Casey Barnes Eponymous - By E.A. Rigg Page 0,42
your best friend that go horribly awry’?”
“Where are you going with this?” he asked.
“Are you?”
“No.”
“Sure?”
He nodded.
Something unexpected bubbled up in Casey’s head. Maybe it was because of the time. Maybe it was because she didn’t want Ben to end up with someone who listened to John Mayer. Maybe it was because Ben was looking at her in a way that lacked its typical snarkiness. Whatever the reason, Casey suddenly was curious about what it would be like to kiss Ben. So she leaned over and tried it.
He was surprised for a moment there. But then he put a hand on her knee. They went on like that for about a minute. Kissing, that is.
She pulled away. He grinned. She studied him. “Don’t think this means I’m going to favor you over Sukh at band practice.”
“Why would I?” He leaned over and they kissed again.
When that time finished Casey realized something. Ben--gawky, weird Ben?--Ben was a good kisser. Just how had he come to be such a good kisser? Had there been some sort of girlfriend out in California? She felt jealous and studied him more closely. He studied right back. They heard footsteps above. Ben’s mother was up and walking around the house.
“I should go,” Casey said.
Ben nodded. They walked to the sliding glass door. When they got there she turned. “You never told me what you were doing up in the first place.”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“Why not?”
“Just couldn’t.”
“You should try warm milk.”
He kissed her again. She smiled, turned, and exited through the sliding glass doors.
27
There was an email from Leigh first thing in the morning. I’m okay. Don’t freak out or call the police or anything like that.
Casey responded gunfire-quick. WHERE DID YOU SLEEP LAST NIGHT? Also, I ran into Ben after I saw you and he pointed out that in all likelihood your parents won’t even eat the pot brownies. Nothing’s gonna happen. I think. But something did happen last night, between me and Ben. Write when you can.
She thought about Ben and smiled. But it was short-lived because Yull chose that moment to enter her room uninvited. “What happened last night?”
She placed her laptop beside her, stood, and stretched. “I got a long and refreshing night’s sleep. Did you, dear brother?”
Yull walked over to the closet, and looked inside.
“She left before dawn,” Casey said.
“Did she now? Funny that I didn’t hear her given that I heard the two of you, loud and clear, when you took off in the middle of the night.”
She stared at him. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh but I bet you don’t.”
The house phone rang. “Who’s calling at this hour?” Yull asked suspiciously. She shrugged.
“Casey,” Tricia bellowed from the hall. She opened it. Her mother was standing in the hall with the phone in hand.
“Yes, mother?”
“Mrs. Robinson is on the phone. She says that in the middle of the night an un-marked package containing brownies was deposited on their doorstep. Do you know anything about this?”
Behind Casey, Yull sank onto the bed with a groan. Casey shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Now if you’ll excuse me, I was getting assistance from my dear brother on wardrobe choices for the second day of talent show auditions. Talent show, the extra-curricular activity that I slaved over brownies for the other day.”
“Who’s the advisor for talent show, Yull? I’m calling to verify that this supposed bake sale took place.”
Casey turned and mouthed, ‘Fuck you.’
Yull closed his eyes. “I can’t remember.”
Tricia glowered at her and stomped away. As soon as she was gone Yull got up and closed the door behind her. “How idiotic can you be? All this time I thought it was an act.”
“We didn’t mean to…what did you think was an act?”
“You acting stupid and doing badly in school. I thought it was just a reaction to, you know…” He bit his lip.
“Having a brother who’s perfect? Um, no Yull. Doing badly in school is something I’m able to achieve on my own merits, thank you very much.”
Yull sighed. “You could do better if you tried.”
She glanced at the time on her alarm clock. “Lookey there. The time has come for Yull to get out of Casey’s room before he gets shot. Did you have any idea it was that time, Yull?” She pushed him in the direction of the door.
That day at school, several odd and interesting things occurred.
1. Bizarrity Número Uno. Ben showed up at Casey’s locker after second period. Casey had never seen him at that time