Chapter 7

"...If you ever had a real heart...I don't think you'd know where to start"

"I'll be upstairs..." Casey called out over her shoulder, as she hurried up the stairs.

The remainder of the family had not made it out of the car, much less through the front door. But she had done her good deed for the day. 'Hopefully for the week,' she thought.

All day at the zoo. The zoo of all places. She abhorred seeing animals caged in any sense. But she had smiled and played along. She was able to spend some quality time with Lizzie, and that was a plus! Casey would be in college soon and would miss her little sister like crazy!

She had enjoyed that part of the day...but Derek had avoided her the length of the trip. Stayed with Edwin or played with Marti, but shunned her completely. It made her feel even worse about sharing her would-be plans for the evening.

She hoped he had forgotten and would not stoop so low as to spread the gossip. She, fingers crossed, would not be hearing about it all over school on Monday.

Casey pulled the strap from her handbag that rested across her chest over her head and plopped down on her bed. Pulling her phone out of her bag, she smiled.

"Finally some time to talk to Andrew..."

The instant she heard his voice saying 'hello' her eyes lit up, "Hey boyfriend!"

"Hey Case! How was the family day?" he sounded.

She shrugged, "It was...nice. But i missed you! I feel so guilty about canceling our date."

"Its alright! We have so much time...there is always another day"

He was so understanding and kind. What was not to love about him?

"Did you wanna hang out tonight? I am all yours the rest of the evening...," she flirted.

"Oh, Casey do not tempt me," he joked. "But yeah Sam & I were hanging out. We were going to meet his girlfriend and were planning on still going to the movies. A later show. I would love it if you can come!"

"Yeah, of course I can!," Casey was already up and pulling her handbag back over her head. "I will be there in 15."

Giving herself a once over in her mirror, she fluffed her hair and added some lipgloss.

She rushed back down the stairs, and into the living room where George and Nora sat.

"Mom, George, I am heading out to see Andrew and some friends," Casey waved goodbye and grabbed the front door handle.

"Have fun! And we had a good time today, Case. Glad you came along," Nora smiled at her daughter.

"Me too, Mom," Casey returned the smile. "See you guys later on. I will be home by curfew!"

"Be safe!" Nora watched her daughter leave and turned to George, "Well, at least we got them all for a few hours today."

"Yeah,"George laughed. "Derek was ready to leave the second we pulled in, too."

"Oh, well he didn't even tell us bye or where he was going," Nora furrowed her brow.

"He didn't tell anyone. He just got out of his and car straight into his and left," George said, as he picked up the remote and began channel surfing.

/

Derek had left the house in a rush. He did not feel the urge to have another talk with Casey about what she had opened up to him about earlier.

It just made him feel sick. But he knew...oh he knew...that she would not let it go.

It would spiral into a conversation about how she felt he was mean and unfair to her. But it was not about being mean or trying to prank her or get at her. It was all about how much he hated Andrew. How much he hated to see her mixed in with the crowd he gave up on. How he just knew Andrew was no good.

No good.

And the words would come out of his mouth and he would watch all the happiness drain from Casey's face. And this is not what he wanted. He genuinely liked to see her eyes light up. Too see her smile...

Just not at Andrew.

He needed to get his mind off of it. He grabbed his phone from the passenger seat.

"Sam! Hey man, whatcha up to?" Derek just needed to have some down time with a good friend.

"Derek! Where have you been? Do not tell me you are actually out of the house and living, breathing in the outside world? It has been weeks since we even spoke...much less outside of school!" Sam was shocked to hear his friend on the line.

Derek laughed it off, "Yeah, I was definitely in a weird place. But I was just trying to get out for a bit...What are you getting into tonight?"

"We actually heading to the movies later, if you're up for it. After that, not sure. You know how it is..." He chuckled.

"Yeah. Anything. I can meet you guys there..."

"Ok, movie is at 10. Text when you get there," Sam said, as Derek answered an affirmative and ended the call.

Derek had been out of the scene for close to a month now. Maybe this would be a way to slowly get back into his old friends good graces again.

'This could be a good night...,' he thought as he drove on.

/

Casey jumped out of Andrew's car. She was jubilant. He made her so...just happy. Just being in his presence made her a different person. Not lonely, like she used to be. She had friends now. Plus, a boyfriend, who everyone wanted. But she had him.

