A/N: Stussy, the next story will start once this one is finished! I am super excited about it. :) Once again, thank you for the amazing reviews, they keep me writing! Now! For the moment we've been waiting for...
Seven months earlier...
Casey walked up the steps to her parents home, the warm late spring breeze laced with the smell gardenia's acting as a welcoming invitation. Standing in front of the door, she willed the strength to do what she'd come for, to talk to her parents about their constant nagging. Shifting her weight from foot to foot, she tried to build the nerve to press the doorbell. Imagining Alex in her head and the conversations they'd had over the past week, she took a deep breath. The blonde was right, she needed to set boundaries if she was ever going to have a real relationship with her parents and now was the time. Pressing the button, she waited.
She knew Alex was right. The blonde usually was, and Casey needed to let her parents know that their constant nagging was hurting her, especially her father's gruff words. As she heard movement inside the house, she knocked on the side porch door, she waiting for her mother to arrive, only to be surprised at the sight of her father. As he opened the door, she couldn't help grin, he was sweaty and covered in dirt, but his kind smile and happy blue eyes let her know he'd be in a receptive mood today.
"Hey Kiddo," he greeted, "We weren't expecting you today. Your mom just ran to the hardware store to get more flowers for the backyard. She has me clearing another spot for more zinnias. I don't even know what a zinnia is, do you?"
Casey could only laugh and shake her head no, "Not a single idea, you asked the wrong daughter that question. Although, there is a Google for that!"
"See, I asked the right daughter," he winked, leading her out to the backyard. As they left the cool house, and headed back out into the warm spring air, Casey again felt a smile fall over her lips.
They didn't have a big yard, but it was of decent size, with a brick patio just off the house lined with flowering bushes, lots of green grass outlined with monkey grass, flowers and more bushes, along with plenty of oak trees. Where her childhood hammock use to sit, her father was busy clearing away the grass to extend a flower bed for her mother. Chuckling a little to herself, she said, "You know, if you keep letting her extend flower beds you won't have any grass left..."
"That's my goal, then I don't have to mow anymore!" He laughed. "Why don't you give me a hand for a second, Kiddo."
As she moved the wheelbarrow over to help her dad load up the cut out grass, she donned her mother's gloves, and suddenly realized now was the best time to talk to her father. "Dad, can I talk to you about something?"
"Always," he smiled.
"Dad..." She started quickly fidgeting, enough to get his attention that whatever she wanted to say was important.
"It's okay, you can say it," he soothed.
"Dad, I need you to lay off the tough love. You and Mom lay into me all the time about not being successful and it really is starting to hurt. I know you don't have faith in my ability to write a novel, but this is the time in my life for me to be a little reckless and adventurous and I need your emotional support, not constant negativity if I am ever going to succeed..." She spit out as much as she could.
"Casey," he stammered brushing his hands through his short gray hair, "come sit down with me." Leading them over to the table on the patio, he poured them both a glass of sweet tea, before continuing, "First and foremost, I am sorry if I or your mother have hurt you with our words. We love you and never meant to hurt you. Second, I need to explain why I may be a little more tough on you...Casey, you are just like me, Kiddo. Out of all my children, you are me. You are adventurous and live by the seat of your pants, you are bright, intelligent and deserve everything the world has to offer, but you are too much like me all at the same time. You get passionate and obsessed and that's how you are with your writing. I don't want you to hold onto a dream that might not occur and pass your whole life up."
"I can understand that, but I need you to trust me when I said that's not going to happen." She explained.
"I love your determination, Kiddo, but all your mother and I see is, you by yourself writing all the time. You stay at home and write, you don't go out and meet people, and you work for Kim. We are just afraid you are never going to meet someone, and you are going to ostracize yourself unintentionally and by the time you notice it, it will be too late." He took a breath and continued, "I was that way at one point, but I lucked out because I met your mother in the grocery store. I just don't want you to miss your person."
Realizing her parents fear, Casey smiled and as she thought of the blonde that had encouraged her to come here today she began to blush a little. Her father nodded noticing his daughters reaction, "You have met someone..."
"I have," she smiled.
"Is she nice? Does she treat you well?"
"She is wonderful, and she is amazing to me."
"I am very happy for you, Kiddo. Just remember what I said, don't ostracize yourself. Make yourself available to experience life." He advised.
"I will, and I have been now. You'd be happy to know that first novel is now coming along very well," she smiled.
"I am happy to know that. I can't wait to read it." Bill Novak smiled at his daughter. She truly was like him, but with all the heart of her mother. It only made him love her more.
Pulling up at Alex's first launch party via limo with Kim and Serena, Casey gasped at the sight. Despite the dreary rain, the event looked over the top and breathtaking. "Wow, it's stunning," Serena observed as the valet opened the door for her and the others, "Cabot really knows how to party."
