Counting Stars • [Casey x Izzie]

Not Like This

Izzie

I didn't know what I found cuter. Casey making my little siblings hot chocolates or Casey talking to them like she's known them her whole life.

I just spectated from the corner wall as I watched them, gathered around the dining talble as of they were in a serious meeting.

"I fink this is nicew than my sistew's." Mia told Casey with her four year old's adorable lisp. But I was still offended, no matter how cute she was.

Casey laughed and gave me a smirk.

I approached the table with my hands up in offense. "Woah! Mia I thought I made the best hot chocolates."

"You make nice ones but Casey makes the best ones." Jayden explained for her.

I took the seat beside Casey. "Okay, then you can make your own hot chocolates when Casey's not here." I complained.

"I normally make them for Sam and he likes them perfect." Casey explained.

Considering her bond with Sam I shouldn't have been surprised at how great she was with kids.

"Once you finish your drinks, you're all going to bed." I directed to my sibings.

They all unanimously moaned a compaint.

"But Izzie!" Jayden started.

"Jay..." I warned.

"If you get to bed now..." Casey began, leaning over the table to whisper, "I'll tell you my hot chocolate recipe."

The kids' eyes lit up wide with excitement. That news probably woke them up even more but I loved the shimmer that she brought to their irises.

Soon all three lids were sprinting to get their teeth done.

Casey and I both cleaned up the dining and living room. Once we finished, she went up to the kids' rooms and did as she promised.

No one else at Clayton would have done anything like this for me. Not even Nate.

Casey is that one special person that has everything you've needed from multiple people.

I want to say that she's perfect, but it's the fact that neither of us are that made us so much closer together. And I would never trade that for perfection.

"Hey, Newton?" I called as we faced each other on the couch.

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask what happened with Evan?"

For three whole days I hadn't known that my best friend was going through something so tough and I felt the guilt take over me.

She thought about it for a second, then answered. "Evan is an amazing guy. He really did love me, and I loved him." She began. Her eyes catching mine. "But I don't think I truly ever fell in love with him."

"Why do you think that?"

"He was my best friend, and everything that I needed when this whole Elsa and dad thing blew up. I guess I just attached myself to him to feel safe, to be my home when I had nowhere to go. And now that it's somewhat resolved I realized that... Evan's not who I wanted."