A/N: So, again, I need a job, a life, a new guy to crush on. Because all this is doing is making my life complicated. It's not the easiest summer of my life, but I'm happy with it. I just need to think less. And so, I'M Derek, and the guy is Casey in this situation, because our personalities are basically exactly reversed.
Edit: Well, they were ten years ago when I started the idea for this fic. Now it's after summer and my volunteership is over and I won't see the loser till next summer. Luckily, I have pictures. And friendship bracelets.
And he has to wonder why the hell he's sitting here making friendship bracelets with her. Friendship bracelets. For crying out sakes.
And so he's babbling away, knowing that she's making hers for the random boyfriend she has at college. That he doesn't know. And he thought Max and Sam were bad, but he hates, more than anything, not knowing who she's dating. How the hell can he protect her when he doesn't know who the guy is?
He babbles to stop thinking. And he knows how good she is at listening, and so he goes on about how his hockey coach is a dick and she's nodding along. And then he comes to the part where he stops and thinks and regrets saying some of the stuff he's said. "Course, his house just burned down or something, so I guess I should be more generous... but he's just such a dickhead, Case."
"Sympathetic?" She's looking at him, eyebrows raised, in that quiet voice she gets when they're getting along.
"Yeah, that's the better word I guess. I dunno, you're the smart one here."
She just grins and throws his own smirk back at him.
"So did he like the first one you made him?" He's gotta change the conversation from his own stupidity and he knows it's hopeless, so hopeless, because she smiles and nods.
"He loved it... except for the fact that it was too small."
"Aww, man, really? Well, it's the thought that counts." And he smiles and pretends his heart isn't silently breaking on the inside.
"Yeah, that's what they always say." And she smiles. "He brought me a puppy last week. His friend couldn't find a home for it and I'm such a pushover.... Ana's pissed, but I love it."
"You should, that's cute. Think of it as a gift?"
"Yeah, definitely."
She finishes her friendship bracelet. She smiles and ties it off and gets up from the table. "Well, I'm headed to bed. It was nice being able to chat with you again, D. I miss you at college." And he'll never admit to it: but when she kisses his cheek, he gets that butterflies thing all Casey's chick flicks talk about.
And he knows it's hopeless, so utterly hopeless, but he'll keep making friendship bracelets and stupid hula hoop games and all that shit, just so he can be near her for the summer. Because even though his heart breaks every time she leaves.... it's worth it all just to see the smile on her face the night she leaves him. And that hug. And the way they flirt all summer. But it's totally harmless, right? Harmless. Yeah. Because they're in the wrong levels of maturity and her mystery boy prolly deserves her more. But he wishes she'd just give up on him and stop listening, stop smiling, stop hugging him once a summer. Because if he could figure out a way to delete the mental pictures, he'd start getting over her. And that would be way cool.
A/N: anyone who caught the Pepper Ann reference in there, you're my hero. And I know it's not a happy Dasey, but neither are me and Devon. And yes, I know how much Kelsey and Devon sounds like Casey and Derek. It's not effing lost on me. *evil sarcastic laugh* God, I'm such an awful person!