Buddy, Buddy
Chapter 4
Last Chapter:
Casey started laughing and Tristan held the door for her as the two made their way in the coffee shop.
XO
The two looked over at Tristan's completely vacant side.
"He took my girlfriend out?" Derek asked extremely pissed.
XOXO
"I'll have a tall White Chocolate Mocha." Casey said to the lady at the counter.
"And I'll have a tall Caramel Macchiato and a…GIANT Chocolate Chip Cookie."
"You weren't kidding about your Caramel Macchiato Syndrome."
"Ha! If you only knew." he said handing over a twenty.
"Hey! I thought that we agreed that I would pay for this since I ate your sanity."
"Don't worry about it, Casey. You don't really expect me to let you pay for it." he said looking at her before taking the change back and putting a few bucks in the tip jar.
"Is it because I'm a girl?" she asked defensively.
"No." he said pausing and looking her straight in the eye. "It's because I was raised to be a gentleman."
Casey didn't know what to say.
"Tristan." the girl said sliding the giant cookie out on a bag. "Your coffee's will be ready in a minute." she smiled at the two.
"In that case, thanks…again." Casey said.
"Don't mention it." he smiled before heading for a table after grabbing the huge cookie.
Casey followed his lead and the two sat there.
"That's one really over chipped cookie." she said pointing out.
"Those are the best ones. Why you want some?" he asked.
"It's your cookie." she said.
"I know how to share." he said.
"I don't th-"
"Best cookie in the world." he said persuasively holding it up to her.
She sighed but took a tiny bite out of the cookie. He was right. It was the greatest cookie ever.
"Told you." he said smirking.
"Here you go." said the girl at the counter sliding the coffees through.
Casey got up and got them this time.
"So, tell me about yourself." she said handing him the coffee.
"Ah, me first?" he asked taking the lid of his coffee.
"Of course."
"Okay, I'm 21, getting a degree in Film and Video Production. I have 1 sister as you know, my parents are still together and live in Venice with my Pug Pugsley Patrick the third. Favorite color is dark green, favorite movie Hope Floats, no scratch that, my newest favorite is The Notebook." he said trying to keep a straight face as Casey laughed. "For real it's The Dark Knight. And my life goal is to graduate college and be hired by Steven Spielberg or someone with a high stance and be there camera man and then eventually become a director."
"Wow." Casey said. "What about life in between. Social?"
"Well, Um, lets see. I definitely want to get married. Have a couple kids, video tape their birth of course." she lightly laughed at that. "And eventually live out the rest of my life in peace. But I know my life story, I'm interested in yours." he said grinning.
"Greaaaat." she said sarcastically. "Okay, I'm 18. Born here in Toronto. I was to get a degree in Creative Writing and one day write a movie script or a book or something. I have 1 sister and 3 step-siblings. They live in Ontario." she had to lie about Derek. "Favorite color is red, movie really is The Notebook. And my life goal is the same as yours. To be successful and happy."
"Well, you write the script and I'll direct." he said taking a sip out of his coffee.
"Sounds like a plan." she smiled and then took a sip of hers.
XOXO
"Do you have any idea where they were going?" Derek asked as Ralph and him crossed campus.
"Dude, I don't keep tabs on your sister." he said.
"Well, someone should." he said then he quickly stopped walking and stopped Ralph. "Wait, wait. What am I doing? If Casey can go out with other guys…I guess this means that I can go out with other girls."
"So…can we?" Ralph asked with a grin.
"To the parties my friend. Tonight I'm playing single!"
XOXO
"Thanks for walking me back to my door, Tristan." Casey said.
"No problem."
"Night?" she asked.
"Night." he then smiled and hesitated before turning around and walking back down the hall.
Casey quickly grabbed her key and unlocked her dorm room. As soon as she got in and closed the door she stood up against it and closed her eyes.
XOXO
Casey could not sleep. It was midnight and she knew she was tired but yet she just couldn't sleep.
The lights were all off and she just tossed and turned in her bed. Hopeless.
She heard the door start to unlock. Then the door latched closed and a small night light turned on, on the other side if the room.
"How was your night?" Casey asked sitting up.
"Oh my God! I thought you were sleeping!" Veronica said after jumping a few inches.
"Can't. So details."
"Eh." she said turning away.
"V, what happened?" Casey asked amused as she got out of her bed.
