Chapter 4: The Prince, The Pig, and the Paragon

Casey gasped, clutching on to Derek. He was the one thing that kept her from falling to the floor. She was stunned. This night was a total disaster. Truman was a total disaster. Everything was a total disaster! Casey could hardly comprehend what Truman was saying. She couldn't believe that her boyfriend would be so cruel to her. It seemed unfair that she had been so blissfully happy until recently.

"You don't talk to Casey like that!" Derek spat at Truman. He held Casey tighter, with her hand resting on his chest. Caught in the middle, Casey's eyes darted between them.

The party below halted. Everyone heard the shouting and were watching the scene at the top of the stairs unfold. Sam and Emily made their way up to help manage the situation.

"You think you can just take advantage of my step-sister? Don't touch her ever again!" Derek threatened.

Casey looked up at Derek in shocked confusion. He was being so protective of her. Derek hated her…didn't he?

Why was he up here in the first place? She wondered. For me?

Casey recognized the irony. Derek was supporting her and helping her. Derek was protecting her. Derek, who was supposed to hate her! And Truman—her boyfriend, didn't seem to care about her at all. None of it made any sense.

"Not like she'd let me" Truman laughed coldly. "Who knows…Maybe she'd put out for you Derek. You want to fuck your step-sister?"

The party guests gasped and whispered. Casey felt tears stinging her eyes. Derek's body was tense, and he was shaking. She could feel his racing heartbeat under her fingertips. His eyes shot daggers at Truman, and his face grew red. Casey knew that the only thing stopping Derek from lunging at Truman was that he was holding on to her. She clung to him a little tighter, not wanting anything to come to physical blows.

Sam leaned in to Derek and quietly spoke. "Come on, Derek. You need to get Casey home." He put his hand on Derek's shoulder. Casey could feel Derek relax slightly. She anxiously looked up at him, wondering what he was going to do, and he looked down at her, considering his options.

Derek's eyes were dark; the fire in them slowly faded, and Casey saw something else there. She wasn't sure what she saw inside him; something…soft.

Derek nodded. "You're right, Sam."

Casey continued to hold on to Derek as he guided her down the stairs. Sam and Emily followed closely behind.

They were halfway down when Truman shouted. "I've got girls lined up! I don't need her!" He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

Emily spun on her heel and stomped back up the stairs.

"First in line?" Truman laughed, pitifully.

Emily slapped Truman across the face, leaving a red stain on his cheek. The entire house went silent. The sound of the smack echoed through the room. Casey gawked, in absolute disbelief of the current scenario. None of this felt real.

"You're not going to hurt my best friend. Ever. Again." Emily jabbed her finger into Truman's chest. "If you even try, I will kick your ass." Emily was a lot shorter than Truman, but everyone could tell she was one-hundred percent serious. Truman gulped, and backed away from her with his head bowed in shame.

The crowd dispersed to let them pass on their way out the front door. The house was quiet, aside from party-goers whispering with one another about what they had witnessed.