"I'm happy it worked out that we could at least see each other today," she linked his arm in his as they walked toward the theatres.

"Me too. And maybe I can convince you to stay out a little past curfew tonight, my little rebel," he winked.

She blushed, "Me, a rebel?"

He bent down and kissed her forehead, "I guess we'll see..."

Just then they spotted Sam and his girlfriend Michelle, with their friends Ralph and Courtney. They all waved hello and the girls quickly separated from the boys, to chat, while they bought the tickets.

"Ok, are we ready to go in...,"Andrew looked at Sam. "I'll tell the girls..."

Sam looked around the area, "No, we are still waiting for-oh there he is! Hey Derek! Over here!"

Sam was waving his arms above his head.

Casey heard the name. Her eyes widened, as she slowly turned from the girls, who continued talking.

Yes. There he was.

'You have got to be kidding me?' She thought.

/

Derek saw Sam's arms raised high and flailing. He was on the verge of laughing at this spectacle when he saw it.

Andrew?

Andrew.

Fuck.

"Hey Derek!" Sam wrapped his arm around Derek's shoulder. "So good to see you out!"

Derek looked at Sam. He looked at Andrew. Then...

"What are you doing here?"

Casey?

Casey.

He closed his eyes.

No.

Sam looked at Casey, as he stepped beside Derek, and smiled, "I invited him..."

Derek and Casey both shot Sam a look of disgust. He put his palms up and backed away..."Sorry..."

"I would like to speak with you...," Casey lowered her voice and leaned closer to Derek.

Derek mirrored her body language, leaned and whispered, "I would not like to do the same."

She shot her eyes up to meet his, "I just want-"

Andrew appeared beside her, "Hey Derek! Long time! Good to see you."

Derek looked from Andrew to Casey, who looked nervous and fidgety. And at that moment he realized she was terrified he would mention what she had told him earlier In the kitchen. She was silently pleading with him.

He looked back to Andrew and smiled through gritted teeth, "Yeah. Its just...just so good."

Casey smiled a silent way of saying 'thank you', and Derek nodded.

"Lets go. We are gonna miss the start!" Michelle chimed in.

Casey and Andrew fell behind Ralph and Derek, who walked in ahead.

Courtney slid in beside Casey and leaned in, "Who's your friend?"

Casey glanced over at her, "Not a friend, my brot-uhm my, my step-brother."

"Oh nice. You get to live with that? Andrew watch your back!" She joked and reached over the lightly tap Andrews arm, as he laughed. Casey shot him a look.

"Uh yeah Derek is a Douche. No tact. No moral compass. Just a complete wreck."

Casey tried her damnedest to make him seem absolutely dreadful.

"Oh," Courtney flipped her blonde, slightly curled hair over her shoulder. She walked up ahead and winked back at Casey, "He sounds like a good time."

/

"Wow! Soooo good! Right Derek," Courtney had her hand at the nape of his neck, toying with his hair. She had done this the entire movie. But he had allowed it. Why not just play along? She seemed harmless enough. Plus, she was hot And he hadn't had any fun in a while.

Derek looked at her, "Yeah. It was pretty awesome."

Everyone had exited the theatres and were hanging outside, making plans for the rest of the evening. Sam edged his way between the crowd.

"So I know where we can go...you know...Derek, " he nudged his friend.

Derek shook his head, "Uh, yeah sure, but...Not all of us are going."

The group fell silent looking between each other. They all looked back at Derek, who had his gaze fixed solely on Casey.

She looked between everyone and pointed her finger at herself, "Oh!...Me?"

"Yes, you. Curfew," Derek held up his phone and tapped the large numbers reading the time.

"And who are you, exactly? I go anywhere I please!," she spit back.

"Casey," Andrew had his hand on the small of her back, rubbing. "Look we don't have to go."

Derek looked relieved, "So...who is riding with who?"

"I will ride with you," Courtney linked her arm with Derek's. Ralph agreed to jump into Derek's car, as well.

"And Sam and Michelle, we will see you there," Derek pulled his keys from his pocket.

Casey reached into Andrew's pocket and pulled out his keys, opened the palm of his hand and placed them there.

She turned to the group, "We will see you there."

She pulled at Andrew's hand and spun around toward the car.

Derek watched her walk away.

She really wanted to flaunt this newfound popularity in his face. She was part of this crowd just like he is.

Or just like he was.

