Blurring the Lines

The rain soaked Casely, as she sat in the park, the metal bench underneath her cold to the touch. She crossed her legs, holding them in place with her hands as the rain fell down on her. It was always raining here, and it was becoming dreadfully cold as fall was beginning to barrel in.

Though it was dangerous to sit in such cold rain for fear of getting sick, Casely didn’t care. Sitting in the rain was one of her favorite things to do, even though many that passed looked at her like she was crazy. Perhaps she was crazy. But it didn’t really matter. Not to her.

All her life, Casely had been raised to be pure and proper. But when that was all discarded at fifteen years of age, nothing felt pure anymore. Everything in that household, everything in her felt poisoned. But not the rain. The rain always felt pure, even though it was dirty, in a sense. And Liam’s dance. That felt pure too.

Liam and Casely had not spoken since that night, three nights prior. After their dance, Casely had been cornered by Vienna, who was practically seething at the fact that Casely was dancing with Liam Payne. The Liam Payne, who’s father was just as involved in politics as their own.

So no, Vienna refused to have Casely anywhere near the boy who could be Vienna’s perfect match. Casely had almost laughed in her sisters face. But as she took the brunt of Vienna’s insults, she did the same thing she always did: she got angry.

Naturally, her anger led her to do something very stupid, and very amusing to watch. The girl may have happened across knocking one of the many candles over into the curtain. Such a terrible place for a candle, she had insisted. In her room, she had laughed about it.

But now, she sat in the rain, very quiet and with her eyes closed. It was the only time she ever allowed herself to be at peace. It was difficult, for Wrath to find any form of peace within them. By definition they were a constant carrier of rage and had the drive to feel vengeance. And sometimes that was exhausting.

Footsteps sounding in Casely’s ears, and she waited for them to pass. As they neared her though, they stopped. They stopped close, and she knew that they didn’t continued like others had. So she opened her eyes, looking down and letting her eyes adjust to the figure in front of her.

“What the hell are you doing?” Liam asked, looking at her from under a dry umbrella. Casely was surprised to see him, dressed in a simple t-shirt and jeans. It seemed like something so simple, for him. “Do you want to catch a cold?”

A smile graced her face at his concern. It was the first time she had heard concern in someone’s voice, especially directed at her. “I’m enjoying the rain, thank you for asking. And may I ask what you’re doing?”

“Walking home from the store,” he informed, shaking his head. “And now I’m escorting you home, because it’s cold and you’re soaking wet.”

“Well I can’t exactly get any wetter,” she pointed out, raising her brows as the rain came down on her and his umbrella. He seemed stumped, realizing that this was true. but he was unmoved. “Oh alright, don’t get your knickers in a twist. You can walk me home.”

The boy grinned as she stood, moving a dark, wet strand of hair from her face. Together they walked under the umbrella, though Casely was already soaked to the bone. Liam still held the shield over her, determined to keep her out of the rain. The gesture made her smile, despite herself.

“Aren’t you worried, to be out by yourself?” Liam questioned, looking down at her. Standing next to him without heels on, she realized just how tall he was. He was quite muscular as well. “After recent events?”

By ‘recent events’ Liam meant the chaos that had broken out two days before. Casely knew well of what had happened. A sin protest had been going on outside of one of the schools, because students were not being treated equally. The protest, as many had, got out of control. But then something had happened for the first time ever. Someone had been shot.

Casely had not known the Sin man, only his name and face. He had been leading in protest for equality and to prove the testing wrong for years. And someone had finally gotten sick of it, clearly. It was only a matter of time, Casely thought, before things really got out of hand.

“He was just fighting for what he believed in,” she muttered, her tone cross. She had a feeling that Liam was going to see it the way her parents did; better for everyone. Tragic, but better. “And he was killed for it.”

“I admire him for it,” Liam admitted, starting the girl. She looked at him, blinking in surprise. He wasn’t looking at her. “I think that it is a brave thing, to stand up for what you believe in, even though many don’t agree. It’s a shame.”

Casely was rendered speechless. It took a few moments for her to remember that Liam was a Virtue. Of course he would be kind and honest about it. But unlike most Virtues she had met, he seemed to be pure at heart, seemed to truly be virtuous. There were few like that. “I did not expect that.”

“What?” The turned a corner and began nearing her home. She could see it towering, and she loathed it. “To be honest?”

“No, just that you don’t share the common opinion.”

The rain lessoned as they neared the home and then stopped entirely. Liam glanced up before removing the umbrella and closing it, shrugging as he faced Casely. She stood at the path that lead towards the massive home, turning to face him. “Sometimes the common opinion, isn’t the best opinion, you’ll find. Now can I trust you to go inside or take a warm shower?”

Casely raised a brow, shrugging. An evil grin crossed her face. “Maybe. Or maybe you’ll have to come watch.”

Liam chuckled and leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on her cheek before walking backwards. She had not expected the gesture, and her mouth parted in surprise a bit, her cheek tingling where his lips had been moments before. “As tantalizing as that is, it would be quite improper on our first date.”

“This wasn’t a date!”

“Then let’s make it one. Friday, I’ll pick you up at seven.”

Casely fought for words but Liam simply shot her a charming smile before turning on his heel, back facing her. He kicked up the umbrella over his shoulder, whistling all the while as he turned the corner, never looking back at her. She stood there, completely shocked. No one had ever done that before.

“Well,” she stated to herself. “That was fucking strange.”

Glancing up at the house, she only knew one thing for certain. And that was that she needed to call Gray. Gray would know what to do. Especially in times where things were going to heat up between the Sins and Virtues. Nothing was easy, when there were two sides.