It's after midnight and I really don't want to go to sleep. Yayayayayay insomnia! This will actually take place a couple of years in the future. Their eighth grade graduation. They all go to Remy's to celebrate (especially since Ryan will now be joining the gang in a regular high school, away from the nuns) and Castle has something important to tell Beckett. They haven't been dating by the way, but they're getting closer. Enjoy!
Eight Grade Graduation
"To the class of 2022!" Castle exclaimed, putting up his glass. The rest of his friends doing the same with theirs. He was squished into the booth at Remy's between Lanie and Kate and the boys were opposite them. He could swear somebody was playing footsy with him but he wasn't sure if it was Kate, Lanie, or Javier…
He tried to ignore it, though, and focused on having a fun night with his friends. He and Kate had gotten closer in the years since their first breakups and though they still were not quite ready for a real relationship yet, they spent most of their waking moments together, or texting one another. He's even kissed her (on the cheek) after their graduation. He'd hoped that entering high school would finally prove that they were mature enough for a lasting relationship.
That is, until his mother gave him the news.
He tried to keep that out of his mind for as long as possible, though. This was a happy day, and things wouldn't even start to really change until late August, anyhow. There was no reason to act so glum so early. He still had the summer…
"Earth to Castle!" Kate's voice broke through his thoughts and he turned to her.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"The lady asked what you'd like to order," Kate repeated, lifting one brow in his direction.
"Oh!" Castle said, picking up the menu, "right! I'll have the, uh…."
Kate rolled her eyes and turned to the waitress. "He'll have a cheeseburger, extra tomatoes, no pickles, medium rare, please," she ordered for him. "And curly fries."
The woman nodded. "And you, Sweetie?" she asked.
"I'll have the same," Kate replied, "but can my burger be well done, please?"
The waitress nodded. "Of course," she said, smiling down at the younger girl. "Your orders should be out in twenty."
"Thank you," the girls and Kevin chorused. Javi just continued to send Lanie flirty winks and kisses and Castle stared, dumbfounded at Kate. Nobody, but his mother, had ever ordered for him and not even Martha got his order so accurate.
"How'd you know all that?" Castle asked, his eyes wide.
"You order the same thing every time we come here, Castle," Kate pointed out. "It doesn't take a detective."
"You'd make a pretty great one, though," he commented. Kate gave him another one of her dazzling smiles, braces and all, and he rejoiced.
Not everybody got the pleasure.
They talked amiably amongst themselves until their food arrived. When the waitress placed Castle's cheeseburger in front of him, he froze midsentence and gazed upon it, the rich aroma wafting up to meet his nostrils.
"Dude," Javi said, "close your mouth; you're drooling."
Castle didn't pay him any mind, though, as he took that cheeseburger into his hands and brought it to his mouth, taking that first tentative bite, and moaning as the flavor was absorbed by his taste buds, the grease from the burger running down his chin.
"Would you like to be alone?" Kevin asked and Javi snickered.
Castle looked around the table. "Nah," he said, "you've seen me do much worse."
Kate rolled her eyes and nudged him, taking a bite of her own burger and a sip of her shake to wash it down.
They were pretty much silent after that, each one reveling in the gloriousness of their own individual burger. They were nearly done with their meals when Kate finally spoke, addressing Lanie.
"So, Lane," she said, "how are those dance classes holding up?"
"Wonderfully," Lanie exclaimed, beaming. "Except Madame Benoit has a stick up her but most of the time. But I think I could be next in line for Clara this December."
"For who?" Javi asked.
"Don't you listen, Numbskull?" Kate teased. "Clara! From the Nutcracker?"
"Ohh," Javi said, "right. I remember now. The chick who thought getting a nutcracker for Christmas was the best gift ever. Weirdo."
Lanie glared at him. "Anyway," she said, "Madame says that I could get the lead if I just work a little harder and stay healthy, so this is my last greaseburger for a while. It's on to greens and carbs for the foreseeable future."
"Tough," Kate said, "but it should be worth it in the end. Especially if it gets you Clara."
Lanie nodded in agreement. "So what's everybody else doing for summer?" she asked.
"Same old, same old," Castle said. "Staying home alone, reading comic books, playing video games, and the like while Mother does her Broadway thing."
"Nita and I are going to Florida in a couple of weeks to visit our dad and our new stepmom. We'll only be there for about a week, so y'all won't miss us too much."
"Comforting," Kate deadpanned, earning a raspberry from Javi. "Dad finally bought that cabin on the lake, so I'll be spending a couple of weeks there, as well. Dad says you're all invited to come, if you want. We have plenty of room."
"That sounds awesome!" Castle exclaimed. Kate smiled at him.
