Chapter 1: Second-Chance Gamble

"I'M ON FI-YAHHHH!"

The screech came out off-key, his voice cracking—but as Kasey Manatos danced clumsily around his room, flicked his long, brown bangs off his sweaty forehead, and threw another folded pile of clothes into his suitcase, he didn't much care for technicalities. His veins were coursing with excitement, keeping him awake in spite of the early train he had to catch out to the countryside the next morning. "Light 'em up, up, up! Light 'em up, up, up!"

"Shut him up, up, up!" a teasing voice answered from his bedroom doorway, causing him to whip around with a startled squeak and almost lose his balance. Kasey's embarrassed smile quickly turned into alarm as he spotted his sister, Angelica, playfully imitating his dance moves and whipping one of his t-shirts around over her head. "That's right, Kasey!" she whooped. "Shake it like it's for sale!"

"Geez, Angie! I just folded that!" he yelped, snatching the shirt out of her hands and re-folding it meticulously as she giggled. His face reddened as he set the shirt into his suitcase, turning the volume down on his stereo. "Creeping up like that... go mess around with Nessie's crap."

Plopping down onto Kasey's bed next to his suitcase, the petite twenty-year-old grinned and shook her head, heavy brown braid swinging about. "Hell no! I've still gotta live with her after this. 'Sides, I think she was about to go to bed. Thank god. I thought they said evil never sleeps."

Clicking his stereo off, Kasey groaned, taking a spot on the other side of the suitcase as he lugged another one out from under his bed. "So... okay, point about you two living here, but what if I change my mind about doing this, then?" When Angelica let out a loud guffaw, he scowled and raised his eyebrows. "Okay, what's that—" He imitated the noise in a falsetto, "—supposed to mean?"

She waved him off in what she intended to be a nonchalant manner, though her chuckling gave her away. "You, change your mind. That's adorable. You're adorable, Kase. I don't sound like that, by the way." Still smiling, her laughter died down as she reached over and cuffed Kasey on the shoulder. "So... nervous?"

Kasey nodded slightly, smirking and giving Angelica a light shove away. "A... a little. I mean, wouldn't you be?" Setting his jaw pensively, he leaned back and propped himself up on his elbows, looking over at her. "But, at least I've been on a field trip to a farm before, though. And it's not like I haven't been reading up on it, so, I... I kinda know what I'm getting into. A little? And the mayor sounded pretty cool in his letter."

"True, true," Angelica agreed, shrugging. "No serial killer vibes that I could pick up on. No obvious ones, anyway, aside from the place being so freakin' cheap."

"Aren't you reassuring," Kasey muttered. He'd already rationalized the price away in his head multiple times. It generally wound up sounding like a load of crap, but it helped keep his nerves at ease for a little while. At the very least, he was pretty sure he wasn't about to wind up in the clutches of a cult. There were no cults in that part of the state. The news would've said something.

"Right? I really am, like a lighthouse in the fog." Nodding thoughtfully, Angelica swung her legs, looking around at the bare walls—posters depicting various musicians and films had once been tacked up, now rolled and tucked neatly into a box in the far corner. She bit her lip thoughtfully, giving Kasey a sideways glance. The long-overdue subject was bound to come up eventually—what better time to broach it?

"Soooo... you never told me what Danny needed to talk to you about last week, and Mom made it sound like you guys weren't gonna be moving there together..." When Kasey's face darkened at the mention of his boyfriend's name, her eyebrows shot up. "Hoo boy. Cold feet, huh? So lame. Wasn't he the one who started talking about you guys moving in together, anyway?"

Kasey nodded, jaw clenched even tighter. "So... I dunno what the hell it was, to be honest. Apparently—apparently I'm a giant, you know, selfish prick, and... and I didn't even think of his feelings about moving out there even though I brought it up, like, a billion times and I thought he seemed cool with it at first. Not that he put a cent of his money into it, or worked a shitload of overtime to save up..."

He balled his left hand into a fist and punched the mattress. "But, you know what really killed me? He just went on and on about how this bothered him, that bothered him, all this shit he never bothered bringing up until... until then." What had hurt even worse had been realizing the underhanded way Danny had even avoided arguments or talking about difficult subjects, but it wasn't a topic Kasey wanted to bring up to anyone. Especially not his own family. He felt stupid and used enough as it was, without letting others know how blind he'd been. He swallowed a lump in his throat, blinking his vision clear. Like hell Danny was going to get the reaction he wanted—at least, not a second time. Even if he wasn't there to see it. "So... I-I guess he just... he just took his sweet time telling me that he thinks I'm the worst person on the fucking planet or—or—or something." He grimaced, and furrowed his brow in concentration to get the next words out: "I... don't need that. I don't. Whatever..."

