Disclaimer: Still don't own Life with Derek.
Chapter #4--Game On
Derek was shaken. That was for sure. Was Sam a frickin' idiot?! Sure, he found Casey attractive, but the idea that he actually wanted her was just . . . just . . . stupid.
"Dude, maybe you need a hockey puck to the head," he told Sam, lightly shoving him as he walked down the hall "Come on," he called, "let's get out of here. Between work and hockey practice this my only afternoon off this week and Babe Raider 2 is waiting for us at home."
"You mean the video game or your stepsister?" Sam teased, shutting up after getting a seriously angry look from Derek.
Derek was both relieved and disappointed to find that Casey was not at home. He realized that she must have gone over to Emily's house after leaving school. That was fine with him. He and Sam would get their babe raiding on free of Casey's annoying commentary.
They had both made it up to level four when she finally walked in the door. Derek watched her shoot Sam a mischievous smile and realized that he had let his character fall into a pit of lava.
Then she turned to face him, walked over, and sat down on the arm of his chair.
"Killing time until I got home?" she said, leaning in uncomfortably close to him.
Honestly, he didn't actually find it that uncomfortable but he wasn't about to tell her that.
"Nope," he said, quickly regaining his composure and leaning toward her so that he decreased the distance between them even further. "Just killing my character. It was euthanasia. She couldn't stand to be in same room as you."
With that he leaned in even further so that Casey reeled backwards to avoid his face, landing on the floor with a thud.
Derek laughed, got up from his chair, and walked toward the kitchen.
"Want a soda, Sam?" he asked.
"No thanks, D," Sam replied.
"Well . . . well . . . maybe she was just threatened by your obvious crush on me!" Casey called after him, belatedly responding to his last remark to her.
"Nice try, Case," Derek smirked, briefly sticking his head back in the living room to address her.
"Der-ek!" Casey screamed in anger and frustration,
"Don't worry, Case," Sam said quietly. "Derek may be better at the game, but I think you've got the upper hand."
Casey looked at him quizzically.
"Thing is," he said hesitantly, "I'm pretty sure that you're right about him."
"Oh," she said, not completely sure what to make of the whole situation anymore.
"Have fun," Sam smiled, "but remember, as much as he tries to deny it sometimes, Derek does actually have feelings. So just don't take it too far unless you're prepared to follow through."
"What do you mean?" she asked, although she thought she might already know the answer.
"Look," he said, "you can have a laugh and you definitely don't have to take Derek's behavior lying down, but try not to hurt him."
"Thanks, Sam," Casey said smiling at him and heading up the stairs. "You're a good friend."
The next morning Casey was putting on her make-up, when Derek strolled up behind her again.
"Dream about me?" he whispered in her ear.
But to his surprise she didn't push him away from her this time.
Instead she turned around to face him, practically learning against him and putting her lips dangerously close to his.
"Yes," she said, giving it a few second for her words to sink in before continuing her thought.
He was shocked and it was taking every bit of will power that he had not to kiss her.
"I dreamed that you finally found a backbone and came to terms with the fact that you have a massive crush on me," she said, slipping away from him and out the door.
"You've got some pretty messed up fantasies, Case," he called after her. "Clearly when you're sleeping you confuse just who has feelings for who."
"Whom, Derek," she said facing him again. "And even without the improper grammar, that comeback was pretty lame."
And with that, she smiled and walked off.
Oh, it was so on.