"Well, he picked me up." she said looking at Casey. He took me out to this really romantic restaurant by a lake. We left before the waiter could take ours orders and we spent the rest of the night making out in his car." she said blushing.
"Veronica…did you guys…?" Casey said laughing.
"No, no, no! Not like that, Case. We…just had some extra emotions that we still needed to get out and we did that…we're good."
"When's he coming back?"
"Tomorrow morning. We're going to breakfast!" she said giddy.
"Congrats. I wish my boyfriend cared enough to take me to breakfast." Casey said annoyed.
"Yeah, what's the story on you guys?"
"Um…complicated. High school sweethearts."
She let out a light laugh.
"How long have you been together?"
"Um…about 2 months but we saw each other so often, it was like we…lived together." Casey said looking down.
"Awe. So have you guys…you know?"
"Yeah…once."
"You?"
"Too scared." she said laughing. "Not yet."
"Good for you." Casey said.
"Thanks. So…do you want to tell me why my brother text me asking for your number?"
"What?" Casey asked shocked.
"Dude, you can't tell? My brother it totally into you."
"Wow." she said smiling.
"But, seriously…he won't mess with you and Derek's relationship. He knows how bad it hurts."
"I don't want him to feel like he has to always step 20 feet away when Derek's around." Casey said sympathetic. "I mean tonight was great. Him and I went out for coffee an-"
"Oh my God! You went out with him?"
"Not like a date. I felt bad for eating one of his Snicker doodles."
"Oh, those snicker doodles are heavenly." she said zoning out.
"V!" Casey snapped her fingers.
"Sorry. Anyway. Be careful Casey. I love my brother to death and I don't want him to get hurt. So if you're going to just play the friend zone game, just get it over with and tell him you're not interested. I'm sorry Casey…I'm not trying to be mean or anything."
"No, no I get it."
"Thanks for understanding. So, I'm going to take a shower now." she said grabbing her towel. "Be out in a jiffy." then she disappeared into the bathroom.
Casey looked at Veronica's Phone was lying on her desk. Taunting her. Taunting away.
She quietly strolled over there and picked it up. She heard the shower water go on and knew it was clear. She clicked to open the inbox and saw Tristan's message in there. Casey hesitant at first thought about what she was doing but couldn't sop. After tonight, things were changing. She was changing, and now she needed someone who could fit what she wanted and really needed.
She hit the reply button and text her number, She hit the send button and closed all the remaining boxes before putting the phone back down and acting innocent.
XOXO
Casey knocked on Derek's door but no one answered. Finally as she turned around the door opened and Derek stood there looking half Zombie. Tristan had class and Derek supposedly did too…yet he wasn't there.
"Derek, what happened?" Casey asked.
She walked in the room and looked around. There were a few beer bottles sticking out from underneath Derek's bed.
"Derek. What the hell?" She asked kicking them underneath.
"What?" he asked annoyed.
"I can't believe you." she said. She scanned the room and saw what every person hopes they won't find. Evidence of a potential cheat.
"That is NOT my bra." Casey said through clenched teeth.
"It's not what it looks like." Derek said.
"Ha! Hardly. Beer bottles, bras, mangled bed, what does it look like then?"
"Just a party. Ralph and I went party hopping."
"Yeah, well you left your responsibility behind." she said walking out of the room leaving Derek there.
XOXO
"Casey." Derek said catching up with her later that day. "Casey."
"Go away." she said walking to class.
"Listen."
"What Derek, what?"
"The bra wasn't my fault. Some chick gave it to Ralph last night and he left it in my room and half the bottles were his. I'm sorry but I just had to have my experience on real college parties. I wasn't even driving. Can we just put this behind us and move on?"
"Derek, you do stupid things…I just don't know how many more I can take." she said. "I'll see you later." she kissed him on the cheek really quickly and left.
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
XOXO
"What's the attraction for guys driving really expensive, sleek, cars? I don't get it, but every time I see the car I instantly attract to the man." Veronica said laughing as Casey and her met up later.
"I don't really know." Casey said laughing. They both sat down at a nearby bench and Veronica started peeling at her orange. "V, can I ask you something?" Casey asked.
"Of course." she said kindly looking at Casey.
"What…Are guys…"
"It's okay, Casey." Veronica said reassuring.
"Derek and I's relationship feels like…it's heading South."
"Any specific reason?" she asked peeling away.
"He just seems. So off track. He went out and partied with women last night and drank all night, skipped class today and that bugs me bad. He just…I don't know."
