Late in L.A. • Casey & Izzie Story [ENG]

Chapter 5

"This close"

"It was this close" said Quinn, laughing, getting her fingers close to each other so that they could mimic a very tiny space.

"You know I would not kiss him on the first night out!" Penelope replied.

As they entered the room noisily, the two girls barely noticed Casey and Izzie on the balcony, abruptly getting apart from each other.

Penelope and Quinn exchanged a look, suddenly becoming serious. Then Quinn made a sign to her friend, to invite her to continue their conversation as they had not seen anything.

"You wanted to, though!" she said, making fun of her friend with the same ironical tone she had used earlier.

"Stop it!" Penelope cut it short, while Quinn finally got rid of the posh heeled sandals, letting them fall on the floor next to the entrance.

Casey still felt her heart jumping in her chest. She looked at Izzie first, then inside the room. Izzie had let her hand go already, she was staring at the floor, biting her lip.

Casey took a deep breath, waiting for her heartbeat to get back to a normal rhythm. Then she entered the room and said hi to the others as if nothing had ever happened.

"Hey! How was the party?"

"Not too bad, Penelope was about to hook up with a guy!" said Quinn, extracting her vodka bottle from the back of the little fridge.

"I told you to stop! – said Penelope, who was actually a little pleased. Then she turned to Casey – and where were you, Newton? We didn't see you around..."

"We... got back to the room because Izzie's knee was hurting. Then I took her back here. She iced it, let's see if it gets better".

"Is she still running tomorrow?" Penelope asked. She looked worried.

"Yeah, she said she's going to run".

"I am not sure if that's a good idea".

"I told her already", Casey answered, resigned.

"Am I allowed to decide for myself?" Izzie said, coming back into the room with a gloomy expression.

Casey lifted her arms as if she was about to surrender, while Izzie passed next to her without even looking at her, directed to the bathroom. Quinn shrugged her shoulders and, looking at Casey, mouthed "When she's like that, let it go", before handing them the vodka bottle. Casey didn't think about it twice and took a sip. Then she gave the bottle back to Quinn and directed herself towards the bathroom, where Izzie was undoing her make-up, barefoot in front of the sink. Standing behind her, she looked at her through the mirror. Once she was sure that Izzie was looking back at her, she whispered "I'm sorry".

"For what?" Izzie replied, loudly and with an annoyed tone, before getting back to removing her make up.

Casey did not answer but stepped towards her. She was so close that she could enjoy her scent, a mix of vanilla perfume, gin tonic and facial cleanser. A shiver went through her body. She moved her arms forward, ready to land her hands on Izzie's waist, but then stopped.

Izzie stared at her through the mirror, instinctively biting her lip again.

"Don't do that, please", Casey thought. It was not the first time that small gesture from Izzie had an uncontrollable effect on her.

Izzie was about to turn, Casey perceived her movement and quickly stepped back to exit the bathroom and reach the room again. After few seconds, she felt the bathroom's door closing behind her back. Once in the bedroom, she switched on the air con and then let herself fall on the little sofa, staring at the void. Rubbing one of her shoes against the other, she took them off. Her Vans were now laying on the floor, flopped to one side. She would love a sip of vodka now, but Penelope and Quinn were on the balcony, talking in the dim light.