Partners

6.

E: Are you out of there yet?

O: Yes, I am going to the back exit.

E: Hurry up, some newcomers sometimes use it to sneak out.

O: I swear If I get caught and die 'cause of your texts I am gonna haunt the shit out of you.

After my threatening message, Elyssa has stopped typing. Finally. I slowly went to the back side of the building and checked my surroundings.

Stairs looked rusty but still were in a working condition. They made an awful sound when I climbed down from them but, I got down safely.

O: I am out of there. What's next?

E: Go out of that neighborhood. I would recommend doing so without getting unwanted attention.

I didn't reply to that and looked up from my screen to my surrounding. Due to the weather being gloomy there aren't that much of people around. But still, you can hear some noise from the back street and the corners behind the trash.

Last time when I went there, it didn't end that well.

I quickened my steps and took a turn leading to the main cross road. From there I can reach my house in under 20 minutes. Another training routine, great.

I felt water drops hitting me, and looked around. Not the rainstorm, not now. Thunder roared and soon enough the purple light showed itself. Maybe I should go to Casey's place. It is closer and has a better heating system.

After a few turns and a long walk, I was standing in front of Casey's building. I called her flat number in the intercom and after the second ring, she answered.

"Open up it is death," I said as soon as she answered.

She made a noise which could be described as snorting and trying to speak at the same time. "Hello darkness my old friend." With that, she buzzed the thing and door opened.

After waiting for the elevator and riding up with a woman who had a cute dog, I was finally in front of my friend's door. She opened it before I knocked and hugged me tightly. "Miss me much?" I said with a chuckle.

Casey chuckled too and let me in before locking the door behind us. There was something off about her. I can sense it.

Usually, she is all bubbly and jumping from one foot to another on Sundays. Mostly because it is a day without university and she doesn't have to spend time with her parents (that usually happens on Saturdays.)  Also, her weed smoking companion always comes around on Sundays.

However, right now she is all slow steps and cloudy face. She is debating something and I think she needs a third opinion.

"What's up? Any new developments on the cute guy?"  I sat cross-legged and tapped the space next to me, encouraging Casey to do the same. 

Casey sat and put her head on my lap which was uncomfortable due to the fact that I was sitting cross-legged. But I didn't say anything, if it makes her feel good, so be it.

She was silent for a few moments. I didn't want to push her to talk to me. So, I looked at my surrounding. It was a while since I have come here. Casey and I usually met up in the café closer to my university because she lives farther away and I am, well, too broke to drive there.

"I-I think I should keep cute guys contact to minimum for a while," Casey spoke slowly and looked up to face me.

I nodded for her to continue because I didn't know what to say, yet. "We had few mini-dates, he seemed nice enough, plus he got that jawline you can look at for days."  I chuckled and Casey smiled a bit.

"I thought he was good you know? Bad people don't usually look like Greek gods." She lifted her head to which I am thankful because my leg was getting numb.

"But last night we had our first official date and it was going good but he was acting all jittery and jumpy. Near the end he rushed everything through."

I was still nodding, preferring to not interrupt Casey when she is storytelling. But I could already tell that this was going to end really bad.

"He said he knew a good club where we can go from there and I agreed. I thought, he just wanted to drink and was all jumpy because of it. But when we were there, he didn't even drink that much, and when I asked him to go after I have had few drinks he looked at me weirdly. When I confronted him, he said that he thought we would have sex that's why because he brought me here. To have sex with, In the bathroom." Casey emphasized the last parts and I scoffed.

"What and asshole. What did he say when you said no to it?" I asked. Casey had strict policy of not having sex on the first dates and she passionately hates having bathroom sex in parties.

Casey sat closer to me, and I put my arm around her. "He got angry, he smashed the glass that he was holding. Olivia, he yelled at me luckily it was too loud for others to hear it but I felt so bad. Do I have one-night stand written on my face? Why does every fucking asshole come and find me??" Casey started to rant.

"It is not your fault, there are just too many assholes in this world to ignore." I rubbed her back.

She offered me a half smile and leaned closer to me. Seeing her like this really saddens me. I wish I could help her in those moments. When her head overthinks the small problem over and over again. The situation is bad but her overthinking makes it worst.

"I love you, you know that?" Casey hugged me and I nodded slowly. "I love you too."