Chapter Two:
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It was a few hours later that I woke up feeling a little better.
The headache was mild and still there, but it was much better than before.
The family had already finished lunch by the time I arrived at the kitchen, so I simply helped myself with some painkillers and a drink. I didn't feel up for solids just yet. We greeted each other casually, but Sensei and Don bluntly asked about the headache, they were visibly glad when I told them it didn't hurt as much, so Don expressed that it was probably a migraine from over working, I should take the day off.
I told him I'll think about it, I didn't feel like being active today, anyway.
They were about to start the afternoon's training session, when Casey called me on my shell cell and said he wanted to talk to me. He didn't sound in a hurry and I indicated not upset or such noticeable hints in his voice, it worried me.
I had a pretty good idea what he wanted to talk about and I didn't look forward to it.
I dreaded the thought of going out to meet him, especially during this time of day with a headache. It was still day and it'll be a long time before the sun sets, so I'll need to be careful during my travel.
Although I was tempted to tell him that we could to do it some other time, sensei urged me to talk to him and settle things between us, especially if Casey wants to talk about what we guessed he wanted to talk about, before the matter got out of hand and caused problems later on. I reluctantly complied with father's reasoning, it made more sense.
Before I left, I took a bite from lunch's leftovers. I mean seriously, not even I would pass off Mike's cooking; and then did a series of simple kata for a quick warm up. I took my leave and headed out of the lair and on the Shell cycle, I did a beeline towards Casey's place and took the less traveled paths possible, just to insure that I don't bump into someone or get stuck in traffic.
Since we're living at the pumping station now, ever since Karai tore down our previous home, I park my bike in a makeshift garage fixed in the sewers. Half way across the park, there is a tunnel like-manhole that leads topside.
Don secured it with a door and lock, to keep it hidden away from any wandering drunks or curious kids.
I usually use that exit when I want to ride my bike out of the sewers and out on the open. Although the garage isn't too far away from it, I'm not supposed to turn the engine on while in the sewers, or else it'll just make a loud roaring sound and attracts unwanted attention. That's why I always walk out with my bike and march a safe distance away from the exit, before I turn the engine on and ride it like the wind.
During my ride I thought back about us; Angel and I.
I don't know when, how or why it even started or what sparked it, because I still can't pinpoint the exact moment we really noticed each other, in the same manner we feel about one another.
I really can't blame Casey for being picky about who she dates, either.
After all he is her legal guardian, ever since her grandmother passed away two years ago.
She was only sixteen at the time, yet her older brother Ryan booked out on her, seeing he was much older and with a girlfriend, who pretty much had him wrapped around her finger. He just took his stuff and left his little sister behind with Casey, without a second thought or glance, because he saw himself and his girlfriends privacy and comfort as a priority.
Waste of flesh… should have left him rot in that haunted mansion! Damn money grabber…
Casey is her legal guardian, therefore he is responsible for her safety and welfare until she finishes school, gets a steady job with good income to support herself, and then finds herself a man. Heh, tough luck on the last one, though.
But even then, he has to make sure she's doing okay, not just as a guardian, but as a dear, close friend and family.
She moved into April's place after her grandmother passed away, and about a month after her idiotic brother left, because if she hadn't, she would have stayed at that empty apartment all by her lonesome self.
Besides, she wouldn't have been able to stay there for long, not on her own. I mean, where would she get the money needed to pay the rent? She was only sixteen at the time. How would she support herself financially, when she's in her last few years of school and can't afford a real, fulltime job yet? She works at a part-time job in a nearby café, but not much of income from that line of work.
Mike kept teasing me about her when we first discovered the spark between us, he kept asking when Angel and I are getting married. That quickly earned him more bruises backside the head than I care to count.
I'm still confused about how I feel towards her, though.
I can't decide if it's a good or bad thing that we're interested in each other.
Should I move on to the next stage of our relationship and see if we could be something more, lovers or mates, perhaps? Or should I back off and make her go out and date with other boys of her own kind?
Discouragingly, the mere thought of her dating someone else makes my blood boil, hatred would swell inside of me and I'd want to tear that someone apart for daring to come near her.
What is this feeling? Over protectiveness? Jealousy?
I squished them as fast as I could. I'm not supposed to let my emotions control her future.
She doesn't need me to be jealous over her; I don't deserve her.
Who am I to claim her for myself, anyway? She's a fine, teenaged and youthful beauty, a human with her life and so many golden opportunities ahead of her! While I'm a freak destined to live and die unknown, forgotten.
She might be my once in a life time opportunity, for a real life and a mate to hold dear and love, but though it might be a dream come true to me, to her it'll be nothing but anguish and despair. She doesn't deserve to suffer my lifestyle, she deserves to be under the sun, to have fun and enjoy her life, not spend the last days of her life in the middle of a dank, stinky old sewer.
These feelings, they're so heavy.
They weigh down my heart so much, it hurts.
I mean, these feelings are like a burden I accepted to carry on my shoulders, although I knew in advance that they were too much for me, I was determined and insisted to carry them alone.
