AN: Here it is. I was gone for the weekend and extremely busy but I felt compelled to get this chapter out. And I'm glad I did.
Disclaimer: A girl can wish.
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"So, how long has it been since you went to the park we're going to?" Casey asked whlie they walked down the street side by side. It had only taken her a couple minutes to change before she was ready to go to. And yet still on the way out, trying to push down her nerves, she had managed to forget her jacket. Derek hadn't even noticed since he was so lost in thought. Stupid cold weather. Stupid Derek for wanting to go out in the cold weather. Stupid me for forgetting my jacket. Casey shivered in the darkness trying to make it as subtle as possible.
Derek was just about to answer her question when she shivered. He glanced over at her and realized she forgot her jacket.
"You forgot your jacket? I even reminded you to grab it, Case." Derek rolled his eyes and shrugged off his own while handing it to her. "And it was exactly one night ago when I was last there."
Casey gaped at him handing her the jacket. It seemed like such a natural thing. Something she'd only seen couples do. She put the jacket on and was overcome with his sweet scent. It was a mixture of cologne and body wash, she knew. She saw his bottles every morning in the bathroom for the past 2 years. But she was still never so close to it. Never really got to smell it together. She loved it. She loved the feeling of the cool leather warmed by his body on her own. She loved the way the sleeves hung past her hands as she walked.
"Only a day? I thought it was your childhood park? How much longer will it take to get there? And are you sure you aren't cold? You can have your jacket back if you want." She replied secretly hoping he would say no so she could continue to be wrapped up in his scent.
"Calm down, Casey. I'll explain everything in good time. And don't worry, I'm fine. Keep the jacket. We wouldn't want Princess Casey freezing, now would we?" Derek laughed. He didn't know how he was going to do this. Seeing her there in his jacket was breathtaking. It was huge on her small frame and it made her look gorgeous. He never wanted her to take it off. It made him even more nervous.
They were nearing the park and they could see the street lamps illuminating the scattered picnic tables, trails, and sandboxes.
"This is it, Casey," he spoke softly as he looked at her with hooded eyes. "This is my childhood and this is my last couple months."
Casey met his eyes with confusion. "The last couple months? But..wait. Are you serious? So I'm not the first girl you've brought here. Great. That's so typical of you, Derek."
Derek was taken aback by her anger. "No, no! That's not what I meant at all. I just meant--"
"I don't care, Derek," she looked down again, her anger seeping away and only sadness replacing it. "I don't care." she whispered as she looked up and met his eyes.
"I do, though. There were no girls the past couple months, Casey. There were no parties that I went to. There were no new friends. It was just you. It was always you." Derek whispered truthfully, the honesty in his voice overcoming all other emotions. He stared into her eyes hoping she would understand what he was trying to say. He was scared. Scared of the rejection he was almost sure to find. And yet he still had hope lingering in him. She had still come to the park with him, ditching her best friend.
Casey looked at him. wide-eyed. Shock coursed through her body trying to soak in the words he spoke. She lost her breath and her heart beat erratically and out of rhythm. It took her moments before she was able to grasp what he said. 'It was always you.' I can't believe it. Wait, what does that even mean? What is he trying to tell me?
"Derek, I don't understand. What does that mean?"
"It means I spend every minute of my day thinking about you. It means everynight I have been here trying to put myself in a place where things seemed so easy to understand, where all I knew what to do was how to be a smooth talker in order to get on the swing, or get some random girl to share her shovel and pales with me. It means every night I dream of you and this moment. This moment where I let you know how in love with you I am. And how I would follow you everywhere, give up my own dreams, just to be with you. Just to have more moments like these." Derek still stared into her eyes. He watched them as they slowly filled with tears as he spoke. And as soon as he was done, she ran into his arms breaking the locked gaze. He closed his arms around her and just held her. Listen to her cry softly. He ran his fingers through her brown hair. She slowly pulled away from him, seeing the look of love in his own eyes again.
"Casey, I don't expect you to feel the same way. I don't want you to think this is sudden. I don't want to scare you away. I just want you to know that you are my life. I'm not going to hurt you. Not anymore than I already have." Derek whispered/
Casey stood on her tip toes and kissed him softly. Once, twice, a third, each time so softly neither would have known it was happening except for the shock and tingling waves that was sent through their bodies as their lips touched.
"I feel the same way, Derek." Casey spoke against his chest, smiling. Derek felt her smile against his chest and he broke into a laugh and grinned. He picked her up by the waist and hugged her, never wanting to let go. Never wanting to forget the feel of her arms wrapped around his neck.
And then it rained.
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AN: And there you have it. Probably the hardest chapter yet. Review?