Hearing Kasey's feeble attempt at a dismissive tone break slightly, Angelica sighed, reaching around the suitcase and rubbing his shoulder. It was no wonder he'd taken so long to say something, and she was a little surprised that he'd only taken some light prodding to do so this time. Kasey wasn't exactly the type to spill his guts at a moment's notice, and he hadn't had many friends in Twin Bluffs—no close ones at all, compared to the tight-knit circles Angelica and their baby sister Vanessa kept. He came by it honestly, being mostly shy, polite, and uneasy around most people outside of his immediate family for most of his life. Being outed in high school hadn't helped in the least. And while he'd gotten incrementally better after graduating, actually heading out with his co-workers to grab a drink every once in a blue moon, he was still struggling to build his confidence and figure his life out.

Not that he'd be the first to admit it, Angelica knew. He was awful at lying and hiding his emotions, which made him her favorite person to play poker with; but he also had the obnoxious habit of not wanting to burden anyone with his issues, which made him a bit of a pain in the ass to pull out of his shell. Alcohol helped. Not that she wanted her big brother to become a lush, utter lightweight that he was, but she had to admit, he was an unexpectedly fun drunk. She still thought it was a miracle that his co-workers had ever managed to learn this first-hand.

And then there was Danny. He'd seemed like a good guy for Kasey, really. A little quiet and introspective, himself, but supportive and sweet. At least, he'd seemed like it. He'd made the first move at the start of their year-long relationship, complimenting Kasey's drunken karaoke one night after downing a drink or two himself to work up the nerve. Numbers were exchanged. Dates occurred. Angelica and Vanessa gently ribbed their lovestruck dork of a brother, as was their sisterly duty. Kasey thought Danny was the best thing to happen to him since high school graduation. Their parents thought Danny was the best thing to happen to Kasey since speech therapy smoothed out most of his stutter. There was talk, serious talk, of the two of them moving in together, and Kasey had busted his ass to save up the money to make it happen—to surprise Danny by getting him out of the shitty off-campus apartment he lived in.

Kasey had been so damn happy. Danny had seemed happy with him.

And now, all that had been torn down. And if his stutter came back in full force because of this, Angelica knew she would have to punch Danny in the nuts.

"You wanna talk about it?"

Kasey shook his head bleakly, taking his time to sit back up. Clapping his hands on his knees, he shot her a wry smirk. "Nah. Mom... Mom pulled it out of me last week, and it... it was just exhausting. I-I could... mmm... I could barely even... get a fucking sentence out. Gah! Like that, but... but worse. Hold on." He clenched his jaw and focused for a few seconds, before going on: "It was just... a lot. I just made her promise not to tell anyone. Nothing personal, Ange. I just wasn't ready to say anything." At her understanding nod, he took a deep breath, and continued: "Besides, you know what? I'm starting a new chapter of my life. As far as I'm concerned, at the end of the last chapter? Rocks fell, the fucker died. And the kingdom rejoiced."

Despite her aggravation at Danny, and her concern for Kasey despite his shot at levity, Angelica couldn't help but let out a burst of laughter. "Hear, hear!" she crowed, getting up off the bed and pulling him with her. "He's history! C'mon, let's sing the song!"

Kasey paled. That wouldn't cheer him up at all. "Oh, god. Please don't."

Nonetheless, Angelica plowed on ahead: "You know the words, Kase! Let it gooo—"

"No, fuck that song!"

A pillow to the face was all it took to silence Angelica, and she stared at a smiling Kasey in mock-betrayal. "Whoa! Is that how you treat someone who's on your side?!"

"Yeah," Kasey admitted, shrugging and chuckling. "When they sing that shit, I do."

"You bitch," was all the reply Kasey got before being tackled to the ground and beaten with a spare pillow. With the two fighting for the upper hand in their battle, it took them a few moments to notice the new visitor lingering in the doorway of Kasey's room. The tall, gawky redhead watched them horse around a little longer, with an exasperated expression on her face.

"Hey, Nessie," Kasey panted, giving Angelica another whack with his pillow while waving at Vanessa with his free hand. "What's up?"

"Ummm, aside from it's one in the morning and Mom and Dad are trying to sleep?" Vanessa responded, shaking her head in admonishment. "I mean, I could hear you guys! And Mom's driving us all to the station tomorrow, remember?"

"Yeah, asshole, don't wake Mom up!" Angelica chimed in, slapping Kasey on the arm in mock-admonishment. "You rotten boy! Scoundrel!"

"Okay, see, and this woman is abusing me right in front of you," Kasey said, slapping Angelica's hand away and looking up to Vanessa. "That's not right. Help me kick her ass, Ness."

Vanessa raised an eyebrow.

