Author's Note: I had the ideas to write this chapter it just took me forever. I know exactly how I want to write later chapters but getting down the basic ones is the toughest part. Thanks for the reviews. If there is anything about Canada or Canadian life that I mess up, let me know

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or premise of Life of Derek or else I would a very rich Canadian producer and would not be writing fanfictions.

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Chapter 1: Inescapable

Pulling my large science book out of my backpack, I collapsed onto my desk chair, swirling around to face the computer screen before pushing a couple buttons to turn it on. Flipping to page 456, I found the lengthy assignment awaiting me. Just as I opened Microsoft Word to begin discussing the major difference between intermolecular forces, blasting rock music filled my ears. There was no question about the source of this music. Just across the hall was the room of a star hockey player, girl magnet, and (in some people's opinions) one of the best looking young men in Canada. Any other girl my age would die to hear this description and that I lived so close to him that I witnessed him coming out of the bathroom every morning. I would probably be amongst them if the boy were not my stepbrother, Derek Venturi.

Rolling my eyes in annoyance, I resisted the urge to run to his door and pound against it while screaming "not-nice-words" at him, as Marti would say. Instead, I reached for the remote to my own radio, turning it on and letting the slow melodic music flow through my ears. It was as if my room was the only place I could find peace these days as the entire house was chaotic twenty-four seven. Marti was always running around asking people where her crayons were and if someone would braid her hair. Lizzie and Edwin argued from time to time, nowhere near the level of noise that Derek and I made during our battles, but soon found peace over freshly baked brownies and a video game. Mom and George were either lecturing us, working or discussing work.

And Derek, you may ask? How could I even begin to describe the amount of annoyance he brought to my life? Most people found they could escape a teasing bully by going home in the evening and on the weekends. Having Derek as a stepbrother was like breaking your foot, you had to feel the pain and annoyance because you have to walk around. The only time that you would be free of the annoyance would be sitting, but that only lasted for a while. You could not escape it and every time you put pressure on it, or tried to maneuver around it, it just managed to hurt you worse. Derek was inescapable. He was everywhere. And there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

I was pulled from my thoughts by my cell phone buzzing in my pocket. Pulling it out I read the text message that appeared from Emily on the small screen. She asked me if I had tried the new website yet. Scoffing I quickly replied no, before she replied telling me that it was cool and I should try it out. She gave me her login name, which was against the rules but I told Emily everything anyways so it didn't really matter, and told me to IM her on the site when I logged on.

Sighing I opened Internet Explorer and went to our school's homepage, seeing the link in bright red letters when I got there. Clicking on it I was redirected to a brightly colored, flashing webpage that seemed almost cool, not lame at all. I remembered someone saying that some of the kids in Computer Club made it up so it wouldn't look boring and unattractive. Typing in my code, I was asked to make an anonymous login for myself that was the complete opposite of what I was normally like. Looking around my room, my eyes landed on a family picture hanging on the wall, Derek's unbearable grin torturing me. With a smirk of my own, I typed hockeygirl77 into the yellow box and made up a random password. I despised hockey and 77 was Derek's jersey number. I could be any girl in our grade, as any of them would have used this to get his attention.

Once my account was created, I was redirected to the main page. It had different forum areas for interests such as movies, TV shows, books, music, world issues, and school. Most of the posts were about teachers and the answers to the study guide questions for the European history test.

Shaking my head, I scrolled down to the bottom of the page where it showed you who was logged in at the current moment. My login was listed with only one other, and it was not Emily's. Annoyed, I wondered who bookworm could be and clicked on the link. A little box popped up and asked if I wanted to start an IM session with bookworm. Before I could respond, another box opened asking me if I would accept an IM from them. I clicked yes, out of pure curiosity and a little smiley face flashed in front of the box before fading away to reveal the IM box. We greeted each other before I said, "So…this isn't as lame as I thought it would be…" The rest of our conversation went a little like this:

Bookworm: Yea, I guess so. Still, we are the only ones on here so what does that tell you?

Hockeygirl77: Haha. I guess you're right. But one of my friends told me she made an account and there are other posts in the forums so maybe this will end up being something that people will do.

Bookworm: Yea, maybe. It's kind of weird though, we could be in the same classes and not even know it.

