This Heart, It Beats, Beats for Only You

Casey was bored. She was sitting in homeroom, filing her nails. Another year, another annoying fucking year. She was over the drama already. She was over everyone following her, copying her, loving her, watching her. It was like a fucking circus, only better dressed and less freak show.

Marisa groaned next to her. She looked up and saw Marisa looking at the door. Casey followed her gaze and rolled her eyes. Sam and Alex had just walked in. “Whatever,” she said and turned back to her nails.

But Marisa was not ready to let it go just yet. “I swear she is like dead to me.”

“Then stop talking about her,” Casey suggested.

Drew laughed on the other side of Marisa, throwing his arm around her as she glared at Casey. Apparently, the last days of Mayhem had been very good to those two. Casey was glad. Marisa deserved some happiness. And Drew was amazing, definitely good enough for her best friend in her books. She had known him for years. He was one of them. She definitely approved. “Come on Ris, you don’t need her,” he reminded her.

Marisa sighed and crossed her arms. “It’s not that. She fucking abandoned us for a guy.”

“Well she’s always been a bit of a bitch,” Casey shrugged, looking at where Sam and Alex were talking to one of his friends, an outcast, just like them now.

“But we’re her friends,” Marisa said. “You aren’t supposed to go against the rules. We all know that. That’s why you broke up with Graham. Guys come and go, no offense Drew.”

“None taken,” Drew smirked.

“But friends are forever,” Casey finished. “Yes we know. Now can we stop talking about her? Like you said, she’s dead to me.”

Sam and Alex took their seats in front of them. There was no choice. They had had the same seats since they started school here. They turned back to face them. Alex was smirking, but Sam had a nervous expression on her face. “H-h-hi guys,” she stammered.

Casey merely looked down to her nails as she continued to file them. Marisa on the other hand had decided not to be so unfazed. “Bye,” she rolled her eyes.

“Wow can you say bitch?” Alex shot back.

“Wow can you say hoe and asshole?” she snapped.

Alex glowered at her. Casey reached out and put her hand on Marisa’s arm. “Not now,” she said.

“But Case,” Marisa said, glaring at Alex.

“Not. Now,” she repeated firmly.

Marisa sighed and sat back. Alex laughed. “Wow the lap dog was just in place.”

Casey looked up. Now he had gone too far. She opened her mouth to hoot him down, but someone else did it for her.

“You know, it’s kind of funny,” Joe said. “How you can think of these retarded things to say.”

“Fuck off,” Alex glowered at him.

Joe just sat down next to Casey, who was just staring at him incredulously. He smirked. “I mean seriously, do you write this stuff down, you know, think of it hours ahead of time and save it for the perfect moment? But then again, that would require a distinct set of brain cells and we all know how you don’t have any of those.”

Marisa and Drew laughed. Casey allowed herself to crack a smile. He was coming to their rescue? This was different. She still didn’t like him after the other night, but she had to admit, he was cool.

“So why don’t you stop embarrassing yourself,” Joe continued. “And turn the fuck around.”

“Or what?” Alex rolled his eyes. “You’ll sing me to death?”

Joe let out a fake laugh. “Oh you kill me. That was funny. Too freaking hilarious. Unfortunately for you, no, it will be a bit more painful for you than listening to me sing.”

Alex looked at Joe, assessing him. Clearly, he was not some lanky singer. He had muscle, a hell of a lot more than Alex. He glowered at him. “This isn’t over,” he said.

“Apparently it is,” Casey said, putting her file down on the desk. “So why don’t you turn around and get out of my face before you and your little hoe regret it?” And she turned back to filing her nails, but not before seeing Sam’s lip quaver as she turned around.

“So does anyone know where the computer lab is?” Joe asked, looking at his schedule and changing the subject.

“Down the hall to the right,” Marisa said.

“Thanks,” he grinned before turning to Casey. “So can we call a truce please?”

Casey rolled her eyes. “A truce?”

“I’m sorry for – the other night,” Joe said. “So friends?” He put his hand out to shake.

Casey looked at him. He really looked sincere. But after everything that was said – she didn’t know. Then again, as he had just demonstrated, being friends with him couldn’t be so bad. She smiled, and shook his hand. “Friends – kind of.”

He laughed. “I’ll take what I can get. So where’s the,” he looked down at his schedule again. “Chemistry lab?”

“Downstairs,” she said. “When do you have it?”

“Next period,” he said.

“Me too,” she said. “I’ll show you.”

“Awesome,” he grinned as their homeroom teacher Mr. Dodd stepped in front of the class. He gave his annual a new year speech, but Casey wasn’t listening. She was trying to figure out the catch of her new friendship.