"No, see, the feminist thing to do would be to help me whoop Kasey's ass," Angelica suggested, craning her neck back to give Vanessa a winning smile. "And you're a feminist! C'mon, Vanessa, what do you say? I'll take you under my wing and teach you how to disable Kasey!"

"Wait, disable me?!"

"...What planet are you people even from?" Vanessa finally muttered, rolling her eyes and throwing her hands up. "Why am I the only normal kid in this family? Took Mom and Dad three tries..."

"Don't flatter yourself," Angelica cut in.

Vanessa huffed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Whatever. I'm going back to bed. Just try not to wake up the rest of the neighborhood, okay? Love you, Kase."

"Love you too, Nessa! See, she likes me because I'm a good brother," Kasey said, smiling down at Angelica.

Wriggling out from Kasey's grasp, Angelica stumbled to the doorway, waving at Vanessa. "Hey, what about me?!"

"Yeah, you love me too, join the club," Vanessa called back, shutting the door behind her.

Angelica threw a rude gesture at the bedroom door, before turning back to Kasey and shrugging. "Well, good thing I'm probably getting your room after this. Was I that much of a pain in the ass when I was fifteen?"

"I mean... were you ever not a pain in the ass?" Kasey countered, though his slight smile betrayed his teasing.

"Har har. Fuck you too." Angelica picked up the pillows and gave Kasey a few more half-hearted thumps, before tossing them on the bed and flopping down on top of them. "You need to shave. You look like a hobo. What are you gonna tell everyone over there? 'Hi, nice to meet you. I got here by catching out.'"

"Yeah, well... you... need to shave," Kasey countered lamely, reaching down and pulling Angelica up by the arm despite her slight whine. "Alright, brat. I'm gonna finish my packing, shave my dirty hobo face, and hit the hay." Drawing Angelica into a tight hug, he mumbled, "Love you", smiling when he heard her return the sentiment. As they pulled apart, he kept his hands on her shoulders, smiling reassuringly at her. "And... like I said, Danny's just... just... old news. Really. I'm... I'm over it. I'll... be over it," he amended quickly, working to keep his voice steady.

"Yeah, you will," Angelica agreed, before bidding Kasey goodnight and padding down the hall to go to bed.

Shutting his bedroom door, Kasey slumped to the floor. He wrapped his arms around his knees as he stared listlessly at the half-packed suitcase resting by his feet, trying to stave off the seemingly countless doubts that had sprung up in the wake of his argument with Danny. It wasn't like he was ready for a new relationship yet anyway, but he certainly had no illusions about finding another guy out in Castanet just as easily—the sleepy, Mediterranean-style seaside burg had a ridiculously small population, not even fifty people in total.

Aside from the stunning images in the brochure—wide fields, gorgeous ocean views, lush forests, and towering mountains—the small population had actually been part of the draw for Kasey. He could only be okay with being tantamount to a loner and fading into the shadows for so long. It was easy to blend in somewhere like Twin Bluffs, just become another face in the crowd that could be easily replaced. And that hadn't gotten him any closer to being happy with himself. Leaving his comfort zone was the next logical step, wasn't it?

The farm had looked a bit dilapidated, sure, but there were other opportunities if that didn't work out... mining, smithing, carpentry, fishing, apprenticing the local tailor, the jeweler, or the doctor. The Ocarina Inn, at least by its own admission, boasted blue-ribbon cooking—perhaps he'd embrace the culinary arts? He could stand to learn to cook, at the very least. The town was small, but offered a startlingly diverse amount of exciting paths his life could take, as far as he could tell—and here he was, still at home!

One of those paths, something, had to lead him to... himself. He hadn't found that in Twin Bluffs. He certainly hadn't found it with Danny, and the reminder sent a pang through his heart.

Just take it one step at a time, he told himself, feeling his heart rate pick up. You're not changing the world here. You're just... making your own path in life. Just you, now. Kasey. In that house, and that empty bed, allll by yourself. Man, I hope the bed is empty when I get there. But, hey, bonus: You're not being dragged down by dead weight... so that's cool. You'll find what was meant for you. This'll all work out for the best. You'll see.

Staring blankly at the clock by his bed, Kasey wondered how much time would pass before he started believing that again.

The Manatos family found themselves moving all too quickly through a lively, chatty breakfast the next morning, though the conversation was mostly dominated by everyone but Kasey. Before they knew it, the suitcases were loaded into the family van, rolling down Barber Avenue to the Twin Bluffs Rail Station.

"As soon as you have your phone service hooked up, call us," his mom reminded him tearfully, pulling him into a tight hug with the rest of the family after they'd finished loading his luggage into his compartment. "Although I'd really feel better if they had mobile service out there... are you sure you don't want to take your phone?"