I knew Casey figured out about us along time ago, he just never hinted it.
He just sort of had a hunch and didn't let on to his knowledge, so I sort of worry what he has to say.
Could it be that he'll ask me to step away and let her live her life? If so then I won't argue, because I know he's right. It's Angel's future and I'm nothing but a roadblock, I have no right to strip her freedom away from her, just because I feel for her. He's her guardian and he has the right to call me off, more than ever if he saw a potential harm to her future, physical or mental alike.
I'm sure as shell he ain't just gonna turn a blind eye and allow her hook up with something like me, no matter how close our friendship is. He and I are buddies, yes, but that does not include Angel! She's a third party with separate issues that we should not entangle with our friendship, it's got nothing to do with how Casey and I look at each other… or does it?
Yes, I guess it does. We might be friends, but if I'm an obstacle in her path, he might want to cut ties with me.
Somehow, that hurts more than I care to admit.
She's better off with someone like herself, a human and not like me, a penniless freak of nature, cursed to live the rest of my misfortunate life in the dark abyss of the sewers. To be born into and to embrace the darkness, to die unknown and forgotten deep in the sewers of New York City; that is who I am, what my family and I have been destined to be, we cant change that, so we play the fame of survival, for it's our way to keep up with the struggle, to keep ourselves alive.
I weren't looking forward to this little conversation with our adopted, human brother though.
The bubbles and knots that twisted inside me didn't help, either.
As soon as I arrived at Casey's place, I parked my bike in the back alley where, hopefully, no one would see me during daylight. I parked my bike under the fire escape and locked it.
I knew he wanted to talk to me about Angel and the possibility of us becoming an item, but the more I thought about it and what he has to say, the multiple gruesome scenarios that played in my mind didn't help, nor did they stop the knots in my stomach from intensifying. A shiver started to rattle my knees, and for a moment I scorned my self for having cold feet.
I mean, shell! This is Casey! The worst he'd do is clobber me with his hockey stick, right? I can handle it, no problem. So self-encouraged to get this meeting started already, I went up the metallic ladders of the fire escape, and then entered his apartment through his kitchen window. All the way, knots bubbled in mild discomfort and wriggled like worms in my stomach.
I spied him there on his workout bench while he lifted weights in his little miniature gym. He breathed with a tempo and focused on the weights, as he raised them up and down rhythmically. His muscles stretched, flexed and flattened as he worked out. Beads of sweat gathered and dribbled down lazily, they caressed his faintly flushed skin and dripped to the bench bellow him, while a few hit the floor.
I stepped out of the shadowed corner of the room and made myself known, but never dared a word while he continued his workout. At first, I wondered if he even noticed me, but didn't try to get his attention.
He'll talk to me when he's ready, which would hopefully be any moment now.
"About time ya got here!" he said with a huge grin and pushed off his workout bench, placed the weight on the floor and then tugged at a wrinkled towel from the floor near his feet.
The guy needs to work on his hygiene, seriously. I mean, was that towel even clean?
Nevertheless, he slapped it around his neck and dapped away the sweat, with a free hand he forked away his messy hair. His grin faltered when he laid eyes on me, a concerned furrow shone, "Ya okay Raphy boy? Ya look like a dog dragged ya in after a storm." he commented and pushed off the bench to stroll into the kitchen, towards fridge he took out two cans of beer and tossed me one.
I fetched it easily and stared at the can for a moment, before I decided to press it to my head, the headache wasn't entirely gone. "I'm just tired with a headache." I explained briefly. I still felt just a little tired, that bike ride kind of wore on my nerves and my legs trembled. 'Damn it, I am not having cold feet! Pull yerself together, moron!' I scolded myself, no way am I gonna chicken out now.
"So? What did ya want to talk about?" I questioned as casually as I could, though I already knew what he wanted.
He furrowed, unconvinced with my answer regarding how I looked, "Well, it's about Angel." He murmured as he popped his can open and took a long, cool swig before he gasped in satisfaction, and then wiped his mouth with the back of his sweaty hand, before he rubbed his nose and made a long, wet sniffle. I inwardly cringed with a small smile, if April was here she would have smacked him one for that was disgusting.
"Yeah, I sort of figured that one out on my own." I muttered.
"Yeah, well after I took her home, I sort of got thinking." He continued.
"Well that's a first." I teased.
He arched a pouty, annoyed brow and shifted his weight to one leg, he brushed my comment aside, "I might be off the wrong bat but," he hesitated, shifted to the other leg and then continued, "how close are ya two, really?"
I blinked at his sheer bluntness. I squirmed a bit, paused and then sighed, "Do I really have to answer that?" I pleaded exhaustedly.
His furrow turned from questioning to thoughtful, "Raph, ya sure yer okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine!" I snapped angrily, but the flame quickly died, "It's just a stupid headache, I'm fine!" I insisted and continuously shifted my weight around, before I gave up, I couldn't find a comfortable standing position, so I trudged towards his couch.
