Snapshot of the Life of a Dork
folder
1 through F › Faculty, The
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
14
Views:
5,581
Reviews:
6
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Currently Reading:
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Category:
1 through F › Faculty, The
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
14
Views:
5,581
Reviews:
6
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own The Faculty, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Chapter 4
We drop Casey off at his house and Zeke nudges me.
“What?” I say as I get out of the car to let Casey out of the back seat.
“Go with him.” Zeke urges.
“What are you, nuts?” I hiss as I lean back inside the car. I glance over my shoulder. Casey’s hovering awkwardly beside the car, looking as though he wants to say something.
“Walk him to the door.” Zeke says slowly. “Ask him out.”
“Zeke. . .” I groan.
“C’mon, there’s chemistry.” Zeke insists. “He called you Morgaine.”
I roll my eyes, grinning. “Yeah. . .he did.” I sigh. “Okay. All right. Here I go.”
I straighten up, smiling nervously at Casey. “So. . .I’ll walk you up.” I say, nodding toward his front door.
“Why?” Casey asks, with classic geek social skills. Only his confused frown makes it clear he’s baffled.
“Um. . .well. . .I. . .” I swallow, licking my lips nervously. Oh god, I can’t do this. There is no way in hell.
I glance back at the GTO and Zeke’s giving me this ‘well, what are you waiting for?’ look. I take a deep breath.
“Because. . .I want to talk to you.” I say, hooking my arm around Casey’s and dragging him away from the car.
“What’d I do?” Casey asks fearfully, his eyes widening
“What?” I say, blinking. “No, nothing. You didn’t do anything. I just. . .”
I stop walking and let go of his arm, turning toe hie him. “Okay, this is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be. . .” I mutter. “Just. . .bear with me okay? I mean, I know that you’re dating Delilah and quite frankly I think that sucks. . .but. . .I. . .”
My voice trails off and I look at him. Oh god, it would be so simple. Three words. Just three tiny little words.
“I lied. When you asked me why I was drawing you.” I say. “It wasn’t for art class. I’ve always drawn pictures of you. Since fourth grade.”
“Uh?” he grunts, an adorable blush tinting his cheeks. I’m not sure, but I think his tongue might be swelling up. Mmmmm. . .tongue.
I smile. “God, you are so cute.” I say softly. I take a deep breath. “Casey, I’ve loved you since the third grade.”
I tense, waiting for his reaction. Oh god, please don’t let him reject me.
“Uh?” he repeats. He seems to be trying to stop his eyes from crossing. He suddenly squints, looking uncomfortable.
“Can we go inside?” he asks. “I gotta get these lenses out.”
I blush. Well, on the bright side, he didn’t tell me to go away or act really disgusted.
“Um, yeah, sure.” I say. “Lemme just tell Zeke to go on. I can walk home. It’s not far.”
Yay for small neighborhoods.
I practically fly back to the car, nearly tripping over my own two feet to get there. “Oh my god.” I gasp as I open the passenger door and lean in to grab my book bag off the floorboard. “Um. . .look. . .Zeke, you can go ahead and go. I’m gonna walk home.”
I grin, feeling giddy and nervous and even a bit nauseous.
“Great. I’ll be at Delilah’s.” Zeke says with a wicked grin. “This is way more fun than the aliens. See you tomorrow, Morgaine. Don’t do anything I’d do.”
“Which leaves me lots of options.” I say, laughing. “See ya, Zeke.”
I lean over, lig kis kissing his cheek. “And thanks. For everything.”
I’m not even going to touch the Delilah comment. Skank.
I straighten up and slam the door shut, then head back up the sidewalk to meet Casey. “Okay.” I say, smiling.
Casey’s about to respond when Zeke peels out, signaling his departure.
“He’s gonna get himself killed someday.” Casey remarks, his brilliant blue eyes sad, just before he blinks again uncomfortably. “Argh! These things! Come on in!”
He heads inside the house and immediately bolts upstairs.
I smile, following Casey inside. I hover at the bottom of the stairs uncertainly. Should I go up? Should I stay down here?
Oh my god, I’m standing in Casey’s house. The last time I was here. . .holy cow. . .it was his tenth birthday, I think. His parents threw a big party for him and everybody in the neighborhood came. We had a blast.
Sigh. Those were the good old days. When everybody got along and there were no such things as cliques.
Casey appears on the stairs a few moments later, wearing the glasses whose style hasn’t changed since, well, his tenth birthday.
