Casey pushed past him as soon as they entered the house, her pace almost a run as she went to the Den as quickly as possible.
One crisis down, she thought wearily. This was turning out to be one the longest nights of her life.
Rusty sat exactly where she had left him, except that a pretty, young mousy blond haired girl sat beside him, rubbing his shoulder and talking to him quietly.
" Casey. " he called as he looked up at her and her stomach flopped at the sight of his swollen face. At least she had kept Cappie from getting hurt as well, she thought guiltily as she went to him and sat down.
" What were you thinking getting in Evan's way like that ? " she chided, touching his bruised eye with her fingertip.
He winced and pulled away from her. " Well, Mom, I thought I was protecting you. " Sarcasm laced his voice and she laughed when he smiled.
" I do not sound like Mom. " she argued. Then she cast her eyes over his shoulder and nodded, " Hi, Jenn. "
" Hey, How did it go outside ? Where's Cappie ? " she asked, returning the nod.
" Yeah, " Rusty agreed. " Where's Cappie ? He didn't get hit, too, did he ? "
" Ha, " Cappie answered as he entered the room. " As if Evan Chambers had a chance against me. "
He came and sat on the arm of the couch, resting his hand on Casey's shoulder for a moment before jerking it back quickly.
" Was that blood ? " Rusty asked, peering around Casey to try and get a look at Cappie's hand.
" It's nothing, Spitter. " he shrugged, still hiding his hand behind his leg. " You should be more worried about that eye. You won't be able to open it tomorrow. "
" I can barely open it now. " he admitted with a grimace that said it was painful as well. " So what happened to Evan ? Did he leave ? "
" Yeah, " Casey answered. " He was persuaded to go home. "
" Did his decision have anything to do with the hand Cappie is hiding behind his back ? " Jenn asked, leaning forward to see around Rusty who was still trying to look past Casey.
" It might. " Cappie said mysteriously.
Casey turned to him finally and grabbed his hand, dragging it from behind his leg. Her eyes widened as she carefully eyed the broken skin of his knuckles, trying to judge how badly he was hurt. " I thought this was Evan's blood. You didn't say anything about getting hurt. "
" It's fine, really. Don't make a fuss. " He pulled his hand back and waved away her concern.
" Evan's blood ! " Rusty exclaimed suddenly. " You made him bleed ? "
Cappie shrugged, " Maybe a little. "
Casey rolled her eyes and smiled. " He was gushing blood everywhere. I think he broke his nose. "
" Come on, " Cappie said, standing and grabbing Rusty. " I should clean this up and you need some ice for that eye. "
Rusty followed along behind him as they left the room.
" So, quite a night. " Jenn sighed.
" Yeah, it was. "
She turned to Casey with a serious expression that made her look a bit older suddenly. " I know you're kinda short on the girl talk front right now with Ashleigh not talking to you and all. " she began a bit hesitantly, like she wasn't sure of the reception her words would receive from the older girl. " I'm not sure how all this happened tonight, but if you need someone to talk to, I'm around. "
Casey looked at her for a long moment, genuinely touched by her offer. She was such a nice girl. She wondered how long it would be before the sorority politics and all the crap that went with it changed her. She had been exceptionally nice to her, going so far as to send her the video of Evan and Becca the first time because she thought Casey should know about it. She was great for Rusty, patient and understanding in spite of the fact that Rusty had never before had a girlfriend and was a complete geek.
Experience told her to beware of pledges that were too nice, too helpful. Was there an ulterior motive hiding somewhere behind the innocent, blue eyes that looked back at her ? Something told her there wasn't. That this was a sincerely nice girl who just wanted to be her friend.
" I broke up with Evan tonight. " she told her finally.
" I kinda guessed that. I was pretty sure it was just a matter of time. " she answered with a shy smile. " But how did you end up here at the Kappa Tau house of all places ? "
Casey laughed. " Cappie and I have a sort of history together. "
" Oh, " she said simply sitting back. Casey could almost see the wheels turning in her mind as she tried to figure out what exactly Casey meant by history. " Oh, " she repeated as light seemed to dawn on her. " You left Evan for Cappie ? "
" Well, something like that. I like to think that Evan left me for Becca first. I caught them together again earlier tonight. "
" Wow, again, huh ? What is that, like four times now ? " she commented off handedly.
