FicWad

Casey sighed as she slowly stroked Jasper’s back, making him purr loudly as his tail flicked from side to side. It had been nearly two weeks since she got to see Pete last and she was definitely missing him, but there was nothing either of them could do about it since he was out in California doing promotions for the new album even though it still had yet to be completed. When she got with him, she knew what she was getting herself into, and she knew from the started that there were going to be stretches like this brought on by his work, some of them possibly going into month-long stretches. She looked down at Jasper and stared at him, until he looked up at her and yawned, his eyes going to slits.

She knew she had lasted two weeks without him before, back when her grandmother had her surgery a month ago, but she still misses him now. Keep it together, she said to herself as she gently picked up Jasper and set him on the couch before she rose to her feet and stretched. She wore the hooded sweatshirt he had left behind for her before he left, wanting to leave behind something for her to keep him in mind with. Tucking her hands in the pockets, she disappeared into her kitchen, looking for a much needed drink.

After a thorough search of her fridge turned up nothing, she sighed, frowning a little, as she went back into the living room and pulled on her shoes, ignoring the pair of eyes that followed her about the room. She grabbed her keys and went to her door, about to open it and walk out, but when she opened the door, she came face to face with a guy that looked sort of like Pete, but not entirely. “Um... Can I help you?”

He flashed her a smile and lifted his head slightly. “Hey, sup? I’m looking for Casey, is she in right now?” He asked, halfway looking over her shoulder.

Casey lifted a confused and uncertain brow at him. “Um, I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Andrew, Andrew Wentz,” he extended his hand as he introduced himself. “I’m Pete’s brother.”

“Oh,” she said as she reached out, shaking his hand. “I’m Casey, nice to meet you... What were you looking for me for?”

When they let go of each other’s hands, he gave a slight shrug. “Pete emailed me and told me to come check up on you. He would have called you himself, but my brother, the brilliant, dropped his phone in a toilet and he didn’t have a backup of your phone number.”

Casey chuckled. “Wow... He is brilliant,” she giggled. “Um, I was about to head out to get a drink though...”

“Oh good, I’ll drive you,” he said as she stepped out and locked her door. “It’ll give me a good chance to make sure you’re doing okay and everything; you know, talk so I can give him something.”

Casey looked at him. “Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to be any trouble.”

Andrew looked at her, lifting a brow of his own. “Wow... He was right, you are polite.” He shrugged. “But it’s cool. Nah, you won’t be any trouble,” he said, flashing her that smile again.

Casey followed him as he led her down to a Landrover, getting inside with her. While she was buckling her seatbelt, he was starting the car, not even bothering to put his seatbelt on. She shook her head, musing to herself how much he and his brother were alike.

“So, Casey, tell me something, for my curiosity, not Pete’s... I hope I don’t offend you... If you’re with my bro, why are living in this neighborhood?”

Casey looked over at him as he looked at her when they stopped at the exit of her apartment complex. “Because it’s my choice to Andrew, and it’s what I can afford right now... I make my own way, not someone else. I work hard to earn my money, not someone else’s.”

Andrew gave a smile that sincere, unlike the other two and looked to the road as he pulled out of her complex and made his way towards the main part of town. “So, what place were you going to get a drink at?” When she told him, he made his way towards it, knowing the place well. “Now from what I can tell, you don’t like people spending their money on you, but I think Pete would appreciate it if you could let me treat you to your drink.”

“I’m sure he would, but the answer is still no Andrew,” she answered, giggling softly. “I meant it and I’ll hold by it.”

He shook his head. “You sure are stubborn.”

“That I am.”

“Can I ask what made you this way?”

Casey frowned and looked down. “It’s not right to love someone for their money, or just to be with them so you can use them. A lot of people get brought up to love for money because supposedly money is love. ‘/A man willing to spend his money on you will love you until the day he dies, and even after because his will, leaving everything to you, is well worth the wait./’ My upbringing was nowhere close to all of that bull... My grandmother and grandfather made sure I knew different. ‘/Work hard to earn your money so no one will ever have to support you. You can hold your own if you work hard enough./’ And I am holding my own, I’m doing just fine.”

Andrew listened to what she was saying, absorbing it all with slight disbelief since he had never heard of this before. A girl that was actually with his brother, wouldn’t let him spend money on her, wouldn’t even let him himself buy a drink for her since his brother would kill him if he didn’t, or didn’t at least try. We’ll see how long her act keeps up... If it is an act...

They walked into the little café and up to the counter, where Casey placed her drink order, frowning at Andrew when he quickly laid down a ten, paying for both with a smug grin. “Hey, I left my phone in your car, and I need it incase my gram calls, can I get your keys real quick while they get our drinks?” When he nodded and handed her the car keys. She took the keys and went outside. “Stubborn Wentz men... Thankfully Peter hasn’t thought of that trick yet,” she muttered to herself as she walked to his car and got in. She shook her head and got out her wallet, sliding a ten into his center console, before she got out of the Landrover, locking it. “Wentz men have their tricks, I have mine.”

She walked back inside and went to where Andrew was sitting, handing him his car keys as she sat across from him at the table he had grabbed for them. “Thanks for letting me go grab my phone,” she said before taking a sip from her drink.

“Hey, it’s okay, I understand,” he said with a smile. “If I remember correctly, isn’t she the sick one?”

Casey nodded before taking another sip. “Yeah, she’s going good right now, but if something happens, everyone involved knows to call me as soon as possible.”

“Living In Illinois, with that type of thing going on down in Florida, so far away, must be a burden for you.”

Casey’s eyes darkened slightly as she looked down. “Nothing with my grandmother is a burden Andrew,” she said before taking another sip, her gaze still downward. “She has been there for me through more things than anyone could ever understand. And as long as she is alive, I’ll be there for her.”

A few moments of silence passed by as Andrew looked at her, and her downcast gaze, wondering what was going through her mind at this moment to give her such a solemn gaze. “You know... I have yet to hear you mention your Dad...”

Casey looked up at him, daggers in her eyes even though her expression was still soft and kind. “So, what all does Pete want to know?”

Okay... Dad is a bad subject, got it, he thought as he looked at her with slightly wide, shocked eyes. “Um, he wanted to know how work was going, how the schedule is, how Jasper is doing, who’s Jasper?”