“God, that’s so much better.” he announces, obviously relieved.
I smile, feeling awkward. Okay, so I’d just declared my love for him while standing in his driveway. Did we pick up the conversation from there or should we just kind of make idle chatter?
“Um. . .you look nice.” I say softly. “With the glasses.”
Yep, idle chatter it is.
He sits on the stairs, resting his elbows on his knees.
“Thanks.” he mumbles. “It’s kind of nice that they’re not constantly getting smashed anymore though.”
“Yeah, I can imagine.” I say. I drop my backpack on the floor near the base of the stairs and then sit down beside him.
“Look, Casey, I didn’t mean to freak you out.” I say softly. “I just. . .I guess I’ve been keeping that secret to myself for so. . . Okay, not totally to myself. Zeke knows.”
I pause. “And Stokely and Stan. But I just. . .I don’t know. I felt you should know.”
I chew my lip, glancing down at my hands awkwardly.
He nods. He’s also chewing on his lip.
“I think Delilah knows too.” he says softly, awkwardly. “She’s been acting more heinous than usual lately. I just. . .wow, I’m really not in a position to respond to this right now.”
He runs a hand through his hair, causing it to stand up at odd angles.
“Yeah. . .some of Delilah’s followers jumped on me this morning.” I say, rolling my eyes. “Lindsay, Rachel and Brooke. Apparently they saw us last night at the Reverb.”
I raise my head, gazing into his eyes. “But you know what, Casey? I don’t care. I don’t care that Delilah knows or that her little peons threaten me. . .I just. . . I guess I just want to know if you like me too. Some assurance that I’m not just imagining there’s something between us.”
“You aren’t.” Casey says softly. “I’ve loved you since we first said hello.”
For a moment, I can’t breathe. Casey has just told me he’s liked me since. . .practically forever. God, we were, what, three, four? We were in daycare together. My god. That’s. . .a really long time.
“Wow, Casey.” I say softly. “I never. . .Zeke and Stokes. . .tried to tell me, but I guess I wasn’t listening. Whoa.”
I smile tenderly, brushing my hair behind my ear. “So. . .where do we go from here?” I ask. I slide a little closer to him, our knees touching.
“I get rid of Delilah and hide under your bed when her football friends come to pulverize me?” he offers, his eyes widening a little. He’s probably not aware of the effect the thought of him anywhere near my bed is having on me.
“O-okay.” I stammer, blushing brightly. Oh my, has it gotten warm in here?
“Um. . .ya know. . .we. . .Zeke and Stan won’t let you get pulverized.” I say softly. “I’m not afraid of Delilah or her football friends.”
I smile, shyly placing my hand on his knee.
Oh. . .oh od. od. I’m going to hyperventilate. Please don’t let his parents come home before I work up the courage to kiss him.
“I don’t want any more fighting.” Casey insists, looking pained. “There’s been enough fighting.”
He shakes his head adamantly. There’s obviously trauma there. My poor baby!
Oh god, he’s ‘my baby’ now. I’m doomed.
“I somehow doubt Delilah will give you up without some kind of fight.” I say. “She’s a bitch like that.”
I sigh. “Maybe Zeke can help us come up with a plan.”
For a moment I wonder if he was serious about going over to Delilah’s. If I were a guy, I wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole and a protective suit.
“I missed you too.” I say, smiling. “When I was in Europe. I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” I frown slightly. “It really hurt, when I came back and saw you with Delilah, but I figured it was karma, ya know? I’d blown my chance or whatever.”
“I’m sorry.” he says, hanging his head. “I know I’m being shallow. A chi chicken. But I really needed somebody after that whole aliens thing happened. I was pretty messed up.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t here.” I say. “I wish I had been. Zeke told me all about what happened.”
I hesitantly raise my hand and run my fingers through his hair. I don’t quite know what else to say to him.
“We’ll. . .think of something, Case.” I whisper, leaning down to awkwardly kiss his cheek.
He turns toward me and smiles shyly, his nose almost touching mine.
“We always do, right?” he says softly.
I smile, blushing. “Right.” I say quietly.
I hesitate for a moment, gazing at him.
Oh why the hell not? I’ve been brave enough to tell him that I love him and I kissed his cheek. . .why not go for the whole shebang?
Blushing uncontrollably, I tentatively kiss his lips, my hand sliding down to rest on the back of his neck.
