no one said it would be easy

Chapter 10 - stay the night

Casey

My heart sank to my feet when Izzie told me her mom saw us. It was like my lungs forgot they work perfectly fine. I felt a heavy weight on my chest, as if her words lifted a huge truck on my ribs.

Izzie was crying and trying to tell me in between sobs what happened, but she was panicking and the feeling of not being able to do anything almost broke me, too.

I assured her anything would be fine and that it'd be no problem to stay here, but how do I know everything will be fine, when her mom kicked her out for seeing us together?

We hang up on each other. She told me she'll be here in about 20 minutes.

So here I am now: sitting on the counter in our kitchen, chewing on my fingernails and hoping the weird feeling in my legs will go away eventually.

Elsa walks in the room. I tried to find her, but she wasn't anywhere. Maybe she was in the bathroom.

I jump off the counter and walk straight towards her, stopping just inches away from her.

„Can Izzie stay the night?", I blurt out, my voice is shaky and not sounding like usually.

Elsa looks at me, smirking a little bit but when she notices the worried, almost anxious look on my face her smile fades almost immediately.

„Is everything okay?", she asks, a truly concerned look on her face. I know she's just trying to be a good mom, but it annoys me she's sticking her nose into everything.

„I can't tell you", Izzie wouldn't be happy if I tell her about it. Plus Elsa is the kind of woman who'd try to sort things out for you, even if it's just none of her business.

She walks past me, opening the cupboard: „Well, I don't know Case, since you two are dating now it doesn't seem right to let you guys have sleepovers. Evan wasn't allowed to stay the night here, too, so it would be unfai-"

„HER MOM SAW US, OKAY?", I yell at her as anger fills my chest and tears start to form in the corner of my eyes. Izzie's my girlfriend but she's also my friend. Is that so hard to understand? Why can't she let a thing go for a change? Is it really too much to ask for?

Elsa turns around and the expression on her face changes. She's chewing on her cheek and looks at me like I'm an injured puppy.

„I'm sorry, honey", she speeks softly, opening her arms for a hug, but not stepping forward so I have a choice in hugging her or not.

My legs start walking closer to her and my arms swing around her. I place my face in her neck and let the small sobs out.

My mom may be strange, annoying and fucking embarrassing sometimes, but she's here and she loves me and she would give her everything to protect me. I forget that from time to time.

„Izzie can stay as long as needed. Our home is her home", Elsa pulls a bit away to look me in the eyes. She gives me a soft smile to tell me she isn't mad at me and that she really means what she just said.

„Thanks mom. I love you", I hug her once more and then pull away to go to the bathroom. I bet I look like a mess.

~~~

Izzie

I can't remember walking 3 miles to Casey's house. I actually can't remember anything that happened the past hour. It's like my memory is covered with a thin veil.

My mom.

Yelling.

The kids.

Disgrace.

A single tear is running down my face, but I don't bother wiping it away. There were too many of them to bother about one single tear.

I look up and see the Gardner's house in the distance. The lights in the living room are on. The house seems so peaceful and quiet. Nobody would even think about how the people that live in there could have any problems.

It's just a normal house in a normal neighborhood. But the people living in there have to carry their own burden. You won't expect that by just looking at their house.

Almost like you wouldn't expect an alcoholic, intolerant and irresponsible mother behind the door of our house.

Suddenly I'm in front of the Gardner's door. I was so in my thoughts I don't remember getting closer to the house.

I press the palm of my hands on my eyes to stop the tears streaming down my face again. With the sleeve of my sweater I quickly wipe over my face and then knock on the door.

One second...
Two seconds...
Three seconds...

Those seconds feel like forever, but eventually I hear foot stomps on the ground and before I knew it Casey opened the door.

„Hey...", she says softly, almost whispering as she embraces me in her warm hug. I feel one of her hands on my back and the other one on the back of my head. I wrap my arms around her waist, burying my face in her chest and inhaling her scent as I feel instantly relieved.

Casey pulls away slowly to look at me. It's like she try's to read in my face what's going on.

„Do you want Pizza?", she says, a sad smile placed on her lips, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

Casey doesn't push me to tell her what happened exactly and for that I'm thankful. She gives me the time and space I need. But for now I just need her around me.

And maybe this pizza.