This Heart, It Beats, Beats for Only You

“Okay back it up Joe,” a voice called outside the window, the volume waking Casey from her peaceful sleep. She groaned as a beeping noise carried into her room from outside. “No, no, too far,” the voice called. “You’re about to hit Nick! Stop!”

“Sorry Nick,” another voice called as the beeping stopped.

Casey sighed, sitting up in her bed to look at the clock. Eleven o’clock? What the hell? She groaned as the beeping commenced again. Who the hell made this much noise at freaking eleven o’clock on a Saturday morning? She sighed, throwing her covers off and grabbing her phone off the nightstand next to her. She was up, whether she liked it or not, and now she was hungry too. She quickly dialed Marisa’s number.

“Hello,” Marisa answered, her voice groggy.

“Oh, did I wake you,” Casey asked innocently.

“Yeah,” she replied.

“Great, well now that you’re up, rise and sine Ris. School starts in one week and two days, and you know what that means,” Casey said, suddenly glad she was awakened.

“Mayhem,” Marisa said excitedly. “It starts tonight, right?”

“Yup,” Casey grinned. “Which means we have to go get breakfast before going shopping.”

“Yes,” she exclaimed. “New cute outfits shopping I presume?”

“Of course,” Casey said, smiling as she checked her reflection in her dresser mirror. She winced as there was more screaming outside. “Plus, I have to get out of here. New neighbors moving in.”

“Are they cute,” she asked automatically.

“I haven’t seem them yet, but so far, I got that they’re loud and annoying,” Casey rolled their eyes. “Speaking of cute boys, what’s going on with you and Drew? I saw him leave last night.”

Marisa coughed. “Nothing. He just um – came over to watch a movie.”

“Right,” Casey laughed. “Come on Ris, spill!”

“It’s nothing – yet,” Marisa explained. “I’ll tell you about it while we shop.”

“You better,” she said excitedly. Marisa hadn’t liked anyone in so long. Though she didn’t say anything, Casey knew it was because Marisa had liked Drew, as she had for the last 4 years. If they were going out now, Casey would just die.

“I need new clothes,” Marisa changed the topic. “I have absolutely nothing to wear this week.”

Casey laughed. Typical Marisa. But her change worked. “Ris, you have more clothes than me, Zoe, and Stac put together.”

“Yeah, but they’re all old,” Marisa whined.

“Fine, call the girls,” Casey said. “I’ll pick you up in half an hour.” Outside, there was a crash. Casey groaned, walking to the window to see what was happening, and saw the moving truck had backed away right into her mailbox. What the hell? How the hell did he hit that? It was nowhere near their garage.

“Are you going to kill them now,” Marisa asked, laughing.

“Maybe,” Casey glared out the window. “I’ll call you back.”

She hung up, and went outside, fuming. They had hit her fucking mailbox. How the hell had they done that? Her mom was already out there, talking to another lady. Casey walked over, pissed. And then she heard her mom laugh. Laugh. Casey didn’t find the situation amusing. “Um, mom,” Casey said, walking over to her mom.

Both women turned to face her. “Oh hi honey, you’re actually up and it’s before noon,” her mom joked.

Casey rolled her eyes. “Funny. What’s going on?”

“Oh nothing dear,” her mom smiled. “Meet Denise, or rather Mrs. Jonas to you.”

“No, Denise is fine,” the woman smiled at her. She was pretty, Casey observed. She had one of those kind faces too.

“This is my daughter Casey,” her mom put her arm around her shoulders.

“Nice to meet you Casey,” Denise smiled.

“You too,” she smiled too.

“You must be 17, 18, right,” she asked her.

“I’m 17,” Casey answered.

“Oh, I have a son that age,” Denise grinned.

“Is he the one that hit our mailbox,” Casey asked.

“Casey,” her mom scolded her.

But Denise laughed. “Actually yes. I’m so terribly sorry about that. Joseph has a tendency of – acting before he thinks.”

“And of course, it’s okay,” her mom said pointedly looking at Casey. “It’s only a mailbox after all.”

“Mom,” a voice called from the door way next door. They all looked to see a curly haired boy standing there. “Joe is trying to make pancakes.”

“Oh lord,” Denise sighed. “I have to go. This could end badly for the kitchen.” She smiled at Casey and her mom. “Nice to meet you guys.”

“You too,” her mom said. “And see you tonight.”

“Okay, see you then,” Denise said, walking in.

“Tonight,” Casey asked her mom.

“Hm,” she asked, turning back towards their house.

“You said see you tonight,” she said. “What’s tonight mother?”

“Oh we’re having a barbeque with Denise and her family,” her mother said excitedly. “Isn’t that exciting? She has four boys. And two of them are pretty close to your age. And they’re pretty cute too.”

“Ew,” Casey shuddered. “Mom, they’re too young for you.”

Her mom swatted her playfully. “Hush. Your father is coming home early, and everything.”

“But tonight is the first night of summer mayhem,” Casey gasped. “I have to go.”

“Casey, they’re our new neighbors,” her mom said as they walked into their house through the kitchen door. “We have to be neighborly.”

“Couldn’t we be neighborly for lunch of – next week or something,” Casey asked. “Or better yet, let’s just send them a fruit basket or something.”

“Casey,” her mom scolded her. “You know how your father feels about the whole family image. So you’re going to be here and you’re going to entertain those four boys.”

“All four of them,” Casey asked bitterly. “Trying to traffic me out mother?” Her mom sent her a look. But Casey didn’t care right now. She had to go to mayhem. “Mom, you don’t understand. It’s mayhem.”

“So,” her mom asked. “You want to hang out with your friends right? Call Marisa and them over for the barbeque.”

“Mom, you cannot do this,” Casey begged. “Please, come on.”

Her mother sighed, looking at her for a long time. Casey knew she would get her way with that look. She always did. Her mom liked to play up the authoritative figure act every once in a while. It never lasted long. “Fine,” she said.

“Yes,” she exclaimed.

“But,” her mom cut in. “You have to take the boys.”

“What, no,” Casey said.

“Those are the choices,” her mom said. “Be here and miss it, or take them with you. Pick one.”

Casey groaned. “Fine, but they better not be dorks.”