"DEREK!" George called up the steps, checking his watch anxiously.

"I'M BUSY!" He yelled back, the music seeping from his closed room blaring.

"TOO BAD! COME DOWN, NOW!" He shouted, checking the watch for the fiftieth time.

Derek was hopping down the stairs in a matter of seconds, and had claimed his chair quickly. Casey, Lizzie, and Edwin had plopped onto the couch.

"Now, we've decided to finally take that dream honeymoon that we've been dying to go on since our wedding day." George started, and Derek rolled his eyes. He could already tell this weekend would be a snoozer.

"Yay! Where are we going?" Marti leapt up from where she was coloring in front of the TV.

"Um, no, Marti, dear. Your daddy meant 'we' as in him and I. No kids allowed, understand?" Nora said gently.

Marti pouted. "Then what are we going to do?" She whined, stomping a bunny-slipper-clad foot.

"I was getting to that." George continued, glancing at his watch again. "While we're away, since it is April vacation, Marti, you'll be spending two days at the Davis's, then grandma is going to come pick you up." He said, looking hopefully at the seven-year-old.

Her face lit up, and he looked slightly relieved. Lizzie piped up. "What about us? You know, us, the constantly forgotten middle children?" She rolled her eyes.

"Right. Well, Edwin, Teddy's parents have offered to take you for a few days, then you'll go to grandmas with Marti."

Lizzie waved her hands over her head. "And me? I do still exist, you know!"

"Alright, Lizzie. You'll be spending the entire week with your father!" George smiled as Lizzie's face broke into a wide grin.

"Yes!" She pumped her fist and dashed up the stairs to grab the suitcase Nora packed for her. Edwin followed suit to grab his hand-me-down duffel bag, and Marti scurried after them to drag down her small purple suitcase.

Casey smiled to herself. "Mom, George. Does that mean...?"

Derek's eyes widened happily.

George gave them each a stern look and Nora said, "You two will be spending the week here, because we need someone to look after and clean the house. But there are rules. For Derek."

Derek groaned and Casey grinned, knowing this would be a cinch.

"Number one rule is NO parties. Got it, Derek?" She frowned at him as he sighed in surrender.

"No friends over. Food money is on the counter, but we've just stocked the fridge. My number, Georgie's number, and the number of the hotel we're staying in is taped to the fridge. Be good, okay?" She said, sounding mildly exasperated.

All of the kids were lined up, ready to go an hour later.

"Bye Smerek! Watch Daphne for me, okay?" Marti kissed Derek, clinging to his arm.

He chuckled. "Will do, Smarti. Have fun."

"Bye Casey! Bye Derek! I love you both!" Nora kissed Casey, and Derek allowed her to kiss his cheek, and they were gone.

It was 7PM, so Casey headed upstairs to finish some extra-credit English work.

She was content typing up the final paragraph of her essay, when a 'ping!' was heard from her IM screen.

'Hi, Casey. How are you this evening?' It was from an unknown screen name. Literally, the SN was "Unknown".

'Um, hi. Who is this?' She quickly responded, gazing at the screen.

'Just someone. I saw you at school today. You looked beautiful, as usual.'

Casey blinked in surprise. 'Ummm, thank you. But seriously. Who is this? I don't usually talk with people who I don't know, I'm sorry.'

'It's a secret. It always will be.' And with that, they abruptly signed off.

Casey's eyes darted around, and suddenly her door banged open.

"Um, knock much?" Casey refused to give him the satisfaction of turning around, so she forced her eyes to remain glued on the computer screen. It was difficult though.

"Um, work much? Why in the world must you work on a vacation? Do you possess an actual life?" Derek taunted, leaning on her doorframe.

Casey clenched her jaw and kept typing.

So Derek tried harder. "I mean, it's one thing being a good student. It's another to be completely obsessed with schoolwork! Are you capable of having a good time?" He continued.

Casey's jaw dropped. How dare he? This was taking it too far. She swiveled in her chair, and jumped to her feet.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Derek Venturi? At least I concentrate on my work and I don't resort to stupid, slackadaisical ways like you do!" She strode forward, advancing on Derek, jabbing his broad, toned chest with he finger, knocking him off-balance for a moment.

"And in case you were wondering?" she continued maliciously, "I do have a life, which I pride myself for keeping you out of, thank you very much!"

It was then she realized how close they were. Her torso was pressed against his, staring into his hypnotizing brown eyes.

She panted, partly from her raging rant. Partly from...something else. She couldn't place her finger on it.

She felt her gaze stuck on his, a magnetic pull drawing them both to each other.

Derek suddenly jumped back, and pushed past her to her computer desk. She silently peered over his shoulder, reevaluating her conversation with this mysterious person.

He laughed, but she caught a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Who is this, Casey?" He smiled in false amusement.

"Obviously I don't know. I guess it's just a secret admirer. It's no big deal, Derek." She rolled her eyes, refusing to admit that this conversation had shaken her up as well.

Derek reread it.

He smirked, and decided to scare Casey a bit. She was an easy target, after all.

"Well, I'd be careful if I was you..." He started, sounding innocent.

She cocked her head and stared at him. "Um, why?"

"You've never seen the movies?" He feigned shock and looked at her.

She shook her head silently.

"It always starts out like this. A harmless secret admirer, nothing more. A few cutesie IM's, some adooorable notes or flowers taped to the outside of the girls locker, if they're really serious, a phone call from an untraceable number...But then the admirer's not seeing progress. He gets needier. The notes and IM's start saying creepy things. And then, the admirer will see the girl flirting, or kissing her boyfriend. And then...BAM!" Derek shouted, Casey jumping, and suppressed a laugh.

"He gets jealous. And serious things start happening.--"

Casey trembled a bit, but forced herself to laugh at Derek. "Please, spare me. Let me guess. The girls friends, her enemies, and her hot, jock of a boyfriend all end up dying, until there's no on left to protect her, right?" She rolled her eyes.

"Exactly." Derek grinned frighteningly. "Good luck with your admirer." He turned to leave, scaring Casey to a satisfactory measure.

But suddenly a thought occurred to him, and he turned back.

"But Casey? Promise me one thing." He said catching her gaze, his tone deadly serious.

She nodded. "If it does, you know, get creepier...tell me, alright?" Casey was confused by the note of concern in his voice, but she promised.

Satisfied, Derek sauntered out.