It had been two weeks since the hook up and it wasn't eating away at him like he thought it would be. But he felt nothing.

Something in his head was just telling him not to worry about it. And he usually listened to that voice in his head. Even though it got him into trouble from time to time.

"D, when are you gonna get rid of that picture?" Sam asked, referring to the picture of Casey on his desk.

"Don't worry about it." He snapped. "I will get rid of it when I'm good and ready,"

"How about now?" Sam suggested.

"Fine,"

Derek got up from his bed and walked over to his desk. He snatched the silver frame and dropped it in the waste basket. Derek looked at Sam and smirked. Sam looked back at him and raced for the waste basket a split second before Derek and Sam grabbed the frame out.

"Sam, come on, man."

"No, you need to move on, this is getting ridiculous."

"I don't care, and it's not any of your business anyways," Derek defended.

"Yes, it is my business." Sam snapped, "We live together and when you're down, I'm down and if I'm down, my game is down and that means no sex for me."

"Sam,"

"And I think that if Casey really wanted you, she would be here and you wouldn't be living in my apartment with me."

"Sam,"

"And I think that you should just forget about her and-"

"Sam!" He stopped, "I can't just forget about her,"

"Yes, you can,"

"It's not as easy as you think."

"Whatever," Sam muttered as he walked out before tossing the frame on Derek's bed.

Derek sighed as his cell rang making his sigh turn into a groan. He looked at the small lit up screen, and saw that his Dad was calling.

"Hey dad,"

"Son, I'm glad I got a hold of you,"

"Everything okay?" Derek asked.

"Yes, everything is fine; I just wanted to know when you're on break?"

"Well I have a month off between semesters, why?"

"Because," his father said, "I want you to meet the woman I've been dating."

Derek rolled his eyes, "Dad, I don't know, I mean I have work and-"

"Derek, I'm marrying her,"

Derek froze.

He knew his dad was dating someone but he didn't know he had proposed to her.

"Derek?"

"Sorry, what?" he asked his dad, "You're marrying her?"

"Yes, and I'd like you to meet her since we'll be getting married the month you come out here, which I really want you to come."

"What do you mean, 'out here'? Are you not in London anymore?"

"Yes we are, but Marti is off for a few weeks and she wanted to go to California for it and I decided to invite Nora-"

"Nora,"

"Yes, that's her name." George sighed, "Edwin said he'd come since he lives only an hour away."

"So you're in Cali right now?" Derek asked.

"Yeah, and I think you should come down,"

Derek rolled his eyes.

He really wasn't up for meeting new people while he was trying to forget someone else.

"Alright fine, I'll go, but you're so paying for my ticket."

--

Casey was in the middle of typing her paper when her phone rang. She blew her hair out of her face and answered her phone.

"Hello?"

"Casey?"

"Hi mom," Casey smiled.

"Hi sweetie, listen, you're gonna be on a break pretty soon right?"

"Yeah, like a month, why?" Casey asked, trying to type the last sentence.

"Well, I've been dating this guy for a while and I really want you to meet him. Lizzie already has and she adores him."

"I don't know mom, I mean I have a lot of work to get prepared for my last semester,"

"Oh, please, Case?"

"Mom,"

"I'd really like you to meet the man I'm getting married to…"

And that's what got Casey to stop typing. She knew her mother was dating but she had no idea that she was thinking about marriage.

"Casey, honey, are you there?"

"Yeah, mom, I'm here. You've only been dating him for like three months though,"

"Actually, we've been dating for about two years,"

"Mom!" Casey half shouted, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I tried to but I just couldn't find the right words,"

"Its fine, I guess, but I still don't know if I can make it. I mean Amy wanted to do something out in California and-"

"Well, that's where Lizzie and I are right now," her mom informed her, "well, Lizzie and I will both be there soon,"

"What? Mom, how come I'm finding all this stuff out now?"