With that I smiled, "bookworm" had read my mind exactly. The whole premise of this site was somewhat sketchy. You could be chatting up your archenemy while getting into a serious debate about the best rock band with your best friend and not even know it. Then something hit me, you also wouldn't even know if they were a boy or girl unless your login indicated it.

Hockeygirl77: I just thought of something, would it be completely against the rules if I asked if you were a boy or a girl?

Bookworm: Haha. I don't think so. Yea, I was thinking about that too…wouldn't that be awkward if you flirted with another girl? No, I'm a boy. I'm guessing you are a girl, though.

I laughed aloud in spite of this as I began typing my response. This guy was pretty funny, but who could it be that would have a login like bookworm but be funny at the same time? Not taking into consideration that I hated hockey and my login was that, I began searching my memory for boys in my grade who were funny and studious at the same time.

Hockeygirl77: Whew. It's safe for us to flirt then, I guess.

As soon as I pressed the send button and the words showed up on the screen, I bit my lip. Had I just said that? When ever would I say that in real life? Pulling my hands away from the keyboard, I thought for a few minutes. This was the only chance I would ever get to start over with a guy at my school. Derek had already made bad first impressions for me the moment I started there last year. This was an opportunity. A big one.

Bookworm: I love how the school encourages us to do this. Talk online with people who we may not even know. Not disclose anything but our age, sex, and opinions about stuff.

Just as I placed my hands back on the gray keys to type again I heard George calling us for dinner and Edwin, Lizzie and Marti race down the stairs at his voice. Replying to his comment, I rose from my chair and went out into the hallway.

"Casey? Can you get Derek? I don't think he heard me with his music on so loudly…." George added as soon as he saw me.

Nodding my head curtly, I rolled my eyes and knocked hard on Derek's door. Hearing no response, I entered slowly, seeing him at his computer, typing away intently.

"Are you doing homework?" I asked skeptically, nearing his desk so I could talk to him over the loud din of the electric guitar solo.

As if shaken out of a daze, Derek whipped around, closing whatever he was typing as if hearing me for the first time. "What? Oh…uh…no. Just looking at band websites and stuff," came his almost nervous sounding reply.

Cocking a brow, I looked at him for a minute before shrugging, "Well George told me to get you for dinner…" I replied, making my way towards the door.

Turning back to his computer, Derek waved me away saying, "Yea…I'll be down in a sec," like he did every time George or my mom called him for something. Even if he wasn't doing anything, it was always, "Give me a minute" or "Hold on, the laundry's not going to run away..."

Closing his door I re-entered my room and sat back down at my desk, typing into the IM, "I have to go eat dinner, I guess we'll talk later…" before seeing that he had put up an away message already that said he was eating. Shrugging I turned off the computer monitor, slipped into my clogs and jogged down the steps, sliding into my place at the table.

Edwin was already talking about how he and another boy had set a cage full of mice free In science class that morning, receiving high fives from Derek and his father and a frown from my mom. Turning to me, she asked,

"So, Casey, anything new with you today?" before putting salt on her mashed potatoes.

Pouring myself some water, I nodded, replying,

"Yea, actually, the school made this new website thing where we can talk with our classmates anonymously and discuss stuff like homework and favorite movies and stuff…It's actually kind of cool."

"Hmm that sounds…interesting…" George replied, not really sounding interested in the least, but instead skeptical. "You like computers, Derek, have you used it yet?"

Derek let out a scoff, choking on his drink, "Yea right, that thing's for computer geeks and losers who want to talk about how the English exams aren't ever hard enough," shooting me a look.

"Hey, they aren't!" I spat back automatically before adding, "And it's not just for losers, Emily told me half the hockey team has already made login names…" my gaze hardening. Derek always had to oppose me, he never agreed with what I had to say.

"Whatever…it's lame and I'm not going to use it. I already have friends, I don't need online stalkers," before spooning mashed potatoes into his mouth.

Before he looked away, I saw something weird in Derek's face. It's as if he wasn't really telling the truth. His blazing eyes locked with mine for at least a minute, as if they were trying to tell me something. Cocking my head lightly to the side, I felt my cheeks redden as Lizzie watched me intently. Taking one last look at the boy across from me, I turned my gaze to the piece of chicken sitting on my plate, hoping no one else had witnessed that awkward moment.

As I said, Derek was inescapable. Still, I had to wonder; why did it seem like Derek was lying?