Chapter 123

Emma's POV 

 "I literally thought it was gonna be farther than this." Casey's apartment was about ten minutes from mine. 

We walked the whole distance in silence. I was too nervous to bring something up, but I doubt that was the same thing for her. 

 "I'm sorry in advance for whatever you're gonna be seeing in there." She said, and I chuckled a bit. Casey was effortlessly funny. "You can still turn back now, I'm serious." 

 "No, Casey. I wanna spend the day with you." I confirmed. 

I expected her to take out her keys and unlock, but she went straight for the door knob instead. 

 "Here goes…" 

 "Hi Emma." I heard the last voice I expected to hear, the very last voice. 

 "Why didn't you tell me?" I asked Casey. "I literally just met you. How do y'all know each other?" I asked again. I had so many questions, but I was gonna be taking it one after the other. 

 "I'm sorry, Emma. I've gotta explain, please come in." She said, 

 "Your house doesn't even have as many colors as you made it seem. It's pretty and quite vintage." I exclaimed. "Is anything you said even true?" I asked, flabbergasted. 

I had never been so lied to, never. 

 "Yeah, I meant it when I thanked you for saving me a seat." Casey said. "My name is also Casey, Cassietela." She smiled a really toothy smile, pleading with her eyes for me to stay. 

 "I'm disappointed." I replied to her, truthfully. 

 "That's obvious, and I can explain." She said, "I was barely getting by. My rent's due in two weeks and his offer came in fast. He also had more to spare." She rapped, and looked at him guiltily. 

He remained stoic like I'd always known him to be. 

 "How did you know it was me?" I asked Casey, as I still was not ready to refer to him. 

 "Wasn't so hard to figure out, I had vivid descriptions." She explains, "You're quite typical, Emma." 

I chuckled, against my own will, cause that was so fuckin true. 

 "Come in, Emma. I've got pancakes." She said 

I was mad at her, but everything that flew out of her mouth was tickling my funny bone. 

 "I've gotta say I'm not too happy with you." I said. 

 "That's okay. Just as long as you stay, I know you're not mad enough to not save me a seat tomorrow." She replied. 

 "Are you always late?" I asked her. 

 "Kinda." She answers. 

 "Whatever, I'm still mad."i said

 "That's fair, but not something that cannot be fixed." Casey replied. 

 "I thought I was done with you." I said to him, 

He looked so proud, so boastful. 

 "I've decided to get the other tat, Casey." He smiled and said to her instead, while he maintained eye contact with me. 

I'd not seen him in three weeks, and going next to him brought back all the emotions I thought I buried in County, Arizona. 

 "That would cost an additional $250." Casey replied to him. 

I didn't think I wanted to be around when they got to it. 

But I was letting my hormones do the thinking for me. 

I wanted to be there, and I didnt want to, at the same time. 

 "Emma, can we go in?" Casey begged, "my neighbors have a knack for gossip and I swear their heads are all in their doors right now." She said it loud enough for anyone around to actually hear, and in her defense, I did hear some scampering around after she did. 

I swallowed my pride and anger and let Casey let me in. She locked the door behind me, cementing my decision. 

 "How large is it in here?" I asked her. I wanted to be close to him, but not too close. 

That morning was the last time I saw him, and I'm not sure we still have anymore things to say to each other, except, of course, why he's stalking me. 

 "Large enough for y'all not to go bumping into yourselves." Casey read my mind. 

 "Lily's a darling." He added, unasked. 

 "I think your guest's talking to you." I said to Casey and headed into what I thought to be her room. 

 "That's the kitchen." She offered at the same time I realized I was in the wrong place. 

 "Roger that." I said, and changed directions. Casey's room was pretty, and classy. It was interior design at its peak. 

Kinda like a forest feel. Her furniture was a glazed, honey coloured look.

 "I've gotta get started, Emma." Casey interrupted my mental tour. "Make yourself at home. I've gotta get that paycheck. How else can I make it up to you?" I let her go, there was enough stuff to keep me busy in there. 

It was just noon, so I had all the time in the world. 

 "I feel bad." Casey told him as she re-entered her living room, 

 "I don't see why." He replied. 

 "I don't expect you to." She shot back at him. "Your plans are literally hatching." 

 "That's one way to see it." He replied to her. 

 "Tell me what other way there is." Casey replied to him. 

 "It's complicated, Casey, watch it all unfold." He said, I hated the pride in his voice. 

I sat in silence on her bed, wondering how in two days, I'd landed myself in such an odd position. 

 "There has to be a God who's having so much fun right now." I said to myself. 

They got to business, and I could hear him groan at some point. 

I blocked their noises out with Casey's pillows, till I couldn't anymore. Then I stormed out, and saw him sprawled on Casey's recliner, I've gotta say his muscles were so fucking sexy. He had such a toned core… I shook the thoughts out of my head and replaced them with unfounded aggression. 

 "Why do you even do the things you do?" I asked him, vexed. 

 "I think we both know the answers to that question." He replied, smiling. 

I missed his eyes, I missed his smile, and as much as I hated to admit it, I really did. 

I'd been in one of the most prestigious schools in the USA and I was yet to meet a guy as breathtaking as him still. 

 "I don't want to see you, Kevin." I said, clearly, "and you didn't have to go through my friend." I added. 

 "I'm sorry Emma." Casey interrupted.