Polaroid Cancer

“You really think your parents will like me?” Casey asks while both of them are curled up in Oliver’s king size bed under two blankets and a puffy duvet.

There is a light touch of his fingers tracing down her back, his forehead pressed between her shoulder blades. She feels a warm blossom of a kiss there and he pops his head up, resting his chin on her arm, “O’course they will, Casey, why wouldn’t they?”

“You need to shave mister,” Casey jokes, tilting her head enough to glance at him briefly. His face is only a dark outline, but she can see traces of his smile, “And I don’t know… maybe, because I’m American? I mean, you’re last… girlfriend… probably didn’t help American girls in their eyes.”

He lets out a long, weary sigh, “Believe me, they don’t think you’re anything like ‘er. If anything, they encouraged me to go out with yeh when I told them all about you.”

“Oh…” Casey breathes, absent-mindedly tracing Oliver’s knuckles, “Well, if that’s the case… I hope everything goes alright tomorrow night.”

Oliver kisses her again, only on the shoulder this time, “It will, love, don’ worry.”



Oliver peers into the kitchen, his face covered in shaving cream and his hair all messy and spiked up. Casey is sitting at the kitchen counter, back facing him, quietly munching on a piece of buttered toast and reading a book all about raising puppies. Her feet are tapping gently on the ground, her head slowly moving while she reads. Oliver inches carefully over to her, his hands raised and fingers hooked to look like claws.

Casey starts bringing over the last bit of toast to her mouth- “BOO!”

Flying out of her seat, the puppy book goes flying and whacks Oliver right on top of his head, and the little piece of toast goes shooting across the room. Casey is sprawled out on the linoleum floor, grabbing at her chest.

Oliver rubs his head, staring down at her in disappointment, “Yeh didn’t even scream… dammit.”

“Ah, um, screw you!” She stammers, gasping for breath.

“Maybe later, babe,” He winks, bending down to grab the book. Casey quickly scrambles to her knees and pinches him hard on the butt. Oliver shoots up straight and jumps a good five feet forward right into the wall with a smack, “Fuck me!”

“No, you can fuck yourself!” Casey gets to her feet, smiling devilishly at him as she goes over to quickly snatch up the piece of toast and toss it on the plate, “That’s what you get.”

“What? The book hittin’ me head wasn’t enough for yeh?” He grunts, wiping off the shaving cream on the wall with his hands.

“That was your own fault,” Casey says, folding her arms and tilting her head back in triumph. When Oliver turns to confront her, there is a glint of mischievousness in his large brown eyes, a wide grin is plastered on his face. “Oh no, don’t you even think about it mister…”

“Oh, yes…” Oliver lunges at her from across the room and Casey just narrowly escapes as she goes half screaming/half laughing down the hallway. She turns sharply down another corridor and hides herself in an empty guestroom, diving behind a closet door. Pressing a hand to her mouth, Casey listens carefully for the padding of Oliver’s feet for a few minutes.

Nothing.

She goes to poke her head out and wham! Oliver has her by the wrists and pushes her playfully down on the bed. He sits on her hips, her arms trapped by her sides, and now Casey is only left glaring up at him. There is a broad smirk playing on his lips.

“Fine, you win.” Casey says, closing her eyes and letting her body go limp.

Oliver leans down, the shaving cream wiped off now and kisses her on the lips, “I love yeh, Casey.”

“I love you, too, Oli,” She smiles, “Can you let me up, though? I’m feeling a tiny bit claustrophobic.” He rolls over next to her and grabs her hand.

“Ready t’ leave in about an hour?” Oliver asks and Casey nods, staring up at the ceiling as if it is the most interesting thing in the world, “Me mum decided to ‘ave lunch at her house. If it makes yeh feel any better, Matt will be there an’ I know yeh two are good mates.”

Casey gives him a weak smile, “Well, better take a shower and get dressed, right?”