I woke up hearing a commotion downstairs. As I walked in the hallway I heard Casey screech from downstairs "Derek! Could you not be you for today? Give us a break."
Well he wasted no time in stirring up trouble. Which of course led me to the Derek/Casey theory. Was it true? And if it was, was it a thing of the past? It was difficult to rationalize when I had my own bias. I didn't want a prejudice judgement. I wanted the truth.
After my shower, I put my laundry (sheets) into the dryer.
"Derek, you--" Casey spoke strictly. She stopped realizing I wasn't who she thought I was.
"Oh Im sorry Edwin. I was afraid Derek was in here. My pile is there and I thought he might mess with it. He knows I don't like other people washing my clothes." she clarified like a neurotic.
She wore black sweat pants and a purple tank top. Her upper arm was begging for me to caress her. I buried my hands under my wet clothes to stop my fingers from complying.
" You know maybe you shouldn't leave it here if you don't want him to touch it." I pointed out.
"It would be easier if he didn't act like a disobediant child, who gets into things he isn't suppose to." she declared before leaving the laundry room.
Could that have been a double entrande. No I was clearly reading too much into things. Or maybe I didn't like the image of him getting into her. Oh God. Repress. Forget. Delete. Exit. Just get out of my head!
Looking forward to some frozen waffles to toast, I passed Kendra, who had "missed her Derry Friday evening", but had seen him Friday afternoon, discussing something with Nora that did not hold much interest with me.
Dad went golfing with his boss earlier that morning. Lizzie was doing the dishes. "Mom made eggs. I tried to wake you but you wouldn't budge."
"Im not that heavy of a sleeper." I replied finding her claim hard to believe.
"Well you were this morning. About as bad as Derek." she responded.
Placing the waffles in the toaster, Casey waltzed in. Well she didn't really, but she walks so gracefully that I described it like a waltz.
"Um youre eating waffles for lunch?" she remarked.
"Its his first meal of the day. That would be breakfast Casey," Derek butted in.
Casey's eyes burned. "Excuse me, I was talking to Edwin. Are you so desperate to correct me that you have to jump into a coversation that doesn't concern you?"
"Oh but Casey to correct you, you'd have to be wrong. And you wouldn't admit that." He smirked.
I watched them silently, intently as I always did, out of habit. Maybe it was because Derek and Casey as a couple was a possibility again that I saw something behind his smirk. It wasn't just a victory of verbal war, but succeeding at getting her worked up, a victory which pleasured him sexually in some small and, you have to admit, twisted way. Or maybe there was nothing there. Maybe I was letting my imagination get the best of me.
"I never said that Im always right, just more often than you." Casey said testily.
"What's going on in here? Derry, Marti's ready for us to take her to the park." Kendra came in oblivious that she had interupted anything. Casey turned her face so Kendra wouldn't see her frustration.
"Oh Im ready." he told his girlfriend.
He lay his hand on Casey's shoulder and said cocky. "Don't worry Casey we have plenty of time later to pick up where we left off, me winning."
She roughly shrugged Derek off. It had been a while since he got her seething like that, but he got her good.
Kendra wrapped her arm around her guy as they left the kitchen.
"You okay Casey?" Lizzie asked.
Casey replied "Yeah."
And she really did seem fine. Her anger left within seconds after Derek did.
The fog cleared and I could see the sun shining brightly. It was true Casey loved him. They weren't fighting over power or pride. Yes Casey and Derek needed those two things, but this war between them was so much more. Between them was something unresolved, something ached, something longing.
I didn't need to ask her. I knew what the truth was. But I wanted to hear her say it. I wanted her to destroy my want of her. The only way I wouldn't want her anymore is if I knew she was no different from the other girls who loved Derek. Because the biggest reason why I was facinated by Casey is that I thought she wasn't easily persuaded like most people. I thought she was different from most girls and thought for herself. I thought she was the only one who wasn't impressed by him. That's why I loved her because she wasn't like the rest; she was educated.
I saw that my waffles had popped up. I picked them up to find that they had gotten cold while I had been preoccupied. So I toasted them again.
After finishing my chores, I knocked on Casey's door. She called out for me to come in and I did. She had a trig textbook opened up. "Yeah Edwin?" she asked casually. All the feelings I had for her boiled under my skin. I hope she couldn't tell.
"Are you going anywhere today?" I asked nervously. What was the matter with me? Don't be a pansy. Youre a Venturi. Be self-assured.
"No plans today." she stated curious as to why I asked.
God, her inquisitive mind. If I didn't love her already I would fall this second. Yeah something as simple as that and I was bewitched by her. I swapt away the thoughts and urges.
She noticed my distress. "Are you alright Edwin?" she asked worriedly.
"Yeah Im fine." I answered sitting beside her on the bed. My hand laid on her comforter I bet it smelled like Derek. I grew sicker.
"This is about your crush. I say go for it. Ask her out. If it goes well, tell her what you told me. If a guy felt admiration for me the way you do about her, I'd date him. If she refuses because she doesn't want a younger man its her loss. Youre a great guy Edwin." she smiled hopefully at me.
I was lost in her. How could I not love her? She was absolutely lovable. Could she have said anything better for my eager ears. I was in too deep. My eyes were wide, struck by her.
"Thanks," I said happily.
I was under her waters and if I drowned I couldn't think of a better way of taking my last breath than to have her waves cover me whole and fill my lungs. My thoughts and troubles washed away. I became blind to it. Then intellect opened my eyes stating coldly: she spoke like a loving sister.
Again I was unreasonable angry at her. I wanted her to love me more than that. Why did she have to feel that way about Derek? I concealed my resentment and brought up another subject. "You know you and Derek can argue about petty things," I observed.
Casey scoffed. Her eyes grew dark. She looked at me like I was Derek picking a fight with her.
She spoke defensively. "Its not petty. He shouldn't have a god complex. He shouldn't get his kicks by disregarding how I feel..."
I wasn't listening to her rant. She was on fire and I a moth to her flame. I shouldn't have done that. I had been hurt and wanted to upset her. That's cruel. I also regreted what I had said because her behavior was wanting me to do things. I had an uncontrolable urge to crash my lips on hers. I wanted to feel her burn warm me. I wanted to taste her fighting spirit. Had these been the very thoughts that filled Derek's head? I was disgusted with myself because I didn't want her the way Derek did, but I did.
I interrupted her. She could have discussed the reasons why she hated Derek for hours.I had to ask her now. After all this time I wanted the truth.
"You love him don't you? And let's not mince words here I mean like a significant other." The words flowed like I was a car dealer, which is probably better than her hearing my distress at the thought of her in love with Derek.
I feel bad I didn't do what I promised I was going to be answered in this chapter. But these characters have like taken over in my head. I feel like they do what they want and I have to write it down as they do it. Not as I had planned it. But as you can see you'll get your answer in the next chapter.
Out of curiousity how do you guys feel about the Kendra/Derek relationship as I have portrayed it? I know many must not like it (him cheating on her). But it just makes since he could not stay faithful to a girl like Kendra. Id like to hear your thoughts on the subject.
I kind of feel like Edwin is a bit OOC. What do you think?
Thanks you guys for reading and helping me out!
