.

"Nothing. I was planning on going to the store to buy a new cell phone….but….I don't really have anyone I need to call so….I guess that can wait for another day." I said. I looked almost like an infant child. I shifted from one side to another not really knowing what to do.

"Well…I didn't have anything planned…did you want to maybe waste the day away?" Sookie asked with a smile.

My face must have lit up because Sookie just nodded and grabbed an extra lawn chair and headed outside.

The day was perfect it was sunny and hot but the occasional wind made sure you weren't burning alive. We went to the front yard and plopped into our chairs almost simultaneously.

"I was wondering." I began while putting my sun glasses on. "Now that I've run into some money…I was thinking about maybe buying a house."

Sookie smirked. "You just bought a home." She said.

"Yeah but I was thinking about maybe selling it and buying a HOME home. I don't think you realize how bad I want a front yard Sook. I want it bad." I said with a menacing glare.

Sookie tried to hold back her laughter but failed miserably.

"I want a house just like yours. Three bedrooms, two bath, washer and dryer, patio, a big old stretch of land where I can do some gardening…and a shed. I don't know why but dammit I want a shed." I said daydreaming about my future home.

Sookie was almost doubling over in laughter. "Well…" She said when she finally regained her composure. "I hope I don't offend you when I say this, you seem like a very mature lady but, I have to admit I was a little scared when you told me where you were moving to. Hot Shot is a rough area." Sookie finished.

I wasn't offended at all by what Sookie had said. It actually made me feel good to know that there was someone out there who cared about what happened to me.

"Did you want to move back to Bon Temps?" Sookie asked.

I honestly wasn't sure. I know I wanted to stay local. I didn't want to leave Sookie or anyone else I have grown to love. It must have been the nomad in me. I had never stayed in one place for very long. I simply shrugged and let the idea leave my mind for a second.

"Eric called me last night." Sookie said.

I let out a small sigh and a cloud of annoyance began to rain on me.

"He said he needed to speak with you tonight." She finished.

I was mad that Eric was using Sookie as some kind of personal receptionist. "Tell him you didn't see me." I said simply.

Sookie merely smiled. "I know how you feel about Eric. He means well but sometimes….the vampire in him takes over and he tried really hard to forget that he is a good guy….sort of."

I knew that Sookie had feelings for Eric. I was confused about my feelings for Eric but I knew for sure that I didn't want to be with him in that way. I was struggling with the idea of tolerating him or ignoring him all together. At this particular point in time I didn't want anything to do with him.

"Besides." I continued. "I might have plans tonight." I said with a small smile on my face.

Sookie immediately shot up and faced me. "Tell me everything!" She squealed.

After I got over my small giggle fit. I told her about Aaron my mysteriously handsome neighbor. I told her everything. The spying, the late night visit and about the note I got when I arrived home a month ago. Ever since that day it seemed like we kept missing each other. The only way we spoke with one another was through text but my favorite way was through letters. Ever since that night I had had received about a letter a week. I pulled the most recent letter from my pocket and showed it to Sookie.

Casey,
You ARE coming to dinner with me tonight. I will not take no for an answer. Resistance will only be met with more letters and an egged trailer. The choice is yours. I know where you live.

-Aaron the impatient neighbor

Sookie smiled as she read the note. "Have you decided what you wanted to wear?" Sookie asked.

I shrugged. "I thought just regular clothes would be fine. I'm mean it's not like we are going out or anything."

Sookies phone started ringing and I had to cut my gushing short.

"Hello-really? -I'm kind of busy? -Well I got Casey with me? -I'll ask he-"Sookie but the phone to her chest. "Jason felt like having a barbeque." She said simply.

"I am DOWN!" I said while throwing a fake gang sign up.

"—Jason-that should be fine-what do you have? -We can pick that up no problem. -I love you too." Sookie hung up her phone and stood up.

"Jason wants to have a barbeque tonight. It would be nice for you to stay….you can invite your friiiiend." Sookie winked.

I actually liked that idea better. I wanted to know what Sookie thought about this guy. "Sounds good to me." I smiled. I pulled out my rinky-dink prepaid cell phone and began texting away.

Friend is having a barbeque. Want to come? :-D

I looked at my phone to see what time it was. It was already going on two. When I looked up I saw Sookie was on the phone again. From the annoyance on her face I could tell that it was her brother. I looked at both of the lawn chairs. They weren't the cheap folding kind. They looked more like beach hairs. Heavy wood with yellow and white plaid print. I stacked one on top of the other and carried them like I was working. Sookie stared at me in wonder.

"Remind me to call you when I decide to rearrange my furniture." She said while shaking her head.

"Remind me to get paid after I do it." I said with a wink.

"Alright….so we need to go to the store to get some food for the barbeque. Jason's bringing all the dead animals…we just need to get the stuff to compliment it." Sookie said as she was heading upstairs to throw on a top.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.

Alright. Just give me the time and the address I should be free around 5 this afternoon.

"Sookie! What time were you thinking about having this little shindig?" I hollered up the steps.

'About 7….8 maybe'. Sookie thought. Sookie wasn't the hollering type.

I went to my phone.

About 8:00 tonight. Bring your appetite! :-P

I was actually pretty excited about our first date. I had never been on a date. Being on the run all of your life doesn't really give you an opportunity to get to know people and because of a lot of people in the world's shallowness, no one ever took the time out the notice me before I went through my change. I still wished that there was a way to tone down my looks; I would have to have Sookie talk to Octavia. She owed me one after stabbing me in the chest that night.

