As I packed a bag; he sat on my bed "Back to the conversation from earlier. Don't let Kylie make you feel like you aren't worthy or beautiful because you are. She treats you badly because you are what she isn't, you don't need to worry about me taking any interest in her. I promise it will never happen. You have my full attention." My body froze and I just stared at him completely speechless. I thought he would kiss me again but instead, he waved his hand in my face "Casey?" I looked away "We should head to your house." He noticed I felt uncomfortable "Do you have everything you need?"
I nodded my head and started walking to the door; I stopped "Almost forgot." I grabbed my skateboard from my closet "I'm ready now." We walked outside, and just as I put the skateboard on the ground, Amanda walked up "Casey! Hey!" She hugged me as if we were friends "So this is your boyfriend? Kylie said he was a cutie." I rolled my eyes "He's not my boyfriend and why do you still talk to her?" She shrugged "I hate her as much as you do, but someone has to be in on her plans, right?" I crossed my arms "Sure. Why aren't you at school?" She smirked "I was sick this morning, what about you? Just being Casey?" I chuckled "You know that answer." She hugged me again "I have to get home, see you at school." I saw through her true colors, she was only being nice to get close to Tomas for Kylie.
Tomas noticed I was annoyed, "Are you okay?" I turned to look at him "I'm fine." He smiled "You can talk to me." I faked a smile in return "I already said too much." I jumped on my skateboard, he followed me. I kicked my board up to carry through the grass; Tomas set my backpack down "Come here real quick." I threw my skateboard down "What's wrong?" He sat in the grass smiling "Just come here."
I sat down next to him "Isn't your dad at home waiting on us?" He looked at me "He went back to work, he text me when you were on the phone." I laid back in the grass, and he laid next to me "You're good at skating, how long have you skated?" I looked up at the clear blue sky "Since I was like maybe 7 or 8." A group of guys walked up to us "Hey Casey." I sat up "What do you want Matt?" He smirked at Tomas "Boyfriend?"
Tomas sat up "'What if I am? What concern do you have to ask that?" Matt looked back at me with a smirk "Everyone knows he isn't your boyfriend. Say you'll give me that chance since he's just stuck in the friend zone." Tomas stood up "Bro back off, she has no interest in you otherwise you would be her boyfriend." Matt stepped in Tomas's face "Don't step up if you aren't going to fight."
I stood up "I have no interest in you even if we were the last two people on this planet." Matt bit his lip "Don't hate babe, you don't have to pretend anymore. Everyone knows you've liked me for years. All you have to do is say yes." I became agitated and Tomas sensed it "As I said before. Back off." His words had more poison to them than before and I knew this would get bad fast. Matt's attention came to me "What's wrong Casey? Lost your voice?" I glared at him "Leave. Please." He and the other guys chuckled "Come on baby. Everyone knows about your crush on him, but you're so scared he'll reject you. Kylie's told everyone, I won't reject you so say yes." I shook my head and mad dogged him "It's like her to say that but I couldn't imagine what she's said about you. That's all she knows how to do, spread her legs and rumors."
His jaw dropped sarcastically "I'm surprised. You can speak up for yourself." I slapped him "Get out of my face or the next one will be a punch." He laughed "You did not just hit me." Tomas stepped up "Don't you think about touching her." Matt smirked "Or what? Her prince charming is going to rescue her?" I grabbed Tomas's arm before he pulled it forward "It's not worth it. Let him be a child on his own." I grabbed the backpack and my board then pulled Tomas by his arm.
Tomas pulled his arm back from me "No I won't let this punk disrespect you." I dropped the backpack and skateboard, Tomas punched Matt a few times while Matt blocked his face. Matt's friends eventually tackled Tomas to the ground and started throwing their hands at his face. I grabbed Matt's friends by their shirts and threw them off one by one "Very mature all of you!" Tomas sat up heavily breathing "You're a bitch having your friends take on your fights."
Matt laughed "Come at me then." Tomas stood up and started going at him again, I shook my head and wiped my forehead of sweat. Matt fell on his butt. Tomas stood over him and spat at his feet "How's that? Don't ever come across me again." I grabbed my backpack, picked up my board, and said "Can we leave now?" Matt's friends attempted to hit Tomas again but I dragged him away from them threatening to hit them with my skateboard.
