A/N: So, I used to write LWD fics all the time, like five years ago (does anyone even read LWD fics anymore?). But I've grown a lot as a writer and decided to try my hand at it one more time. If I get any sort of response to this I might write a follow up, but I'm not holding my breath, I just kind of threw this together. But feedback is always appreciated!
College is something Casey has been looking forward to for as long as she can remember. It's not that she has always wanted to get away from her family, she loves them all dearly. Even Derek has his moments. But she's ready to be her own person, live in a place where she can stretch her wings and meet new people. She's ready to discover who she is.
But so far, college is turning out to be a lot like high school.
Derek wasn't supposed to go to the same college as her. He wasn't even supposed to be in the same town. But when his plans for Community College fell through, he turned to Casey, saying he would help her move. He could help drive her to the University of Michigan, help her move all her stuff. "We can bond, sis," he had said, slinging an arm around Casey's shoulders.
"Please don't call me that," she had groaned, pushing his arm off her and rolling her eyes. "But fine. I could always use a helping hand I suppose. And you can carry the boxes of books for me."
What Derek hadn't told her was that he would be moving to Michigan too, into a little apartment not far from the college. He had already set it up and everything. He has a job lined up and their parents fully support the decision. Apparently, the only one who didn't know about this was Casey.
But she was still determined that it would all work out fine. He would be working and she would be learning. They wouldn't have to see each other, really.
Except, apparently, his job gives him ample time to spend on campus, hitting on girls and driving Casey crazy. He tells stories about her to everyone. He's turning college into high school 2.0 and she is this close to pushing him off the nearest goddamn cliff.
"Derek, I need to talk to you," she says, one day, walking up to him in the student commons.
He casually looks over at her from where he's sitting on the edge of a sofa, talking to some pretty blonde. He looks at the girl, says, "Excuse me," then follows Casey into the hallway. "What's up?"
"Why are you here?" she asks. She tries to keep her voice sounding sure, determined. But it ends up coming out like a whine and God, she hates that he can still make her feel like she's in high school.
"I'm making friends, you should do it too."
"I can't with you around. You're ruining this."
Darren cocks his head to the side, crosses his arms over his chest. "Why? This is a big campus, I don't see why I'm getting in your way here."
What is Casey supposed to say to that? She can't tell him that the reason she left home wasn't just to go somewhere new. She also needed to get away. She was running from something, running from Derek, but then Derek followed her.
I can't tell you what I'm feeling and thinking because I hardly know. Is this love? Is this what falling love feels like? Is it supposed to be so incredibly terrifying and thrilling all at the same time? This was never part of my plan, you were never a part of my plan. I left home and you were supposed to stay behind so I could grow out of this, but with you here, you're just making it worse and I can't…
"This is my school, Derek, you weren't even supposed to be here," she snaps, cold and harsh, and her tone of voice isn't lost on him.
His face falls, a flash of hurt, then it's gone. "I didn't realize I was such a burden on you, Case."
Why does he make her feel so guilty, this isn't something that should be her fault. "Derek, it's not that you're a burden, I just wanted…"
"What?" he asks, "What did you want?"
You.
"I just wanted to be my own person without the past following me everywhere."
"Casey," Derek reaches out and grabs her shoulders, pulling her a bit closer and her heart stops. "You're great, ok? You're beautiful and smart and sometimes you're even funny. Just be yourself and people won't even care I'm here because they'll be so caught up in you."
Casey looks at him, he's saying all these things, so sweet and caring, and for a moment she wonders what it would be like if they're weren't step-siblings. If they had met at a different time, maybe at a coffee shop, maybe because he tried to hit on her and she turned him down at first, but gave in eventually because God, his smile. And she thinks Kiss me, kiss me right now and I swear we can make this work.
But he doesn't. He grins at her, one of his snarky, gorgeous grins, and lets go. "You'll do great, sis."
He walks off, back to that pretty blonde and even though he can't hear her, she mumbles, voice broken and pleading, like an echo of her heart, "Don't call me that."