"Well, everyone has there crazy binge night." she said.
"I know, I know but I can't help this feeling of…annoyance that I get whenever I see him now.
"Oh, God Casey. I knew this would happen." Veronica said sighing.
"What?"
"You and Tristan…buddy, buddy."
"No, no, no. It's not like that."
"Whatever." she said sighing. "Orange?" she held it out.
"Pass."
"Casey if I were you I would just see how things pan out. Maybe this is for the best. Maybe it's a sign that you don't belong with Derek."
"I've never felt like this before. It's scary. I mean Derek and I worked so, so hard to get to be together and I don't want it to be my fault that things fail."
"Girl, boys are ALWAYS confusing. See, maybe you just think that you don't belong with Derek because you two have been apart for so long. Go out to dinner. Go for a midnight stroll."
"Yeah." Casey smiled. "That's a good idea."
XOXO
That Night
"Casey! Can't we hang out in my room tonight?" Derek asked as Casey dragged him outside.
"We're going for a midnight stroll!" she said forcefully.
"Fine."
The two went and walked by the pretty garden part of campus. Gorgeous flowers and so on.
"This is nice." Casey said holding Derek's hand.
"Very nice." Derek said pulling her closer. She started giggling.
"Not here! There's people watching."
"Then over here?" he asked grabbing her hand and pulling her behind a bush. "You look amazing tonight." he said looking down at her.
"Thanks." Casey said shyly. Derek slowly leant down and kissed her on the lips. Forcefully, uncareful. And…
The spark that she had always felt for him was being put out.
XOXO
Next Day
The next day was cloudy. Casey was heading to Journalism.
"Muffin?' asked Tristan who appeared next to her out of nowhere holding up a blueberry muffin.
"Mm, tempting." Casey said sarcastically.
"Okay, more for me." he said taking a huge bite. The two entered the classroom and it was mostly empty.
"Want to sit VIP?" he asked taking a seat on the comfy couch.
"Oh, la, la." she said taking a seat on the next square over.
Tristan then flashed her a smile that made Casey's heart swoon.
"So, tonight I have to go to the library and research some stupid thing for my Sociology class. Want to meet me there?" Tristan asked.
"Uh, yeah. Yeah, I should. I'll meet you there at 7?"
XOXO
A Few Hours Later
There was a faint knock on Casey's dorm door. Veronica answered it and saw Derek standing out there.
"Oh, hey." Veronica said friendly.
"Hey, is Casey here?"
"Oh, no. I haven't seen her since this morning."
"I swear she's impossible to track down."
"It seems that way, huh?" she said smiling. "I would invite you to stay and wait for her but right now I'm actually heading downtown to go to see a ballet with my old…boyfriend…"
"That explains the fancy dress." he said looking her up and down.
"Yeah. I heard you're supposed to dress up for things like that."
Derek laughed lightly.
"Yeah, he got free tickets and thought it would be fun. But don't get me wrong I'm all for it but…I don't know." she said shrugging it off.
"You know you don't look anything like Tristan."
"I've been told and I am so thankful. I wouldn't want to see him in a fancy dress. My whole life I've been saying that he was brought home with the wrong family. He doesn't look like anyone in our family but I guess he just doesn't get the hint."
They both laughed.
"So, do you know when Casey will be back?"
"Not sure exactly, but she told me today that she had to go to her first class of Shakespeare tonight."
"Ewe…Shakespeare. Guess, I should go now."
"Derek, before you go can you help me latch this necklace? Acrylics and jewelry don't mix." she said smiling.
"Uh, sure."
She handed it to him and he put it around her neck. She held up her hair and Derek started to latch it. Her skin was very warm. Derek shook his head to clear it.
"Thanks, a lot Derek." she said turning around and putting her hair down.
"No, problem. Well, have fun at your ballet." he said.
"Thanks, have fun…doing…other things?"
He laughed and then left the room
A/N-Hey Fellow Readers! I have picked the winners but first I am going to inform you with this authors note of what's been going down. Anyway, Saturday I went to a Dodger game, uber fun and I was on TV because my cousin Kevin got a fly ball! It was amazing. About a week ago, my family got a new kitten and coincidently my mom named it Ralph. And, my trip to Canada, is currently being planned and I am so excited!! Anyway, review and right after I post this I will post another A/N with the winners!! Congratulations everyone who participated!