7 years ago, early freshman year in high school
When Casey was younger, she was dorky, and she was able to admit that, that's fine. She knew the head-gear wasn't much of a turn on, and her uniform didn't do her dancing figure any justice.
That didn't stop her from trying to date the most popular boy in the all boys academy in the next town. His name was Collin Peterson. Handsomest boy she'd ever seen, and he was two grades ahead of her. He had green eyes and the thickest dirty blonde hair that was very unruley and curly, and hot. The hair was most likely what attracted her to him.
So she went for it. She knew it was long shot to even flirt with him, but when he flirted right back, to say she was surprised was an understatement. She decided it was a good idea to go slow. After all, he was hot and she was...head-gear Casey McDonald.
Eventually Collin kissed her. Her first actual kiss, too! The problem was that they weren't an established couple yet. They were just the cutesy friends who kissed every so often.
Until one day when Casey stopped hearing from Collin. She got fed up being ignored through text, so she just stopped by his house to see what was going on.
When he answered the door, he was definitely surprised she'd showed up. He looked slightly uncomfortable, and he stepped outside with her, not letting her in the house she'd been inside of plenty of times.
"What's going on, Collin? Why are you ignoring me?" she huffed, both angry at him and at herself for caring so much about why he was ignoring her.
Collin scratched the back of his neck, and looked away nervously. "Look, Casey...I've just been busy lately is all."
"Why are you ignoring me, though? Did I do something wrong?" she wrung her hands uneasily. The way he was acting put her on edge, and she felt like he was about to rip her heart out.
"No...Look, Casey you're a really nice girl...I just don't see us going anywhere with this." He shrugged at her.
Devastated was at the top of the list of things Casey felt at the moment. As well as confusion. "I thought you liked me..."
"I do! But you're just..." he gestured at her awkwardly. "So young and..."
Before Casey could scoff and backfire, the front door opened. Now Casey had been beyond shocked to see Melly Stephens, junior class president and head athletic coordinator standing in the doorway looking blonde and beautiful next to frumpy Casey McDonald.
"Oh, hey, Case!" she beamed. "What are you doing here?" she asked, totally unaware of what was happening.
"Melly, can you excuse us for a few seconds?" Collin sighed uneasily as he eyed Casey carefully trying to read her. She wasn't giving anything away, but he knew she was shocked.
"Sure, hon!" she smiled, and pecked his cheek affectionately while Casey watched in horror. Melly was back inside at the click of the door.
Collin eyed the McDonald girl warily, not sure what the next move was.
"So that's what you were looking for then? Somebody who looked like that?" Casey's lip trembled.
"Don't cry, McDonald..." the irony of a boy not being able to stand tears didn't get passed her later on in her life.
"She's just older and...look are we cool?" he asked, still afraid to see her cry and just as afraid to lose his friend.
All she could do was shrug at him, trying to control her emotions.
"Look, this was for the best, eh? What were you gonna do with me anyways? You're very inexperienced, and-"
Casey held her hand up to interrupt him. "I don't need to hear anymore." she put on a front, shrugging slightly. "Its fine, Collin." she lied.
Without another word, she was stepping off his step, and walking away. That was the last time she'd ever heard anything about Collin Peterson. It didn't help that her mother moved them into her step family's house the next week. Although she hated the idea of moving, it really couldn't have come at a better time.
Present Day: Junior year at Queens
It was another slow day at the diner, and honestly, Casey couldn't wait to get off work so she could study for that test she had tomorrow. Unfortunately it was the beginning of her shift still, and nobody ever came in on Wednesdays.
Around lunch, a few people had walked in, and she was glad to busy herself. As she was clearing off a table, somebody sat at the table's neighbor, and she put on her best smile and walked over to him.
"Hi, how are you? Can I start you off with drink?" she asked cheerily.
"Uhm...how about a strawberry lemonade?" he asked, not glancing up at her from his menu.
Now Casey McDonald had the best memory on earth. She remembered every thing about her past down to the very smallest detail. Voices were one thing she was keen on. So once she heard his voice, her eyes snapped to the face, that was still covered with the menu. She'd only had the hugest crush on him, so she'd definitly remembered how his voice sounded from the many afternoons that they'd spend together after her afterschool dance practice and his football schedule.
"Collin Peterson?" she asked uneasily, sort of wanting to be wrong, but of course, Casey McDonald was never wrong.
When he glanced up, she recognized the unruly blonde hair and piercing green eyes that accompanied the still handsome and much more mature face of the boy she once had a crush on.
He squinted, because he recognized her, of course, but couldn't put a name to the face. Casey saw that she had him at a disadvantage. She blushed slightly, and looked down at her hands.
"I'm Casey McDonald...we used to hangout a lot when I was freshman, and you were a junior..."
"Casey?" his eyes widened in recognition. To say he was in shock was an understatement. The last time he'd seen Casey, she was full on metal mouth and dorky hairstyle...now...Well now she was all curves and gorgeous.
"You remember?" she asked cautiously behind her eyelashes.
"Of course!" he stood up and hugged her. "How've you been? Are you attending Queens right now?"