"Too late, called dibs," Vanessa said from behind them, happily taking pictures on the cell phone that Kasey had handed down to her. "You want this phone back, you'll have to pry it from my cold, dead hands."

Kasey was about to answer that he didn't want to get tempted to do something stupid, like get drunk and text Danny, when his dad cut into his thoughts with a hug of his own.

"Hell, if there's a phone anywhere else in town, use that first!" his dad added, ruffling Kasey's hair. "Or write. Whatever! Let us know how you are, and if you need anything."

"I w-will, Dad," Kasey murmured, working in vain to keep his voice steady. "But I-I'll visit, too! When I can, anyway..."

"Damn right, you will," his mom said firmly, smiling as she stroked his face. "And be sure to call Grandma and Grandpa, too. They're going to want to know everything. And if you ever feel like you need to come back—"

"Noooope! Dibs on that, too!" Vanessa cut in loudly, earning smacks on both arms and noises of protest from both Kasey and Angelica. "What? Look at me, I'm fifteen and I'm already five-ten! What if I have another growth spurt? I'll need the space! Angie's, like, a midget!"

"Look, bitch—"

"I'll share space with her skanky dwarven butt when Kasey comes to visit, though," Vanessa continued, her lips twitching a little despite her efforts to remain cool and stoic. Her eyes were shiny as she pulled Kasey into a hug, dropping her voice to a watery whisper: "Just don't do it too much, okay?"

"I'll try," was all he could muster in response without his voice breaking.

Hearing the train whistle blow, Kasey waved his family together for one last, long hug, feeling his stomach flutter and his body tingle with a warm, yet slightly sorrowful feeling. "I love you guys."

"Jesus Christ, Kasey, we know," Vanessa groused, having managed to work herself out of the brief display of affection and slip back into her more familiar state of teenage brattiness. "It's not like you're going to Afghanistan or something, we'll probably just mope a little bit at Baskin Robbins on the way home."

A wave of chuckles followed this statement, though the others nonetheless returned Kasey's sentiments.

"And you forget all about everything that jerk said to you," his mom added quietly, prompting a nod from Kasey. "You're going to do great, Kasey."

"I'll kick Danny's ass for you," Angelica whispered into Kasey's ear, making him smile and laugh slightly through his tears. "Hey, dickweed, don't cry! You'll make me cry!" In spite of her words, her eyes were shining.

He shook his head and wiped his eyes. "Too late, bitchface."

"Ugh. See, you'd better loosen up like that when you get there," Angelica warned him. "I'm serious! First call back to us, you'd better be telling me that you called the mayor a bitchface."

They both knew he wouldn't, but Kasey agreed to it all the same.

All-too-brief moments later, he was alone on the train, craning his neck out of the window to watch his family grow smaller and smaller on the platform, returning his waves for as long as they could keep it up.

With a sigh, Kasey finally pulled his head back into his compartment as the train picked up speed, shutting the window against the rush of cool March air and slumping back against his seat. Eyes sliding shut pensively, he folded his hands in his lap, anxiously swinging his legs back and forth.

Off he went, into the unknown.

In the weak, dry spring breeze, she felt the presence nearing—even with her faded strength.

She couldn't do much from her current position. Even speaking was a great task, and her mind felt as brittle as a dead maple leaf. Nonetheless, she focused her thoughts into a projector reel of images, splashed across the boy's mind as he slipped into an uneasy slumber.

She couldn't guarantee he would believe, or even understand, what she was trying to get across to him when he woke up. Not yet. She couldn't even guarantee his acceptance—she just knew that with the current circumstances as dire as they were, this desperate gamble on a complete stranger was better than nothing. Those around her were bitterly losing hope, unsure of what was even happening to them, and she couldn't even reach out to them. She could only wait for fortune to favor them once again while she helplessly watched the decay, confusion, and suffering.

It all depended on whether or not this outsider would be willing and able to help pull them out of it.

Author's Notes: Wow, am I actually stepping out of my Mineral Town comfort zone for a multi-chapter? I am. I do love Castanet, though. It has promise for the storylines I'm angling to try out, so we'll see how I navigate them in this lovely, troubled little town. I'll make no promises on how this will wind up playing out—but hopefully I'll do the ideas in my head justice. I'm certainly aiming to really grow as a writer with this one. I at least have a much clearer idea of where I want to go compared to past stories.

So, Kasey's on his way to Castanet, determined to make a fresh start and prove Danny wrong. What, exactly, did Danny tell him? We'll find that out in due time—more importantly, what will Kasey's first taste of rural life be like? How will he adjust, immediately, and as time goes on?

Feel free to leave a review, if you'd like! Constructive feedback is definitely welcome.