" What ? " Casey leaned forward and grabbed her shoulder urgently. " They've been together four different times now ? "
Jenn shrunk back from her, a deer in the headlights look in her eyes. " I thought you knew. "
" Why would you assume I knew ? " she asked, taking her hand away and backing off to keep from scaring the girl more.
" Well after the first time and you didn't really do anything about it... " her voice trailed off for a moment, leaving the statement hanging in the air. " I just thought you were handling it in your own way. "
Casey sighed and looked away. " I guess I didn't really handle it like I should have the first time. I should have put a stop to it right then."
" People deserve a second chance sometimes and love makes us do things we never thought we would. " Jenn offered in a kind voice that almost made Casey feel better.
" You know, " she paused, considering for a moment. " I'm not sure I was ever really in love with Evan. "
" Then why did you stay with him all that time ? " Jenn asked, confused.
" I think I was more in love with the idea of him. I thought he was everything I always wanted. I thought he was perfect. " she answered with a dreamlike quality to her voice. " I guess I was confused about what I really wanted. "
Jenn smiled in understanding. " And Cappie is what you really want. "
" Yeah, " Casey nodded decisively. " He always has been. I just didn't know it. I like myself better when I'm with Cappie. I can just be me. I don't have to be perfect all the time. He likes it when I wake up with my hair all messed up. " she smiled, remembering. " He likes it when I wear his boxers and t-shirt all day and never bother getting dressed. He likes that I'm not perfect and that's a huge relief. "
" I get that. " Jenn nodded. " It's important to be who you really are. It's too hard to pretend all the time. That's one of the reasons Rusty and I get along so well. He doesn't expect anything from me. He just likes me. "
Casey looked down at her hands resting in her lap. " I wanted to talk to you about that actually. I just haven't had the chance with all the craziness going on lately. "
" About what ? Rusty ? " Jenn asked.
" Yeah, You understand that you are the first girl that he has ever dated, right ? "
" Yeah, I know. "
" I really appreciate you being so nice to him. It's really sweet. " Casey smiled, but it faded quickly and her expression turned serious. " I just wanted to tell you to tread carefully with him. He's very sweet and very naive and I don't want to see him hurt. "
Jenn laughed out loud. " I love that he's so naive and sweet and I promise you I won't do anything to hurt him. Not if I can help it. But it's really nice of you to give me the big sister talk. He's lucky to have you."
Casey laughed. " I doubt he would agree so maybe we could just keep this little chat between us. "
" I won't say a word. I promise. " she agreed. " But I'm glad he has you to look out for him. "
" Oh, he has more than me. Cappie didn't hit Evan because of me. He hit him because he hit Rusty. I've never seen him that mad before. He really likes Rusty. "
" And I really like Cappie. " She gave her a conspiratorial look and glanced around before adding in a quiet voice, " I had such a crush on him before I met Rusty. I was so excited to be delivering the crush baskets. "
Casey laughed. " Every new ZBZ has a crush on Cappie. "
Jenn looked around once again. " I wonder what's taking them so long. "
Casey gave the hallway a glance as well. " I'm sure they'll be along soon. " She stifled a yawn brought on by an incredibly long day and stretched to relieve an ache beginning in her shoulder. "Can you do me a favor and tell Cappie that I went to bed ? I'm exhausted. It's been a really long day."
" Yeah, I'll be home pretty soon myself. I just want to tell Rusty bye and make sure he's okay. " She nodded.
Casey smiled, stood and left the room, humming to herself, content for the first time in a long time.
Cappie lead the younger man down the hall to the kitchen. Once there, he grabbed an ice pack out of the large, beige, side by side, fridge and tossed it to him.
" So was it as great as I always imagined it would be ? " Rusty asked, placing the pack gingerly over his left eye.
" What's that ? " Cappie commented over his shoulder from where he stood running his hand under a stream of cool water at the sink.
" Hitting Evan. "
" Yeah, it was. " he laughed. " It felt really, really good. "
" I can't believe he had the nerve to call her a slut. After everything and he calls her the slut. " Rusty shook his head in disbelief.
Cappie flipped off the water, grabbed a towel and turned to Rusty. " Spitter, I didn't hit him because he called Casey a name. At least not the first time." he said seriously as he dabbed at his knuckle.
