A/N: Okay, here's another of the 30 oneshots I'm doing for GJ7B.X'challenge. It's inspired by the 50 states. And don't ask me why Derek and Casey would be doing this, this is just what came to mind when I thought about the prompt 50 states. In a way this is kind of inspired by the episode of Friends that has to do with this "game." Anyway, enjoy. R&R. Thanks! –Mac
Disclaimer: I don't own LWD.
#15 50 States
You Can't Do It
"I'm telling you, you can't do it." Derek taunted.
"I bet I can." Casey countered.
"You won't be able too." Derek shook his head.
"Try me. What do I have to do?"
"List all fifty states, without looking at anything that might give you a hint, like a map or something."
"I can do that." Casey said confidently, "What's so hard about that?"
"You'll see." Derek responded under his breath. He had no doubt that Casey could do that when given enough time, but he also knew she would get extremely annoyed and frustrated when she couldn't remember one. And he just loved to see her flustered.
"So is there a time limit or something?" Casey asked sitting down, on the couch and picking up a scratch paper.
"Only if you want one, but I would give you all day." Derek answered, coming around to sit next to her. He took the paper and pen from her. "But just to be sure you aren't cheating I'll record for you."
"You're just doing that to mess me up."
"And what would I gain from that?" Derek raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, fine. But let's start." Casey agreed, and so it began. "New York, you have to know that one. California, Oregon and Washington—west coast."
"Four."
"Okay, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado." Casey continued. "Idaho, Montana and Wyoming."
"Really obscure ones you got there. I would have thought you'd knock off the popular ones first." Derek commented. "Eleven."
"Fine, Hawaii, Florida, Texas." Casey smiled, "Fourteen."
"Fourteen." Derek repeated.
"I'm hungry, are you hungry?" Casey replied suddenly. "Let's get something to eat."
Ten minutes later both Casey and Derek had a sandwich in front of them and eight more states added to her list: Rhode Island, Mississippi, Alaska, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Virginia, and Wisconsin (which had come to her when she was putting cheese on her sandwich). Casey quietly ate her sandwich as she contemplated another state.
"Well duh, West Virginia." Casey rolled her eyes. "What's that now?"
"Twenty-three, almost halfway there." Derek answered, his mouth full of a bit of his sandwich.
Casey cringed, "Gross, swallow your food before you talk."
Derek took another bite and sloppily chewed before sticking his tongue out at her. Casey scowled, her nose crinkled in distaste. Derek swallowed his food and shook the paper at her as his way of saying to continue.
"Okay, okay…um, Vermont and New Hampshire." Casey grinned. "There, halfway."
"Good job, twenty-five more to go." Derek chuckled, "You got a steep hill to climb still."
"Mmhmm." Casey scoffed. "I'm telling you I can do it."
"Then let's hear it." Derek prompted.
"New Jersey."
"Twenty-six."
"Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Tennessee."
"Twenty-nine."
"Oh." Casey exclaimed. "Michigan."
"The big three-o."
"North Carolina and South Carolina." Casey said after a moment of thought. "Oh and North and South Dakota. That's four more."
Derek took a minute to jot down the newest four. He put down the pen. "Anymore?"
"Give me a minute. I have all day, remember?"
"That you do." Derek agreed before polishing off the last of his sandwich.
Casey picked up their plates and took them to the sink. Derek followed, lifting himself up to sit on the counter. He sat the pen and paper beside him. Casey rinsed the plates as she tried to produce a few more states.
"Maryland, New Mexico." Casey blurted out as they came to her.
"Good job." Derek replied, "Fourteen to go."
"What are you guys doing?" Lizzie's voice piped up as she and Edwin walked into the kitchen.
"Casey's attempting to name all fifty United States of America." Derek answered.
"And doing a pretty good job so far." Casey added, "Georgia."
"Definitely." Derek laughed.
"Hey, I am! Ohio." Casey exclaimed.
"Has she said…" Edwin started, but Derek cut him off.
"Hey, hey! No help." Derek shook his head.
"Okay, okay!" Edwin threw up his hands. "This should be entertaining."
Lizzie and he sat down at the island to watch as Casey closed in on her goal. It was getting more and more difficult for Casey to come up with ones she hadn't said already, but she still had a few left.
"Oklahoma, Illinois, and Indiana." Casey said, "Have I said Montana yet? I have, haven't I? No. Wait did I?"
"Yes." Derek nodded, chuckling at her frantic reasoning.
"Minnesota! That's what I was trying to think of. I haven't said that yet." Casey realized suddenly.
"Eight left."
"Um, Kansas." Casey replied slowly, "Oh, oh and Arkansas."
"Good. Six."
"Louisiana."
"Five."
"Alabama."
"Four."
"Missouri."
"Three."
"Oh, God." Casey's hands went to her head. "I don't know!"
"Relax, maybe something will come to you." Lizzie suggested.
"Here, let me see what I have already." Casey said, and Derek slid the piece of paper over to her. She looked over the sheet and groaned when nothing came to her.
"Can I see?" Lizzie asked and Casey handed over the paper. Lizzie read through the list and she smiled, "Oh!"
"What? What is it?" Casey frowned
"Nothing, never mind." Lizzie dodged.
Derek took the paper back, a smirk on his face, "She knows what you have left."
"Maybe one." Lizzie responded, "But I'm not going to say anything."
"You better not." Derek watched her from the corner of his eye. "I'm watching you."
"Iowa." Casey suddenly spoke up, "Delaware."
"Ooh. Only one more, Case."
"I have no idea." Casey groaned.
"You want to give up?"
"No way," Casey shook her head. "I can do it."
"Okay," Derek responded. "Don't get too frustrated."
Unfortunately, that's exactly what she did. Casey moved around the house the rest of the day, fuming over not knowing the last state. She still hadn't figured it out by the time they sat down for dinner. She sat pushing around the food on her plate, silently searching her mind. Then suddenly as if a light had gone on, she burst out.
"Nebraska!"
A/N2: I actually did this "game" to get my list of states, lol. All fifty states were actually listed in the fic. Go ahead and check if you want, but they're there…Haha, anyway. Hope you liked the story. R&R! –Mac