Disclaimer: I do not own Life With Derek.
Chapter 2
I blinked a few times and yawned, my vision was blurred. Hovering above me was a figure, a girl, maybe? Was it… could it be… it was… Casey. "Casey," I muttered, "what are you doing here?"
She smiled at me and placed her hand on my forehead. "You're sick Derek, and I told Nora I'd take care of you. She had to run some errands." She smoothed my hair and sat my head up. "Take a drink," she said quietly, and lifted a glass of ice water to my lips.
"Why are you doing this?" I asked her after sipping the ice cold liquid.
"Even you need to be pampered when you're sick. Even if me and you can't stand each other, you still shouldn't have to suffer."
"I bet there was poison in that water," I smirked and took another sip of it. I wouldn't mind dying now, especially by Casey's hand. She'd be going down with me, anyways in that case. I laughed, but then groaned. My stomach hurt.
"Whatever Derek, I'm trying to be a nice sister, and here you are, criticizing me, still! I can't believe you Derek Venturi!"
Yet another mood swing from perfect, Casey MacDonald. Okay, so maybe that didn't make her too perfect. …but I really am starting to think that mood swings and anger problems are her only flaw, but I guess all the good things she does balances it out. I smiled, victorious; I could bring out the worst in her.
I heard her stomping down the stairs. I shook my head and got up, I was dizzy. I was sick, and I don't think it was just because of the cocaine, but it did make it worse. I heard the doorbell ring; I stood up and balanced myself out by extending my hand out and leaning on the wall. I heard the door open and chatting downstairs. I stumbled out of my room and to the star rail, overlooking the foyer of the house. I saw Casey and her current boyfriend, Max standing there. Casey was laughing and flipping hair. "You're not impressing him," I called out and started to stagger down the stairs, my head pounding in my ears like a loud crash symbol that wouldn't stop.
Casey shot me an angry glare. "Shut up Derek! You're supposed to be in bed!" She started to stalk towards me, up the stairs.
I shrank back. "Can't touch me, Case! I'm sick, remember?" I loved to taunt her, tease her, and put her in her place. I sat down on the stairs and looked at her, the anger in her eyes; I gave her my world class, Derek Venturi smirk. "Can't touch this…" I started to sing, my voice was getting a little hoarse and I coughed, but I covered it up with my arm. Casey's small hand went quickly to her hips. I raised an eyebrow at her outfit. She was wearing a hot pink tank top and grey sweat pants. "You look like you just woke up, and you're wanting to hang out with Max in that?" It wasn't skimpy, wasn't bad, just slobby. I knew Casey didn't do slobby.
"I'm not planning on going anywhere like this. Max came over to drop off something for me that I left at his house when I met him there the other night, that's all! He was getting ready to leave!" Casey growled at me, I was interrupting her precious moments with Max before he had to leave.
I drew my attention to Max, we was standing in the foyer, and put a brown package on the floor. "Yeah," he muttered, "I think this is my que to go so you two can work things out. I'll see you Casey." Max turned to the door.
Casey turned around, her back facing me and ran down the stairs. "Wait, Max!"
"Yeah, babe?" Max answered, turning around quickly.
"I'm sorry. I'll see you tomorrow?" Casey smiled at him and pulled him into a tight hug.
"Of course, Case," he said into her ear and hugged her back and then pulled her away from him and tilted her head with his hand and leaned in a kissed her lips, quickly before heading out the door.
Casey stood there in a somewhat daze. I snickered, "Love struck?"
"You're just jealous," she snapped back, spinning on her heel and walking off.
No, I wasn't. I rolled me eyes and rested my head in my hands. I needed something to eat. I continued the long walk down the stairs. I made my way into the kitchen and to the fridge. I looked around the inside of the fridge and grabbed the milk and then headed towards the pantry and grabbed some Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I began to make the cereal. Where did Casey go? I guessed she probably went to the basement. I shrugged and sat my cereal on the table and then walked over to a cabinet and grabbed the Tylenol. I took two, and then made my way back to the table. I stirred the sugared squares around in the bowl, but it just didn't look appealing. I shrugged and pushed it away and walked over to the couch and laid down on it. Now what? I had just started to drift off when I heard my cell phone ringing.
"Hello?" I whispered groggily into the mouth piece.
…all I heard in response was static. Great. Just like a scary movie. I threw my cell phone over my shoulder and closed my eyes…
xxxx
"Good morning," it was Nora.
"Good morning," I muttered. My head was clear. I was better! I laughed quietly.
"Are you better? Marti misses you, she's been asking about you all morning."
Morning? What time was it? I glanced over at my clock, 1:36 PM. I had slept almost a whole day, I guess that's all I really needed. "Wow," I whispered, "like sleeping beauty."
"Yes," Nora smiled and brushed my hair with her fingers. "Now, get up and welcome back to the rest of the awake and alive world." With that, she walked out of my room.
I ran down the stairs, swinging my leather jacket over my shoulder. "Hey world," I yelled, laughing.
"Smerek! Smerek! You're up!!" I heard her, my favorite little girl.