/

Derek had led the convoy of cars to the spot. It was near the lake and where all of his friends always came to hang out, talk, drink and have some unsupervised fun. He hated that Casey was on the way in Andrew's car just behind him. He wasn't sure how he felt about the drinking around her, much less with her.

He put his car in park and hopped out. He surveyed the scenery as Sam walked beside him, "Hey Derek, I'll get the bonfire started."

"Ok, sounds good!"

"Who has the alcohol," Courtney chimed in.

"Oh, it is in my trunk, Court," Sam threw his keys in her direction. "You can grab it."

She grabbed Michelle's arm and led her to assist with grabbing the beer.

Casey emerged from Andrew's car and walked toward the girls, "Are you guys grabbing blankets? Need help?"

Courtney and Michelle glanced at each other and back at Casey and giggled, "No, Casey. We are grabbing the beer. But you can definitely help. Sam brought enough to last us until next week!"

Casey's eyes enlarged, "Oh, uh...I didn't know we were going to be..."

They weren't listening. Courtney held up a case and handed it to Casey to carry, as they lifted out the cooler.

"There you are!" Andrew ran forward to help Casey with her heavy load. The other girls sat the cooler down.

Ralph reached in and grabbed a beer immediately, offering one to Derek, who grasped it firmily and turned it down instead.

'"Sorry, man gotta drive," Derek declined.

"Yeah, same for me," Michelle echoed.

Casey sat down with Andrew, but had not taken her eyes off of Derek. She was under the impression that he had given up this lifestyle of underage drinking and parties. Yet, here he was. At a bonfire and a blonde on his arm.

"Casey?" Andrew handed her a beer. She looked up at it in his hand. Derek eyed this exchange, glancing between the two.

"Uh, no thanks," she looked down.

Courtney appeared beside her with a beer she had poured into a cup. "Casey, drink up. Live a little."

Casey continued to stare at the cup before reaching out and wrapping her delicate fingers around the exterior. This was rebellion.

"Case..." She could feel Derek's gaze on her as he said her name. She made eye contact with him and tipped the cup to take a drink.

'Corruption,' he thought, blinking at her. There was no stopping it. She was here. She was with Andrew. Somehow she had become accepted into this group. And he felt like the outsider, telling her how bad it was to be with these people. And all the while, he was doing the same. He was a hypocrite.

Casey lowered her cup, glanced at him haughtily and looked away.

/

Nearly two hours had passed. It was close to 2am. but Casey did not seem to notice. She had continued to drink. She was now tipsy. First time. She felt free. She felt like a different, more outgoing, part of herself had emerged.

She was laughing and flirting with Andrew, but all the while she was watching everyone else. Especially, Derek. Courtney was at his side. Attached. Laughing. Giggling.

Casey wished he was not here. He was a nuisance to her. He had not wanted to come and have any fun.

Rude.

But she was happy he was there to see her. Having fun. With his friends. She was just as popular as him...

Derek, could feel her eyes on him. Through the bonfire flames he could see her. Hazy eyes. It was not from the smoke. First time drinker. He could always spot them. Not that it was too hard with Casey. He knew.

"Guys, I think we need to head back," Sam announced, as he began extinguishing the remainder of the fire. Everyone groaned and gathered their things.

"Sam, are you ok to drive?" Derek asked, concerned.

Michelle spoke up, "Nah, I can drive. And I will take Court and Ralph, as well."

Courtney looked sad that she was not able to go with Derek. She leaned over and whispered in his ear.

He shook his head, and smiled that sly grin, "Definitely another time." She giggled.

Casey rolled her eyes.

"Andrew, Casey, wanna jump in and I can take ya home?" Michelle offered.

Andrew nodeed his head 'no' and put his arm over Casey's shoulder.

"Case and I can drive home," Andrew slurred.

"Nope. Casey can ride with me," The entire group turned. It was Derek.

Casey laughed, loudly. They all looked back at her.

"Nope! Nooooo...," she was shaking her head.

"It is not a question, Case. It makes sense. We live in the same house," Derek walked over and gestured to her to follow him.

She refused and folded her arms across her chest.

"Casey, it does make sense," Andrew nodded down at her, slowly. "Plus, I really shouldnt drive, I guess."

She actually thought she hated him right now. Why would he make her leave with Derek?

"Ok, fine. See you tomorrow, Andrew" she pulled from him and stomped to Derek's car and flung open the door, slamming it shut.

