1Disclaimer: My name is Wendelin Van Draanen. I own Sammy Keyes. Now excuse me while I go take my insanity medication.
Okay. Here I was again. Calling up Casey to explain something Heather had done. Again. This was getting old.
"Hello?" I heard a male voice ask. It sounded like Casey but I knew better than to take chances.
"Hi. Is this Casey or his dad?" I asked.
"His father" He replied. What did I tell you? "Casey should be out of the shower in a moment."
"Why is he always in the shower when I call?" I mumbled. "Oh by the way. Tell him that if I hang up when he comes on the phone to star sixty-nine me. I'll pay for the charges."
"All right then." Mr. Acosta replied as if it was a completely normal request. We sat there in silence for a moment. Then I heard him say. "Casey just got out of the shower. Hold on." I heard him place the phone down. Then I heard him say. "Hey Casey. It's Sammy. She says to tell you that if she hangs up to star sixty-nine her."
"Okay I just need to get dressed." I heard Casey shuffle around for a moment. "Hey dad have you seen my shirt?"
"Nope" Mr. Acosta answered.
"Grrr..." I heard Casey start searching again. Then I heard him yell "Aha!" he came on the phone a few seconds later. "Hey Sammy. You still there?" I heard him ask.
"Yeah I'm here." I mumbled. Then I explained everything to him. Who had written what. Who had said what. Who had done what. Just the basics. (Did I mention I was calling from a phone booth again?) Casey just listened in silence.
"I hate Heather." he growled when I had finished.
"I'm not that keen on her either. But do you think you could ask her to next time make it so that YOU have to call ME to explain everything? I mean why am I always the one that has to explain." I ranted.
"Huh?" Casey asked.
"First it was the thing with the Briggs' party. Then it was the thing with billy and the Faire. Now this. I'm kinda sick of having to do the calling and visiting." I explained.
"You know your right. Sorry about that." He apologized.
"Casey... can I ask you a question."
"Yeah sure." He said.
"Why did you care about the Billy thing?" I asked. I was met with silence. The I heard him turn to his dad.
"Hey dad can you like go out for a few minutes or something?" he asked him.
"Nope. The football game is on son." He replied.
"Hey Sammy. Can you like meet me somewhere?" Casey asked turning his attention back to the phone.
"Nope I need to get home in a few minutes." I told him.
"The pay phone again? Okay, well can you wait until tomorrow?" He said. Sounding desperate to find a solution.
"Just tell me Casey!" I retorted.
"Hold on." he said. I heard him place the phone down.
"Dad please go out! She wants to know now and I don't wanna say it in front of my dad."
"I already know the three words you're going to tell her. Why do I have to go?" his dad asked lazily.
"Get up!" I heard Casey yell. Then I heard a grunting sound and a crash. I could only assume that Casey and pulled his father off the couch.
"I can't believe I'm being thrown out of my own house by my son." His father said sounding disbelievingly.
"Well start believing it. Now let's go!" I heard Casey pushing his dad towards the door.
"Casey! Can I at least put my pants on before you shove me out the door!" I heard his father yell.
"Here!" Casey said. I assumed he had thrown the pants in his fathers face due to the muffled sound his father made. I snickered. A few seconds later Casey had started yelling again. "Come on! Go!"
"Casey. Can't I zipper up my pants!" His father retorted.
"Do it outside!" Casey yelled. I heard one more push and then the door slam. Then Casey was on the phone again. "So..." He was cut off.
"I need my shoes!" I heard his father yell from outside.
"Ugh..." Casey grunted. He put the phone down again. "Here!" he yelled. A moment later his father screamed. "Ouch!"
"Hey" Casey said coming back on the phone.
"Did you just..."
"Throw my dads shoes out the window? Yeah." He interrupted me.
"So what three words did you want to tell me?" I asked him. He took a deep breath and then said it.
"I like you." He told me.
"Oh..." I squeaked.
"A lot. I like you a whole lot." He explained. I met him with silence. I couldn't speak. I was super happy but my breath was caught in my throat.
"Sammy are you there?" I heard him ask.
"Uh-huh" I replied.
"Should I have lied?" he asked tentatively.
"No." I told him.
"Are you going to say anything?" he asked.
"I like you too." I told him.
"Really?" he asked.
"A lot" I replied.
" Phew... I thought I just made a total idiot out of myself."
"You didn't" I assured him.
"I wish you had let me tell you in person." He blurted out.
"Why?" I asked.
"Then I could have kissed you." He replied as if it was obvious.
"You can kiss me at school tomorrow." I told him.
" How bout by that old apple tree. The REALLY big one." he asked.
"It's a date." I smiled
"See you at school tomorrow." He said
"See you then." I hung up the phone and slid down into a sitting position in the booth with a huge smile on my face.