We head out to the car, not bothering to say goodbye to Stokely and Stan. Stokely can just assume we’re fucking each other’s brains out. I don’t care.
"So how the fuck did you end up with me as a lab partner?" I ask as I unlock the car for him. "Everyone decent die?"
"Nah." he says, shrugging. "Furlong let us choose our own partners."
I actually drop my keys at that.
"You. . .you picked me?" I ask as I hurriedly pick them up. "Why?"
"Because I got to thinking one day." he says as he rubs the back of his neck. "And I realized that I didn’t really know you that well, and you were pretty cool during the whole alien attack thing. And what better way to figure out if I really like you or not, right?"
"Assuming I ever showed up for that class." I point out. "Get in the car. Better there’s no chance you’re overheard saying something like that."
"Right." he says, nodding as he gets into the car. He shuts the door, then buckles up and waits, chewing on his lip.
I get in the driver’s side, start the car, and rev the engine before dropping the transmission into reverse.
"Look, I’m really sorry Stokely fucked with your head." I say as I back out of the parking spot.
Casey shrugs. "It’s okay." he says. "She just seemed convinced that you and I were destined to be." He snickers a little. "I think Stan’s brainwashed her. She’s actually. . .girly."
I laugh a little at that.
"You’ve noticed too, huh? People always do that. They finally start getting laid and want everyone to be getting some."
"Yeah." Casey says, nodding. "Stokely seems hellbent on making sure I get the happiness she thinks I deserve."
"Well you sure as fuck deserve better than Delilah." I snort. "And me, for that matter."
He looks at me curiously, frowning. "Why do you think that?" he asks. "I mean, why do I deserve better than you? What’s wrong with you?"
"You might think I’m cool now, Case, but I’m actually a giant loser." I say as I pull into traffic. "You’re going places. Five years from now, I’ll probably still be in high school."
Casey laughs. "Nah, they’ll kick you out before that." he says, grinning. "And you’re smart. You just make an active choice to fail your senior year."
"What’s the point of trying?" I retort seriously. "I can’t afford college, and I don’t want to end up in some shitty dead end job."
"You could get financial aid." Casey says, shrugging. "So. . .what.. .you’re just gonna stay in high school for the rest of your life? You’ll end up working at a burger joint or selling drugs. Which is bad ‘cause one day your luck’ll run out and you’ll get busted."
He shakes his head. "Not that I’m trying to preach to you or anything." he mumbles.
"So noted." I respond. "That’s why I’m a loser. Because you’re exactly right. At least now I can stop you from getting your ass kicked for the rest of the year, so I’m doing something remotely useful."
He smiles. "Thanks." he says. "I appreciate that, by the way."
"Don’t." I insist with a smirk. "It’s an excuse to beat up jocks."
"Oh good." he says, grinning. "So you don’t expect me to take it out in trade then."
"Huh?" I grunt, looking at him sideways before I remind myself to concentrate on the road. That sounded. . .uh. . .dirty.
"Trade, you know." he says. "Like you’ve done something for me, now I do something for you."
He clears his throat, his smile fading slightly. "It was just a joke."
"I know." I insist weakly, then clear my throat. Concentrate on the road, Zeke. "I was just wondering what kind of, um, joke."
"Oh." Casey says. "Well. . .what kind do you think it was?"
He glances at me sideways, then casts his eyes back down to his lap.
I chuckle helplessly.
"Being honest will make me sound like a massive asshole." I insist.
"Nah." he says, shaking his head as he glances up at me. "Especially since I meant it in, uh, kind of a dirty way."
He blushes and turns his gaze to the window.
"Rrrrrreally?" I respond, grinning in spite of myself. "You’re not as innocent as you let on, are you Case?"
Am I drooling? I feel like I’m drooling.
Whoops! Red light.
I screech the car to a jarring halt.
Casey laughs as he puts out a hand to brace himself against the dashboard. "What can I say? I’m a mystery." he says. "You’d be surprised at just how much I can get away with."
He’s finally relaxed around me. I can tell it in his posture as he leans back against the seat and winks at me.
