REVIEW
Casey was ready to wow her creative writing teacher. She was very happy with her speech on what she was thankful for. She was even the first to raise her hand for presentations in class. Of course she was picked first and almost skipped to the front of the room in all her happiness.
"First of all, Happy early Thanksgiving." She said smiling at the class. She only got skeptical looks back, and a smirk from the irksome stepbrother in the back of the room. "Ok. Well, this is my piece on what I'm thankful for this year. " She cleared her throat and began.
"Last year, I lived in a different town, with a different life, school, and friends. This year, I've experienced many new things. I'm thankful for the wonderful people I've met in my new life, and the support I've received from everyone in adjusting to so many new things. I'm thankful that no matter the changes I've gone through, my mother and sister were always right by my side. And though I wouldn't admit it at first, I'm thankful that now I've got even more support from an even bigger family. I'm thankful for George's awful cooking and the love he has for my mother, I'm thankful for the always-smiling Marti and her ability to make any situation brighter. I'm thankful for Edwin's humiliating jokes, and the great friend he's been to Lizzie. And I'm even thankful for Derek." she continued, looking up at him. She was surprised to see that he was paying full attention. "Though I probably won't ever see him as 'family,' he's been there for me too, no matter how much he denies it. He may be an irritating cad at times, but he's nice enough." She said smirking. "So this thanksgiving, I give thanks to my new life, new family and new friends." She finished, looking directly at Derek with her last statement. The room clapped politely as Casey took her seat.
"Very nice." Concluded Ms. Mackle "Leading us to Mr. Venturi perhaps?" Deerek shrugged and walked to the front of the room arrogantly, his essay left behind on his desk.
"Touching, really." He sneered at Casey. He didn't want the entire school knowing that he could be nice, how dare she! Casey looked a little surprised at his hostility, but quickly looked away.
"Ok. So this thanksgiving, I'm thankful for turkey and all that other delicious stuff that comes with this sappy holiday." The class gave a laugh, except for Casey, who continued to gaze out the window. "I'm thankful for hockey, because otherwise school would be almost pointless. As well as my best buds and leading ladies." He finished, giving a wink to a particularly attractive blonde in the front of the room. The teacher gave a skeptical "Ook." And as she was getting ready to call on an eager Stanley Hutchins, the bell rang signaling the end of class. The teacher told them that they would be handing in their assignments the next day, but Casey didn't hear her, by then she was already out the door. She was the first one to leave the class, pushing past Derek roughly in the process.
That day, Derek didn't see Casey at lunch. He was a bit worried, seeing as how she was so upset earlier, but in the end reasoned that she was in the library. He continued eating his lunch.
Later that day, Derek sat on his recliner watching a recap of the hockey game he had missed the night before. Casey stormed into the house, not even acknowledging his presence and ran up the stairs to her room. He heard the door slam shut and turned off the T.V. He already knew the score from Sam, so he didn't need to watch it. He made his way up the stairs and paused at Casey's door. He heard loud angry chick music playing from inside. He opened the door and let himself in.
"Pissy princess?" he asked smirking.
Casey simply shot him a glare, and went back to her book. He sat on the foot of her bed. She didn't protest but simply pulled her legs up closer to her chest.
"Angry because I didn't give a sappy thanksgiving speech? That I wrote about something I actually care about?" Casey looked up at him and he immediately wished that he could just take it all back. The look of pain in her eyes gave him the worst feeling of guilt in his gut. Of course he didn't let it show, and as Casey put the volume down and whispered, "Please leave Derek." He simply forced a smirk and strutted out of her room.
The second he was safe in his own room, he slumped onto his bed, the smirk leaving his face immediately. Instead, he wore the expression of pure guilt. He lay in silence for a while, and could hear the faint sniffling through the thin wall separating his room from Casey's. The heavy feeling in his heart grew. After some time, he heard her door creak open. This was his chance. He reached into his bag for the long forgotten essay. Opening his door just a crack, he checked to see that the coast was clear. He heard water running in the bathroom, and knew that Casey was in there. He ran to her room quickly and deposited the speech on her bed. He quickly ran back out and sat tensely at his desk. What would she think?
Casey returned to her room after making sure that her runny mascara was off completely. She collapsed on her bed again and heard a faint crinkle of paper from beneath her. She picked it up and glanced at it quickly, her heart stopped. What I'm Thankful For, by Derek Venturi. She didn't need to see this again. But something stood out at her. Her name. She straightened out the paper and began reading.
Thanksgiving has always been a pointless holiday for me. What in the world is there to give thanks for? My new younger stepsister never fails to mention at least one thing that's wrong in the world. But that brings me to one new thing I have to be thankful for this year. Sure I will always be thankful for the constant things in life; my friends, popularity and hockey. But this year I found out that sometimes changes can be good. Last year, I was king of my castle with two younger siblings and my dad living with me, and all was right with the world. This year, my secure kingdom was intruded by three women who have since made a big impact on my life. Lizzie gave me one more little sister to worry about, to make sure that she isn't dating too soon. Nora gave me a new mother figure, one more person to nag me about my grades, one more person to love. And Casey, she gave me a challenge, a goal to achieve. Though I love to get on her nerves and test my latest pranks on her, she too gave me one more person to care about, one more person to love. So this year, I'm thankful for hockey, friends and most of all the security of my new, bigger kingdom.
She was sure she was tearing. It was so obviously Derek to refer to his home as his 'kingdom,' himself as king. Yet it was so unlike Derek, to write such sweet things about her family, to acknowledge the fact that he cared, and even loved her. She quickly wiped her tears and went to Derek's room, not bothering to knock.
"Derek?" she inquired, stepping over the clothes strewn across his room.
He took off his headphones and placed them on his desk. Casey gently placed the paper next to them. They waited in silence, until Casey said, "Why didn't you present that?"
Derek looked up at Casey, " I'd ruin my rep. can't have anyone knowing that I care." Casey nodded and sat on his bed. He didn't tell her to leave. "You have to work on some of those grammatical mistakes." She said, breaking the silence once again. "Yeah…" smirked Derek, typical Casey to talk about grammar at a time like this. "But I must say your castle analogies were consistent and interesting." She was clearly avoiding talking about something else.
"What is it Casey? What do you want to know?" questioned Derek in a bored tone.
" I-I just feel bad. I said I don't see you as family, while you clearly do…"
"No I don't." He responded quickly, nervously.
"But, you said you cared about me, loved me even…" Now she was really confused, she looked up.
"I, I do. As… a friend though. I don't feel the same way about you as I do about Marti and Lizzie. So I obviously don't see you as a sister."
"Oh." Casey replied, in a quiet shock. "So, we're friends?"
"Yeah, I guess…" He answered, looking down at the paper on his desk. He returned it to his bag.
"Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." She assured him. Derek simply shrugged, looking somewhat put off.
"Unless you want me to?" Casey asked, confused once again. He didn't respond. "Derek?"
He looked up. His eyes were a mix of confusion, guilt, hurt…and want? He got up from his desk and sat by Casey.
"Derek…" she didn't get a chance to finish her thought. He was kissing her. She couldn't think, she didn't push him away. A few moments later he pulled away, "No, you're definitely not family." He smirked. Casey smiled.
AN/ Hope you liked, I'm not sure if Thanksgiving in Canada is the same as in the U.S. But in any case, Happy Thanksgiving Canada!