I’m jerked out of a fitful sleep some time later by Casey thrashing in my arms. He’s moaning and moving his feet like he’s trying to run away from something.
"No!" he cries. "It’s her! She’s one of them!"
It takes me a bit to wake up enough to figure out what’s going on.
"Case?" I croak, squinting at him. One of his arms flails out, misses my face by inches and collides with my shoulder. Ow.
"Zeke, no!" he shouts. Then his body goes completely still and suddenly his eyes snap open.
He stares at me, looking frightened, then he suddenly sits straight up in the bed and looks around wildly. "She’s not here."
Ooooooooooooooooooooohkay. Right.
"Who’s not here, Case?" I ask, touching his back lightly.
He jumps, startled, as he glances at me. "MaryBeth." he whispers. "She came back and nobody remembered her but us. They were all taken, everybody else. And we fought. . .then. . .you. . ."
He shudders.
I wince. I had nightmares for about a week after the whole Incident happened, but a lot of drugs put an end to that.
Whoa. I haven’t done drugs in days. Weird. But my mind’s wandering.
"It was just a dream, Case." I insist as I sit up and put my arms around him. "MaryBeth’s not coming back, okay?"
Casey clings to me, wrapping his arms around me tightly. "I know. . .I mean, logically I know that. We killed her. I just. . .I thought I was over these nightmares. I thought they’d stopped." he mumbles. "And you’re not dumb enough to let her get you even if she did come back. . .but that’s what happened. . .in my dream."
He shudders again, then lays his head on my shoulder. "You probably think I’m a wuss." he says softly.
"Nah babe." I assure him as I start rubbing the back of his neck. I realize too late that such an intimate touch doesn’t do anything but make me horny, especially with the way he’s crawling all over me. Shit. He’ll think I’m a jerk.
"Can’t control your dreams." I tell him. Down Zeke. Down. "I had nightmares afterward too."
"Really?" he says. "Guess that makes sense. It was pretty scary for all of us."
He sighs, sounding calmer. "I’m glad I wasn’t alone this time." he mumbles.
"Mmm." I respond, rocking him gently, trying not to take advantage of. . .aw fuck it.
I kiss his forehead.
"It’s nice not to be alone." I say softly.
He smiles slightly as his eyelids droop. Then he blinks rapidly for a few moments before letting his eyes slide closed.
"I could get used to this." he sighs sleepily.
Aw crap. He’s falling asleep. Oh well.
"Me too." I say, grinning at my own piggishness.
"I’ll be eighteen next week." he says. "My parents. . ." He yawns, then continues, "couldn’t stop me."
He snuggles closer, sighing again.
"Let’s talk about that stuff when you’re more awake." I say. "Next week, huh?"
Ohhhhh, birthday party, Zeke style. Sweet.
"Mmm hmm." he says. "The twenty-eighth."
He yawns again, then rubs his face against my neck. "Love you, Zeke." he mumbles.
"I. . .go back to sleep, baby." I say softly, stroking his cheek. Shit, that was a close one. No confusing sex and love, Zeke. You can’t fall in love with someone this quickly.
Can you?
******
That’s a question that nags me all week. In the free moments I get, anyway. Between actually doing homework and getting hauled into the office twice because I actually passed two tests and got accused of cheating, I don’t have a heck of a lot of free time. But the second office visit lets me pass on the birthday message to Stokely without Casey overhearing. Party on Saturday. My place.
Now if only I can figure out a gift.
"See, didn’t I tell you Casey would be good for you?" Stokely says, looking smug as we walk through the halls. "Nice job on his hair, by the way."
"I’m good for him too!" I insist, sounding whinier than I’d like. "He hasn’t gotten beaten up in, like, two weeks."
I look my right hand over and make a face. It’s still a bit bruised from the last ‘anything you try to do to Casey, I’m gonna do to you’ fight I got into. It’s not from hitting someone. It’s from cracking my knuckles on the toilet bowl while I was giving some douchebag junior who was trying to get a cool guy rep a swirly. He won’t do that again.
Funny. I didn’t get sent to the office for that. It’s like the teachers are suddenly looking the other way.
"Yeah, I know." Stokely says, smiling. "You’re both good for each other. I’m glad to see you guys are working out. Maybe I have a future in matchmaking after all."
She grins, winking at me. "So what are you getting him?" she asks.
"I’m not sure yet." I admit, making a face. "Any help would be appreciated. Whenever I think about him, my mind immediately deviates to sex, so I don’t get much thinking done."
"Hmm. . ." she says, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Film for his camera is always good, but a little impersonal coming from a boyfriend. He doesn’t wear much jewelry or I’d say buy him a necklace."
She shakes her head. "Have you tried asking him what he wants?"
"Doesn’t that ruin the surprise?" I point out. "You ask him. Hypothetically."
Awwwwwwwwwwww sweet check out the Casey word! Bing!
Stokely raises an eyebrow, looking amused. "All right then." she says. "I’ll ask him."
She pats my arm. "I’ve got to get back to class. See you later."
"Wait, wait, Stoke. Check this out." I insist, stopping outside my classroom door. I immediately strike a zombie pose, arms outstretched, then shuffle into the class, groaning.
Stokely starts laughing. "You nut." she says, shaking her head.
Most of the kids in the class find it amusing too, laughing. A few look at me strangely. And then there’s Delilah, who rolls her eyes. "Please." she mutters. "Fucking Casey’s made you even weirder, Zeke. Not that you were exactly normal to begin with."
Casey turns around in his seat to glare at her. "Shut up, gutter slut." he hisses. "You’re just jealous because Zeke’s got what you threw away."
Delilah snorts. "Oh yeah, my sloppy seconds. That’s great. Big step up for Zeke."
"Delilah, everyone’s your sloppy seconds." I point out. That gets an "Ooooooooooh." From the class. Sweet.
You know, it’s weird. After the initial drama of ‘HOLY SHIT ZEKE’S GAY,’ things calmed down amazingly fast. All it took was me not becoming a flaming queen. . .and throwing two football players into a dumpster in the back of the school. Casey got a picture of that. It’s awesome.
Sure, there are people that shoot me dirty looks when they think I’m not looking, and there’s a ton of gossip, but it’s not all bad. Stokely and I started a rumor that Casey has a giant rod, and the reason I was away from school for a day was because I was recovering from a massive ass ramming. That one was a GREAT rumor. Casey still doesn’t know we started it.
Delilah looks stunned for a second and then she glares at me. "You think you’re so funny, Zeke." she hisses.
"She’s jealous of Casey, man." one of the students calls out. "Zeke’s never been her flavor of the hour."
"Okay, that’s enough." Mr. Tate says, glancing up from his gradebook on his desk. "Zeke, take your seat. Delilah, see me after class. Charles. . .keep your comments to yourself."
Delilah looks outraged that she’s the only one Mr. Tate wants to talk to after class.
I shoot Charlie a grin, then sit down, winking at Casey. Heinous bitch successfully neutralized.
