young, scrappy and hungry | a hamilton story | √

Chapter 35

Kasey checked her phone before switching on her bedroom lamp. She could hear Carleigh turning on the shower from the other room. 

Jace: hey, i know you're busy and stuff's going on, but i was wondering if you wanted to meet me in central park tomorrow?

Kasey: i'm not really doing anything, but we have a show tomorrow night

Jace: just the morning is fine. we'll eat lunch and then you can go to the show. you don't need to spent the whole day with me.

Kasey: alright, what time?

Jace: does ten sound okay?

Kasey: i'll see you then

Kasey turned off her phone, plugged it into her charger, and turned out her light. 

But she didn't go to sleep. Her thoughts were crowded with Wendy and Paul. She so badly wanted to shut out every single memory that surfaced to her mind, but she didn't ever want to forget them. 

She'd already lost her parents. She barely remembered their voices anymore. She didn't remember her brother's laugh or what his face looked like. She didn't want the same thing to happen to every moment she shared with her foster parents, too. 

She stuffed her head under her pillow and tried to stop the tears that threatened to spill. 

Then she got a text from Carleigh.

Carleigh: Kasey, I know that we're only ten feet away from each other, but I know you don't want to talk to me right now. I just want you to know that you're like a sister to me. You're such a beautiful, generous, lovely person. You have such talent and you are truly one of the best people that I have ever met. I hope we always stay best friends, and whenever you want to talk, I'm here. I love you lots. 

Kasey: you have no idea how much you mean to me, carleigh. thank you, for everything. 

The knowledge that Carleigh cared so much about Kasey made her feel better. She relaxed a little, and, before she knew it, she finally fell asleep. 

~~~~

In the morning, Kasey got ready to go to meet Jace. Carleigh had disappeared, but she texted a few minutes after Kasey got up to say that she was practicing 'Take a Break' with Anthony, Renee, and Lin, just in case Pippa had to leave suddenly for anything.

Kasey couldn't find any clean clothes of her own, so she stole Carleigh's grey jacket and rolled up the sleeves instead. Then, she grabbed her phone and headed out the door, walking towards Central Park.

After ten minutes of searching for Jace, she finally found him sitting under a tree. He was intensely reading something, but he looked up when Kasey sat down next to him.  

"What are you reading?" Kasey asked somewhat awkwardly.

"Harry Potter," Jace said, closing the book. "It's my fifteenth time reading it."

"I never would have pegged you for a Potter fan," Kasey said.

"Always the tone of surprise," Jace replied. "Are you a fan?"

"I read them all, but I haven't seen the movies in a while," Kasey said, wrapping her arms around her knees.

"What house are you?"

"I never was sorted."

Jace pulled out his phone. "We're going to sort you here and now, then," he said excitedly.

Kasey was relieved that he didn't ask about anything in her personal life. It was refreshing and for once, she didn't have an overwhelming weight on her shoulders.

Jace began asking Kasey questions and Kasey answered them. She had no idea how she was going to get sorted, but...

"You're a Gryffindor?!" Jace exclaimed, staring at his phone. Kasey took the phone and looked at the results.

"I guess so," Kasey said, shrugging.

"I thought you'd be Hufflepuff," Jace admitted. 

"Why?" Kasey asked.

"You just seem like a good, pure person. Like Cedric. You care about everyone and you'd do anything for all of your friends. It takes a lot of loyalty to be like that," Jace explained. 

"What house are you?" Kasey demanded.

"I'm a Ravenclaw," Jace told her. 

"That's good," Kasey said.

They fell into a somewhat awkward silence. Jace pulled out a bag of chips and two bottles of Strawberry Kiwi drink. "I brought lunch," he told her. "I didn't know what you like, so I just kind of brought what I like and hoped that you were okay with it."

"No, Strawberry Kiwi and Cool Ranch Doritos are the best lunch," Kasey said, almost smiling. Jace handed her a bottle and opened the bag of chips.

"So Tangled might be going on tour," Jace said, looking at Kasey.

She swallowed. Yet another person who might be leaving her. Great. 

Jace must have seen her face fall at his announcement. He stopped fiddling with his drink and looked her directly in the eye. "I'm not going on tour," he said seriously. "I've been offered some other Broadway shows in a couple years. Some are in development, but the Tangled writers and orchestrators and such want me to be the leading actor. I'm not leaving New York."

Kasey tried not to look too happy, but she was relieved that Jace was staying in New York. 

"You're glad," Jace said, watching her carefully. Kasey swallowed and turned away. "Kasey, it's alright to be happy."

"I thought you were going to tell me that you were going to leave," Kasey admitted, almost choking on her words.

"Look at me," Jace told her. "I would never leave. I would never spring that kind of thing on you. I'll always be by your side, I promise."