We started walking to his dad's house, Tomas pulled me back "Wait... You aren't mad at me right?" I looked down at the sidewalk "You don't have to come to my defense all the time, you should've walked away but no I'm not mad at you." He smiled then said, "Good because I couldn't handle you being mad at me." I laughed "I'm sure you could."
He slowly walked toward me and grabbed my hand "I appreciate you pulling them off but you shouldn't do it again, I'd feel bad if you got hit." I looked at his hand and looked back up, he smiled "I mean it." I looked down, then back up, he smiled and gently pulled me into his arms. He pulled away "Also I won't reject you, I think I made that clear before." I could feel my face heat up from being nervous; he brushed my hair back "I want you to be my girlfriend. You can think about it as long as you need to. There's no rush for an answer. I'll wait."
Before I could answer, Rob pulled up in his truck "You two should be at school." Tomas backed away from me "Dad we were heading back to the house." Rob unlocked the doors "Get in, I'm heading there." We got in the truck, I texted Ashlyn "I think Tomas just asked me to be his girlfriend!" She replied "You think? What did he say?"
We pulled into their driveway, we got out; Rob went inside. Tomas waited for me to get out, Ashlyn called me "Hey hold on." Tomas said, "I'm going to get my board, thought we could hang out here if that's okay?" I nodded my head "Yeah that's fine." He ran inside, Ashlyn asked, "So what'd he say?" I sighed "He wants me to be his girlfriend." She giggled "Well. What did you say?" I chuckled "I haven't given him an answer, his dad pulled up but he said I can take my time to give him an answer. That he'll wait."
She got excited "You guys will be such a cute couple, don't let Kylie's words get to you. If you like him, go out with him. Don't let that fear get to you." He came running outside "Ready to go?" I threw my hair back "Ashlyn I'll text you." She chuckled "Tell him yes, be yourself, Casey." I smiled "I know bye." I hung up, and he grabbed my backpack from me "I'll take this inside for you." I followed him inside "I'll go with you." He smiled back "Come on."
Rob called my name "Casey." I went into the kitchen "Yes?" He grabbed his keys off the island "I have to get back to work, is there anything you need or would like me to bring for you?" I shook my head "No I'm okay. Thank you for letting me stay here." He smiled "You are always welcome here." I smiled at him and went back upstairs with Tomas; he showed me my room and where everything was at.
We went back downstairs, his dad left back to work; he opened the fridge and grabbed us some water "Ready?" I stopped him before he went outside "Tomas wait." He stopped and waited for me to say something "Never mind. We can go." We jumped on our skateboards and started skating down the road, we came up to a speed bump, he stopped but I jumped over it.
I landed on my back, and he helped me up "Are you okay? I didn't think you'd jump that." I dust myself off "I landed wrong, I'm okay. I thought you would jump it." He helped dust off my back "I could've but I thought you'd stop at it. That was impressive for a girl." I put my hands on my hips "You doubted me for being a girl?" He smirked with a shrug "You've already proved me wrong so not much I can say to defend myself."
I kicked my board up and caught it "There's a lot of things I can do, I'm sure will surprise you." I ran up the street to redo it; I threw my board down and jumped on it, I flipped my board when it went over the speed bump and landed on it. I stopped the board "Your turn." He ran up the street and skated down, jumping over the speed bump perfectly but kind of stumbled when he landed. I grabbed at his shirt before he fell off but he managed to stay on his board.
He stepped off laughing "Almost fell off." He picked up his board "There's a skate park nearby, want to go?" I bit my lip "I want to talk to you. Just real quick." He dropped his board and stood with one foot on it "What's up?" I could feel my confidence shutting down, but I shook it off "If I say yes to you. Um... you won't change your mind right?" He kicked his board to the side of the street "Of course not." I played with my hands in front of me "Then yes I will be your girlfriend."
He smiled "Do you want to play basketball instead?" I bit my lip "I'm down." He grabbed his skateboard from the side of the road "First one back gets the ball." I picked up my board and started running, he picked his up and ran after me "That's cheating!" I looked back smiling "It's not cheating when you weren't paying attention."
We ran on the sidewalk to his house and he tackled me in the grass. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me on the cheek "You win cheater." I laid my head on the grass "I didn't cheat." He fell on his back beside me "I was going to let you go first even if you lost." He got up "I'll get the ball; my dad usually plays with me, but he's been busy at work." He ran inside to grab the ball, I sat in the grass and began to miss my mom.
