Letter To Casey

3. "He read it."

"With me?!" Casey held out a familiar paper. "What the hell is wrong with you?! You think you're fucking hilarious, don't you?!" Casey leaned in and grabbed Sam by the collar of his shirt. "What are you trying to pull?! I told you, Sam. I told you.. NOT to cross me!" He held him right up to his face, mere inches apart.

Samson's face glows a bright red, his eyes focusing on the paper.

Does he think the letter is a fucking joke?

He quickly reaches for it and attempts to snatch it from Casey's grasp.

"Hey!" Casey shouts, retreating and holding the paper up. He studies Sam's face with intent before speaking again. "Wait- is this for real?" He shakes the paper once, and holds it to his own eyes, skimming over it.

Sam reaches for the paper again, desperately trying to snatch it back. "Give it to me, Casey!"

"Stop!" Casey shouts. "What?" He holds the paper up and waves it. "You really don't want me to read it?" He smirks. "This cannot be real.." He steps back again, holding the paper over his face with both hands.

Sam balled his hands up in fists. Embarrassed and angry, his face all the way down to his shoulders were red. "You weren't supposed to read it.." Sam drops his shoulders.. "Um- It's for a different Casey, not you! It's a gender-neutral name, so!" Sam lies through his teeth, in hopes he could get out of the situation.

Casey blurts out in laughter. "I already read it like yesterday.. It's clear it's me, Samson. You gave a clear description of me, don't try to lie." Casey stepped closer.

"You're insufferable!" Sam yelled.

"That's what you think of me, Insufferable? Well, this says otherwise." He waves the paper again, towards Sam, but not in arm's reach. He cheesed within a smug look on his face. "I thought you were just trying to provoke me, but this..?"

"It's.. not what you think, Casey.. it's um- it doesn't mean anything, it's not a real letter, so please give it back-"

"You're so full of shit!" Casey laughs again. "Do you even know what kind of situation you're in right now?!" He exclaims. "You're denying it, but I can see your hands still slightly trembling.." He grabs Sam's wrist, holding it up and twisting it gently, looking over the letter. "Hmm.. looks like I have some leverage on you. What should we do, Samson?" He raises an eyebrow. "Should I.. post it online? Print it out and put it around the school? Just tell your friends?"

Samson shouts through his uneven and unsteady breathing, sweat trickling from his forehead as if he just ran a marathon.

Casey releases Sam's wrist. "Or I could.. Keep this a secret? Just depends on how well you behave." Casey suggests, a wide smirk creeping on his lips. "It's your call.." He says. All of a sudden, Sam feels a trace on his spine.. Casey's finger, drawing a line down his back. Sam's heart race ascends. He kept reading the letter over again, occasionally glancing at Sam's panic-stricken face. "How about this, Samson. I don't hate you, and I know you're a good kid, so I'll make an exception." His hands stop by the very end of Sam's back, and he draws it back to the back of his neck, grasping it firmly. "This letter is now mine. You will do exactly whatever I say, whenever I say. Don't make me mad, don't try anything slick and I will keep this-" He says, referring to the letter. "-a secret. Do we have a deal?"

Samson replied, reluctantly. "Okay.. okay, deal.. Can I have it back now?"

"Geez, you're that afraid of exposure..?"

Sam sits on the floor in defeat, arms around his knees, contemplating his life.

Casey looks down at him. "Now.. tell me, Samson. I want to hear it from your mouth, and not that paper. Do you really.. actually like me? Are you in love with me, Samson?" He questioned, that smug look on his face only growing.

I said it on the paper! You read it! What fucking difference does it make?!

Sam buries his face into his knees

Casey crouches down in front of him. "Are you that embarrassed?" He asks. He studies Sam as he's curled up into a ball.

The door swings open.

It's Kyle.

Sam and Casey whip their heads in unison. Casey, immediately placing the letter behind his back. Kyle immediately furrows his eyebrows in worry, realizing this situation. He sees the dent in the locker above Sam, who is still curled up in a ball. Despite being terrified of Casey, he needed to save his friend.

"Casey.. what are you doing to Sam..?" He asks, hesitantly.

"We are just talking." Casey instantly replies.

Kyle doesn't buy it. "Whatever he did he probably didn't mean it- so can you please let him go?" He steps forward, getting ready for whatever what was to come.

"I'm serious. We were just talking." Casey turns to Sam. "Isn't that right, 'Sam'? We were just talking." He repeats.

Sam nods his head and slowly turns to Kyle, trying to hide his distressed face. "We're just talking, Kyle-"

Kyle interrupted. "Well- Joey told me about how you were upset and you've been completely out of it lately. He told me you went this way. You're not alone, Sam." He glances at Casey. "There's a lot of us.. and one of him." He gestures to Casey.

Casey turns his whole body. "Is that a threat?!"

"If you wanna keep messing with my buddies then yeah, it is, Casey Waldon." Kyle says.

"Wait- stop!" Sam shouts and stands up. "This is a misunderstanding.. Kyle, we're just talking. My mood had nothing to do with Casey.." He clears his throat. "Promise.."

"Now, can you leave..? So can we continue this conversation?" Casey crosses his arms, darting his eyes from Kyle to the door. I'm giving you a pass for trying to test me. You don't leave now I'm fucking you up later."

"Whatever." Kyle says, turning around, shoving the door open and leaving.

"What did I say?" Casey questions, turning back to Sam who was sweating an ocean. "So.. is it my face?" Casey asks. "My voice? My body?" Casey leans in, even closer than before, desperate for an answer as to what Sam could possibly like about him, since he's been nothing but cruel. Casey finds it weird.. but fascinating.

Sam swallows to rid of a lump in his throat.

"Oh- in the letter. You did say something about it being my eyes. You like my eyes. Don't you, Sam?" Casey grabs his shoulder. "You have to answer this time." He holds a tight grip, enough that it hurts. As the seconds grew by, he held on tighter.

"Yes.." Sam finally responds. "I like your eyes." He says, biting his bottom lip in embarrassment. He wanted to push him and run away, but he was scared of the reckless consequences.

"That's nice to know." Casey smirks.

"Can I.. um- Can I go now..?" Sam questions.

Casey stands up and taps his chin. "I would let you go but you were already avoiding me beforehand. I don't want you hiding anymore. So, you come to me when I ask for you, got that?"

Sam nods.

"Give me your phone."

"But-.."

"Your phone, now. I'm just going to put in my number."

Sam reluctantly hands Casey his phone. It felt weird, having to be obedient towards someone for the sake of saving his own reputation. It was almost like Casey had Sam's life in his hands. It was like he was his slave.

"Don't do anything you'll regret." Casey says, folding the paper up as he makes his way out of the locker room.

Again, Sam felt it was easier to breathe now that Casey was out of the locker room. It was like his presence suffocated the atmosphere.

For the remainder of the school day Samson remained unhinged. Kyle notices Sam's odd behavior and tries to talk to him during one of their classes together, but Sam seems distant and preoccupied. He just knew it had something to do with what he saw in the boy's locker room. He didn't want to upset or annoy Sam, so he just gave him some space, hoping he would open up later or at the right time. 

He would never rush Samson.