He pulls away after a moment, practically cowering from me. I try really hard not to freak out.
“No.” he protests weakly. “I don’t do that. I’ve got a girlfriend. Yes, I’m in love with you and not her, but I don’t want you thinking I’m like that. No.”
“O-okay.” I whisper, nodding slowly. “I mean, yeah. I understand. I. . .um. . .hey, I’ve waited this long. It won’t kill me to wait a little longer.”
I smile softly. “I. . .I should probably get going.”
“You’re leaving?” he responds, looking like a wounded puppy. “No! Don’t leave! Stay! Please! I’m sorry!”
He tugs on my arm. I’m pretty sure he’s still clueless. Sigh. He’s adorable.
“Um. . .okay.” I say, nodding. “I’ll stay.”
Hey, what can I say? I’m a sucker for big blue eyes and the sad puppy dog look. Which Casey happens to pull off very well.
I glance around awkwardly, wracking my brain for something to talk about. “Um. . .so. . .”
God, I suck as a conversationalist. Except when it comes to Zeke. We always seem to have something to talk about.
“Are you ready for that history test tomorrow?” he asks, retreating to safer ground. “I don’t have Delilah hanging off me, so I was going to study. Exciting, huh?”
I blink, looking startled. “Oh fuck, there’s a history test tomorrow?”
Yeah, okay, so maybe I’m telling a little white lie. If eanseans I get to stay and study with Casey, then hey, I’ll tell it again.
Casey rolls his eyes.
“Yes, there’s a history test tomorrow. God Morgaine, a reminder’s only been on the side board for the last two days.” he chastises, even though he’s smirking.
“Hey, cut me some slack.” I say, grinning. “My brain’s still on vacation.”
“So do you mind if I study with you?” I ask.
Heh, I’m feeling very giddy right now. The two guys in my life -- who I love very much, in different ways -- are calling me Morgaine. It might seem like a stupid thing to get excited over, but oh well.
Now we’ve just got to get over the small hurdle of Delilah and everything will be wine and roses.
“Do I ever mind?” he asks with a grin. “Come on, we can do it in my room.”
“Cool.” I say as I stand up and grab my backpack from where I’d dropped it earlier. “Maybe. . .if you want. . .I’ll show you my drawings. Of you.”
I blush. Holy cow. I did not just willingly volunteer to show him my drawings of him. Am I nuts?
Nah. . .just doomed.
“Yeah, sure, I’d love to see them!” he exclaimed enthusiastically. “It’s so cool that you can do that! You’re really good!”
“Thank you.” I say shyly.
Of course, it’s at that moment that I realize his earlier comment of ‘do it’ could have more than one connotation. Oh god, I can feel myself blushing.
Someday. . . Hopefully soon.
I clear my throat, trying to push away thoughts of being in Casey’s bed, and head up the stairs.
And. . .of course. . .those thoughts immediately return as I pause in Casey’s doorway. My eyes are drawn toward the bed and I can feel my cheeks growing warm.
“So study first, then drawings?” I ask, turning around to face him.
“Yeah, work before play, right?” he responds, then looks at me curiously. “You okay?”
The next thing I know, he’s blushing too.
“Yeah.” I say, trying to act nonchalant. “I’m fine."
Wow. . .so this is sexual tension? I want. . .I want to kiss him. I want to touch him. I want. . .to. . .do things with him.
And I had so better stop thinking about this or he’s going to know exactly what I’m thinking.
“Um, yeah, history.” I squeak as I move further into his room. I drop my book bag at the foot of the bed and then sit down on the very edge of the mattress.
“Right. History.” he echoes, swiveling his desk chair around and sitting down perpendicular to the desk as he digs out his books. After a few moments, however, he stops and looks at me.
“Are you sure you’re in love with me?” he asks, looking amazed. “Like, really sure?”
I blink, puzzled by the question. “Yes, absolutely.” I say. “Why?”
I think back to what Stokely had told me, that Casey had said when we were in junior high. “Oh Casey. . .do you think I couldn’t love you because you’re a geek?”
He fidgets shyly, looking down at his hands.
“I just think you can do better is all.” he says softly.
“I don’t.” I say. “Casey, you are. . .the only boy I have ever loved. All the other guys at Herrington. . .they’re not you. I love you. . .because you’re a geek. I love everything about you. I. . .I love your smile, I love your eyes. I love the way you chew on your straw when you get nervous.”
I reach out, placing my hand over his. “Trust me, Casey. I really love you.”