" Then why ? " Rusty stammered. " I mean I thought that's what got you so mad. I remember sitting up and telling you what happened and then you stormed off. I just assumed it was because of what he said about her. "
Cappie put his hand on the younger man's shoulder and smiled. " I hit him because he hit you. I couldn't let him come in here and knock out one of my pledges like that, especially not you. "
Rusty's face bloomed in a crimson blush that almost caused Cappie to laugh out loud. " You hit him for me. "
" Actually, I was looking for an excuse and that seemed the perfect one. " he chuckled.
" Well, I'm glad I could give you a good reason for breaking his nose. " Rusty muttered.
" Hey, Spitter, Don't look like that. " he told him at his down trodden expression. " You did a really brave thing tonight. You stood up to Evan. That's something. Most freshman piss their pants when he comes around. "
" Yeah, " Rusty scoffed. " Well, I'm betting he doesn't run around calling their sister's names. "
Cappie patted his shoulder. " That's even better. You were being noble. Chicks love noble. "
" I'm sure it would have more macho if I hadn't gotten knocked out. I'm not sure chicks dig unconscious. "
" Maybe not, but you don't seem to be doing so bad with the chicks lately. " he commented.
He blushed again and took on a decidedly sheepish note. " I know, huh ? Me ? I have a girlfriend. "
" I think it's great. Jenn is great and, " he pinched his cheek playfully. " You two are just so cute together. "
Rusty batted him away. " How about you ? How are you doing on the whole girl front ? "
It was Cappie's turn to feel sheepish. It was a feeling he wasn't all together used to. " I'm doing pretty good, myself. "
" So, did she say it ? " He asked, practically bouncing with excitement.
Cappie laughed at his enthusiasm, " Yeah, she said it and I said and it was really great and then Evan called and interrupted the whole thing. "
" I tried to hold him off. "
" I know and I appreciate it and right now I think it's time we got back to the women folk and maybe I can pick up where I left off earlier. "
They took off down the hall laughing and chatting until they came to the den and found only Jenn there. Cappie's face fell instantly.
" Where's Casey ? " he asked.
" She said to tell you she was exhausted and went to bed. " Jenn smiled and kissed Rusty's cheek as he sat beside her.
" Oh, " he answered, shuffling his feet. " Then I guess I'll head to bed, too. " he muttered, obviously disappointed.
" I'm sorry, Cappie. I'm sure she'll come around tomorrow. " Rusty offered, before turning his attention back to his girlfriend.
Cappie mumbled " yeah, sure. " before turning and leaving the room.
She left, he thought, as he trudged up the staircase. Was she mad ? He had hesitated before telling the others to call the ambulance earlier. Maybe she was mad about that. Or maybe she was mad because he hit Evan. Or maybe she had changed her mind and right now she was sitting at the Omega Chi house nursing Evan back to health.
The image of his Casey with a towel cleaning the blood off of Evan played through his mind and he stumbled over his own feet as he turned down the hall to his room.
His mood had turned quickly from elation to melancholy in a few moments and it left him with a heady feeling. The rush of adrenalin fading was making him dizzy and clumsy.
And, he thought sourly, my damn hand is starting to hurt.
He was beginning to wonder if hitting Evan had been worth it. But then the images of him with his hands on Casey, his lips on Casey, and Rusty's swollen face came flooding back and he was certain once again. He had done the right thing and it had felt wonderful. It had been a long time since he had felt that good again.
He put on a good show. He tried really hard to not let anyone know exactly how much Casey leaving had hurt him. Pushing everything away and throwing himself into the partying and drinking had seemed a much better plan than moping and crying all the time. He just wasn't sure he could recover as gracefully this time.
His problem was he was a romantic and he felt things deeply when he let himself care about anything. He knew that everyone saw him as the carefree partyer that never got down for long, but inside he was an entirely different person. Someone that loved adoringly, cared madly, and felt intensely. He had goals and dreams and plans. But his dreams and plans revolved around different things than most people's. He didn't care about money or ambition.
Most people didn't know about his goals. He didn't like to tell the other guys in the house about his plans. He was majoring in environmental studies. He wanted to clean the water and the air and make the world a better place for the children he wanted someday. But those kind of plans lead to ridicule and teasing in a Frat house like Kappa Tau. They were too serious minded for the men of the partying Fraternity.
He had shared those dreams with Casey once a long time ago and she hadn't teased him, hadn't told him his dreams were impossible. She even told him once that it was one of things she loved about him.
He stopped outside his door, trying to remember how his mind had gotten on that particular track. He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders before opening the door and heading into the bedroom.