Picture Perfect
Chapter Thirty Eight
By Crystal

This is Casey's mom, Julie. It's been four months since Casey's come home to me. At first I didn't even recognize her when I picked her up from the airport, but there she was, my little girl, back home with me. She's changed so much. She and I spent a couple days together before she headed back to school and it was the best few days of my life. She was back to the Casey she was many many years ago.

She went back to school and her teachers were more than impressed with her progress, but her schoolmates shunned her. She took an active interest in school, but then I noticed that she had been spending too much time in school. She came home one day around five in the evening; she said she had been helping out her English teacher with some papers that needed to be graded. I noticed how hollow her eyes seemed to be. It broke my heart when she told me that Nick was back at work and unable to keep in touch with her. She never reverted back to her bad ways, but she did draw deep inside herself. She became really quiet and sad. Just looking at her made me cry.

For weeks she moped around the house. I'd try and ask her about her homework but she had stayed late at school to finish her work in the library. She hardly ate anything, didn't watch tv, never went on our computer, never did anything. Most nights she would come home from school, eat two bites of her dinner then give me a kiss on the cheek and go up to her bedroom. I peeked in on her one night and heard her crying. The poor thing missed her Nick so much.

She told me everything they went through during their time together. The fights, the acts of sex, the drinking, the partying, the love and the goodbye. It all seemed so surreal to me. My baby girl had grown up so much.

This is how it's been for the last four months. Although, this morning she seems a bit more cheerful than usual. Today Casey graduates from high school. I called the Carters in Florida and they all sent their best wishes, but not Nick. He was in Sweden recording.

She came home at noon to get ready for her graduation ceremony at two. I bought her a beautiful white dress which look tailor made for her. She looked like an angel in it. We curled her beautiful hair, put her in her dress and she looked simply stunning. But the absence of a smile made it all the more heartwrenching. She was dying on the inside.

Now we're driving back to the school. Today will be the day Casey is free forever.

**

"How long do you think the ceremony is going to last?" Miss Summers asked her daughter.

"Um, probably a couple hours. There will be a few speeches then the principal will read through all the names, hand out the diplomas and then we'll be free from our cages called high school."

"Are you excited?"

Casey attempted a smile, but failed. "I guess. But it's just another day."

**

Casey sat, sadly bored as her principal started calling out the S's. Everyone was cheering for their friends.

"Casey Summers," he called. Casey stood up but didn't hear anyone cheering for her except for a few teachers and her mom out in the bleachers. She got up to the stage, accepted her diploma, shook his hand and as she was walking off heard the most unexpected voice in the world.

"THAT'S MY GIRL CASEY!!!" Casey looked out into the sea of people, desperate to find the face that matched that famous voice. She found it. She suddenly found it hard to breath. Tears started to crawl down her face. Her legs flew out ahead of her and ran as fast as they could to Nick. She jumped up on him and he spun her around. He put her down and kissed her passionately.

"I have missed you so much Nick! I thought I was going to die without you."

"I missed you too Casey. Hey, go back and sit down. When you're done I'll be over with your mom. I have a surprise for you." She nodded her head and excitedly rushed back to her seat, but not before kissing him again.

Twenty minutes later they had graduated. Everyone started screaming and running around. But not Casey. Casey went straight for Nick. She kissed him again, hungrily trying to make up for the past four months they were apart.

"I have something for you Casey."

"What is it?" she asked excitedly, her eyes shining.

"I want you to come back to Florida with me. I moved out of my parents' house and bought a place for me… for us. Will you please come back and live with me?"

"You want me to live with you?"

"Isn't it time?" he asked.

Casey smiled up at him. "Yeah Nick, it's about time." She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. It was the best feeling in the world. It had worked against them in the past, but fate was on their side after all. They were brought back together.

"I'm not going to let you go this time Casey Summers."

"You better not Nick Carter. Oh, how's the kitchen?"

"The kitchen?"

"You don't actually expect us to fuck on the bed, do you?"

Nick burst out laughing and lightly slapped her ass.

"Ooh, watch it Stallion. Come on, let's go get my things."

"Actually, your mom already took care of it. She's home now packing for you. I called her on her cell phone just before your graduation started. She knows what's going on."

"It's finally happening."

"Yeah. But let's make one rule."

"And what's that, Big Boy?"

"No more use of the word Stallion in public." He smiled cheekily at her.

"You got it."

"I love you."

"I love you too."