A/N: This is the next entry in GJ7B.X's 30 Oneshot Challenge. It's inspired by the prompt I'm Sorry. And it's a scene between Derek and Casey. And once again it's kind of short, but they're all probably going to be kind of short. Anyway, R&R! Thanks! –Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own LWD, why must you rub it in?

#9 I'm Sorry

Harder Than You'd Think

"So what, you're just going to give me the cold shoulder?"

Silence.

"That's really mature. The silent treatment, you have got to be kidding me."

Silence.

"Come on talk to me."

Silence.

"This is getting ridiculous. Just say something. What do you want from me?"

Casey whipped around to face Derek. Her gaze narrowed into a glare. He had been following her around the house for the past twenty minutes trying to get something out of her. She directed her biting stare onto him without a word—hoping he would get the hint and leave her alone for a while to cool down. But this was Derek we're talking about, when does he ever pick up on that kind of subtlety?

"Give me something, Case." Derek spoke once again, trying to prompt Casey into responding to him.

"Give you something? You're the one who should be giving me something. An apology for one." Casey exclaimed in a burst of emotion.

"What do you want me to say?" Derek sighed looking away from her.

"Uh, I'm sorry would be a good place to start." Casey responded.

"Casey, you know I didn't mean it." Derek said quietly.

"Still not hearing an apology." Casey turned away and heading for the stairs.

"What do you want me to do? I'm expected to say and do things like that. I don't know what you want from me, this was your idea." Derek followed her up the stairs.

Casey flipped around and took a few steps down so they were practically nose to nose, "That was not part of my idea. I never asked you to act the way you did, especially not right in front of me."

"I'm supposed to curb my behavior just because you're around? I have a reputation to keep up with, especially if it appears as if I'm not dating someone." Derek countered.

"Well, I don't appreciate having to listen to you comment about some other girl as if I wasn't there." Casey replied, "And this is not a fight I want to be having."

Casey sighed softly and backed up a step before continuing up the stairs. Derek followed, because Casey might have been done with the conversation, but he was nowhere near done.

"As if I want to be fighting?" Derek called after her retreating back, "You're the one who stormed off without a word. You're the one who wouldn't even talk to me."

"You expect me to talk to you, after what you did?" Casey turned again. "The way I feel right now, I don't even want to look at you."

Casey turned away and pushed open her bedroom door. She stepped inside and started to close her door. Derek caught her door before it could close all the way and opened it up all the way so he could follow her inside. He closed the door behind him and sat down on Casey's bed next to her.

"I was playing the part." Derek said softly. "I didn't mean to..." He paused and took a deep breath, "I didn't want to upset you, that wasn't my intention."

Casey stayed silent, her gaze lowered to her lap. Derek took a moment to pull himself together before he continued.

"I…I'm sorry." Derek finally said and Casey looked up to meet his eyes. "You know I could never purposely hurt you."

"But Derek…"

"That girl doesn't mean anything to me, you know that." Derek interrupted. "You're the only girl that means anything to me."

Casey let herself lean against him, her head resting on his shoulder. "Is it really that hard for you to say?"

"Harder that you'd think." Derek responded. "Do you forgive me?"

"Of course." Casey sighed. After a moment of silence she added, "I love you, Derek."

"I love you too, Case."

"See I know that." Casey replied, "I know you feel that way about me but I can't help but feel inadequate when you look at another girl or talk about another girl."

"Maybe it's time we were honest with everyone about us. I wouldn't feel the need to prove myself, if I could proudly say I got the kindest, smartest, most beautiful girl I could have asked for. We could do that, and it would fix this."

"That's easier said than done." Casey responded.

"You got me—Derek Venturi, the one who doesn't apologize for anything—to say I'm sorry." Derek countered, and kissed her lightly. As he pulled away he added. "We can do anything, no matter how hard."

A/N2: Just a tad cliché there in the end, or the whole situation I don't know. Anyway, if anyone was confused, Casey wanted them to keep their relationship a secret but at school one day she caught him talking about another girl with his friends and she got upset, hence this scene. Anyhow…review please! –Mac