Casey. Would you mind going through my phone and invite some of the people from Merlot's? I think it's safe to say we would both die of boredom if it were just Jason and his friends. Sookie thought.

"Good idea." I said to myself. I grabbed her phone and went down the list.

I decided to send out a mass text.

Hey everyone this is Sookie Stackhouse's friend. I have commandeered her phone to tell you that we are having a bitchin barbeque tonight. Please feel free to come. But don't be free loaders bring napkins, plates, trash bags. We've got the food covered. Failure to being such goodies will result in public humiliation from me. Be at Sookies around 7:30PM…..if you don't know where Sookie lives…don't come. That would be a good way of decided whether or not you are close enough to her. Then again if you moved away from her please disregard this message altogether I will be sure to send Sookie you love….

I looked at the text for a moment.

BBQ Sookies. 7:30PM

"That's better." I said to myself.

I then went through the phone and unchecked people that I KNEW Sookie wouldn't want to invite…like vampires….two in particular and hit send.

I then went through my phone to see if there was any way at all I could contribute to the festivities….I got a small lump in my throat when I saw that I only had 10 contacts in my phone. And two of them were pizza joints.

The feeling quickly passed. I would rather have a small group of people I cared about rather than a telephone book full of assholes.

Sookie came down the stairs, grabbed her keys and gave me a playful punch on the arm. "Ready?" She asked.

And we were off.

THREE HOURS LATER!

"I don't know why you had to do that Casey!" Sookie hollered and I carried 20 bags of groceries in at a time.

"It was my pleasure." I said with a sly smile. I had the money the least I could do was offer to pay for the food. I mean after all I did put a hole in Sookies wall previously.

"I'm not talking about that Casey!" Sookie said with her arms folded. "Thank you by the way….I was talking about knocking that guy out in the parking lot!" Sookie said.

"Hey!" I said while setting the groceries on the kitchen counter. "He does NOT slap young ladies on the ass….especially if it's my ass. And I didn't even knock him out. I slapped him." I said modestly.

"He was unconscious for five minutes Casey!" Sookie explained.

"HEY…it is not my fault the guy has a weak jaw and no balance. He wouldn't have to have worried about that if he had just kept his hands to himself. "I said as I got a few platters ready.

We heard a car pilling into the driveway and knew immediately who it was. "Hey sis!" Jason hollered as he climbed out of the truck.

I looked at my watch. It was going on 5:30. I always kept a change of clothes in my car. Old habits died hard but it helped me out in a few sticky situations. I didn't live going anywhere with only the clothes on my back. I ran to my trunk and pulled out a plastic bag. I grabbed a jean skit and a hot pink tank top. It matched the color I painted my toes perfectly. I noticed that I was turning more and more into a girly girl. I honestly liked it.

I had forgotten that Jason was still outside when I started running back into Sookies house. My speed had increased dramatically since the change and if I weren't thinking clearly I sometimes lost focus on how last I was going.

"Where the fire darling!" Jason hollered.

SHIT!

"I just….really got to use the bathroom." I said bringing my sprinting into a light jog. I ran up the stairs and listened in on what Jason was saying just to make sure.

"I tell ya Sook…that girl….she should play soccer, football, something…she's fast. All you got to do is give her a whole bunch of water and tell her the johns are at the goal line." Jason said and began to laugh really hard.

I honestly think that Jason was getting use to my looks. That is until now. I wanted to make sure that he didn't see me during the day. I didn't want anyone to see me during the day. I figured with dim lights that should tone down my looks or at least people's ability to see me. I went to Amelia's old room to change. Her room was the only room that had a long mirror and I was getting a little paranoid about my makeup. I stripped down to my underwear to make sure nothing had rubbed off. Everything looked fine.

I took a moment stare at the scar on my stomach. Since my final transformation I noticed that it was beginning to heal and I had a few mixed emotions about that. That scar brought me comfort and pain at different times in my life. On one hand it made me think about my parent. This was slightly comforting. On the other hand it also brought back all of the terrible things I have been through this year.

I pushed the idea from my mind and started to get dressed. I tied my hair up on a messy bun and headed back down the stairs.

Jason was sitting in the living room drinking a beer while Sookie was in the kitchen cutting some potatoes.

"Hey Jason." I said hesitantly.

Jason glanced at me quickly at first. I immediately turned away from him.

Is he staring? I thought to Sookie.

…..Yep. Sookie thought with a smile.

"How's it going Casey?" Jason asked. I heard him rise from his seat and head over to the kitchen.

Sookie shuddered slightly when she looked at Jason. I didn't want to know what look Jason was giving me to make Sookie make that face.

Someone needs to tell him. I thought to Sookie. Don't get me wrong Jason was very attractive but…we were related for crying out loud. Second cousins but related none the less….this wasn't West Virginia for God's sake.

Sookie nodded. There were a couple of times that Sookie and I thought about how we would break the news to Jason but we still hadn't worked out all the kinks but, enough was enough.

"So Sookie….I found out something interesting yesterday." I said. Hoping she would follow along.

"Yeah?" Sookie said hesitantly.

"Well I went to that online website where you can look up your family tree and guess what?" I began.

Sookie immediately smiled. "What is it Case" She asked with an amused look on her face.

"Well according to that website, you and I share the same Great, Great, Great Grandfather." I said. "So…that makes us second cousins three times removed on our mother's side." I said trying to make it sound as complicated as possible so Jason wouldn't catch on.

Jason I looked over just in time to see Jason choking on his drink.