"Yeah, I am!" she grinned, happy that she didn't just embarrass herself. "You?"
"Yeah! I just transferred, actually. Needed a change of scenery, plus it's closer to home. We moved out to Kingston my senior year, so I'm on my home turf again." he smiled at her handsomely. She was glad that he didn't have the same effect on her that he did when she was fourteen.
"That's awesome, it's so good to see you. What's it been, seven years?"
"And you still remember me." he winked at her. She blushed again, suddenly feeling the embarrassment of the last time they talked and how angry she was with him.
"Hey, toots, can I get a refill?" She heard an all too familiar voice call from across the diner. She glanced at him, not even aware that he'd been there and just seen the exchange that just happened. She visibly rolled her eyes at him, and she heard his chuckle from the other side of the restaurant.
"So strawberry lemonade?" she asked him. She caught the annoyed look he gave to her rude customer. She couldn't help but grin, but said nothing about it.
She gave both customers their drinks, but only leaving one of them with a smack to the back of his head.
"So hey, where'd you run off to?...I never really heard from you again..." Collin asked uneasily as Casey set down his burger and fries.
"I didn't run off. My mom got remarried and I moved to Ontario." Casey shrugged.
"Oh..." what else could he really say? Seeing Casey all these years later, and he knew he deserved a good kick in the keister. She was so beautiful. She was before, too, of course. But now...she was all legs and all matured out.
"Hey, Princess, how 'bout some inflight entertainment, eh?" the rude customer from earlier called out to her.
"Ugh..." Casey gave him a look, and his burst of laughter made her screw her eyes closed tight.
"C'mon, baby!" he called again.
"Hey, man, why don't you just relax, okay?" Collin threatened from his seat, not taking his eyes off the brown eyed boy across the restaurant. Said boy just held his hands up in amusement. Collin wanted to punch the smirk off his face.
"Sorry about him." Casey shrugged.
"I could take care of him, if you'd like." Collin offered. Casey smiled softly at him.
"That won't be necessary." she shrugged one shoulder. "Holler if you need anything."
As she walked away, Collin grabbed her wrist. "Hey, Case?" his voice was softer "Can I take you out to dinner tomorrow?" he asked hopefully.
Casey's blush returned, and Collin felt somewhat accomplished because he thought he'd have to work harder.
"You see, I'd love to, but...I sort of have a boyfriend...he might not like that too much..."
And he was shot down. What did he expect when she looked like that?
"Of course..." he shook his head with a grin. "Why wouldn't you have a boyfriend?"
"You can meet him, if you'd like. You might actually like him." Casey smiled again.
"Yeah, that'd be cool." Collin shrugged, knowing it would be anything but cool to meet her boyfriend.
To his surprise, Casey abruptly turned around, and headed to the brown eyed boy's table, and grabbed his hand, muttering something to him as they walked back to Collin's table.
"Collin, this is my boyfriend, Derek Venturi. Der, this is Collin Peterson, an old friend from Toronto." Casey gestured between the two.
Collin gaped, not believing that Casey was dating this neanderthal.
Next to Derek Venturi, Collin Peterson looked buff. Derek had a build on him, that made Collin believe that he probably did work out. Collin still played football to the day, though. Derek would definitely give him a run for his money as far as looks went though, Collin had to admit to himself.
"Derek..." Collin said uneasily, somewhat embarrassed for trying to defend Casey's honor against him earlier.
"Peterson! How are ya?" A mischievous smirk graced his lips. If Collin's memory served correctly, Casey McDonald was challenging at fourteen. He can only imagine how she was at 21. He could tell just from Derek's smirk that he was just as, if not more, challenging that Casey. The thought made him grin.
"I'm fine, how long have you known Casey?"
"About...what...?" he looked at Casey, not remembering the exact year.
"Around after I left Toronto." Casey rolled her eyes. "So say, seven years."
"Picking up the pieces after me, eh?" Collin could've slapped himself for saying that. Casey's face turned 10 shades pinker.
"Don't tell me you guys dated?" Derek's smirk was deeper if possible.
"No!" Casey sighed, and shook her head. "I have to work. Der, I'll see you at the apartment later." she leaned up and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips, and walked kitchen of the diner, leaving the other two men alone together.
Derek pat Collin's shoulder, and bid him goodbye, immediately heading out of the restaurant, but being sure to make a mental note to ask Casey all about the blonde she'd just introduced him to.
Okay! I know I've been gone FOREVER. I just got my laptop fixed, and I've been wanting to write this. At first this was going to be a one-shot, but I decided to merge ideas together. This will be a chapter story. Yay!
The next chapter will be less Collin and more Dasey, but Collin will come back. It's not as predictable as it sounds, don't worry!
As for my story The Cure, I'm working on it! I'm so effing sorry for the delay! I know it's been forever, but I will update as soon as I lose my writer's block for that story!
The update for this one will be soon! It's been burning in my mind forever already and now that I have my computer, I don't think I'll be able to stay away from writing. I missed this! Please Review and tell me whats up, guys! :)