"Do I really have to go?" Derek whined. "Yes, now go pack!" George said. As Derek stomped up the stairs, Casey stomped down them. "Move!" She snapped. "You!" Derek hissed. "I don't think you know my full potential!" She yelled. "Of what?" He yelled back. "This!" she said as she pushed the pressure point in his neck, which gradually brought him to his knees on the stairs. "Okay you two, cut it out." Nora yelled from the top of the stairs, "and Casey here's your duffel. Now if you will excuse me I am going to go convince Marti that a princess doesn't always need a crown!" she shoved the duffel down the stairs.
Three hours later George was throwing the last tent in the trunk of the family van. "Okay, the seating arrangements are: Me in the driver's seat, Marti front center, Nora passenger's seat, Edwin middle row behind me, Lizzie middle row behind Nora, Casey back row bench seat behind Edwin, and Derek back row bench seat behind Lizzie. Got it?" He asked. "Yeah" Everyone mumbled. "Then let's get a move on." he said. Everyone got into his or her seats and Edwin slammed the van side door. "Dad, how long is the drive?" Derek whined. "It's a 9 hour drive, Derek!" George said.
After about 5 hours, Casey began to drift in and out of sleep. "Case, why don't you just move over here and lay your head on my shoulder, it has to be more comfortable than that window." Derek said. "Over my dead body" Casey grumbled as she lifted her head to look at him. When she went to rest her head against the window, the arm her chin had been resting on slipped and she banged her head. "Yeah, does that offer still stand?" She asked holding her head. Derek nodded. Casey unbuckled, slid over into the next seat and then rebuckled. Derek looked at her for a moment and she just stared back at him. "Are you going to go to sleep or what?" he asked. Casey hesitantly rested her head on his shoulder. Within 15 minutes, she was asleep.
Casey slept the rest of the time there and Derek ended up falling asleep too. When the car jerked to a halt Casey's eyes flew open. "We're here." Nora said. "Derek, wake up." Casey said lifting her head. "Huh?" he asked still a little disoriented. "Were here you dope." She said. "What ever." He said sitting up. Everybody unloaded out of the car and grabbed their duffels. "Sleeping arrangements: Marti, Nora, and I tent 1, Derek and Edwin tent 2, Casey and Lizzie tent 3." George said handing out the tents, "Now go put them together and meet back here went your done." They all took off.
"Why don't we just set our tents up in the same area?" Edwin asked. "Yeah, I like that idea, please Casey." Lizzie begged. "It's up to Derek." Casey said. "Sure, what ever." Derek answered. They found a nice clearing away from the parents and Marti and began to set up. Derek and Edwin were finished before Casey and Lizzie had finished reading the instructions. "Derek, I may end up regretting this, but will you help us set up our tent, as you can see we're getting nowhere.
It took them ten minutes to get back to the others, but when they did, they wished it had taken longer. George and Nora had a treasure hunt planned for the teens. "Now, Derek and Casey, you two are partners and Edwin and Lizzie you are partners. Here is a clue for each of you. Okay this is how it works each team has a different treasure, when you start you have your first clue, if you follow the clue you find another clue, this goes on until you get you 6th and final clue that will lead you to the exact spot of your treasure, which ever team brings me their treasure fist wins!"
"Casey, what's our clue?" Derek asked once Edwin and Lizzie were out of earshot. "You sleep, dream, and cry on me, I'm bright and soft." Casey quoted the clue. "What the… wait your heart pillow!" Derek said racing towards her tent. Casey through the pillowcase and it landed on Derek's head. As she fished through the feathers inside the pillow, Derek pulled the case off his head, there was a name written in pink sharpy in the center of the heart and just as Derek was about to read it Casey yelled "Found it! You carved your name in me so long ago." "When I was 5 I came down here with my mom and carved my name into the biggest maple tree around here." Derek said dropping the case and scampering out of the tent.
Meanwhile: "Edwin stop!" Lizzie giggled. "Why should I?" he asked kissing her neck softly. "We have a game to win." She said. "Let's just let them win, the hunt is boring." He replied. "You know what; your right, plus I think they just came up with this idea so maybe Derek and Case would get together." Lizzie said. Edwin kissed her again and then poked her sides causing her to squeal and fall of the rock they were sitting on bringing him down with her.
"Did George say we would win anything?" Casey asked. "No" Derek said. "Were on our 2nd clue, why don't we just stop?" She asked. "Sounds like an idea to me." Derek replied. "Derek, why do you… never mind." Casey said shaking her head. "No, go on, why do I what?" he asked. "Why do you hate me?" She asked quietly. "Sibling rivalry, you're new to it, but I have to admit you're pretty good at it." Derek said looking her straight in the eye. They both leaned in close. "Casey, Derek!" Edwin said, "naughty, naughty." Lizzie giggled. "Look who's talking!" Derek yelled pushing Edwin, "Your 14 teen and have fallen for you're stepsister!" "Well your 16 and you fell too!" Edwin pushed. "I don't like Casey, but there is no doubt you like Lizzie!" Derek said. "I'm proud of it too, you're just in denial!" Edwin yelled grabbing Lizzie's hand and walking off. Casey just sat there in shock.
On the way back to camp Casey and Derek had a little talk, "What was Edwin talking about?" Casey asked. "I don't know." Derek said shaking his head. "Oh." Casey replied quietly. "It's not that you're not worth liking, but I mean it's just wrong!" Derek replied. "No, I get it." Casey said, "But if you were to fall for me, you'd tell me right?" Derek grabbed her hand; her stomach lunged upward. "I would tell you if I liked you." Derek said. Yeah right he thought. After they walked for another 5 minutes Casey said, "IF you don't like me, why do you still have my hand?" "Oh, sorry." Derek said pulling away. "It's okay." Casey said. They then arrived at the camp.
"Where were you guys Edwin and Lizzie came back hours ago!" Nora yelled. "Sorry I lost my watch." Derek mumbled. "Grab a plate." George said, "You just made it back for dinner." After they each headed back to their tents