"No joke," Kim laughed as they began to exit, "It's just another reason why she is our best client."
"She is generally amazing," Casey whispered, climbing free herself before following the couple into the event.
The whole place was covered in artfully placed twinkling lights, a band was playing in one corner with people dancing, and food and wine being delivered by waiters to patrons. Brushing her green dress smooth, Casey began scanning the crowd for Alex. It didn't take her long to locate the gorgeous blonde with her cousin and best friend. Alex looked gorgeous in her black jumpsuit and black framed glasses.
Locking eyes with the blonde, she smiled brightly seeing the giant grin that fell across her face. Watching Alex break from her guests and make her way towards her, Casey moved in her direction. As they finally met mid room, Alex kissed her lightly on the cheek.
"I am happy you could make it," she beamed.
"Same here," Casey smiled.
"How did it go with your parents?"
Ducking her head just a tad, Casey blushed, "It went great. Thank you for your advice."
"Any time beautiful," Alex replied, taking the redheads hand in hers and leading her through the crowd.
As they mingled with the guests, Casey found herself happily stuck to Alex's side. The blonde introduced her to everyone, being sure to mention that Casey was an aspiring author and they should keep their eye out for her future works. It felt nice, and natural to be on Alex's arm. They felt like a couple, each building one another up for success, and Casey could happily see herself with the blonde.
As things began to calm down, they found a moment to sit and enjoy some food with their friends. It turned out that Philip had taken the moment to introduce Liv, Amanda, Kim and Serena. The four had found a table near the dance floor and were enjoying the music along with many drinks. Everything seemed to be falling in place for them in Casey's eyes, so as dinner ended and they found themselves waiting for the rain to clear for the launch of Alex's new boat, Casey took the blondes hand and led her away.
Finding a secluded hallway, with a view of the river, Casey turned to face the blonde. "So, today is the end of the two weeks," Casey said, looking out at the steady falling rain against the river. "I want you to tell me."
"I'm scared," was all she could say with her eyes locked on the redhead.
Casey locked her green eyes with the blonde's blue ones, "You have too."
"I know," Alex whispered, before taking a breath and continuing. "It was New Years Eve our junior year, we were still out for winter break and Marcus, Elle's boyfriend, was having a New Years Eve party."
Taking Alex's hand in her own, Casey looked the blonde in the eyes, as she continued, "We came up with an excuse for our parents saying we were staying at each other's houses and went to Marcus's party. We played drinking games and stayed together for most of the evening...it was always our strategy when drinking...but then Elle got sleepy, and fell asleep in Marcus's room..."
Alex broke eye contact and let go of Casey's hand, moving to look it at the fast moving water. Water always made her feel better, she understood it and how to maneuver it. She respected its strength and as a result it always helped to wash her sins away.
Taking a breath, she continued, "The party was over, and Marcus and I were in the room with Elle. It seemed safe to leave her. I followed Marcus back downstairs to hang out, play some pool. We got downstairs and made some more drinks, we started laughing and enjoying ourselves, then he kissed me...I hadn't ever been kissed before and I wasn't sure how I felt...one thing led to another and I slept with him."
"Alex." Casey said in a tone that let Alex knew she'd started the fire.
"Let me finish," She continued, "The next morning, I woke feeling awful and Elle was crying saying we had to leave. I got in the car with her...it was raining...like tonight...she cried the whole way and I kept asking her to pull over and let me drive. She finally told me that Marcus had broken up with her. I felt so sick and I confessed that I'd slept with him. That's when she pulled over. She pulled over and demanded to know why I would do that to her, and all I could say was I didn't know, but I was sorry. She told me to get out, and she left me on the side of the road...in the rain."
"That's everything," the redhead demanded with a sharp tone.
"No," Alex admitted staring out at the rain, "I begged for her forgiveness, but she wouldn't give it to me. I was mad, so I started dating Marcus. Then I convinced her friends to stop talking to her, that she was being ridiculous. I made her look crazy and weak. I basically bought their loyalty. She had no one, and got picked on continuously and I let it happen, because I was hurting and she wouldn't take that pain away...I wanted her to feel just as bad as I did everyday."
Finally turning back to look at Casey, she felt her heart sink. The redhead was trembling. "You are why she tried to kill herself...you are evil...so what am I? Another way to hurt her?"
"No," Alex said moving to take Casey's hands.
"Don't touch me!" Casey yelled. "I want nothing to do with you."
"Please Casey, let me explain," Alex begged, but Casey just shook her head no as she fumed with anger.
With that, she turned and walked back out into the event. Alex tried to follow her, but was quickly slowed by patrons trying to talk to her. Pushing them aside and running after the redhead, she finally caught sight of Casey standing by the curb in the rain. Making her way outside, she stood in the rain as she watched Casey climb into a taxi and leave.