A/N: Thanks for the reviews some of you gave. The most inspiration I get for writing this is of course from my readers, so the more I get feedback, the more willed I am to continue.
Definitely, Casey (Cont)
Casey took her white lace covered hand and slipped it into Matt's pancake style, so it was just their palms facing each other while their individual fingers stuck together. The sound of heels clicking against the marble patio signaled Casey's arrival as a few people by the foyer glanced quickly at another anonymous pair of college students entering the Go Green's banquet hall. Rather unidentifiable music was heard coming softly out of the speakers in each room and masses of people ranging from barely 18 to late 50s were seen roaming around the mansion where the charity dinner was taking place.
The front where the main doors were was slowly draining of people as the chill of the Canadian wind in early October was causing many guests lingering there to become quite cold. The main edifice of the large donator's property was filling up considerably fast and as Casey looked around in awe, she felt to grow considerably smaller around the more influential people. She really thought that she was making a difference in the organization, but seeing this mansion really showed her how many people were in this formerly advertised 'small organization fighting against the destruction of planet Earth'. She shrugged off the bad thought as she began searching for some of her fellow college students.
"Do you see anyone you know?" Casey asked Matt with her head on a swivel. Matt shrugged as Casey led him down a narrower hallway.
"I don't think I know anyone here." Matt finally let out. "I don't go to Queens."
Casey spun on him in her two inch heels as she gave Matt a concerning look. "How old are you then?"
Matt couldn't help but chuckle at Casey's seriousness. "Just twenty two. Two or three years older than you I suspect. I dropped out of Queens a year ago, but stuck around for the people and my jobs." He said adding an accent to the 's' on jobs.
Instantly Casey felt compassion for Matt, along with a little bit of concern. "How..." Casey tried to say before being interrupted by Matt.
"College isn't right for me right now okay. Don't try to get me to go back right now, I am happy." Casey understood slowly and then agreed to drop the topic.
"So how is your ankle?"
"It's only sprained apparently. I guess I am a bit of a baby when I hurt myself, but it's almost better now." Matt said. "It's been a few weeks now, so it should be way better. Thanks again for helping me again." Casey blushed as they both looked around the room that they had just stepped into.
Without realizing it the two had made their way over to the main ballroom where tables were set up with chairs. Along the wall was a counter decorated with an assortment of colorful, and yet pleasingly scented foods. Matt spotted the cuisine immediately and then the open bar while Casey sat down sighing as she wasn't able to drink yet. Before continuing onto the bar, Matt stopped back at the table and handed Casey a plate of small finger foods. She smiled at him thinking of her and then he invited her to join him while he tended to the bar. At first she was reluctant at going, but with a slight twinkle in his eye and an arch in his back, Matt gave off the renaissance presence yet again that Casey couldn't resist.
The long bar's counter extended all the way around one of the corner's off the room so it curved perfectly where one high and lightly painted wall met another. Matt found an opening at the end farthest from them and sauntered over. Just then a really peculiar voice rang out beside them, just a few people over from their position along the bar.
"Two lemon drops, please." Said a guy's voice on the other side of a girl dressed in a long black floor gown. The girl succeeded to take the drink just ordered as the man with her swung an arm around her back and led her away.
"Casey!" The man said a little too excitedly as his date looked highly offended at his random outburst.
"Is this the third guy or Micheal?" Abby asked jumping in right before Casey was about to deliver her punchline. "Because if it's the third guy I have decided on his name."
Casey sighed in frustration as Abby sagged down in her bed. "Sorry mom... It's Ryan though." She finished smiling with all her teeth showing.
"As I was saying..."
"Micheal?" Casey laughed, partly surprised and at the same time amused. "You're in Go Green?"
"No, I am in." His date stepped in with anger in her voice. "And we need to get back to our group."
Micheal obviously looked pained by his date's want to leave, but he left reluctantly hesitating every few seconds, speechless.
"That was weird." Casey told Matt.
Matt just stood there with his hands jammed in his pockets, obviously feeling out of place. "He was probably out of words for how beautiful you are tonight, at least I am."
Casey smiled at his sudden shy compliment and hooked arms with him as he ordered himself a beer and Casey a strawberry daiquiri.
"I don't know about this." Casey told Matt sternly after handing her the fruity alcoholic drink.
"You will be fine." Matt comforted her. "There's barely any alcohol compared to my beer."
Casey wasn't sure of how true Matt's statement was, but she had been fine when she accidentally took a swig of vodka at a party during high school and it was only glass. Casey relented and took a sip of the red colored beverage as a partly frozen and thick liquid met her lips. She swallowed as she realized that it was in fact not as bad of an experience as the vodka had been; it was in fact pretty good.
