The next day, Derek's alarm went off at 1:45. He rolled over to turn it off, but when he couldn't find the button, he threw it at the wall. He closed his eyes and began to go back to sleep, but remembered why he had set his alarm in the first place.

Just the thought of her…Casey, made him want to get up and go back to the café in hopes of seeing her again. He got up and went to take a shower. He didn't usually take showers if he woke up after 12, but made an acception just this once.

He gathered his things and headed to the bathroom. He hurried to wash himself and barely got all the soap off his body before jumping out of the shower and grabbing a towel to wrap around his waist. He ran down the hall to his room and threw on some clothes.

He ran back to the bathroom and brushed his teeth then took off down the stairs. "Derek! Where are you going today?" Edwin asked from the top of the stairs. "Same place I went yesterday Ed" Derek replied and rushed out the door.

Casey's POV

I had been sitting there in the café just like the day before, waiting to see if he would come again today. I had that same book I had been reading, and was sitting there pretending to be into it, while I was actually hoping he would come walking through the door.

I drank about 4 cups of coffee waiting for him, because I had shown up earlier than the day before, and was fidgeting in my seat. I had a very intense reaction to caffeine. Finally I couldn't sit anymore, so I got up and headed to the door. Right when I got there and opened the door, I walked right into someone. I dropped my book and bent down to pick it up.

Nobody's POV

"Still reading that stupid thing?" Derek said with a little laugh. Casey felt the back of her shirt slide up as she bent over and reached back to pull it down when she realized the band of her pink lacey panties was clearly visible.

She looked up and her eyes got huge. She stood up very quickly and her face began to turn a bright pink. "That was nice" he said with a smirk on his face looking down at the waist of her pants, then back to her.

"Derek! Wow, what a surprise. I didn't expect to see you here again today!" she said very quickly, and felt her face redden even more. "Oh really?" he asked, leaning over against the wall. "So you mean to tell me you didn't come here today in hopes of seeing me again?" he asked and smiled.

"Well…no. I never planned on seeing you again after yesterday" she said in playful tone. "Ouch. That hurt. But fine, I'll leave you alone then." he said, still smiling. She giggled, grabbed his hand, and began to run down the road away from the café. "Whoa!" he yelled in surprise and she pulled him around in a circle, then caught his balance and began to run alone side of her, holding her hand in his.

They ran down the road, and off into a path through the woods, then slowed down and began to walk. Casey was admiring the face of nature, while Derek was admiring the face of Casey. After a while, they came out into a little clearing.

Casey sat down on a tree that had fallen over, and Derek stood and stared up at the sky. After a few moments, Casey slowly moved over and stood up so Derek wouldn't notice, and stood behind him.

She bent her leg and swung it forward until she hit the back of his knee, causing him to fall over. Once he was on the ground, her standing by him laughing, he wrapped his foot around her ankle and tripped her so she fell next to him. He rolled over so he was on top of her, and she rolled them over so she was on top of her.

They began to wrestle, rolling around on the ground. After about five minutes, they rolled to the edge of a hill. Derek rolled them over once more, and they began tumbling down the hill, until they stopped on the soft sand of the beach, with him lying on top of her once more, and her clinging to him.

Once she realized they were lying still, she let her body relax and laid back onto the sand. He looked into her eyes, and thought again about how beautiful they were. This time, her didn't try to stop himself, he just let himself admire her, while she smiled up at him.

Though her mouth was straight, he could see the happiness in her eyes, which made him want to look at them even more. He stared at her for a few more seconds before slowly lowering his head and kissing her. He pulled back, and a few moments later leaned down and kissed her again, this time softer, slower and with passion.

He pulled back and looked at her, waiting for her reaction. When she just smiled at him, he rolled over so he was laying next to her in the sand, and thanked god. She stared up at the sky and was so overwhelmed with happiness, she could speak. She slowly slid her hand through the sand until it was over his, and they locked their fingers together.

They laid there for the longest time, just staring at the sky, feeling young and alive, and cherishing every moment spent together. They were in the years of young love, and both, for the first time in their lives, began to discover it.