He followed me into the room and took another long swig from his cool drink, before he released a small belch and pointed a finger at me, "I dunno, ya don't look so good," he argued with a look of concern, "Ya aint comin down with somethin, are ya?"
I plopped down on the recliner and pressed the cold can to my head, then rolled it up and down to cover and cool more space, "Why does everyone ask me that? I don't look that bad, do I?" I halfheartedly growled and shifted the can to the other side of my skull, "What's the matter with ya people? When I'm havin a fit, ya call me a hothead and tell me to cool down, but when I'm being quiet ya all think I'm sick." I muttered grudgingly and sunk deeper into the cushioned recliner, "Make up yer minds, damn it."
He cocked his head and looked as if he was about to comment, but then changed his mind and gave a negative shake, "Anyway; last night I left Angel at April's place." He paused to take another long swig and emptied the can, "But then Ape called me this mornin and asked if you two- did anything last night." He smirked with a twitching frown, "So, did you?"
My eyes bugged out and my jaw dropped at the accusation, I felt those invisible flames lick my cheeks again, "Wha- NO! No! We didn't do anything!" I cried and hopped off the couch.
The can fell from my hand and hit the floor with a loud thump, it missed colliding with my toe by an inch, but I barely paid it any mind. The new scenarios running through my mind were worrying me enough, but then that's when I gave myself a dizzy spell, that impulsive move threw me back onto the seat. I plopped into the puny recliner with an audible groan.
Damn! The headache was getting worse.
"I never laid a hand on her! I just took her to my bedroom, because I thought it was more comfortable." I insisted, then lowered my hand to grab the can and roll it over my forehead, I wanted the damn throb to go away. My vision was a bit disoriented, everything was so- blurry and it swam like water, I didn't like it. "I never touched her, I swear!" I insisted and squeezed my eyes tight when the throbbing intensified.
His chuckled rather bemusedly, "Yeah I know, I was just teasin!" he poked a finger at me with a leer, "I gotta say Angel was right, its amusin watchin yer face change color."
For a moment I just froze with wildfire in my cheeks, only after a whole minute did I realize he had just pulled a prank on me. Embarrassedly, I snarled and shot him a hateful and very irritated glare, "That was So Not funny, Casey! That was So Low!" I complained. I would have gifted him with a good knuckle sandwich, but my head hurt too badly, I couldn't think, much less walk up to him to actually do it.
"Well, the main point why I called ya here," he said as he strolled towards the kitchen, grabbed an icepack and filled it with ice cubes, "I was thinkin of spendin some time at Northampton, away from the city, ya know?" He placed the ice pack on my head and retrieved the can, popped it open and then offered it to me, "Wanna join?"
I stared at the can for a moment before I accepted it. After a few sips, I relaxed whilst the ice pack did a wonderful job and soothed my poor head, "I dunno, how long will ya be off?" I asked him and took another sip, the cool drink helped a lot.
"Oh maybe a week or two, depends if I don't get called back for work, really." he shrugged and then grinned, "So ya up to it? I was thinkin we'd go hikin or campin, if you feel up to it." He suggested with a hopeful smile.
I stared at him for a moment longer and then nodded, careful not to let the ice pack fall off, "Sure, I guess. Mike's been a pest lately, we could leave him in the forest and ask him to pretend he's Gretel or Hansel or somethin." I smirked.
Casey shook his head, "Nope, he ain't going," he disagreed, "just you."
I blinked at him, startled at that statement, then frowned, "Just me?" I echoed, confused, and he just nodded, "Why?"
"Well, I was hopin for some fun and games, but I take it ya aint in the condition to go hikin." He crossed his arms over his chest and then rolled a fist, the back of his hand tucked under his chin, "Guess we'll just have to improvise then, eh?"
"Well I dunno Casey, I've never really been away from the family before." I whined weakly, I didn't like the sounds of this, "But, why me?"
He shrugged, "Why not?"
"Why so?" I argued in unease.
He sighed heavily and shook his head, before he pushed away from the wall and walked towards me, "Look dome-head, it'll just be for two weeks. I promise, if they call us back to the city, we'll do as told and come back with no questions asked." He stated calmly, "But seriously? When did ya last see yerself in the mirror? Ya look like a nervous wreck!" he grouched and tilted the ice pack to the side, "How's the headache?"
"The ice is doin' wonders." I murmured, fighting the drowsiness that swept by.
"Good, so it's settled?" he urged with a childlike grin.
I sighed softly and gave a slight nod, I guess there was no way out of it. I mean, with just Casey and I together for two weeks, we could talk about Angel and maybe come to a solution that would satisfy all of us.
"Depends, because I don't think sensei would just let me go all the way to Northampton, just like that." I explained and slowly pushed off the backrest. I sat more upright and propped an elbow to my knee and shifted the ice pack around, "When do you plan to leave?" I looked up at him and wondered how much time I have to prepare.
"Tomorrow mornin whenever possible." He smiled broadly, "So I'll come over tomorrow to pick ya up, deal?"
"I guess, deal." I agreed.
Little did I know the devious plan my friend had planned.
Really, I should have seen it coming.
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A/N: working on it…
