TROUBLE AIN'T OVER

The next day Casey wakes up early. He doesn't instantly remember where he is. Then flashes of the day before come back. When he wants to stand up he feels a stabbing pain in his stomach, that makes him scream out of frustration and pain. Desi wakes up from that scream. She remembers Casey and runs into the bedroom.

"Jesus Casey, are you okay?"

"Yeah. It's just that pain in my stomach."

"Let me take a look."

When she sees the shirt she knows all is not well. The wounds opened again. The bed is covered with a lot of blood. Casey doesn't see instantly, but when he sees he is terrified.

"Is all that blood mine?"

Desi can only nod. When she looks at the cuts she sees her suspicions were true. They opened again. Blood is all over the shirt Casey's wearing. The cuts are still bleeding a little. She decides to clean them again and then put some bondage on them. Casey doesn't look happy when he sees the alcohol, but he doesn't object. He closes his eyes until the pain is over. When he opens them he sees Desi taking some bondage out of her first aid kit. She puts it on his wounds, and when she's done she looks at him.

"Do you have PE today?"

"No, I have PE every. Thursday. The day after tomorrow."

"You should get a note. Take them to the nurse tomorrow, then you can skip PE Thursday."

He nods. He has doubts about going to the nurse; she'll want to know where the cuts came from.

"If you don't want to go, you should at least keep the bondage on."

Desi guessed his mind. He looked up. The pain in his eyes was worse then the day before. She found an extra element. Fear.

"If I go to school today, they'll pick on me again."

"No they won't. I compared our schedule. We've got the same classes today. I'll stay with you unless you object to that."

"I don't object at all. I can use a day of peace."

Casey looks at his feet. Desi gives him a shirt, a pear of clean socks and some jeans and boxers.

"Here, you get dressed. If you want to fresh up a bit, the bathroom is over there. I wouldn't recommend a shower with that bondage. I'll make us some breakfast. Do you like Cornflakes or do you like bacon and eggs more?"

"Cornflakes are fine."

"All right. Now you get dressed, okay?"

He nods and she walks out of the room. Casey goes to bathroom and washes his face and upper body a bit. Then he pulls on the clean clothes Desi left for him. When he's cleaned up he goes to the kitchen. He finds Desi sitting there at the table. She set up an extra chair for him and a bowl. Next to the bowl he finds a box of Cornflakes and milk. He mixes them and starts eating. When he's halfway Desi stands up.

"I'm going to take a shower. There isn't a lock on the door so please don't walk in on me, all right?"

Casey nods, and Desi goes to take a shower. When she gets out she finds she cleared her head a bit. She dries herself of and puts some clothes on. The makes a ponytail out of her hair and goes to the kitchen. She finds Casey doing the dishes. She smiles.

"I felt I had to do something, you helped me so much."

He smiles. He finds a thankful expression in her eyes. While he is doing the dishes she puts everything where it belongs to be. Then she looks at the clock.

"We should get going to school. We'll be a little early but that shouldn't be a problem, right?"

"No, not at all."

Casey smiles. They look at each other for a moment. Both investigating. Then it's Desi who breaks the silence.

"We should get going."

Casey nods and they go off to school. They're surprised to find that they're not as early as they had thought they would be. They sit down under a tree. Casey looks a bit scared when the jocks come their way. They stop about 10 feet in front of them.

"Casey. We were just looking for you."

He looks terrified. Desi see sit and puts her hand on his hand.

"Why were you looking for me?"

"Because that little friend of yours deserves it to be punished. She has taken our toy away. And where you are, she is, so now we're here to get her."

Desi stands up. She knows they won't hurt her.

"So you were looking for me. You found me."

Gabe comes forward. He looks secure backed up by his teammates. He looks at her for a moment. She looks back. Intriguing. Then, with no warning but a flash of anger in his eyes, he hits her. She gets a bleeding nose. She doesn't move a muscle. He looks at her.

'How can she be so calm while I'm planning to beat the shit out of her. And out of that little pathetic dick face behind her.'

She looks at him. She feels Casey looking at her. She makes a little movement with her hand. Casey sees it. He knows what it means. It means he's got to get his ass out of there. He takes his bag and stands up. Then Gabe makes his move. Two guys walk towards Casey. Desi looks at them. She knows there is only one way to stop them. She moves herself in front of them.

"Leave Casey alone."

The guys look at her, they know she isn't going to move. They look at Gabe. He nods. They go back to Gabe. Desi looks at them. Then she moves back to where she stood before. She looks at Gabe. He looks back.

'I don't get her! She should be terrified. I made her nose bleed already. Well, she got her little friend in safety. But when we've beaten the shit out of her we'll move on to him. His nuts haven't been cracked yet. But first her. Me or the guys?'

He decides on the rest of the jocks. He makes a little movement with his head. The jocks all walk towards her. She doesn't move. They look insecure; she should be running by now. Why doesn't she run? It scares them. They look at Gabe.

"You fucking chickens! Are you scared of some girl? I'll show you what to do with her."

He walks towards Desi and kicks her in her stomach. She moves her hands to her stomach, but she doesn't move besides that. Now she's starting to scare Gabe.

'From what fucking planet does she come from?'

She sees the look in his eyes and knows she has won. Gabe hits her in her face once more before he backs off.

"You were lucky this time. And so was your little boyfriend."

He turns around and he and the jocks move away. Casey has watched it all from a little distance and now comes towards her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

She feels her upper lip. Blood. She can't tell if it comes from her nose or from her lip. A pain in her nose tells her it's probably her nose. She takes some tissues out of her bag and holds one to her nose. She looks at Casey. He looks at her like she won the jackpot.

"You know Desi, you're the first one who stood up for me. And also the first one who got away from Gabe with nothing but a bleeding nose."

He smiles. She smiles two. She sees a look on his face she hasn't seen before. She doesn't recognize it either. She takes the tissue out of her nose. It stopped bleeding. Casey is still looking at her. Then suddenly, without a warning, he kisses her. She is too surprised to react. Then he stops the kiss.

"I'm sorry. I. I shouldn't have. I."

Desi smiles.

"It's okay Casey. I was just. Surprised."

But Casey doesn't hear it anymore. He turned around and is walking, no running away now. Desi wants to stop him. She starts to run after him. Then the bell rings. She stops running after Casey and walks to the English class. Casey isn't there. Neither is he at History, nor at any other of their classes.