no one said it would be easy

Chapter 5 - slurpee night 2.0

Izzie

„...and that's why we didn't evolve from apes. They aren't our great-great grandparents. They're rather something like...", Sam knits his eyebrows, thinking of the best way to describe what's on his mind, „like distant cousins! Yes, they are more like distant cousins. We share the same ancestors, but our evolutionary paths diverged from those of chimpanzees and gorillas about six million years ago."

Casey leans back to process what her brother just said.

„So apes are basically the weird cousins at family gatherings, that the great grandmother invited, and you don't understand them quite well but somehow you vibe together!", she looks at the ceiling while gesturing with her hands.

Sam puts on a confused look: „That doesn't make any sense, Casey."

„Well it does for me. I think I got it. The whole topic is way clearer now. Do you think so, too?", Casey turns around to face me. Her hair is still in a half bun, but it's way looser now than it was before. Probably because I played with her hair when we layed on the bed after having a pillow fight. The half bun suits her, it highlights her jaw. My gaze wanders over her face. There's nothing that isn't pretty about her.

„Hello? Earth to Izzie?", Casey is waving her hand in front of my face.

„Huh?! What? Uhm, yeah! It does make a lot more sense now. Thank you Sam, only because of you Newton and I will nail this test tomorrow", I say, turning my face to Sam again. It's so nice of him to help us in biology. Casey and I would screw up so badly, if he didn't help us.

„Newton? What's that?", Sam asks. It's just then I realize he doesn't know of Casey's nickname. A soft smile is placed on my lips.

„Newton is Casey. It's my nickname for her. I call her like that because she's from Newton", I explain for him. The memory of meeting Casey for the first time let's me giggle a little bit. I was so mean to her, just because I heard some rumors about her punching a girl. Thinking about it, she never told me if she really did punch someone. I have to ask her later.

„Okay Newton and Izzie, I'll go back to my room now. Paige wanted to skype again, she wants to talk about how I shouldn't talk about our magical encount... Damn, I did it again. Okay I gotta go, bye Newton and Izzie", and with that he walks out of the room.

„I guess even Sam will call me Newton now, thanks to you", Casey says, leaning on her arms and trying not to have a doublechin.

„‚Newton' suits you somehow. I like the nickname more than ‚Case'. Plus there's a story behind it and nicknames based on stories are way better anyway. My cousin ate a snail once when he was drunk. He's known as Turbo now, after this movie you know?", I tell her.

She puts on a slightly disgusted face: „Ew, that's gross. But also a bit funny."

I scoot up closer to her and put my face on her chest, slinging one arm around her torso. Casey puts an arm around me and places a soft kiss on the middle of my head. She caresses my arm with her one hand and tries to cover me with the blanket with the other hand.

It's so nice how caring she is. When I'm with her I feel like I finally arrived. Like I found my place. Never could I've had imagined that I'd end up cuddling with the new girl from Newton, that I disliked so much. But Casey is everything I was looking for in a person. She's loving, smart, funny (even if I'll deny it when she's laughing at her own joke again), and - and that's what I like most about her - she's real. She never faked being someone she wasn't. My thoughts wrap around Casey how her arm is wrapped around me, and with that I slowly drift into a peaceful sleep.

~~~

Casey

My eyes flutter open and I realize Izzie and I must have fallen asleep. She's still cuddled against me and her breaths are slow and steady. I listen to her quiet snoring and almost fall asleep again, when I remember Izzie has to get home. We didn't previously arrange a sleepover so her mom will be pissed if she doesn't get home on time.

I grab my phone and check the time. It's 9 pm and Izzie has to be home at 10. Maybe, we can...

„Izzie...", I gently shake her shoulder, „hey Iz... you need to wake up."

I only get an angry grunt as an answer so I shake her a bit more powerful: „Izzie!"

She shoots up from her sleep, looking a bit confused.

„Jeez, Newton, couldn't you... I don't know, be a bit more sensitive when waking up a sleeping girl?", Izzie's rubbing her right eye and yawns a bit.

„I was, but the Sleeping Beauty right here didn't wake up, so I had to be a bit more demanding", a strand of hair is falling in her face, so I gently tuck it behind her ear.

„I have an idea. You have to be home in an hour, that's enough time to get cotton candy slurpees. We can drink them and then I'll drive you home. How does that sound?"

Izzie turns around to face me, a smile placed on her lips: „Sounds amazing. Let's get going."

~~~

Casey

„Why are they only selling those delicious slurpees four towns away? I wish I could get them everyday", the flavored ice melts in my mouth and it oddly tastes a lot like cotton candy, even though there's literally no cotton candy in there.

„Better not, you'd get a sugar shock and be super hyperactive", Izzie states.

„You're probably right. But they're still amazing."

„Duh", she answers and takes the straw in her mouth again.

I remember the last time we got cotton candy flavored slurpees. It was the night I realized, I might have a crush on Izzie. Our friendship was different from the beginning, it was very special. Looking back now, I see how I crushed on her way before slurpee night, even before our almost kiss at my birthday party. I just didn't want to admit it. Maybe because I talked myself into loving Evan.

I deeply regret what I did to him. I loved him, just not in a romantic kind of way. It was the closest that came to my understanding of love, but I know better now. What I felt wasn't love. It was the desire of having someone you can trust, having someone that understands you and has your back.

When I met Izzie she took Evan's place. I needed her in a way I never needed Evan. When we fought it was like a piece of my heart was being ripped out. When I fought with Evan I was angry too, but I was angry in a way I would've been with Sharice. I understand that now.

I don't remember when I started to stare at Izzie. It just sort of happened, I guess.

My hand finds hers and our fingers intertwine. I feel the butterflies in my stomach and my hand is tingling where Izzie's touching me. She looks at our intertwined fingers.

„Guess slurpee night 2.0 is a lot like slurpee night 1.0 ?", Izzie chuckles.

‚But without the feelings of guilt', I think to myself.

„Izzie?", I ask, looking her directly in the eyes. They are shimmering in the moonlight that's coming through the windshield. She looks like an angel.

„You won't get the rest of my slurpee, I told you I can handle a large one. Plus I begrudge you your win", Izzie says, taking a sip.

I start chuckling nervously, summon up all my courage and ask: „Will you be my girlfriend, Izzie?"

Not expecting me to ask this question she swallowed too fast and is coughing now.

I tap her back, hoping it'll help somehow: „Are you okay?", I ask.

She seems to get her breath back and turns around to face me.

„Are you serious?"

„Never been more serious", I tell her, smiling a little.

She unbuckles her seatbelt, puts the slurpee in the drink holder and almost jumps on my lap, which causes the stick shift to almost break.

„Whoa, be careful, dad will kill me if I break his car", I warn her.

She puts her hands around my neck and puts her forehead against mine.

„Of course I will be your girlfriend", and with that she pulls into a passionate kiss.