Thank god.
Wait. . .wait. . .whoa. Casey has a very attractive dark side, from what I’m seeing right now. Check out that wink. Me-ow.
"I’d be interested in finding out."
Wait. Did I just say that? I think that twisting feeling is Casey wrapping me around his little finger. When did that happen?
He laughs. "Oh, so you DO want me to take it out in trade then?" he says teasingly.
"Uhhhh. . ." I respond, totally tongue tied. Someone honks at me from behind and I notice the light’s turned green.
"Okay, no more distractions until we get to my place, okay?" I say, overloading the sentence with ‘okay’s. Whoa. Delilah dumped this guy? What gives? Did she get scared off?
I fidget at the tightening in my pants. Concentrate on driving, Zeke. Concentrate on driving.
"Okay," he says, smiling, "I promise to be a good boy until we get to your place."
He glances at me curiously. "So are your parents really in Europe?"
"My parents and I have an understanding, Casey." I say, choosing my words carefully. "I don’t give a fuck about them, and they don’t give a fuck about me. They could be on the moon for all I care."
He frowns. "Wow. I mean, it’s kind of cool, but it kind of sucks. Don’t you get lonely in that big house by yourself?"
"Yeah." I admit, once again grinning helplessly. "Yeah, yeah I do. But it’s better than having parents busting my balls to clean my room and go to bed. I think."
"Eh, I suppose it could be worse." Casey says, shrugging. "Your mom could try to send you to a shrink every time something goes wrong at school or she suspects something’s wrong."
He rolls his eyes.
"Yeah, but I’m sure you can find a way to get the shrink to blame them for everything that’s wrong with you." I point out, grinning wickedly. "Your parents do that? Wow, that’s pretty messed up."
"Yeah." he says, nodding. "Every time I come home with unexplained bruises, she’s like ‘I know this nice lady downtown. . .’"
He blushes. "So. . .have you ever. . .you know. . . I mean, with a guy?"
"Nah." I admit. "You?"
Please say yes. Because if neither of us knows what we’re doing, this is gonna be awkward. . .wait, why am I thinking like this is a sure thing?
Because Casey was acting like a giant slut a minute ago, so it probably is.
Concentrate.
On.
Driving.
Zeke.
He blushes. "Uh. . .no."
He adds helpfully, "I’ve read about it though."
"Is there anything you haven’t read about?" I ask before I can think better of it. I have to stop treating the guy like he’s a different species because he’s a genius.
I turn the corner onto my street thankfully.
"Drug making." he fires back. "So I like to read. Sue me."
"Okay, okay, I’m an idiot." I insist, backing off as I pull into the driveway to my house. "Sorry. Your brain intimidates me."
"I don’t mean to." he mumbles. "And you’re not an idiot. You’re smart, you just choose to act dumb."
"Shhhhh." I say, then wink at him before shutting off the car and getting out. Ha! How do you like it?! Squirm!
He smiles shyly and then gets out of the car. He shuts the door and then stands there, looking at me, nervously shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "So." he says softly.
"Come on in." I prompt, nodding at the door before unlocking it. "Unless you’d rather stand on the driveway all night."
"No, I’d rather come in." he says. He quickly joins me at the door. He’s nervous again. He’s fidgeting, biting his nails.
"Come on! I said I was sorry!" I whine. Ugh. I’m getting whiny. "Don’t clam up now!"
"Sorry." he mumbles as he lets his hand drop to his side. "It’s not you. It’s totally me. I just. . .this sounds so stupid, but I never in a million years expected to be standing here with you in this situation."
"Not that I don’t want to be here." he adds hastily. "I just. . .it’s different. You’re not Delilah. Which is good! But scary. I mean, she usually took control when we. . ." He trails off, blushing brightly. "Um. . .yeah."
"Yeah." I say. What else do you say in a situation like this. It seems like certain things are a forgone conclusion now, and I’m not sure how to feel about it.
I feel like a joint, is how I feel. A big, fat, three-paper, phallic joint.
Ugh.
I hurry inside.