The pupils of his gorgeous eyes widen, and he nods, obviously coming to terms with something.
“How shitty is it to break up with a girl over the phone?” he asks. Subtlety has never really been his strong suit. Isn’t that cute?
“Well, while it is usually considered pretty shitty,” I say slowly, “somehow I think Delilah will get over it pretty quick.”
Well, that depends on whether or not Zeke had been serious about going over to her house. Ya know, I’ve decided something. . .I seriously need to have a chat with my ‘brother’ about his choice in women. First an alien, then a cheerleader and now a heinous bitch.
‘Course, he says he just kissed MaryBeth or whatever the hell her real name was. . .
I raise an eyebrow, looking at Casey curiously. Does this mean what I think it means?
Our eyes meet. He nods, then picks up the phone and dials. He fidgets as it rings.
Someone answers, but it’s definitely not Delilah. I can’t hear much, but it’s definitely a male voice, with giggling in the background.
“Hello?” Casey says, looking equally confused. “Zeke? Where’s Delilah. . .shit, are you guys stoned?”
I clap a hand over my mouth to stifle a giggle. “Holy fuck.” I whisper. “He wasn’t kidding.”
Hell, I didn’t know he was planning to get her stoned though. . .damn, I wish I were a fly on the wall.
“Hey, babe, now’s the best time to tell her.” I say, nudging Casey. “She really won’t give a fuck.”
Is that mean? Oh well.
“Stoned and what?!” Casey suddenly exclaims, his face going beet red. “But. . .Zeke! That’s. . .that’s my girlfriend!”
I can just make out Zeke saying “Not anymore, she’s not!” then more giggling. Poor Casey looks confused and hurt. He hangs the phone up quickly.
“Oh. Oh shit.” I say. “Oh Casey. I. . .Zeke, he was just trying to help.”
Oh god, that is lame. I’m going to kill Zeke. I think he may have just fucked things up.
But a part of me is saying why should Casey care. Why should he care if Zeke fucks Delilah, because he’s got me.
“Why would he. . .” Casey breathes, shaking his head. “He’s. . .I thought he was my friend.”
Poor thing’s obviously crushed. I should comfort him.
. . .
Either this is incredibly lucky, or Zeke’s a goddamned genius.
“Casey, he is your friend, he just. . .Zeke is. . .a slut.” I say.
What? It’s true. I’ll be the first to admit it.
I reach out, taking his hand in mine. meremere.” I say, gently tugging him toward the bed. I pat the space beside me.
“I guess things are back to normal again.” Casey sighs, obviously dejected. “God, this is going to be all over school tomorrow. My best friend fucked my girlfriend. . . wait, he’s not my best friend. You’re my best friend. But. . .”
He looks at me then, and sits down next to me.
“Looking. . .looking at it a different way, he did me a favor, didn’t he?” he asks slowly.
“Yeah.” I say, smiling. “In his own weird way, he did.”
I put an arm around his shoulders, leaning my head against his. I’m his best friend. Heh. I feel all warm and fuzzy inside. It’s nice.
Casey smiles. Really smiles. It’s nice to see.
“So, um, I guess that problem’s solved.” he says, and cautiously pats my knee. “You know, it’s kind of funny. I was stoned the first time me and Delilah made out.”
He winces.
“Which probably isn’t a good thing to say right before I ask you to be my girlfriend, is it?”
“No, probably not.” I say. I’m feeling pretty tingly from his hand patting my knee.
And then it sinks in what he just said. I raise my head and stare at him dumbly.
“So. . .so you’re really asking me to be your girlfriend?” I say.
Oh holy fuck, if I am dreaming, please do NOT wake me. Thanks.
“That’s okay, right?” he asks quickly, recoiling a little. His eyes are almost bugging out of his head. God I love him. Delilah didn’t suck all the cute out of him. Thank god!
“Okay?” I repeat. I grin. “Fuck, Casey, I’ve waited my whole life for you to ask me that.”
Is that pathetic? Oh well.
“Okay, maybe not my WHOLE life.” I amend. “And yes. I would love to be your girlfriend, Casey.”
“Wait wait wait, I didn’t actually ask!” he points out frantically, then slides onto his knees on the floor in front of me. Those eyes that I’ve seen in my dreams look up at me, and he takes my hands. I can feel his shaking.
“Morgana. . .” he begins, then corrects himself. “Will you be my girlfriend?”