He came back outside "Ready to play?" I stood up and dusted myself off "Yeah." He asked as he bounced the ball "Are you alright?" I fixed my ponytail "Fine why?" He threw the ball at me "Looked upset when I came out." I dribbled the ball "Nope. Just in deep thought." I tossed it at the hoop, making it in, and he caught it "Nice toss." He started bouncing it; I ran to steal it from him, I managed to get it from him and tossed it in the hoop.
He rested his hands on his hips "Anything you aren't good at?" I shrugged "Not that I know of." My phone started ringing in the grass, I ran to it "Hey Ashlyn." She asked "What are you up to? Did you give him an answer?" I avoided her question "We're just playing basketball." She sighed "He's a good guy, I can tell. When are you going to tell him, Casey? I already came up with a relationship name."
I rolled my eyes "I'm going to when the time is right. You act like he's proposing to me." She giggled "You never know, maybe one day." I smiled at Tomas "Bye Ashlyn." He flopped down next to me "Gossiping about me?" I threw my phone down "Of course, I have so much to talk about you." He smiled "I don't mind. Good things I hope." His dad pulled up the driveway, and he got out "Are you two hungry?"
Tomas looked at me "Are you?" I nodded my head, we got up and went inside to eat; after we ate, Rob, Tomas, and I went back outside to play basketball until the sunset. The three of us sat on the curb, Rob asked "So Casey when is your first game?" I took a drink from my water "This Friday is my first game and not sure if my mom will be there. Kind of bummed about it, but I know she'd like to be."
Rob looked at Tomas "We'll be there cheering you on. That's if you'd like. I don't work on Friday." Tomas smiled "Of course, we'll be there for your first game, you don't have a choice." I laughed "Choice or not I would like that." Rob stood up "We should get inside you two, it's getting late." We went inside the house, Rob stayed downstairs while we did homework upstairs. We studied till it was time to go to bed.
I went to the room I was going to be staying in, I called my mom to tell her goodnight "Goodnight Mom." She said "Casey, I love you and please I am begging you not to get in any trouble or get kicked out. I'm going to be here for about a year. I'm going to find a place and move you out with me. It'll just be for your seventh-grade year, then we can move back."
I cut her off "Mom! No! Why do we have to move? Just let me stay here!" She got upset "Casey, calm down it's just for a year." I got angry and hung up on her, I sat on the bed almost in tears; I looked up at Tomas sitting on the bed "What's wrong?" I pushed my bangs back "My mom. She wants me to move schools next year but we'll be back here for our 8th-grade year." He frowned "Why? I thought you were staying here."
I shrugged "That's what I thought. She wants me to finish this year and move over in the summer." He stood up "I'll come in later after my dad goes to sleep. I'm not supposed to be in here with you." I smiled "Okay goodnight." He went back to his room, I laid in bed and tried to hold back my thoughts and tears but the thought ate at me. I eventually fell asleep waiting for Tomas to come in but he never did, I just thought he fell asleep.
Tomas came in around 2 am and shook me awake, he whispered "Hey. Wake up." I opened my eyes and whispered, "What?" He looked out the door and back at me "I'm sorry, but I don't like you. This was a joke that Kylie came up with and I just don't see myself with someone like you." I began to cry; it woke me up. I sat up breathing heavily. It was just a dream, calm down.
I got up, and quietly walked down the hall to Tomas' room; I quietly shook him. He mumbled but didn't open his eyes; I shook him again. He opened his eyes and whispered, "What's wrong?" I whispered "Just a bad dream." He sat up and yawned "About what?" I shook my head "I should get back to bed before we get in trouble." He moved over on his bed "Sit down." I sat on the bed and whispered "We're going to get in trouble."
He gave me one of his sleepy smiles "My dad is a deep sleeper, I'm sure I could be banging pots and pans and he wouldn't move." He yawned and laid back down "You can sleep with me; I'll talk to my dad in the morning." I stood up "I'm not going to get you in trouble, he was clear about us sleeping in the same room." He chuckled "You want to sleep alone? I'm going to tell him you got scared because you had a nightmare which is the truth." I stood by his bed hesitating but ended up lying next to him; we both fell asleep while talking.