Casey Barnes Eponymous - By E.A. Rigg Page 0,7
placed the guitar back down, put a credit card on the counter, and looked at her. “You go to Walton?”
She nodded. “Freshman?” he asked.
“Was. Sophomore this year.”
Recognition flashed in his eyes. “You’re Yull’s little sister?”
“I like to think of it the other way around.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yull Barnes is my elder sibling.”
He smiled. “But isn’t that the same thing?”
“Don’t be a smart aleck.”
The guy behind the counter handed Alex a receipt. He looked back to her as soon as he signed it. “You play guitar?”
She froze. If she said yes he would ask her to play him something. That was generally how these things worked. And if she played him something and he didn’t like it her purpose for existence in humanity would be put into question. She shook her head. “Nah. I was just looking around for a friend who plays guitar.”
He held his new Strat up. The guy behind the counter gave her a confused look. Alex Deal did not notice. He placed the Strat in its case. She did not want him to leave. “Bet I can tune a guitar faster than you,” she said.
“I thought you said you can’t play guitar.”
She paused. “I can’t. But I can tune them like seriously, seriously fast. We could place a bet on who can tune that Strat faster--you or me. You win, I buy you an ice cream cone.”
“I don’t like ice cream.”
“A slice of pizza?”
“And how about if you win?” he asked, “Do I have to buy you the Martin?”
“Nope. You can save that for Valentine’s Day.” He laughed. “If I win,” she continued, “you can buy me a chocolate bar. Deal?”
“Deal.”
They drove to his house. It was on a fancy, tree-lined street where by day gardeners’ trucks were parked along the side. Inside, he led her past an elegant dining and living room to a large family room with a set of burnished wooden doors. He took her through the doors and down to the basement, where another guitar was set up.
“Right,” she said, “Should I tune first?”
But they never got around to the guitar-tuning contest because as soon as she sat they kissed for a full two minutes. They spent the rest of the afternoon making out, getting to second base, and going to an action flick she already saw. When he dropped her off he asked if she wanted to go to the beach the next day.
That night it was only her and step dad Jim. Tricia and Yull were away looking at colleges. She called Leigh in LA and told her everything. Leigh responded with many Oh My God’s. Casey got off the phone and thought it was all about to change. Come the new school year, she would no longer be Yull Barnes’ under-achieving kid sister, but Casey Barnes, Alex Deal’s girlfriend. Casey Barnes who did well in…well anyway Casey Barnes, Alex Deal’s girlfriend. Yull who?
The next day she and Alex drove to Rehoboth Beach. They swam in the ocean, passed the iPod back and forth, went on boardwalk rides, and split funnel cake. She called Jim and said she was staying over at Leigh’s. They then went to Alex’s cousin’s beach house and slept in the basement, where they got to third base and sat up half the night talking about bands and movies. After he fell asleep, she stared at the ceiling and thought about how the day had, hands down, been the best of her life. From then on her life would be a collection of those kinds of days.
Or so she thought.
When morning came he drove her home fast so they would beat Yull and Tricia. It was Saturday of Labor Day weekend. He told her he had family in from out of town and would call her Monday. She spent the next two days planning her first week of school outfits and imagining every word of her next phone conversation with Alex.
Yull went to a seniors only party Saturday night. Sunday morning she overheard him on the phone talking about who had been at the party. She thought she heard him say Alex Deal.
Monday came around. Leigh called at noon and asked if he had called yet. No, Casey said, it was only twelve, he was probably still busy with his family. She debated whether or not to tell Leigh about what she heard Yull say. She thought better of it.
At dinnertime Leigh texted and asked if he had called yet. Casey did not respond. As they ate