This is my first story on here. A little scared, but I need to publish it already. It's kind of already done, I just need to fill in a few spaces between everything. It might be long, might not, depending on how long I really want it to go out. I hope y'all like it. Forgive me for anything that doesn't make sense. I'm not Canadian, I'm quite American, and I know nothing else outside of here, haha. But please, be gentle, and enjoy, I guess.

Casey sighed, finally have packed and organized every belonging of hers that she'd brought from London into her new closet at the apartment in Queens. She lay back into her new queen sized bed, loving the feeling of her soft lavender colored blanket, closing her eyes for a brief second.

"Hey, Spacey, where's my iPod?" her new, ever so loving, roommate asked her (sarcasm intended there). She peeked one eye open to see Derek, clad in his plaid pajama bottoms and baseball tee with green sleeves. She sighed, and closed her eyes again.

"Why don't you try the table, where you put it when we walked into the apartment." She said dryly.

"Oh yeah!" he laughed, both happy he remembered where it was and happy he'd bugged her for the umpteenth time that day.

They had just moved into their apartment on campus, having to share due to their parents wanting to save money. They didn't find it necessary paying for two dorm rooms for two people who'd lived together for three years already. Of course, the two of them were both disappointed that they'd have to share their college experience together, but nevertheless, they were both determined to still have as much fun as they could without the other getting in the way.

Casey was somewhat glad she was stuck with Derek. Partly because she knew she could keep an eye on him if he ever got into trouble or wasn't studying enough for his film classes. He knew already he needed to keep at least a 3.0 GPA in order to stay on the hockey team, so she was hoping that was motivation enough for him. She was also glad because she knew how harsh girls could be and was afraid she wouldn't get along with any of the University girls. She knew Derek wouldn't let anyone treat her like garbage, and he she knew his eye was out for her because they were under the same roof once again. Not that Casey couldn't stick up for herself, though. Everyone in London knew that despite the fact that she was sort of a goody-goody, she was also tough and very challenging when it came to arguing.

They'd been unpacking since the early afternoon, and had finished in the later hours of the night. Ordering a pizza was the only way they'd get any food in their bodies. Casey had only enough energy to eat two, and she called it quits. Derek happily devoured the rest of it. How he still had this energy was beyond her, but she supposed it would pay off in hockey. He wouldn't have all this energy for long and she was totally prepared for when he lacked energy to even walk through the door.

She sat on her bed after eating, texting everyone at home a quick goodnight and sending her love to them all. She already knew it would be a challenge without the people she loved to support her. It was weird going to bed and not hearing the soft hum of their home, but instead listening to the equally as peaceful quietness of their new apartment.

"Hey, Case, remember I have early morning practice tomorrow, so I'm taking the Prince." Derek said nonchalantly leaning against her doorway, taking a look around her new abode. She had eerily decorated it to look exactly like her room back home. Typical Casey to put her organizational skills to some use.

"Already?" she eyed him from her book she was now reading on her kindle. She lay on her stomach, already in her night shorts and matching pink shirt. School didn't start for another two weeks, so she was surprised to hear that he'd be starting the very next day after they'd just arrived. Leave it to Derek to cut it so close. Had she known, she would've made him leave for Kingston a few days earlier.

"Yeah, some sort of freshman orientation." He rolled his eyes. "Bring on the pain, or whatever." He sighed, backing away from the door. "Night, Space Case." He said.

"Night, Der." And that was the end of their first night alone at Queens. Nothing special. They were both too tired to argue with one another. She'd leave it to a night where they both had enough energy for the fights.

She honestly loved fighting with Derek. Not only did it get her all riled up, but when she fought with him, she studied a hell of a lot harder than usual. She'd keep her 4.0 up easily with him as a roommate. That is just another reason why having him around would be great. It was weird to look forward to arguing with him, but their fights will remind her of home, because she knew she'd be horribly homesick, and he was her taste of home, as rancid the flavor may be.

Of course he'd never know that the pros outweighed the cons when it came to living with her step-brother. The only horrible things she could think of while living with him, she could count with one hand. She knew it'd be difficult living with him. He was a slob and she had a horrible case of OCD when it came to her cleanliness. Just another thing she had to do to keep him in shape.

/

DPOV

Living with Spacey wasn't on his list of things to do at University at all. Derek threw himself onto his bed with a sigh. He'd just said his good night to her.

He wanted more than anything to live in frat house and have that full college experience. With Casey coming to the same school, he knew straight away that his parents would take the cheaper route. He knew it was selfish, but he hated the idea of living with his step-sister.

She was a keener. IS a keener. Queen of the keeners. She's a klutzy, people pleasing, keener. He knew that living would her would be nag city.

Derek could only pray that hockey, school, and his job would keep him away from Casey McDonald.

Of course there was the bright side. She cooked, that was a plus. Casey can make a killer sandwich. She was also queen of casseroles. Name any food you like, and she'll find a way to make it into a casserole. He was pretty sure she'd have pancakes for him on days he was good. That's how it always was back in London. If he'd done one good deed, he'd wake up to the beautiful smell of chocolate chip pancakes.

Another plus would be that she would clean any mess around the house, and that would be a good look for him if he brought a girl home. Girls love clean guys.

He would only pray that their schedules didn't interfere with each other's. If she ever saw Derek bring home a girl, let alone multiple girls, he'd never hear the end of it. Derek planned on getting as much ass as he did goals this season. He knew Casey wouldn't be a problem, he'd just tell the girls that she was a lesbian or was studying to be a nun or something like that. It was likely the way she dressed.

Okay, he knew he was being unfair. Casey had her moments, and he needed her to keep him on his feet. She may be a total klutz, but she was one hell of a study buddy. He needed that. He needed her. So maybe this all wasn't such a bad idea after all.