"Casey", Derek grinned holding his hands up in suprise overlooking the petite brunette walking towards him with her messy chic beach waves.
His smiled slightly faltered the moment he saw a new pudge in her midsection. Casey was way too body concious to randomly pack on pounds, and if she had her crazy dance schedule would've melted them away.
When she was within reaching distance Derek knew something was diffrent.
"You've gotten fat", he playfully admonished taking another long look at her glowing features. She looked perfectly sunkissed in a orange bandu maxi dress that accentuated the not obvious bulge in her stomach.
"Gee, thanks Derek. Thats the first thing a girl wants to hear", Casey giggled half-heartedly and embraced the awkward one arm hugged before they moved to sit down at the sleek tables outside the lunch bistro.
"Its good to see you Case", Derek spoke honestly and slid his aviators to his hairline to closer inspect her crazy, volatile ex-girlfriend. She seemed so much calmer now, her hair was longer, skin clearer, and if it was possible she looked even more stunning than when they first met.
He'd been in the presence of A-list actresses, and Supermodels fawning over him but still Casey was the prettiest.
"You too", Casey squinted her ocean blue eyes. "Hows it feel to be back in New York?" she asked casually hooking her dark hair behind her studded ears.
Derek stretched his arms above his head stifling a yawn and shrugged , trying to look cool.
"Theres nothing like New York in the summer", he breathed inhaling the crisp air. He, and his team had spent two months overseas promoting.
Casey nodded awkwardly, and silently exhaled in releif when a waitress came buy to take their order. Normally, she'd order a polite Ceasar salad with dressing on the side but she was starving and had been craving an angus burger with lots of fries.
"Yeah um.. I guess i'll take the chicken fettucini, with extra sauce and she'll have the salad-
"Actually", Casey chirped. "I'll have the angus beef, with turkey, and a platter of chilli cheese fries".
"Impressive", the tiny waitress admonished with a grin. "Anything else?"
"No, that'll be all for now", Casey smiled politely and watched as their waiter skimpered away.
Derek squinted his amber eyes skeptically. "Are you sure you didn't want anything else? I'm sure you could get an order of everything in the fridge", he teased. Yes, there was certainly something diffrent about her. She seemed...relaxed. He felt a sense of pride watching her order real food and not that tiny proportionalized crap.
Casey blushed.
"Sorry".
"No, I love it", he joked and quickly stopped himself. They weren't lovers anymore, and they certainly weren't friends. She walked out on him, literally the day before he was about to propose. He was heart broken, and spent majority of his down time under whatever flavor of the week he chose whether is was Miss America, or some faceless A-list actress.
And the only reason he'd even agreed to meet her was so that he could shove it in her face. But now, sitting directly across from her he just wanted to lean foward and kiss her until they forgot the past.
"Casey, what are we doing?" He asked seriously and furrowed his thick eyebrows.
Casey laughed looking away from the laminated menu. "Having lunch".
"No", Derek motioned to the space in between them. "I mean what are we did you even invite me here? The last time I saw you, you told me you hated me":
"You told me the same", Casey rebuttled imaturely but stopped herself before she went any further.
"I have something to tell you, and I don't know how you're going to take it", she chewed her bottom lip nearly drawing blood.
Derek leaned back in his chair uninterestedly. "I've been in Japan for the last few months, I doubt anything can shock me now", he shrugged bringing his water glass to his mouth.
Casey nodded as if convincing herself.
"I'm pregnant".
Derek lowered the glass, and felt his left eye twitch in pure rage. "Congrats Case", he said sarcastically. "You've managed to get yourself knocked up by some random guy? How could you be so stupid?" He demanded angrily and took a healthy sip from his glass to calm his nerves.
Casey clenched her eyes shut, and exhaled calmly.
"You really are stupid", she narrowed her eyes at him in utter disgust and crossed her arms. "You're the only person i've been with since we broke up", Casey barked motioning to the magazine stand with Derek and some blonde plastered across it.
Derek felt light headed and confused. "What are you saying?"
"Its yours", Casey spoke matter of factly.
Derek ran his tanned hand across his face, trying to process what he was hearing.
"How?" He stupidly blurted.
"Well, when two people love each other very much. Or in our case-".
He held up his hand to stop her. "But..I mean...i'm...I can't-".
Casey breathed just as the waiter had came back with their food. "I was just as shocked as you, and until recently I didn't even know if I wanted to keep it..".
"So when did you plan on telling me any of this? The kids 18th birthday? I have rights ", Derek said leaning closer to make his point.
"I found out a few weeks ago.. and no one really knows. But i'm not asking for child support. I've decided it'd probably be best to raise it alone, with your lifestyle and all... and I didn't want you to find out from someone else".
Derek shook his head in disbeleif, and felt something in the pit of his stomach sink with dread.
He certainly wasn't prepared to be anyones father at 23, but it wasn't Casey decison to make.
"My lifestyle? Seriously?" He deadpanned, training his orbs on her skeptically. She was the same annoying know it all, the only difference now was a pound or two.
Casey blinked and rubbed a palm across the wrinkles forming in between her brow. She knew this was going to happen.
"You can't take care of a child-".
"I'm rich!" Derek exclaimed, truly confused. " I'm more than capable".
Casey took an even breath before speaking. "Financially yes, mentally, physically... no".
Derek scoffed, he was more than offended. She didn't think he was good enough?
"So what, you're just going to tell your boyfriend its his?"
Casey tried her best to cool her anger down to a minimum. " His name is Eric and he isn't my boyfriend. And why do you even care? You have no responsibilty, you get to keep your playboy lifestyle. You should be thanking me. Can you even imagine you with a kid? Trust me, we'd all be better off if-".
Derek looked stricked. " Who are you to sit there and judge me? ", he barked . " You don't know me or what i'm capable of... so fuck you", Derek added the last part truly heated.
Okay, Casey thought, maybe that was going a bit far. Afterall, it wasn't all his fault.
He abruptly stood up and pointed his finger right between her eyes, with pure venom pouring through his pores.
"Real mature", Casey muttered. She hadn't expected Derek to want to be so involved, but deep down she wanted him to pretend to care for once. But this time, he cared more about the life growing inside of her than he ever did for her.
"Don't give me that bullshit ok? You're right we are better off without each other. And I never have to see your face again i'll be fine. But i'm going to see my kid, regardless", he promised before dropping a crisp hundred dollar bill on the table for their meal.
"But we hate each other!" Casey screeched frantically. " How can we possibly raise a child together?"
"Newflash princess people do it all the time", he barked before motioning for the valet to bring his car.