What You Do To Me

Chapter 6: Addison's POV

"How do you feel?" I asked Casey, not sure what else to say.

He turns to me, tears filling his blue, blue eyes. "I feel awful." He mumbles.

I flinch. His accent is so strong, so British. He only gets like this when he's really upset.

"Why? It looked like he enjoyed it. Looked like you enjoyed it." I said, stepping closer. I was trying to console him, but I couldn't keep the joking tone out of my voice. It was just so ridiculous. One minute they were inches apart, the next they're kissing, and then Casey was gone. Jumping to his feet and running from love. Again.

I've known him for 18 years and we've been best friends since I met him as a child.

My family and I moved from London to the states when I was 15; something about a new job opportunity for my dad. I stopped caring.

But Casey and I remained in contact. We texted every day and Skyped every Friday at 7 for a year.

And then, his mom died, and his father forced him to move to the states. Then he practically abandoned him. 2 years later and here we are. Casey crying in a girl's bedroom because he's scared to love her older brother.

I know the problem even before I ask.

"So, what's the problem? Why is there a problem?" I ask, stepping closer and pretending to be confused. I need him to open up, tell me what's wrong. Specifically. Only then could I help him.

""Because I... I think I'm falling in love with him." He stutters and the tears start to leak. My heart breaks and I regret teasing him. There's a look of helplessness on his face as he realizes he's fallen in love again.

Without a word I step forward and wrap my arms around him. I feel his face tilt down and bury itself in my hair. I feel his tears drip off his face and onto my head and I listen to his scared sobs.

Eventually I hear a knock on the door.

"Um... Brielle's mom is taking us home so you... don't have to worry about us Addison." Kimberly says from the other side of the room. I smile when I hear her voice. "And um... Max went take the girls out to dinner to celebrate."

"He was going to try to break the news about finals to them there." Kimberly says. I hear her turn and walk away from the door.

I remember how upset Max was when he found out he couldn't afford to take them to finals. If only he knew...

I realize Kimberly's left and I turn back to Casey.

"I'm going to go..." I trailed off, gesturing towards the door.

"Yeah... go chase her down." He says.

I nod and leave.

"Kimberly?" I ask, stepping out of the bedroom. I hear the front door close.

I follow, running out of the apartment and into the hallway. The elevator's going down, so I take the stairs. Maybe I can beat her to the bottom? I throw open the door and take the concrete stairs 3 at a time, careful not to hurt myself.

I do beat her down and step out of the apartment building. Instantly the cold air makes me shiver and I wish I'd worn something with sleeves.

I see someone walking, their silhouette obvious against the bright lights of the apartment building. I recognize my Kimberly's strut. Her legs long and her head held high. Her father engrained that in her head for years. "No emotion and keep your head up."

It has taken me nearly the entire 3 years I've been here to see past her mask. Explore the cracks. And yet she still isn't open to me.

If I ever meet that man...