"Yeah, that sounds doable," Lanie said. "Madame's giving us all of July and half of August off so I won't have classes until then. And spending some time relaxing at the lake is exactly what the doctor ordered."
"I'll have to check with Mama," Javi said, "but I'm sure I can make it, too. Just hope she don't make me bring Nita along."
"Oh come on, Javi," Kevin said, "your sister's not that bad."
"Isn't she, Kev, isn't she?" Javier replied. The shorter boy snorted.
"I can make it," he said. "After Lucy's wedding, anyway. When are you leaving?"
"We're leaving on the tenth," Kate told him, "and we'll get back on around August first. Feel free to come up whenever you can. Just call first."
"Of course," Lanie said, nodding. "I can go up with you on the first day, if that's alright. I seriously need to get away from the city."
"Sounds like a plan," Kate said, nodding. "Anybody else coming up on day one?"
"Can I?" Castle asked. "As you already know, I have nothing to do, and I'm sure Mother wouldn't mind if I went up there for a few weeks."
Kate smiled softly at him. "Sure," she said. "That sounds good. Javi, when are you getting back from Florida?"
"July twentieth," Javi answered. "So I'll join you a couple days later."
"And Lucy's wedding is on the eighteenth," Kevin said, "so I'll just go with Javi."
"Great," Kate said, "then everything's settled."
Castle looked away at that, going back to his cheeseburger. Thankfully, Kate didn't notice.
When all of their plates were empty and all their bellies full, Castle pulled Kate away from the table, telling her that they needed to talk about something. Kate was worried but tried not to let it show.
"What's up, Castle?" she asked when they were a safe distance away from the table.
"Uh," Castle started, scratching the back of his neck, "you know how my mom is an actress and sometimes gets parts with travelling shows?"
Kate nodded, confused. "Yeah…?"
"And you know how she likes to do things without telling me first?"
"Such as…?"
Castle sighed. "She sort of…filled out an application for me at Edgewyck Academy." He said the last part so fast that it took Kate a moment to process it all.
"E-edgwyck?" she gasped. "But that's..."
"In Massachusetts," Castle finished for her, "I know. And I wish it weren't so, believe me, but…I got in."
"You got in?" Kate gasped, her eyes becoming watery. This couldn't be happening.
"I know!" Castle said, frowning. "That isn't even the worst part."
"Let me guess," she sighed, "you got a scholarship?"
"How'd you know?" Castle asked, lifting one brow.
"You're pretty smart, Castle, whether you want to believe it or not." She frowned. "What does this mean?" she asked. "For us?"
"Is there an us?" Castle asked, stepping closer to her. Kate had had a growth spurt in recent years, making her taller than Javier, but not quite at Castle level. He still stood half a foot taller than her, so she had to look up at him, her green eyes shining with unshed tears.
"Isn't there?" Kate asked, tilting her head. "I mean, I know I said we were too young, but we were twelve then and now we're fourteen and we're about to go into high school…"
''A lot of people start relationships in high school," Castle agreed, "but they also have a lot of relationships…what if ours doesn't last?"
"Then we'll still be friends, won't we?" Kate asked, hopefully, taking his hand.
Castle grinned and nodded. "Definitely," he said, "you're my best friend…and you always will be." Kate beamed up at him.
"Then there really can't be any harm in this, can there?" she asked, squeezing his hand. "I mean, at least for the summer, just to see how it goes…right?"
Castle nodded. "Right," he agreed. "So, then, Kate Beckett…will you be my girlfriend?"
Kate smiled, blushing crimson red. "I thought you'd never ask," she said, nodding.
"Okay, that was cheesy," Castle laughed. Kate snorted.
"Shut up, Castle," she said, leaning up to plant a kiss on his lips.
Castle's heart soared. They hadn't kissed since sixth grade, when Kate had so unexpectedly grabbed him and thanked him with a smooch for how he saved her that day in Remy's. It was even better than he remembered.
When she pulled back, both were grinning like idiots and they could hear clapping coming from their table. They turned to see all their friends with big smiles on their faces and their hands coming together fiercely.
"Finally!" Lanie exclaimed, grinning at Kate. "You go, girl!"
"Yeah, Castle!" Kevin cheered.
"You hurt her and you're dead, bro," Javier threatened.
Castle laughed and turned to Kate, slinging his arm over her shoulders. "It's like nothing has changed," he said, "but everything's changed at the same time."
Kate grinned back, kissing his lips again. "Couldn't have said it better, myself," she said, laughing, as they walked back to their table.
Okay, that was REALLY cheesy, but what do you guys think? Ready for some summer before high school chapters? REVIEW!