"See?" Matt said obviously sensing her enjoyment of the daiquiri. Casey nodded smiling as they took a seat back at their table. They snacked on the small pastries and miniaturized fancy dishes before the president of the organization spoke.
"Hi and welcome to the 3rd annual Go Green Charity Banquet." The president, a woman in her mid forties in a rather reserved business suite, began. " As you know we have goals to meet and goals that will hopefully improve our world. Our world that is turning to disgust and filth. With your help, you can fund our many projects to first improve our community, then our province, our country and our world..."
Abby yawned as Casey brought the sheets up, right below her neck. "Don't stop mom, I am still awake. At least tell me how the banquet ends."
Casey smiled and kissed her daughter on the forehead before continuing.
As the president made a closing line to her short, yet sweet speech, the higher aristocrats with the money stood up and clapped as the college and post grad students followed. The next hour was filled with a lot of socializing, mooching and drinking. The more a person was laughing, the more likely they had enjoyed the open bar a little too much. Casey of course had a small bit of disdain plastered over her face. She always felt somewhat out of place at these functions and the only people she knew in the Go Green organization had somehow wiggled their way out of coming tonight. Besides Matt, Micheal was the only person she felt comfortable talking to. So when Matt announced that he had enjoyed coming and talking with Casey, but he had to get going before the night traffic got too bustling, Casey considered walking over to Micheal. He was chilling in an almost too comfortable posture at a table five down from the one she had shared with three woman and their husbands in their thirties. But as the thought came, it fled very fast, when the girl in the floor gown sat down on his lap.
Casey sat there uncomfortable waiting for the event to end. Every member that came had to stay till the end if they wanted to plan out the following years volunteer work with the heads of the committee since they avoided any too organized meeting during a charity event which bothered Casey. 11:00 was not coming fast enough. By 10:15 a large amount of people had migrated to the exit and out into the night whether they decided to head home or out on the town. Micheal was still there, but always in the hands of the dark skinned beauty that snapped at her earlier. She sat there wondering why she wanted to see him so badly. It was because she was alone and in awkward situation, right? That was the most rational explanation. But she knew deep down, that he was her light to a world much more comfortable to her. A world with adequate university shop coffee and young non-black tie parties. Without realizing it she had nodded off, right there in her chair! Just fell asleep for ten to fifteen minutes. By the time her eyes had adjusted, the heads of the committees were gathering the volunteers across from the podium. Mostly college girls and post grads were there to sign up for city projects along with Micheal's date. Where was Micheal though? Casey sat there listening to the girl in charge of the local city projects wondering where he could be, or if he had already left.
When the meeting adjourned the dark skinned girl left on her own and Casey quickly jumped to the conclusion that he had left during her nap. She left along with everyone and made her way out to her old mustang convertible that she had received as a birthday present from her closest friends and family. It was her sweet sixteen present three years over due. Then she noticed someone was passed out in her car! Furious she wondered who would go through the trouble of climbing in the small window slot that she had accidentally left down. As the man's brown hair was made out from the glare of the moon, a weird feeling made presence in Casey's stomach. It was like the feeling you get during free fall on one of those amusement park rides when the shock of falling has already over took you and now you feel weightless.
"Micheal...Micheal." Casey shook him whispering in his ear once she had stepped into her car.
He made a quiet moaning sound from under his breathe.
"How much did you drink?" She asked confused. Micheal held a finger up signaling 'one drink'. "How can you be passed out from one lemon drop?" Casey asked hoping to get a short answer if any. To her avail, Micheal just gurgled like a new born and fell asleep again. His breathe did not wreak of alcohol and yet, he seemed as if he had downed the whole bar. This time Casey used a different strategy.
"Do you think she slipped you any drugs in your drink? Yes or No?" Micheal made no sound but slowly nodded. Casey suddenly felt an emotion similar to rage as she mouthed "That bitch."
Casey sat in her car with Micheal barely awake in the passenger seat wondering what next. Her first instinct was to go to the hospital again, but his vital signs seemed fine and she had read so many times in high school about these types of drugs. What was best for him was water and sleep. She was surprised that he was still communicating with her, but he was sure to fully pass out soon depending on when she had given him the drug. Casey was just starting the car when Micheal finally went as he collapsed onto Casey's lap. Pulling him up wasn't the hard part though, keeping him up was. As she neared the greater campus area, Micheal kept leaning over towards the driver's side as he almost landed on the stick shift four times. When she was within five kilometers of her apartment she quickly realized that she didn't know where he lived. She tried nudging him, but it was hopeless. Struck with a new dilemma, Casey decided to continue driving to her apartment waiting to face the obstacle of moving him once she arrived.
"Keep going." Abby yawned as Casey noticed her drifting off to sleep fast. Casey stood up turning off the lights in Abby's room. "I want to hear the rest." Abby whined again.
"In the morning." Casey hushed. "In the morning."
