I've been craving some Casey fic lately. Mmm, Casey…

"Wallace and Rashard Go to White Castle" AU: the frat is not exclusively black and Veronica comes inside with Wallace.

Michelle is perched on his knee, giggling, when he sees her walk in, that familiar determined half-glare apparent throughout her features. He recognizes the guy behind her, that basketball player who used to sit with her at lunch. Michelle is talking, he realizes, leaning into him, but he can't focus now. Casey's gaze follows Veronica as she makes her way through the room. Her eyes dart about surreptitiously, finally settling on him. They widen slightly, and she stops walking. Casey whispers in Michelle's ear and pushes her gently away, excusing himself as he walks towards Veronica's tiny figure in the middle of a sea of people.

"Casey Gant, at a frat party. I can't say this is a surprise," she says, smirk now firmly in place.

"It's good to see you too, Veronica," he holds her gaze as he smiles sincerely. She is slightly caught off guard by his kindness, but her face returns to its natural impassivity instantly. He notices her friend has seemingly disappeared. "So, I'm guessing you're not here just to check out the members of Delta Nu?" She tapped her nose in affirmation.

"Oh, just clearing a friend of murder charges. You know, the usual." He raises his eyebrows. "And you, you've been busy too," she waves a hand towards Michelle, smiling knowingly. Michelle is talking to another girl, cautiously glancing in their direction. Her façade of practiced boredom is not nearly as convincing as she hopes. Veronica smiles wider as she sees the nervousness of the other girl and a mischievous glint appears in her eyes. She places her delicate hand on his bicep playfully and leans toward him conspiratorially. "Who's the skirt?"

"Just a friend." He doesn't know exactly why he's lying. Maybe it's because he and Michelle have only been dating a few weeks and he's still not sure if the title of "couple" applies. Maybe it's because the smile Veronica is currently wearing disarms him completely.

"Right. Well, maybe you should try telling her that." Casey turns around to look at Michelle, who has by now abandoned her pretense of disinterest and casualness and seems on the verge of rushing towards them. When he returns his focus to Veronica, her friend is back at her side as if he had never left. She grins mischievously, nodding towards the fuming brunette behind him. "I should go, let you get back to your friend. She looks awfully upset."

Two weeks later, and Casey is still thinking of that impish smile. He tells himself he doesn't know why he broke up with Michelle, or why he decided to spontaneously visit to his parents in Neptune.