Casey and Me

Called it!

When I came to the gate, there was no sign of Ellis' car. But I wasn't terribly worried. Until a hand grabbed my arm and spun me around. I gasped when I recognised my assailant. "Casey?"

"You were expectin' the Easter Bunny?" she said sarcastically. "Where'd you take off to?"

"Here," I said, yanking my arm back. "It was getting on, and I really needed to get some dinner." No way was I going to spill the beans about how uncomfortable I'd felt at her house, nor would I even breathe a word of what Miss Aisnworth had confided.

Casey rolled her eyes. "Mum was really worried about you leavin' like that," she said crossly. "She really liked you, you know, and she didn't take too kindly to you bein' so rude."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I really didn't want to be late for dinner," I said, shooting an anxious glance over my shoulder. Much to my relief, Ellis' car had rolled into view, and I breathed a sigh. "Listen, I have to go. But we'll catch up tomorrow."

Casey's eyes narrowed as Ellis pulled up. "Where you goin'?" she demanded. 

"The village," Ellis said cheerfully, but I saw the worry in his eyes. Thankfully he said nothing about fish and chips; I think he knew just how volatile the situation was. 

"I'm comin'," Casey said, grabbing my arm again. "No sense hangin' 'round here till the cows come home. 'Sides, I'm bored."

"Can only fit one other person in, sorry," Ellis said, shaking his head in regret. "I'd love to have an extra compadre, but..."

Casey rolled her eyes as she dragged me over to the passenger side. "Cut the bullshit," she said shortly. "You've got room; I've seen your car before."

I shared a worried look with Ellis as Casey yanked the rear passenger door open. "Look, I really just want to have some down time," I said tactfully, trying to maneuver myself so I wouldn't be forced into an uncomfortable situation.

"And I don't?" Casey was having none of my attempts to get away, and she forced me into the car. "Buckle up and shut up." 

I surrendered, grimacing as Casey pushed in next to me. I had no idea what had prompted her sudden shift in behavior, although I could easily guess, and as Ellis reluctantly started towards the village, I felt that chill at the base of my spine grow deeper. 

The visit to the village was even more awkward than the visit to Casey's house had been. She held onto my arm the whole time, and whenever Ellis tried to talk to me, she spoke up, refusing to even give me a chance to answer. By the time we got back in the car, I was seething, and when we got back to the school, my temper finally tipped over the edge when Casey dragged me out of the car. "You can get out of here," she said shortly to Ellis. "I can get Sarah safely back to her dorm without you hangin' around."

That was the moment my temper snapped. "Get lost!" I cried, yanking my arm free of her possessive grip. "If Ellis wants to walk me over, he can!"

"Oh, so he gets to do it, but I can't?" Casey said angrily. Gone was the friendliness; a possessive, jealous girl had replaced the false front of affection. "How's he so fuckin' special anyways? I thought I was your friend."

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. "Look it's too late to be fighting about this," I said wearily. "Just ... leave me be, please? I need to get some sleep."

Casey scowled. "Fine," she snapped. "Have it your fuckin' way. I guess I'll see you tomorrow." With that, she stalked off, and I sighed, closing my eyes as exhaustion finally took hold. 

"Sarah?" Ellis said, and I sighed again as I opened my eyes to see him watching worriedly. He'd cut the engine during the confrontation, and I could tell just how much he longed to hop out of the car and take me in his arms. I wanted that too, more desperately than anything, but right now, I was too emotionally raw to handle any more contact. Ellis saw it in my eyes; he nodded and started the engine up again. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said, and with the lightest touch of the accelerator, he was gone. I swallowed my tears and forced myself to walk slowly after, cursing myself for - literally and figuratively - driving him away. Casey's flounce didn't matter so much; but I was hurting all over again for the way I'd treated Ellis in the aftermath, and by the time I reached my dorm room, I'd made a silent promise to make it up to him in the morning. 

Of course, I couldn't even be certain he'd want anything further to do with me outside of octopush training, and for the first time in my life that I could ever remember, I cried myself to sleep.