"I'm sorry Casey, but will you come? Say you'll come,"

Casey sighed and looked at the picture of her and Derek. She could really use the time to get away from him. She gave in.

"Fine, I'll go."

--

Derek was packing a month worth of clothes. Well, he was actually throwing a month worth of clothes in a suit case. He didn't really want to go all the way to California to watch his dad marry some strange woman and get to know three random people he knew he would probably never see again. And he just didn't want to go.

But it wasn't like he had a choice because he knew if he didn't attend, he would never hear the end of it from his dad, his brother or his sister. And Marti really knew how to guilt trip a man. She had the powers to make you feel so guilty, you would have to go to court to appeal your case.

Anyway, the next thing Derek knew, he was trying to stuff his duffle bag in the overhead compartment. And at the same time, a female squeezed by him and he barely heard the 'excuse me' from her. Not that it mattered any; he was still all butt hurt that he had to meet this woman who was going to be his step mom. A complete stranger was going to be his step mom.

When he finally got that stupid bag in there, he slipped on his sun glasses and slid into his seat. He pulled his hood up and slipped in his ear buds to drown out the sound on his flight neighbors.

And Casey waited patiently. Well as patiently as she could. She was waiting to get to her seat but someone was putting something in the overhead compartment and seem like he was taking is sweet ass time. Finally, not being able to stand it anymore, she squeezed by him and got to her seat.

She sat down with a huff.

She wasn't really up for the idea of her mother marrying some strange man who was going to be her step dad. She didn't even know what his name was and she already didn't like him. Okay, now wait a minute Casey, you don't even know him, and you can't very well judge a book by its cover when you haven't even read the summary yet.

Casey sighed and took out her book and waited for the flight to start. The sooner it started, the sooner it would be over.

She looked up and saw the one who was in her way before and rolled her eyes at the sight of his foot rested on the back of the arm rest of the seat in front of him.

--

When off the plane, Derek didn't waste any time getting off the plane and grabbing his bags. Casey on the other hand, had to wait at the airport for Amy. She had to catch a later flight because of exams. Casey had it all planned out. She would hang out with Amy for about three days then call her sister and have her pick her up to go to this beach house and meet her future step father. And while she was waiting in the hard plastic seat, she barely noticed the tall male with scruffy reddish brown hair rushing out of the crowded airport.

"Hey, Ed, listen, I need you to pick me up," Derek said into the phone.

"You're here in Cali?"

"Yeah, Dad said he wanted me to meet his wife to be." He informed his brother with slight disgust.

"Come on, D. she's not that bad. Well that's what Marti says."

"Yeah, I'm sure," Derek sighed, "look, just pick me up?"

"Sure,"

--

"How was your flight?" His brother asked in the car.

When he was picked up, Derek had to do a double take of Edwin. His scrawny little brother was almost as tall as him and he could had played like he was Derek but with dark hair. He saw that Edwin had a slight build to his body meaning that he must have been working out some.

But not to get off the subject or anything, Edwin was still Derek's little brother.

"My flight was fine; this girl just decided to be pushy and shoved past me but no biggie,"

"Look, Derek, I know meeting dad's fiancée is the last thing you wanna do right now, but trust me, you'll love her."

"That's not what's bothering me,"

Edwin looked at his brother, "Then what is?"

Derek didn't say anything for a while. In fact, he just sat there in the passenger seat, debating whether or not he could trust his brother with something like this.

"Okay, look, you cannot tell anyone about this especially Marti." Derek said to him, "God knows that she knows everything anyways," Derek ran his hand through his hair, "Remember Casey?" Edwin nodded, "I kinda hooked up with her a couple of weeks ago,"

Edwin stopped the car suddenly making the tires screech loudly. Derek braced his hands on the dash while he jerked forward.

"Dude!" Derek snapped. "What the hell?"

"You hooked up with Casey?" Edwin asked, "Wait, you were drunk weren't you."

"So?" Derek said like it was nothing, "It was just a hook up, that's it."

