Be My Always - A Casey and Izzie Story

19. what happened?

Casey:

We stayed there in the middle of the oval surrounded by hundreds of people for too long. I felt myself sink into the damp grass while she sobbed loudly and painfully into my chest. Some onlookers walking past stopped and offered me help or a concerned glance, but I waved them off with a small fake smile as I pulled her closer and attempted to calm her cries.

Eventually I spotted my parents looking around, worry plastered on their faces. I got their attention and they broke into a jog when they noticed Izzie's state.

They helped her up onto her feet and we slowly made our way towards Izzie and I's room attracting much attention from teammates, parents and supporters but ultimately ignoring it for I still was quite unsure at what was happening.

I constantly reassured her that I was right here and that it would be okay, yet I wasn't even quite sure she could hear me. I brought her into our bedroom while my parents waited for me outside and helped her change into something more comfortable while constantly commentating what I was doing for her yet never receiving a reply, instead, a small pained smile or a small nod.

She sat on the edge of our bed looking defeated and broken. I knelt before her on the floor and placed her hands in my own as she looked down at me. "I love you, Iz. I'll be here when you're ready to talk, stay here and get some rest and I'll be back in a little bit."

She flashed what I could only hope was a genuine smile as she closed her eyes and bent down so her forehead was now placed onto mine. "Thank you." She breathed out so softly it came out in a raspy whisper.

I squeezed her hands quickly before helping her into bed. "Close your eyes, I'll be back shortly." I promised before stroking her face gently as I watched her eyes close and her breathing slow.

I tip-toed out of the room and into the corridor where my parents stood patiently. "Oh Case, is she okay? What happened?" my mom asked as she pulled me into a tight embrace.

"I'm not quite sure, she hasn't said much about anything. I heard that man you saw her talking to yelling at her telling her how she's a disappointment and then when I approached them he told her not to bother coming home. God, what do I do?" I finally began to wrap my head around the whole situation and felt tears sting at my eyes.

"Hey, baby." My mom cooed as she brought me closer to her, "There's nothing more you can do then just be there for her. Give her some time to come to you when she's ready to talk but just be a rock for her."

I nodded and smiled as my dad put his hand firmly on my shoulder. "You've got this, kiddo. If you need help, message your mother and she'll know what to do." He told me as I chuckled and looked back to my mom who nodded in agreement. "And, if she's got stuff going on at home, she's always welcome to stay with us if she needs."

I smiled at them both before bringing them into a big hug. "Thank you both, I really appreciate that, and I know she will too."

"We love you, kid."

"I love you guys, thank you."

I made my way back into our room and showered away the sweat and grime before slipping into something more comfortable. I made my way to my side of the bed and softly slipped in careful not to wake what I thought was a sleeping Izzie. Instead, she turned quickly to cuddle in close to me. I stroked her hair and drew traces on her bare skin.

I watched her slip into a state where she finally looked calm as she eventually fell asleep. Not long after, I felt my own eyes get heavy and I nodded off into my own peaceful slumber.

~~

I wasn't quite sure how long I had actually slept for but soon enough I was abruptly woken up when the weight of Izzie suddenly disappeared from off my chest.

My eyes shot open as her oh so familiar cries soon echoed the room and I watched as she struggled for air while clutching her her chest.

"Izzie, Izzie! Look at me, right at me, it's okay. Breathe in, and out. Here, take my hand, you're okay." I panicked as I placed her face in my hands in attempt to get her to focus on me. 

I held her close as her breathing began to regulate. "I'm so sorry." She sniffled into me as I felt her tears seep through the thin t-shirt I had on.

"Don't you dare apologize, none of this is your fault, Izzie.

She looked up at me, the same broken look in her eyes. "It's all my fault."

"What's your fault? What happened?"

She took a deep breath before moving out from my embrace and sitting cross-legged in front of me, eyes focused on her hands dancing in her lap. A few moments passed before she began. "They came without telling me, my mom and her stupid loser "husband"." She began, dramatically air-quoting the last part. "They knew that the winner gets given prize money so when he saw me come second, he flipped his shit 'cause no money means no drugs and drinks. He was clearly already on something, but he started yelling at me while mom just stood there saying nothing, so I just let loose on her which just made him angrier. God, he was being such a dick but her saying nothing hurt more. She just stood there and watched while he called me names and kicked me out of my home. MY home!"

I watched her, nodding along at the appropriate times and letting out little comments when I felt fit. The tears fell silently down her cheeks in her state of rage as she recounted the events and the names that he called her.

"And that's when you came over, he saw you and put two and two together I guess and now I am banished from my own house, alone and homeless at 16 because little Miss Izzie was just not good enough in the one race that they saw and because I'm in love with a girl. Stupid pricks." She muttered.

"Izzie, that is not at all your fault. You're so fast, I just did well in that one race. He's an asshole fuckwit douchebag and he doesn't deserve you, neither does you mom, she should have spoken up. And you're not alone, my parents offered to have you stay at ours for as long as you need if you wanted." I reassured her as for the first time since the whole ordeal, I caught sight of a proper smile tug against her lips.

"Really! They'd let me stay?" she questioned as I nodded, I watched as her small smile stretched larger. "Remind me to message Elsa later and thank her. I won't let her down, I'll help cook and clean and pay for as much as I can-," She hurried before I cut her off by placing a small kiss against her lips which she immediately leant into.

"Breathe, babe. Elsa loves you too much to ever make you do any of that." I chucked as she climbed into my lap.

"I'm sorry for being such a mess today. It's a part of my life I've always tried to keep hidden from the rest of the world, I'm sorry you had to see it."

I kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to save you sooner. But I'm here now, you're safe."

"I love you, Casey Gardner."

I closed my eyes as I pulled her closer to me. "I love you more, Iz."

A/N

LOLLLLLLLLLL THIS IS SO SHIT I AM SO SORRY!!!

got mad writers block and school is taking up all of my energy and i've got mad regrets for how i've set out most of this book but ITS FINE, ITS OKAY cos i rlly wanna do another one after this and at least i will know for then. 

anyways, how are you guys? hope you are well and school and work and all that jazz is going great. 

thanks for the momentary freak out, pls don't hate on this chap too much IM PLANNING CAZZIE FLUFF AND SMUT FOR ASAP

any who, that's all from me so have a nice day and week, see you around the joint xoxoxo