Thanks so much for all the feedback of the last 2 chapters! I'm glad to see you're all happy with the pace so I will continue it (and love that character development is popular because I would hate to cut them!) I will leave as is then! You may notice I'm now in the second "part" of the story. I found that the story naturally split into "episodes" as such - the first building up to the dinner - the next will delve more into Evan's situation (as many of you have anticipated). Love all the Evan love by the way - seems he'd have a queue of potential partners! I hope you don't all hate me when things may take a turn! Anyway - on we go...
"I'm home. Stop doing whatever bad stuff you're doing!" Stef shouted through closing the door.
"Hey Mrs F." Evan chimed.
"Well...if that isn't speak of the devil. Evening Evan. Here again? What's that? The 4th night this week? Starting to think you don't have a home to go to." Evan blushed slightly.
"What can I say? I'm a sucker for light ridicule and minor physical violence." He said getting up and helping her with her bags.
Stef screwed up her face as he approached her.
"Wow – honey, don't take this the wrong way but you smell like you don't have a home to go to. What's up with that?" She patted him on the back.
"That's what I was telling him but he's too scared to use our shower in case you charge him for water." Kasey quipped flicking the channels.
"I suggested just jumping in with Kasey but I wasn't sure how happy you'd be about that either." He smiled anticipating Stef's eye-roll.
"Oh I don't mind – providing you mean the two of you standing in the yard while I hose you down." She slapped his left bicep as he chuckled in response.
"I'm sorry – I was teaching soccer at the elementary again today and I haven't had a chance to wash yet."
"Towels are in the closet upstairs – when I say you're lingering around here like a bad smell you don't have to honour me with the literal."
"Cheers Mrs F." He went to put the bags in the kitchen before bounding up the stairs.
Stef wandered over to Kasey on the sofa. She watched her boyfriend go up before moving to get up herself.
"I'll just go make sure he finds the towels..." she said as Stef grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.
"Ha! In your dreams." She smiled slapping her hand down on her knee and rubbing her leg. Kasey rolled her eyes and continued to flick through the channels.
Her mom looked down at her fingers for a few moments clearly mulling something over with her mind.
"So..." she began.
Kasey looked over to her with a sigh wondering what she was about to hit her with.
"You done your college admissions essay yet?" She asked pretending to be conversational.
Kasey looked back to the TV with a smirk.
"Have you asked Brandon if he's written his yet?" Mimicking her Mom's tone as she continued to flip as Stef exhaled.
"Cute. No I haven't. I don't want to get rid of him as badly as you." She responded with a smile.
Kasey looked back to her.
"I'll do it when I can think of something to write. Between the extra math classes and the current college work I haven't really had the time yet." Stef gave a nod. Finally tiring of the constant channel flipping she took the remote off her. Kasey tried to grab it back but she placed it just out of reach. Realising this wasn't a battle she would win Kasey gave in and looked at her Mom to wait for more of the grilling.
"OK...well how about thinking about it now. I mean it's never too early to start preparing." She smiled sensing she was up for a fight.
Kasey folded her arms and settled back into the sofa.
"Mom, I've been attending college classes for the last year and a half..."
"Oh no need to remind me..." Stef added before she could finish.
"My point is, I don't think I'm going to struggle to get in." She looked at her deeply, bracing herself for where this may lead. Her Mom had been dropping not-so-subtle hints over the past few weeks and Kasey knew she was becoming paranoid about her lack of interest in particular colleges.
"I hear that." Stef nodded gently. "I just want to make sure you have as many options as possible."
Kasey bit her lip with a hint of frustration at the familiar refrain.
"Which is why I'm trying to improve my math for you and I will apply to as many places as you deem worthy."
"I don't want you to do it for me Kasey," the frustration was also creeping into Stef's voice now. "I just think you've worked hard and you're entitled to reap in the rewards."
Kasey sighed again before looking back.
"Yes Mom. I've worked hard." She said as calmly as she could. "I've not needed you to tell me how to work hard to get this far and I appreciate your support, I really do...but I don't need you to suddenly tell me how to work hard now to finish it off." Stef stuttered slightly, unsure of how to respond. Kasey wasn't yelling or aggravated, simply re-iterating the facts that Lena had been telling her over and over. What Kasey wasn't aware of however was that feeling redundant and useless was the root of her Mom's anguish as it was.
