Derek had been acting strange lately. Not particularly nice, or particularly mean, just different. He had spent a lot of time in his bedroom- so much time in fact that fifteen-year-old Casey MacDonald had started to wonder exactly what he was doing in there.

He was a fifteen year old boy, so Casey had some idea of what he was doing, but usually he played Brittany Spears music when he did that. No, his room had been silent for days. And when he did come out it was like he was empty. Every time Casey made a rude comment on his behavior he would respond with a wry smile and went back to his room. He just took it.

And then there was Nora and George. Every time Casey or Lizzie, or even Marti made a comment on how he was acting they would just close it with a lame little excuse 'He had a headache-" Lizzie and Edwin may fall for that one, but not Casey. She knew better than that, and besides, George was quite possibly the worst lyer on the planet.

There were just so many things that Derek could of done to cause this rapid and frosty change between he and the rest of the family, that it left Casey with hours of enjoyment going over all the possible scenarios.

But now her curiosity had gotten to her, and she was becoming so restless she felt that she was going to burst she noticed as she got dressed on a hot Saturday morning in July. She chose a simple ripped Jean mini skirt and a black tank top that looked amazing against her newly tanned skin and hair which she had curled and tied back into a clip.

She welcomed the cool feeling of the hardwood floor as she walked down the steps of her Okachobee, Canada home. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a Banana from the counter eating it hungrily. The subject of Derek had gotten boring lately, but for some reason, she couldn't keep his face from her mind. It was like some kind of obsessive crush that she had on him.

No, not crush. Definitely not. No way. Just an obsession.

On a boy.

Sam hadn't been by lately, either. Maybe that was it! Maybe Derek and Sam had gotten into a fight. Their friendship had been a little stressed since Casey had broken it off with Sam. It was just too weird, having Sam act like a total sweetheart when he was with her, and then listen to him talk with Derek about other girls and hockey. Sam had gotten pretty angry with her after she broke up with him- violent even, but luckily she had done it close to home. She wondered what would of happened if no one was around.

She smiled as Marti walked in wearing some purple princess outfit that she had begged for a whole nine minutes before George had gotten it for her. At least the five-year-old was getting a good wear out of it. She hadn't taken it off in weeks.

"Hey Marti," She said sweetly as she saw her step-sister open the refrigerator door. "What are you doing?"

"I'm making a sandwich." The little girl said as she stood on her tippy-toes, trying to reach the peanut butter.

"Why? Are you hungary? I'll make a sandwich for you-"

"No. It's for Smerek-" Marti said, giving up as Casey grabbed the jar of Jiffy for her.

"Derek?" Casey asked questioningly. "Did he ask you to make a sandwich for him?" She paused. "It figures. He can't do anything for himself."

"No" Marti said, holding on to the edges of the counter, jumping up and down as she watched Casey make the conglomeration of peanut butter and grape jelly. "I'm just making it for him."

"That's nice of you." Casey said. "Why would you want to go and do that though?"

"Because he is getting skinny. Edwin told me that if you keep getting skinny you will turn into nothingness." Marti said matter-of-factly, completely believing what her older brother had told her.

"Well, we wouldn't want that to happen-" Casey said sarcastically. "Have you spoken to Derek today?"

"Yeah. He was in the potty."

Derek walked into the kitchen just then, not saying a word as he reached into the medicine cabinet, grabbing an hand full of aspirin and swallowing them.

"What's up with you?" Casey asked

"Is Smerek sick?"

"I've got a headache." Derek said as he drank straight from the sink. Casey looked at him from the side. He did look thinner, but she just shrugged it off as he walked back to his room in silence.