"Oh my God, you are a fucking fat ass." I growl, my arm buckling as we lug Harvey down the hallway - his drunken slurs failing to translate into audible conversation. We dismiss his rumbles as we drag him into his bed, the duvet failing to suppress his gurgling dialogue as I slide it over his mouth.

"I love you guys. Like. I really love you guys. You are my two most favouritest people in the wholeee wideee worlddd." Casey laughs, looking adoringly down at his best friend; my face unable to replicate the same emotion - my eyes rolling at his drunken rambling.

"Shut up and go to sleep Harvey, you have a game tomorrow; so rest up." He giggles in response, adhering to my instructions - a soft snore following his eyelids as they flutter closed. I flick off the light as me and Casey walk out of his room, the door shutting gently behind us.

The hallway - my hallway - constricts in, Casey's silent gaze trapping me against Harvey's bedroom door - his adam's apple bobbing up and down as he gulps - the sound amplified tenfold by the quivering silence.

His tongue traces over his lips, my eyes following; enslaved by the glossy trail - entrapped as he smirks confidently; knowing full well the consequences of his actions.

"So uh-" I mumble out, shattering the wordless flirtation, his confidence shocked by my ability to defy its mesmerizing grasp. "Do you want me to drop you off home? Or sleep on the couch...or in my bed...like old times? If you want. You don't have to that's probably a dumb idea, it's up to you really." I regret the offer as soon as it leaves my mouth, his unreadable eyes scanning over me - judging me? My heartbeat intensifies under his intense glare.

"I mean, there's nothing wrong with two bros sleeping in a bed am I right?" His husky tone a refreshing sound amongst the noiseless hallway, the breath inside my throat releasing - emancipating the nervousness, translating it into a deep exhale. Casey notices my shoulder's relaxing, his eyebrow raising as he follows me into the room.

"I would say make yourself at home...but...you always do anyway."

"You know me too well." I turn around as he starts stripping off his shirt, walking into the ensuite to get changed into my pyjamas. My gaze stays behind in the mirror as I try to exit back into the bedroom, fixated on my appearance. I let my fingers run through my hair, attempting to tame the chaotic beast - why am I fixing my hair before bed, I never do that? I peel my eyes from the mirror as I walk back into the room - Casey's exposed chest hugged by my duvet.

"Don't tell me you're..." I stop mid-sentence, his underwear and clothing piled on the floor - my brain already knowing the answer as his lips curl into a beaming grin. I roll my eyes and slide into bed, distancing myself as much as possible - an invisible wall between us, composed entirely of resistance and our self-will

"What happened between you and Elliot at the party?" He asks.

"What happened between you and Annabelle?" I shoot my question back in retort, the darkness failing the hide the intertwined nervousness in my tone - my response an effort to manipulate the conversation, and swerve it away from me.

"Fine. I'll start." He sighs, rubbing his hands down his face - a slow, drawn out breath departing through his lips. "Fuck I don't even know where to start to be honest."

"I do." I interject, questions that've burned inside my mind for weeks arising to the surface - a curiosity filled by anger steering the conversation. "Why did you fuck Annabelle Mc'bitch after you kissed me...or I kissed you...or whatever the fuck that was?"

"Danté I can explain...I was-"

"Why did you stop talking to me after everything that happened?" I cut him off again, unresolved hurt weaponising my tone.

"I um-"

"How could you just watch me run into the arms of another guy and say nothing? Did I mean nothing to you? Do I mean nothing to you? Because I sure as hell did not feel nothing when I saw you with Annabelle!" I gasp, somewhat surprised by my own aggressiveness, my ears shooting to the doorway - checking to hear any movement from Harvey's door; luckily, one of Harvey's flaws - but right now a blessing - is his ability to sleep through anything.

"I never slept with Annabelle. I know she said I did but I didn't." I scrunch my face up in confusion, reaching over to the bedside table to turn the lamp on - the darkness preventing his words from translating into anything meaningful.

The light unveils the room, Casey's eyes staring against the wall - his mind settling somewhere else.

"I told her I wouldn't get back with her unless she said that. I was gonna do it with her...but I couldn't do it...because every time I looked at her...I just wanted to look at you instead. I had to look at photos of you on Instagram...because you didn't want to see me in real life. I really fucking missed you." His voice croaks, pausing the sentence - his confession casting the room into silence.

"And I don't know. I don't know why I did it. The only answer I have is because I'm a really dumb asshole who made a really dumb mistake." The words eject from his mouth like verbal diarrhea, a direct contrast against mine: rigid; frozen; non-existent.

"Casey...I don't know what to say." I reply pathetically, a pitiful reaction to his outburst of emotions - an outburst I have been wanting; craving; demanding, ever since I met him - it finally happened, and now I don't know how to feel.

I turn to the lamp, regretting turning it on - the light revealing the spectrum of emotions sliding over Casey's face - thoughts and emotions whirling in his head, condemned by my seemingly emotionless reply.

"I know what you can say...you can tell me why it took you less then...a day to find someone else; you literally replaced me...with someone you met in detention..." His tone mimics mine, rising in anger as he keeps his eyes away from me, almost pained by looking at me.

"I honestly don't know." Good job Danté, another terrible reply. He sighs, unimpressed with my response; avoiding my eye contact as I lean over.

"Okay...maybe I do know..." I confess, venturing internally into my repressed emotions. "I wanted to hurt you...because all you fucking do is hurt me." I muster the strength of my whole being to fight the tears back, keeping them at bay - refusing to surrender to the weight of emotions.

Casey's softened whimpering startles me. Despite his hidden face, his trembling chest emotes his internal sadness.

"Are you crying?" My question finally draws his eyes back to me - I wish it didn't. The look on his face shattering my emotional walls, tears rolling down my cheeks.

"Well good job. You did hurt me because I really fucking love you." The confession isolates both of us, as we slither to either side of the bed - our conversation segregating us; destroying us.

"Casey I lo-" Almost instinctively he shuffles across the bed, pulling me into his strong embrace; my head taking it's natural spot under his chin - nuzzling effortlessly into his chest.

"It's alright. We don't have to talk anymore." I silently agree, exhausted from the events of tonight mixed with the emotional turmoil. I try to resist, but my nose inhales in, savouring his scent which has abstained from my presence - his familiar aroma intoxicating me, my fingers digging into his back in response. He groans subtly; sexily; fire shooting through our bodies as we lay there touching; face to face; body to body; soul to soul - the raw versions of ourselves, all our cards on the table.

No conversations follow after - enough words spoken already for the night.

As our tears dry; our hearts slow; and our embrace tightens: We drift off to sleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

A/N

Wow...this chapter really had me tearing up! I missed writing about Casey - he hasn't been the sole focus of a chapter since Chapter 17!

I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, leave your thoughts and opinions down below, and I'll make sure to check em' out!

P.S. I really love reading longer comments - as in paragraphs on paragraphs; because, it shows thought went into the comment. Also, it stands out amongst all the notifications I get - so I just want to let you guys know I really appreciate them! :)

Stay blessed,

- YOP