The tension had a moment to ferment before being interrupted by the door opening.
"Hey guys!" Brandon shouted in cheerily interrupting Stef's imminent response.
"Hey Stef!" Michelle beamed as Kasey gave a bigger sigh and finally snatched the remote back off a distracted Stef.
"What are you guys talking about? I hope we didn't interrupt." She said, glazed with patronising flare.
"No, not at all. We were just talking about Kasey's college application. How are yours coming along?" Stef smiled putting her arm over her daughter's shoulder.
"I'm going upstairs to find Evan." Kasey whispered about to get up before Stef pulled her back down for the second time.
"No you're not. He'll find you when he's out the shower." Stef insisted calmly with raised eyebrows. Kasey sighed again not noticing the reaction the acknowledgement caused to flicker across Michelle's.
Brandon began to talk about his ideas for where to apply much to Kasey's boredom. She turned her attentions back to the TV to try and zone out Stef's exaggerated interest. Michelle was lost looking up at the stairs and the thoughts of the naked college boy above them.
"Hey B, I'm just going to dump our stuff in your room." She smiled heading up the stairs as he acknowledged her comment and continued.
She carefully headed up keeping an eye on the hallway and put the bags down in Brandon's room. She could hear the soft spray of the water stream through the bathroom door and smiled at the image in her head. Evan was a very attractive man, wavy short blonde hair and strong arms. He had the look of a surfer about him and the stature and body of a sportsman despite his artistic inclinations.
She heard the water shut off and looked around her. She quietly crept into Kasey and Callie's room and grabbed a book of Callie's off her bedside table. She waited as Evan came in through the door, wrapped in a towel with another drying his hair.
She turned putting the book back onto the table as he moved it from his head.
"Michelle!" He gasped as she pretended she hadn't seen him.
"Evan! I didn't know you were here." She said innocently. "Wow – this is awkward! I was just returning a book Callie leant me at school.
He looked slightly confused and then around just in case anyone could see them.
"That's uhm...OK." He smiled awkwardly as he moved closer to Kasey's bed.
"Nice tattoo." She remarked walking over to him and tracing the outline with her finger. "Padres fan I take it?" Her eyelids batted as she caught him in her gaze. No matter how in love Evan was with Kasey he couldn't deny how bewitching her looks were.
"Yeah...I uhm...big fan. Have been since I was a kid." He twitched his head nervously rubbing the back of his neck with the towel.
Michelle momentarily looked down at the other towel around his waist as he shuffled clearing his throat.
"Oh I'm sorry...you must want to get dressed." She said biting her lip slightly. He nodded stuttering a few words through the awkwardness. Their eyes locked for a moment.
"Not that I'm complaining." She rubbed her hand down his arm causing him to snap out of his trance and pull it away.
"Uhm Michelle...what are you...I mean won't your boyfriend be wondering where you are?" He said with a glare.
She recoiled slightly offended before slapping him lightly on the arm.
"Oh calm down Tiger, I'm just being friendly. Why is it men can only think with one thing?" She said with a hint of denial. Evan squinted as she passed him leaving the room.
"I'll shut the door to give you your privacy shall I?" She responded mockingly.
Evan followed her out with his eyes unsure of what had just happened. He figured it would be best to just leave it as it was. The last thing Kasey needed was more aggravation.
As Michelle closed the door behind her she leaned against it feeling slightly rejected. She had made a habit of preying on men and very rarely was rebuffed – whether they were taken or not. She always got her way. Eventually, they would always come begging.
As she leant on the door Stef appeared from the top of the stairs.
"Michelle?" She said, snapping her out of her frustrated pose. "Everything OK? You lose your way?" She crossed her arms slightly suspicious.
Michelle smiled innocently.
"Oh I was just waiting for the bathroom to be free." She replied before bounding in with a spring in her step.
Stef gave her half a nod and watched her go in.
She could have sworn she heard her come out of Kasey's room.
I haven't decided if I will post next chapter tonight or tomorrow as it's a fun one! Keep an eye out!
Chapter 9 Preview: Callie and Mariana help a nervous Jude prepare his monologue.
"Take a deep breath...in...and out...and another...in...and out." He followed her instructions and she threw a smile to Mariana. "Now...picture this. Our Moms have just met..."
"Callie!" He turned breaking his concentration.
"Stick with me on this!" She said, swatting him again. He reluctantly closed his eyes and began again.