"So you and Casey didn't talk about it?"

"No, she actually told me to leave."

"And that's it? You didn't even wanna talk about what happened between you two?"

"Nope," Derek confirmed.

"Wow,"

"Look, I just wanna get to this freakin' beach house that Marti insisted on going to so then I can get back to Toronto and just…move on with my life."

"Right, move on, you're still hung up on Casey," Edwin reminded him.

"Shut up,"

When they pulled up to where they were staying, Derek just wanted to stay in the car, and hope to whatever higher power would make him disappear.

Well, that didn't go as planned because the next thing he knew, he was in a pale blue room, unpacking his things. As he was tossing his clothes, he heard the front door slam shut and stomping up the stairs.

"I can't believe you dad! All I asked was for you to let me go on one date with this guy and you totally ruined it!" Derek heard a very angry fourteen year old Marti scream at the top of her lungs.

"Marti, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ruin it for you," George tried to explain as Marti slammed her door.

Derek peaked around his door frame and saw his Dad walking up the stairs.

"Derek, you're here,"

"Hey, what that who I thought it was?" Derek asked, knowingly.

"Yeah, and I have no idea what's been going on with her lately but…I'm glad you're here,"

Derek smirked and gave his dad a quick hug.

"I'll go talk to her," Derek offered.

"Make sure you knock, she gets really angry if you don't knock."

Derek nodded and made his way to the loud music that had just come on. Derek sighed and knocked on the door.

"Go away!"

"Marti? Can I come in?" Derek asked.

"No!"

"Marti,"

"God! Go away!"

"Smarti," Derek said, finally.

"Smerek?"

The door opened and Derek was met with an older Marti, but she was Smarti nonetheless. With a big smile, she wrapped his arms around his neck in a tight hug. Derek laughed and picked her up. When he put her back on her feet, he looked at her and his brows furrowed together.

Her appearance had changed since he last saw her.

From her last get up of regular blue jeans with a purple shirt was now a ripped, frayed denim skirt, a black tank top, camo jacket with pins on it, and short, black combat boots. And along with that, she had on fish nets with knee high black and grey striped socks.

You think that shocked Derek? No. He always thought that she was a rocker on the inside. But her hair is what shocked him. Her normal black hair was now layered with her bangs in her face accompanied by purple streaks.

"Wow, Marti, lookin' good," her brother offered.

"You too," she remarked with an identical smirk and he rolled his eyes.

His appearance hadn't changed much. He still wore his leather jacket with random shirts he found on his floor. He still wore ratty jeans and chucks and he still did nothing with is hair.

"So what's with the 'tude?" Derek asked his little sister as she let him in her room.

"Dad said I could go on a date with someone tonight and he totally embarrassed me,"

"How?"

"He wanted to sit next to me and Danny,"

"What's wrong with that?" He asked.

"He started telling jokes,"

Derek cringed.

He knew exactly what his sister was talking about. Sure his dad was funny from time to time but he always tried too hard.

"Yikes,"

"I know, and now he probably won't ever wanna see me again,"

"Uh, Smarti?" Derek asked, brows furrowed together, "What do you mean?"

"We go to the same school,"

"Huh?"

Marti groaned, "He's visiting family out here."

"Ohh okay," Derek nodded, "well, maybe he won't care that dad made a fool out of himself and…embarrased you horribly,"

"De-rek!"

"Look, I know he'll wanna see you again. You're great,"

"You have to say that, you're my brother,"

"Yeah, but most brothers don't really like their younger siblings."

"Like me and Edweirdo?"

"Exactly," Derek smirked. "So tell me about this Nora character,"

"She's nice, she has two daughters, one Ed's age and one your age."

"Names?" Derek asked.

"Nope,"

"Come one Marti, of all the things you know about everyone you don't know the names of you're future step sisters?"

