Finally, A Little CC

Chapter 3

The Magic of first love is our ignorance that it can never end- Benjamin Disraeli

Cappie sat at Dobblers, nursing the same beer he had started an hour ago. Rebecca was supposed to meet him here, but she still hadn't shown up. He had already called her a few times, but found himself more and more frustrated each time he got her voicemail. This was their first meeting since the beginning of break and part of him was hoping it would become more than just a fling, even if just to finally get over Casey. This was a new semester and one of his main New Years Resolutions was to leave Casey behind. Sure, she wasn't with Evan anymore, but he left her. What if he was just a rebound...a payback...He couldn't stand going through that again. They weren't meant for each other. They were too different. Cappie wasn't ready to-

That was when she walked in. Her skin was lightly tanned from vacation, making her blonde hair pop even more. She was wearing a white dress with sporty red polka dots and a small red shrug. She looked nervous and her eyes darted around the bar as she scratched her upper arm. Cappie tried to fill his head with images of Rebecca. Her perfect skin, the small of her back. It was all gone. Every image he tried to bring up of Rebecca in that moment refused to come. All he could feel,all he could experience, was Casey walking towards him. She smiled and waved. Suddenly, all Cappie could think to do was chug his beer and order a lemon drop. The waiter finished the drink just as Casey reached the bar.

"I got you somthing" Cappie said, trying his best at being cool.

"Cappie...I really can't" Casey was smiling, but her words gave away how nervous she was.

"You need it more than I thought" laughed Cappie, handing her the drink.

"Oh, right. I thought you meant..." Casey quickly downed the drink. Cappie raised his hand for another cursing himself for playing like that.

"And how was my little Spitter over break?" Cappie quickly changed the subject.

"Good. I still don't understand why you call him that"
"Well, it gets under your skin. That's enough, I guess"

"Why do you always wanna do that? Get under my skin like that?" Casey asked, twirling her second drink.

"I just want to get under anything you'll let me" Cappie winked, turning so that she couldn't see his face turn red. He turned back when he heard a crash. Casey's drink lay on the floor, its contents splashed up onto her dress. Maybe he'd gone a little far.

"I'm so sorry Casey. I just. I thought...and..." Cappie pawed at the bottom of her dress, trying to get the stain out.

"It's fine Cappie, really" Casey grabbed his hand to stop. When she did, a tiny jolt moved through both of them. It traveled up from the small of Cappie's back and moved up through his muscles until it spread across his back and through both his arms. He squeezed Casey's arms and she felt it too. They dropped hands quickly, backing up a step. They each knew. They had each felt that electricity.

"Let's get you out of-into some clean clothes" Cappie said, correcting himself so he didn't scare her again.

"Sure. ZBZ is still closed. I was gonna crash at Ashley's but I think she's at dinner"

"With who?"

"Some guy she met over break. Puerto Rican, I think. He seems cool. I think he's a bartender"

"Cool" Cappie said, placing his hands on the small of her back to lead her to her car.

They always took her car. It was a lot nicer than his. As he opened her door he leaned down and looked at the cherry air freshner hanging below the mirror. He smiled and shut her door, walking around to the other side and thanking God Casey had spilled her drink.

"I have some big T shirts and shorts you can borrow" Cappie offered, knowing his clothes would swallow her but offering anyway.

"It's fine. I have my clothes in the back"

"Great," Cappie said, but he wasn't giving up just yet. He knew the moment she left he would be a complete mess. He didn't want that moment to come anytime soon.

"But still, you should come back and change at Kappa Tau. You can just chill out and have a drink, watch some TV with the guys."

"That sounds perfect, " Casey smiled.

"I just have to grab one thing" Cappie motioned for her to pull into a supermarket. She eyed him suspiciously.

"It'll just take a minute" he promised. He ran down the aisles, grabbing a pumpkin pie and some whipped cream, his hands shaking. When he stepped towards the checkout, Casey had a magazine in her hand.

HAZING AND DRINKING RAMPANT IN GREEK SYSTEM it read.

"That fucking article" Casey said, tears welling in her eyes. Cappie couldn't stand seeing her like this. It actually hurt him. He couldn't believe she would have to deal with this national scandal.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. It's like, your first big challenge as president. After this everything'll seem easy"

"You're wrong." she choked.

He pulled her in for a hug, both feeling warm and complete for just a moment. Cappie could feel Casey calming down in his arms. He never wanted to let her. He wouldn't. Not for anything. Not unless-
"Sir, is this all you'll be buying?" asked the checkout lady. She was a pimply thing, with bright pink lipstick and curly brown hair that exploded from her head. Casey and Cappie pulled away from their embrace. Casey looked down at the pie on the counter.

"Pumpkin Pie? We haven't had that since"
"I know. Thanksgiving. "

"Why pumpkin?" she asked.

"What?"Cappie responded. He knew exactly what she said. He just wanted to be closer to her. Feel her warmth near him. Smell the vanilla scent of her hair mixed with the cinnamon of her gum. Their faces were very close now as Casey leaned forward and repeated herself.

"I said, why pumpkin?" Her eyes were darting from his eyes to his lips. Finally, after a brief silence, she reached her hand into his hair and grabbed a strand. He reached out to do the same but instead lightly brushed his finger under her right eye, wiping away a tear.

"Because, with the right help, you can always turn a pumpkin into a carriage" Cappie responded looking directly into her eyes.

They kissed right there, in the middle of the grocery store. They didn't care about all the people staring though. They'd never felt more at home.