"Don't you want me?"
"No." I need you.
"Don't you love me?"
"No." I adore you.
"Wouldn't you be sad if I left?"
"No." Baby, I would die.
"Don't you even think I'm pretty?"
"No." I think you're absolutely stunning.
"I think I'm going to leave now."
"Good." Bad. Very very bad.
"So, I'm, uh, going to leave now, you know, for real."
"I can handle that." Oh,dear god. I'll never survive it.
"Bye,then, Sam."
"Bye, Casey."
"I...think Sam and I just broke up. For good. Hhhmmm."
"What's with the 'hhmm'?"
"Well,I don't really...care that I broke up with Sam. I mean, it's like it doesn't matter." Nervous laughter filled the air.
"Um, alright. And you're telling me this why?"
"Because, Derek, you're his best friend. You would have found out eventually. And, anyway, I need you to give him his necklace back for me."
"Uh, sure. Can we not talk about this? The game's on."
"Typical Derek. Hockey first, people later."
"You forgot food."
"Ugh! You...you just...you're so...ugh!" He turned his head to watch as she stormed up the stairs. Derek surprised himself by almost having to force himself to pay attention to the game. His thoughts kept straying to Casey... He was extremely happy that Sam and her had broken up for good. Almost too happy. And he was happiest of all that Casey wasn't upset. Which, in all honesty, wasn't surprising at all. When Casey was upset she took it out on Derek. Actually, in all honesty, Derek liked that, too. He enjoyed their heated fights. Very much. Yet, he found himself wanting to be closer to Casey. Especially right now. Is that why he found himself turning off the game and climbing the stairs? And why he was now knocking on Casey's door?
She heard the game turn off. Heard him walking up the stairs. Heard him walking...towards her room? Casey was already starting to twist the handle when he began to knock on her door.
"What?" The sharpness of her tone was almost surprising. Almost.
"Look, Case. I'm...wait. Why are you mad at me? I have actually done nothing wrong. Ah, to be young and innocent." He pushed past her and plopped into her computer chair.
"You totally disregarded my feelings! I break up with my boyfriend and you want to watch hockey! Hockey!"
"You said you didn't care! What was I supposed to do?"
"Um, read between the lines! Ask me what happened, maybe? Care a tiny little bit!"
"Well, then. What happened?!"
"He said no! No! Said no!"
"To what?"
"To everything! Everything!To me,even!"
Casey heaved dry sobs beside Derek while he wondered frantically what, exactly, to do. How do you support someone who was dumped? By your best friend? Should you comfort them? Was he even allowed to comfort Casey? Did he not owe Sam some support? Or was he supposed to side with Casey?
Oh God help him. He decided to attempt comfort.
"Um, it will be alright. You know..the whole fish...sea ..thing...Sam is just a guy in the...sea...or a fish...in the ocean? Anyway..it doesn't matter either way. He's st---
"Doesn't mat-ter?" Her voice became a shriek on the last syllable.
"Casey...calm down."
"I hate when people tell me to calm down. It makes me very tense."
"Then...chill."
"Derek! Chill?! Are you even remotely sane? At all!?"
"Hey! I'm doing my best here!"
"That is a very pitiful best. Even for you."
"And what does that mean? 'Even for you'?"
"It mea---"
"STOP!" Two brunette heads turned towards the now filled doorway. A very frustrated George stood in the door frame, one hand rubbing at his face. "Just stop. Stop fighting. Please. Just. Stop. Fighting." His voice sounded very tired. He looked at them helplessly, turned slowly, and left.
Casey stared, shocked and pleased, afraid and excited, into the equally adrenaline-high brown eyes of Derek.
"Derek. What did we just do?"
"Uh...well, we were fighting again...but then we stopped..."
"Uh-huh. And after that. After ordinary left the building. After reality went out to lunch. After---"
"I get! God! Must you have a phrase for everything?! Ok. We," deep breath "kissed."
"For a long time. And deeply."
"You must have liked it. Although, I really don't blame you. I am an amazing kisser."
"I didn't see you pulling away!"
"Nope. Turns out we are both freaks of nature who are attracted to their step-siblings."
"Well, as long as it's both of us."
"So...we telling anyone?"
"Not yet. Just, not yet."
"Well, that was awkward."
"It won't be if you kiss me again."
"And how will that work? Not, of course, that I have any objections to kissing you Casey."
"There's no reason. Can't a girl just wanna be kissed?"
"Sure they can. Especially if it's me their after."
"You really have to deflate that ego."
"I don't see a reason to."
"Would you shut-up and kiss me?
"Would you stop sounding like a cliché?"
Lips locked and there were no more chances to speak.