Marti rolled her eyes, "The younger one goes to school in New York while the oldest one goes to school in Toronto, so you might know that one,"

"Do you know how big the campus of Toronto is? She could be anyone,"

"True," Marti said, nodding, "maybe you already hooked up with her,"

"Watch it,"

Marti simply smirked and shook her head.

"Derek! Nora is here!"

"Ready?" Marti asked.

"Not really,"

Derek sighed and walked down with Marti tagging along. And there he saw a woman with dark hair and a bright smile. She looked up and smiled more when she saw him get to the bottom of the stairs.

"Derek, it's so good to finally meet you." Nora smiled.

"You too,"

And before Derek could say or do anything else, he was pulled into a hug from her and his eyes grew wide from her sudden action.

"Your father has told me so much about you,"

"I wish I could say the same," he said honestly as he pulled away from the hug.

"Excuse me?"

"Well, my dad sorta sprung you on me, but I am glad to meet you,"

"And my girls? Are they here yet?" She asked him.

"No, the only girl here is Marti," Derek said to her, "and Edwin,"

"I heard that," a deep voice had come from another room. "Nora," he said when he entered the room.

"Edwin, I'm so glad to meet you,"

"Like wise," Edwin said, giving her a quick hug, "you'll have to excuse my brother,"

"Rough couple of days?" She offered.

"More like a couple of years." Edwin muttered making Derek smack him in the side of the head.

Nora chuckled while George rolled his eyes.

"My children," he muttered.

"I can't wait till they meet my girls,"

--

Why did Casey tell her mother that she would stop by to meet this guy? Why couldn't she just lie to her mom and say that she was never going to California? Why did she have to hook up with Derek in the first place? And why the hell did he have to cheat on her two years ago?

All these questions were running through her mind and she couldn't find a single answer for one of them as she was waiting for Amy.

And as she was about to call her mother and tell her she was going back home, she heard her friend call her name.

"It's about time, I've been waiting forever," Casey sighed out.

"I'm sorry; I hung out with Chad for a while."

"You're two hours late,"

"Can you not yell at me right now?" Amy asked her, "Let's just get outta here."

And after waiting thirty minutes for Amy's cousin to come pick them up, they were on the way to Amy's parent's house that her cousin was renting from them.

"Now, are you sure you can only stay for two days?" Amy asked for the umpteenth time.

"I'm sure," Casey said again, "and I'd just like to be alone for a minute, okay?"

"Okay,"

And thus Amy left leaving Casey to be on her own. She plopped down on the bed and sighed. She wasn't ready for this. Not at all.

And as she was sitting by herself, her mind began to drift.

Both she and Derek were lying in the hood of his car. They were parked in a secluded part in a park, looking up at the stars. It was after they had both been accepted into the same university and Casey was a little scared about it all. Sure she was going with Derek but she was still nervous.

"Derek, do you think I'll be able to hack it?" Casey asked her boyfriend.

"Of course I do," Derek said, "you can do anything. Why?"

"I'm just nervous I guess,"

"Why are you nervous?" Derek asked, sitting up on his elbows.

"I don't know, I just feel that something is gonna happen and I'll break down or something."

"You'll be fine. I'll be there and Sam,"

"I know,"

Derek scooted closer to her and he kissed her. She kissed him back just as much and then broke it.

"No matter what happens while we're there, I'll always be there for you, always," Casey nodded, "I love you, Case."

"I love you, too."

Always be there?

Yeah, right.

If he was going to be there for her no matter what happened, he would have been there when she was crying her eyes out to her friend Amy and he would have been there when her boyfriend cheated on her. But that would have been impossible because he was the one who cheated.

And two days later, she was met by her sister waiting in a car to drive her to the beach house.

Brain farts suck! I hate it when I get stuvk on a story because another one slips into my head. And that's exactly what happened! Because in the dawn of this story, I have this fictitious/Nnon-fictitious story running around in my head and I need to get it out. And anyway, enjoy! I'll try to work on Disturbia, maybe get a few lines in here and there.