Derek's POV

That was the first time I had ever kissed anyone and actually meant it. I had meant it when I had kissed her. And she had smiled about it. I was the happiest person in the world at that moment. I had found someone who I actually cared about. Someone who seemed to actually care about me. It was perfect. She was perfect.

Casey's POV

When he kissed me, it was amazing. It was passionate, like he actually meant it. I had never felt like this about anyone before. I was unsure how to deal with it. I felt he really liked me. I really liked him. Maybe it would work out this time. Maybe he would be more than just a little crush like all the other boys.

Nobody's POV

After a while, Derek stood up and looked down at her. "Wanna go for a walk?" he asked. "Love to" she said, as she smiled and stood up next to him. He took her hand and they began to walk along the beach.

They walked for a while, and Derek pushed Casey so her feet were in the water. "Ah!" she screamed and ran up the beach. "That was uncalled for. That water is freaking cold!" She yelled at him playfully. She ran back down the beach towards him and pushed him so he fell into the wave that had just been coming up.

"Holy Crap!" he yelled as he grabbed her wrist and pulled her down next to him. The next wave came up and soaked them both and they both yelled and scrambled back up the beach laughing.

Derek sat down and pulled Casey up against him and put his arms around her waist. They sat and stared out at the ocean and the sunset. "It's so beautiful" Casey whispered, transfixed by the beauty of the sunset. "Never as beautiful and you" Derek whispered in her ear. She laid her head back on his shoulder and let out a sigh.

They sat and watched the sun fall until it was dark. He looked down at her head lying in his lap. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing slowly and softly. He knew she was asleep.

He brushed her hair out of her face and admired her beautiful features again for a few moments, before picking her up and carrying her back up the hill they had come down. When he was half way back down the path through the woods they had taken to get there, she moved a little in his arms.

He looked down at her, but kept walking. She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. "What time is it?" she asked quietly. "I don't know. Late" he said. "Go back to sleep." she closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

The next time she woke up was from him lightly shaking her. When she opened her eyes, she saw her house. "Oh my" she said. "I'm sorry you had to carry me…" "Shhh" he said, quieting her. "I would have carried you inside, but I'm afraid your parents" "mother." she corrected him. "Mother. I'm afraid your mother wouldn't really like a stranger walking into her house carrying her daughter this late at night." "No. she wouldn't" she said.

She stood up next to him and looked at her house. She didn't really want to go inside. She wanted to stand here next to him for just a few more moments. So she did. She stood, then turned to him. He turned to look back at her, and she pushed her lips against his.

They stood there, lost in the kiss, for what seemed like an eternity, before pulling apart. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he wrapped her arms around her waist. He pulled her close to him and kissed her temple.

"Thank you for another great day" she whispered to him. "No, thank you for not making me spend it alone." he whispered back. "Never" she said. "Good night" He said and kissed her cheek.

She walked into her house and quietly closed the door behind her. She turned to walk across the room the to stairs, when she heard a voice. "Hello. Where have you been? Its not like you to stay out late" Nora said quietly.

"I was just out, having some alone time, you know, just to relax" she said uneasily. "It's not alone time if your not alone Casey" her mom said flatly. "I can take care of myself" She replied coldly and continued up the stairs to her room, and slammed the door.

Derek walked into his house and closed the door, not really trying to be quiet. If his dad was even still awake, he wouldn't care that he had been out late. He's out late all the time. Especially in the summer.

He went upstairs, walked into his room, striped down to his boxers, and laid down on his bed. He reached over to set his alarm again, but soon notice the small, broken object across the room on the floor. He groaned and rolled over. 'I guess I might just have to go to her house tomorrow' he thought to himself. Then he slipped into a deep sleep.

Lizzie slowly opened Casey's door to see her on her bed writing in her diary. "Hey" she said softly. "Hey" Casey said. "I heard you and mom downstairs, can I know where you've been?" "I was just out Liz, don't worry about it. Go to bed" Casey said softly and half-smiled to her sister. "O.K. Good night" Lizzie whispered. "Night" Casey said and went back to writing in her diary.