Summary: After many rejections, Truman is still determined to win Casey's heart. So he enlists the help of one of her friends, Noel, to get Casey's heart. What Truman doesn't know is. Noel is fighting too, to find his place in Casey's heart. Which boy will win? Nasey/Trasey.

Important Stuff: Continues off right after "Six and a Half" if you haven't seen it yet. It will contain spoilers as it will from all of the previous episodes.

Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Life With Derek.

"How To Get a Girl"

Part 1: Noel

"So Casey, what did you get for number four?" I ask. I keep my head down to avoid looking at her. She looks really pretty tonight, but I know we decided to be just friends, so I try to keep the thoughts out of my mind.

She looks down at her paper and says, "X equals 4." I pretend to glance at my paper to check even though I already knew the answer before I asked the question.

This is a usual thing for Casey and I, studying together. We do it a couple nights a week now. Quite frankly, I thought it was going to be weird after that night at Smelly Nelly's awhile ago, but it's actually different. Almost like it never happened.

That night was pretty rough, having to pretend I was okay with being just friends, because, well, Casey needed a friend and I could never part from her despite what she felt about me.

I won't lie it's been tough being just her friend. Especially when all the guys at school eye her like she's their property. Though it has it's advantages. People see us walking together and assume a relationship, so they step away. Not all of them though, I grudge at the memory of Truman. He didn't/doesn't seem to mind flirting with her, or should I say trying to flirt with her.

Despite his best efforts, Casey isn't falling for his acts. She isn't the type of girl who takes kindly to guys who rate women down and try to make other women jealous, just to get them to like them. No, she's in for something more than that.

She thinks he's cute though, I can see it when she looks at him. I try to hide my expressions from her because I know if she sees I'm hurt, she may think I like her. I've got to really keep these things quiet, I can't risk not being around her anymore.

I look up from my paper and notice she is biting her eraser. It's one of the little things, I notice about her. She does other things like this. When she's nervous, she'll talk really fast and her voice will go all high pitched. When she's upset, she starts hyperventilating. And when she's scared, she runs. But, out of all the little things she does. I like it most, when she smiles. I notice this happens a lot when I'm around. I try not to think, it's because of me. It'll only set myself up again and I don't want that.

She glances up and she notices, I'm staring. Gosh what is wrong with me, I think to myself. Can't I control my feelings for one moment. I quickly look down again, avoiding her gaze.

The rest of the night goes smoothly, occasionally we get off topic and start talking about books and stuff. Which is weird because I was never really the book type before I met Casey. She kind of brought out the inner overachiever in me. You see that's what Casey does, she brings out the best in people.

I glance down at the clock and see that it's pushing 8 o'clock and I know I've got to get going. I put my stuff in my bag.

"Is it time for you to go already?" She asks sadly. She always does this to me, I hate it when she does because it makes me not want to go.

"Yeah," I grunt. I didn't mean to grunt but it bugs me when she does.

"Oh, okay. I'll see you tomorrow, Noel." She says and smiles at me. I feel a pang in my chest, but I ignore it.

"See you tomorrow," I manage to get out. I rush out the door, I let the air finally escape me, as I crash into the frost bitten night. I run out to my car.

In the car I toss my head. I made it, I think as I am relieved to be out of there. I take the car home and flip on the radio to something, not even really paying attention as I drive home.

At home I lay on my bed thinking. It's hard to believe that last year, I was merely nothing to Casey. Just some guy she starred in a musical with. I smile at the memory of my lips crashing into hers and the feeling as if I were alive. The sad part was, just that. We were merely playing a part in a play. At least that's what I'm sure she felt. I was just a guy to her, I wasn't the guy. I don't know if I'll ever be the guy.

That night weeks ago at Smelly Nelly's should have convinced me that she only wanted be my friend, but still here I am thinking about how we should be more than that. It's not that I don't like being her friend, I love being her friend and being there for her, but there's always going to be that part of me that clings for something more. I can't help it, and as she dates other guys the feeling only thickens. It's hard trying to control these feelings, I can't help it.

I've thought about dating other girls, they always show interest, but isn't the same. No girl even compares to Casey, that's why it's so hard to find someone who does. I know I have to get over her, if I ever want to live a normal content life. I've just got to face facts, Casey and I will never happen, no matter how hard I want us to.

I soon fell into a deep sleep. The next morning I awake and it's time for the whole process to start all over. I rush to pick up Casey for school because Derek hardly ever allows her to use the car to get there. And he's always embarrassed to be seen with her. I personally don't get how anyone could, though I guess it's different considering she's his stepsister.

I run out into the cold morning dew to my car. It's musty in there. I pop in a CD, Casey and I both enjoy. It's a collaboration of Techno music, Casey was hesitant at first at Techno.

-Flashback-

"What's this?" She said after the first time I took her to school. She was holding one of my new techno mixes, I got from my friend.

"It's a techno mix. My friend mashed it on his computer."

"Mashed it? If he mashed it, wouldn't it be in pieces?" I laugh. Sometimes Casey is so new to the terms it makes me laugh.

"No, He mixed some songs together and edited them on his computer."

"Oh..." She says as if she still misunderstood

I took the cd from her hands and put it in and the sounds flooded the car. She was unsure at first. "You know what I love about Techno," I began. "It's different, People will judge it at first, but once you give it a chance, and really listen to it, you see the art of it." Oh wow, I thought. Now I had to go all Gandhi on her. Yeah, Noel this is a way to win her heart. I looked down.

When I looked back up again, I noticed something different about her, she was smiling. "You know what," she began to say. "I like it."

I smiled back at her and were listening to it again.

-End of Flashback-

I arrive at her house, waiting for Casey to come out. The techno music filling the car with excitement. Within minutes, she was coming around. She looked pretty as ever. Her long brown hair swishing and the highlights gleaming in the bright sun. She was wearing a jean skirt and a long sleeved blue shirt. She looked beautiful, again not unusual.

"Noel!" She exclaimed as she climbed into the passenger side. She was smiling at me, and once again, my heart panged.

"Case! Okay ready to hit the road?" I asked.

"You bet I am!" and then she cranked the music even louder.

I smiled and we drove off. We began our usual morning banter. About anything and everything. We talked about the coolest music trends. She attempted to explain to me how on earth Avril Lavigne could be considered punk. I laughed and before I knew it, it was time to enter the bright sunny halls of Thompson High.