Then my eyes land on Casey walking toward the parking lot with Ryan and Mr. Taylor, and my heart starts to race.
I glare at him, but Ryan intercepts my look and gives me the tiniest of headshakes, telling me Casey is cool and didn’t say anything. With that small gesture from Ryan, I know Casey is sticking to our story, at least for now. I don’t know what Ryan said or did to keep Casey in line, but whatever it is, I’m incredibly grateful.
Chapter 15: Something New
ASHLEY
“Can we talk?”
I hear the question I have been dreading. I try to avoid his gaze, just as I’ve been doing at practice all week. There is very little evidence of the fight left on Casey’s face from the night of our date, except a few healing bruises are a reminder.
“Ashley.” I feel his hand on my shoulder, and my heart sinks because I know I can’t avoid him any longer. “Please.”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath as I nod my head. Here goes nothing.
He leads the way to our usual meeting place that we shared this summer. Our team is using the indoor pool now, but our lockers are still in the break house. The familiar orange shag rug feels like an old friend as we sit cross-leg and fall right back into our regular routine. I focus on the rug’s loops while I pull at them, anything to avoid Casey’s green eyes.
“So you’ve been avoiding me,” he says with a warm smile that says so much more than his words.
Although I can’t help returning his smile, there wasn’t really a question, so I don’t say anything.
“I get it, Ashley. I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry for everything these past few months.”
My eyes instantly lock with his. This is not where I thought this conversation was going to go.
“I just—I’ve never been told no before, and I didn’t know how to handle it. I knew if you gave me the chance, I could change your mind.” As his hand reaches out and touches my knee, my gut reaction is to pull away, but the touch is so caring and gentle; it’s different. Casey is different. “And then, when I thought you guys broke up, I knew that was my chance.” He shakes his head, his gaze shifting to the carpet for a second and then quickly meeting mine again. “I kind of lost sight of you and your feelings, and it just became a game I needed to win. I couldn’t take no for an answer. I couldn’t accept it. I mean, you know I have some parental issues.” He smiles, and it fills his entire face. “I guess my issues are worse than I thought.”
A small chuckle escapes his lips. “I needed to get what I wanted, and I lost sight of what you wanted. I’m sorry for that. In turn, I’m afraid I’ve destroyed a good friendship. Have I?” This is the first question he asked; the first time he left a pause for my response.
I see the pain in his eyes along with genuine concern, and my heart fills with regret. Not for anything I did, but for how Casey had to grow up. As much as I hate my parents right now, I can’t imagine a life with them absent.
I reach for his hand, feeling the need to touch him. “Casey, you didn’t lose me as a friend, but you never had me as a girlfriend. There was never a chance. I mean, last summer, I thought maybe there could be, but I told you then my heart belongs to someone else, and nothing will really ever change that, not you, not my parents, not Ryan.”
Casey’s eyes shift at the mention of my brother’s name, and he smiles.
“What?”
“Well, Ryan is actually the person who made that pretty clear for me.”
“What do you mean?”
“In addition to his fist connecting with my face, he kind of knocked some sense into me between punches.”
“How?” I try to hide my shock. My brother has never been a supporter of my relationship with his best friend, at least not openly.
“Let’s just say he’s a good brother, a better one than I am; that’s for sure.”
I lean in closer, needing to touch him again, but as a friend, to comfort him. I know he still carries a lot of pain for what happened to his sister. I also know I can’t fix that.
“That’s not true, Casey, and you know it.” I wish he could hear my words.
His smile meets mine. “Thanks, Ashley Taylor, for everything. Sorry I was a little crazy these past few months. I guess it runs in my family.”
At that, we both laugh, and I know we’ll be fine. It will never be the same between us, but that’s a good thing.
***
Meet me at Francis’s truck in the SL.
I can’t help laughing out loud. The Francis thing never gets old.
It’s Todd’s last day of school before he leaves for winter break. It’s been three weeks since the fight at the field—aka, my date with Casey.
Things with Casey have been good since our talk. He finally seems to understand Todd isn’t going anywhere. Maybe he believes in true love after all, even if it’s not with him.
I am also officially grounded forever. My parents are still suspicious since RTS called my house and told them they could find me with Todd the night of the fight. My dad never told me he went to the field, but Ryan told me everything, or at least, I thought he did. I’m not so sure now after my conversation with Casey. Either way, my parents still think Todd and I are broken up, and I’m pretty sure I won’t be allowed back out of the house until I’m thirty.
Thanks for that, Rebecca!
Todd is leaving tomorrow to meet with the Penn State and Boston College coaches. Both schools have given him verbal offers, and Penn State offered him a position with the baseball team, too. His family is celebrating Christmas in Boston, and then he’s heading straight up to Mt. Craymore for the senior ski trip. I’m sad he’s leaving, but it’s not like I would get to see him over break anyway, since I’m on lockdown.
I have never been more grateful for school, as this is the only time I get to see him. After the night of the fight, people at school now know the truth, so it’s made things a little easier. Regardless, we are still cautious because both of our parents know a lot of the teachers and word could easily get back to them.
I have no idea what Ryan said to RTS and Casey, and he has no idea I know. Whatever it was, it convinced them to keep our secret, and I love him for it. He must have some major dirt on them both, but I figure what I don’t know can’t hurt me.
As I approach the truck, knowing this is the last time we will be alone for a while, my heart reacts by slamming against my chest. This has become our routine: Mark hands off his keys in the morning, Todd and I have lunch to ourselves without any parental concerns, and the rest is history.
“Well, hello there,” I say as my eyes land on his. He gives me his crooked smile, and I swear I’m going to drop right here on the pavement of the SL.
“It took you long enough,” he says with raised eyebrows.
“Well, I’m here now.” I step closer to him and wind my finger through the belt loop of his jeans.
“I love seeing you in my jacket,” he says as his lips meet mine, and he runs his hand over the letters on his letterman jacket.
“Me, too.” I step up on my tiptoes to return his kiss. His lips still feel like home, every time.
“Let’s go.” He opens the passenger side door for me.
We almost always go to our field, and we try to park in a more inconspicuous place than the first time. I don’t know if Mark’s mom has seen the truck since, but thankfully, she hasn’t stopped again. Today, though, Todd drives right past the field. I have no idea where we are going, and we have to be back for classes soon.
Todd notices me tense up as we pass our field, so he places his hand on my knee and gives me a quick, reassuring smile. “Relax.”
“But we both need to be back soon.” I glance at our field in the side mirror as it gets smaller and smaller in the distance.