Special #3 // The Faculty // Blurred and colorful

[prisca]

Title: Blurred and colorful
Fandom: The Faculty
Character: Zeke Tyler, Casey Connor
Rating: PG13
Words: 1187


When Casey was standing in front of the Tyler's house in the Sun Avenue, his heart suddenly was beating wild. Not in his secret dreams he had hoped ever to get an invitation to spend some time here together with Zeke. Though since the incident with Mary Beth the relationship between the two of them had changed. Zeke had never been one of the bullies but had just ignored him; now they used to share the bleachers during lunch break, chatting about this and that. And when Mr. Furlong had paired up the class for teamwork for the next science project, Zeke had asked him if he would like to be his partner.

Of course, Casey had agreed. But when Zeke suggested using his computer at home for their research he hadn't been sure what to think about this. Before the alien incident, Zeke had been a popular party boy, but he had never invited someone home. When he did hang around with Casey now, and then after school, they usually met at Annie's Milkbar.

Zeke had only laughed because of his surprise.
„It's such a waste of time to use these lame computers at the school's library.“

And now he was here, had parked his bike beside of Zeke's dark blue GTO in the driveway, and he felt somehow uncomfortable. The big house, the great park with a swimming pool and even a boathouse at the nearby lake, this was so not his world. Zeke's parents were successful in business and obviously richer than rich. Which didn't make them good parents, but this was for sure none of his business.

„Hey, there you are.“
Zeke's voice tore him out of his reverie.
„Welcome at Casa Tyler.“

:::

„Would you like to have a beer? Heineken; it's the best.“

Casey smirked.
„If we want to get some research done today I should better keep a clear mind, I guess.“

Zeke laughed.
„Get it.“
He put the beer on the kitchen counter and turned back to the fridge.
„Sorry, I don't have orange juice. What about soda?“

„Soda is fine, thanks,“ Casey answered and giggled.

Finally, he started to relax and was able to look around in the Tyler's living room. Expensive and exclusive furnished; probably with the help of a brilliant architect; Casey couldn't imagine the Tylers wasting their time with building a home. To be honest, he didn't find it very comfortable and cozy here, and he wished they would finally go upstairs, into Zeke's room which would hopefully be more homely.

But suddenly one picture attracted his curiosity. It was different than anything else in the room. A mixture of blurred colors without any contour; hard to say if there was a deeper meaning hidden in this chaos or if it was just a strange experiment of the artist.

Casey stepped closer, and the twists and turns in the picture seemed to change. Wow, that was really impressing.

„Your soda!“

Suddenly Zeke's voice sounded almost cold, and when Casey turned around, narrowed, dark eyes glanced at him. Instinctively he stepped back from the picture.

„Sorry,“ he murmured.
„I didn't mean to be so curious.“

Zeke slammed the glass on the table; some soda spilled out. Then he noticed Casey's uneasiness and shrugged apologizing.
„It's okay,“ he murmured.
„Not your fault. I guess it's long overdue to get over with it and to burn it.“

„No!“
Casey looked shocked.
„That would be a shame. This picture is so unique, so mysterious. I'm wondering about its secret meaning.“

Zeke grabbed his beer to take a sip.
„Case, you are a stupid shit, you never know when it is better just to keep your mouth shut. That's why you always get into trouble with the jocks.“

Casey swallowed; still not sure what had caused this sudden change of Zeke's mood. It was just a picture, wasn't it? No need to freak out like this.
„Okay. Maybe we should go into your room and start with the research for our project?“

:::

They worked almost silently for about an hour until Zeke stood up from his desk chair and dropped down onto his bed opposite it. Only after a while, a started to talk.

„I was sixteen when my shrink suggested an art-therapy. Because it was easier to play along I agreed.“

Slightly confused Casey looked at him.
„Ähm … yeah ...“

Zeke smirked.
„The picture,“ he said.

„Oh! Woah.“
Casey's eyes widened in surprise.
„You did it?“

„Yeah. And it has changed a lot. Back then I wasn't willing to admit it that the doc might have been right, but it's true. My life back then was chaos; I didn't know who I am and what to do with my life. Like in the picture. A tight net of colors and light; nothing concrete to hold on. No beginning and no end.“

Zeke paused to have another sip of his beer and Casey swallowed, not knowing what to say. Never before Zeke had allowed even a short glance into his mind; he joked and laughed and teased him friendly, but Casey had always known that most of this was just a part of the show Zeke liked to put on. Right now he looked so serious and so surprisingly calm, at least on the outside.

„To draw this picture finally showed me the truth. That my life is just a fake and that I will never find out who I am when I don 't find a way to break through the shell.

Sometime later I quit the private school in Akron, went back to Herrington High. The beginning of a long way and I'm not sure if I already have reached the end. Maybe I will never reach it. But the shell gets cracks.“

He looked at Casey and slowly shook his head.
„It doesn't scare me any longer. I did hide in my save cocoon for much too long. I used people but never dared to let someone deeper into my life. Too afraid to get hurt, finally to stay back alone again.

It's a lonely life, you know. And I'm sick of it. I want someone in my life who means something for me. A friend, a confidant I can trust with even about my deepest secrets. And who will understand even without many words.“

Zeke smirked.
„I'm afraid I never was a guy of many words.“

Casey's heart was up to his mouth while he listened to Zeke's words. He could feel the close bond between them, a bond he had never felt with anyone else before. Something extraordinary which only happened once in a lifetime to you.

„I understand,“ he finally murmured.

„I know!“
Smiling Zeke looked at him for a while; then the smile changed into his usual charming grin.
„Hey, if we don't want to disappoint good old Furlong tomorrow, we should go back to work.“

Casey chuckled.
„That's a plan, I guess.“

THE END

Comments

[addie71]

I like the idea of Zeke doing art therapy. With Casey's interest as a photographer, it's something that may help them bond more in the future.

[prisca]

Sooo late with answering comment again, sorry.

Thank you. Yes, I like this idea, too. But hopefully, he won't need therapy again in the future because now he has a Casey ;)