Hey there, my fellow readers and writers. :) Here's a new oneshot that I cooked up one day. This time, I decided to try my hand at writing a fanfic based on the TV show Life with Derek, and I chose the Season 1 episode "Grade Point: Average", as it is very well-written, and grades are definitely a good prompt for when it comes to writing fanfics about school, especially high school, of course.

Disclaimer: The geniuses at Family Channel and Daphne Ballon (also a genius) own Life with Derek. I own the fanfics I cook up from time to time.

Whether or Not Grades Matter

At Thompson High School, a verbal showdown was taking place in the hallway.

Her azure eyes narrowed in fury, just as her tormentor's now were, Casey McDonald-Venturi hissed, "Do you have any idea what it feels like for me to be called ‛grade grubber' or ‛grubby', especially by you whenever you get the chance?"

Her tormentor suddenly felt a bit caught off-guard by that.

"Uh, well," he began, but Casey cut him off.

"And you think I can't hear it, or that I simply brush it off if I do hear it? Well, guess what, Bucko," she snapped. "News flash for you – I can and do hear these hurtful things about me and my new so-called ‛reputation'. Just because I ask for better grades after I receive something like a 92 or 89 is no reason for one of my fellow students – namely, you – to assume something like that about me."

While her tormentor's eyes widened as waves of shock went through him, Casey then topped off her verbal assault with a few final words that, she hoped, would stay with him for the rest of his life (or his high school career, whichever came first).

"I am not a grade grubber. Catch my drift?"

And, before he had a chance to come up with a good reply to what she had said to him, Casey turned on her heel and gracefully flounced away. All he could do was look after her in shock as she turned the corner. Much to his surprise, there wasn't even a sound of her bumping into anything.

Even the janitor noticed the verbal confrontation with a puzzled frown. He then remarked while seeing Casey turn on her heel and flounce away with her head held high and a ballerina-like grace in her step, "Wow."

In his mind, Casey ‛Klutzilla' McDonald-Venturi was a ‛klutzilla' no longer. That part of her had left, and in its place was a gracefulness that many girls wished they had.

Even Corey Plunkett himself was surprised. Having witnessed the whole confrontation, he couldn't help but feel a teeny bit proud of Casey. She had stuck up for herself, and had courageously called out her tormentor on referring to her as a ‛grade grubber' before telling him off. I have to admit, I kind of admire her for that. And calling him ‛Bucko' was quite a stroke of genius on her part, too, he thought and then let a neat grin cross his features. Even seeing her turn on her heel and walk away, and without even bumping into a wall or anything, was quite something too, although it was a little bit surprising the first time he saw it.

Well, she's not ‛Klutzilla' to me anymore. It's gracefulness that resides in her now. He then had an idea, and turned and headed off down the hallway. I have to find Derek and tell him about what I've just seen. He'd be quite surprised, as well as a teensy bit proud. And, they are step-siblings, after all.

Meanwhile, as Casey headed off down the hallway, she felt she had accomplished something big. And that was calling one of her tormentors out on his seeing her as a grade grubber, just because she was a perfectionist and a good student, too. She had to admit something there. Apparently, verbally sparring with someone like him or her stepbrother Derek, sure felt good too.

When her friend Emily Davis walked up, they greeted each other, and Casey told her all about verbally sparring with one of the male students who had referred to her as a ‛grade grubber'.

Emily grinned. "I take it you really are quite courageous, Casey," she remarked. "And I have never seen anyone like you do that to one of your tormentors as well. That was, in my opinion, very awesome."

"Thanks," replied Casey. "You know, from my perspective, being a straight-A student is actually quite something to be proud of, too. And I do mean in a good way, of course."

Emily nodded, and she and Casey then switched the topic to something they liked as they continued down the hall to the cafeteria for lunch.

Nice feedback is very much appreciated, of course. :)