"How's my Smarti?" I said, picking her up and spinning her around. I put Marti down and ruffled her hair. Edwin and Lizzie were in the living room watching TV with Casey. I slid onto the couch and barged in on their TV viewing. "Whatcha all watching?" I grabbed the stray remote on the couch cushion next to me.
"Do you mind?" Casey grumbled.
"You had all day to watch TV, I've been sick, it's my turn. Please, Ed, Lizzie, Casey?" I jutted out my bottom lip in a sad attempt to make a puppy dog pout.
"Fine," Casey muttered.
I grinned and changed the channel; I should use that more often. It seemed to work on the first try.
Life returned to normal after that, I was no longer sick. I kept up with my cocaine addiction, spending all my allowance to buy the drug, I still fought with Casey, I still played all my pranks at school, I still got detention, I still lied… maybe not so normal. I was ruining my life. I snuck out of my house at night to attend parties, parties where I got more drugs, girls, alcohol. This was what being a teenager was all about, right?
One night I was planning to sneak out to go to a party. Everyone was asleep, the time was midnight, I had to be silent. I was walking down the hallway when I saw a light on in the bathroom. I stood still, I was about to walk past, thinking nothing of it when the door opened. Casey came out; she rubbed her eyes and then turned around.
"Derek?" she asked.
I looked at the ground. I coughed. "Well, Casey…"
"What are you doing Derek? Why are you dressed…" she trailed off. She figured it out. "How long have you been sneaking out?"
"A while," I shook my head and stared aimlessly into the dark. "Don't tell mom or dad."
"I want to go."
"What?" I was more confused than ever, at this moment.
"I just want to know where you've been going. That's all."
"No, no… I don't… no." I couldn't expose Ms. Perfect to all my imperfections.
"C'mon Derek," she giggled. "It can't be that bad."
"It can."
"You're always telling me that I don't take chances, and the one time I do, you keep me from them."
Casey was right. Right now I was keeping her from making mistakes. I laughed quietly. I was just trying to protect her… but it was her life. My phone vibrated in my pocket. I had a text. My friends were outside. I quickly texted them and told them that Casey was coming.
"Go get dressed, hurry, they're here."
My friends were laughing in the car. They were all wondering why Casey wanted to come. She looked sick. I could tell she was feeling guilty. "I'm sorry," I whispered to her, "I shouldn't have let you come."
"It sounded fun," she wailed, "but I was tired. We're so going to get caught."
"I'll take the blame."
Casey shrugged and stared out the window. We arrived at the party. Casey looked around curiously, it was a pretty wild party, a blind man could tell you that. The sounds, what everyone was doing…
"I… didn't… think…" Casey was trailing off.
"Casey, I've been doing a lot of bad things lately, I'm sorry. Don't tell dad, don't tell Nora. Please? I can't risk getting in trouble right now."
"It's fine, Derek, it's just a teen phase. It'll pass you soon."
"You really think so? Well, I'm going to go mingle. Have fun, Casey."
"I'll try," was all I heard as I walked off. I should've stayed with her, but Casey has good morals. She won't do anything stupid. Not like me.
The night dragged on, I was trashed, and everything was blurry. I was in a bedroom, making out with some girl. I was moving my hands up and down her back; I remember she was skinny feeling, like I could feel the bones jutting out from beneath her shirt. I didn't mind, I just kept on kissing her. Her hand went down to my pants, I got up quickly. "I don't think sho, baby," I slurred. I kissed her head and walked out of the room. I could hear her following after me. As a surprise it would be to everyone, I Derek Venturi was a virgin, and I was prude… even when I was drunk. Lip action was all I'd give to any girl, then again, it also left them wanting, waiting, for more.
I could hear the girl running out the door after me. "Wait," she muttered, "I didn't get your name."
"You won't get it either," I laughed and turned away. That's all I remembered clearly about that night, before I downed another beer. I didn't know how much time had elapsed, and it didn't seem to matter.
I woke up the next morning in my bed. I didn't remember how I'd gotten there; I guess Casey had moved me. I sat up and just realized that I had a terrible hangover. "Casey?" I saw her sitting in my plush chair, her arms crossed.
"We have to talk Derek, about last night." I swallowed hard, and laid back down on the bed.
"You can't keep sneaking out."
"Did you even drink last night?" I saw her shake her head. I rolled my eyes. "You're too good; you need to take a risk. One beer wouldn't have even gotten you buzzed."
"I don't care. I shouldn't have even gone. Do you know how many creeps were hitting on me? Plus, I saw you kissing on like ten different girls all night. You're just as much a creep as the rest of the guys.
I wrinkled up my nose and sat up again. "Look, Casey. People do crazy things when they're not sober."
"Yeah, obviously."
I walked over to her, ignoring the pounding headache. I knelt down next to her and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "Quit worrying. You made this your business last night, sadly. I apologize for my behavior. I'm a guy and I'm sure if you got Max drunk, he'd act the exact same way."
"No!" Casey gasped, "Don't you dare say that! Max would never use girls like that!" Casey ran out of the room in a huff and I just bit my bottom lip. Somehow I should've seen that coming…