"See you guys later," Derek called back at them, feeling triumphant, as he headed toward his car.

"Keep care of her, Derek," Andrew called out.

Derek did not look back.

/

She did not look at him the entire ride home. She sat with her arms folded, still. Staring off, still hazy eyed. When they pulled up to the curb of their house, she was out almost immediately. She stumbled a bit.

"Casey, you can't move that fast. You are drunk. You are going to make yourself sick," He was beside her now. "Plus, dad and Nora will wake up if you go in there stumbling all over the house."

She looked up at him to shoot him a look and saw him smiling, laughing. "This is not funny, Venturi! This is your fault!"

"Me? Oh, I forgot that I poured the beer down your throat and made you drink it," he laughed again. "I told you not to come."

She sat down on the grass. He wanted to laugh at her. Sober Casey would never do this. Sit her nice clothes in the grass, risking a stain. She would be so mad at herself in the morning.

"I was mean to Andrew," she picked at the grass. "I knew he shouldn't be driving. Why was I mean?"

Derek looked at her, "You aren't yourself. You are drunk, Case."

"I fit in though right? It makes you mad, right?" She questioned, smiling mischeviously, looking at his expression.

"Is that what this is?" Derek looked annoyed, sighing, as he sat down beside her. "Making me mad, getting under my skin? You do enough of that already."

"Well, that is my goal," she smiled, and nudged him slightly. " And I am sorry I was mean to you. You were just trying to help."

She was no longer angry. Her mood had shifted back.

And then...

There it was. Even now she was glowing. Her eyes were hazy but the sparkle shown through.

She was beautiful.

Her hair was slightly disheveled and she sleepy.

Still beautiful.

He didn't want to look away.

"Why do you do that?" Casey searched his face.

"Do what?" Derek couldn't look away.

"You know what..."

Derek reached his hand up and brushed her hair from her face. He wanted to see her glow more clearly.

Her eyes traveled with his hands.

"I don't want you to get hurt. I told you that the night you went to the party..." He put his hand back at his side.

"I know," she wanted to understand. "Why do you hate Andrew? You guys could be friends..."

His name killed the small, nice moment.

"Ha! I very seriously doubt it, Case."

"Why," she tried.

She was reciting questions so quickly...she had lost her inhibitions due to the beer, he knew.

But, still, he was a little annoyed by this exchange, he felt he had explained himself clearly before. He sighed heavily.

"Casey. I told you. You are better than him. And it is not just him. It is all of them," He pushed at the grass beside him. "You are better than this. Better than being drunk on a Saturday night at 2:30 in the morning, sitting in your front lawn, arguing with me about why I care about you at all! I should let you make the mistakes. Drink every weekend. Smoke weed with them. Fuck Andrew. It should not matter, but it does. You are better. You are...you. You shouldn't be changing in order to feel grown up, or to have friends. The real people in your life. The people who really care will be there. They are the ones who look out for You. Who would hate to see you change..."

He trailed off.

She sat wide eyed. She wanted to cry. He could see it in her eyes.

"Casey.."

"No," she stopped him, trying to get the words out. It was so hard to think in this state. "You do not get it. You have always been popular. Always been a player. It is easier to decide to give it all up and quit that life, than never having it to begin with. Trust me. Loneliness sucks. No matter how much schoolwork I involve myself in or how much time I spend hanging with Emily, it is not the same. No one understands. Not my mom, not Lizzie, not Em...I am all alone. Until Andrew."

He reached out and before he could think he had wiped a tear from beneath her left eye. She leaned her head into his hand.

He pulled his finger back quickly at that action. But looked back at her closed eyes.

"You are not alone, Case... I know I can be a jerk. But I get hurt. I get lonely. That is my reason for leaving that group. It is hard to feel alone in a crowd..."

He looked at the ground and began to pick at the grass, as well.

Now she felt the urge to reach out to him. Her arm reached around the back of his neck and spun her fingers in his light brown brown. He looked up at her. Courtney had been there earlier. He liked Casey's fingers there better.

"I never knew that bout you..."she softly whispered.

"I guess neither did I," he countered.

"Why didn't you leave with Courtney?"

"I left with you."

He felt relaxed.

She continued to move her fingers.

"Why didn't you leave with Andrew?"

"You insisted I come with you,"she laughed lightly. She still felt tipsy and blurry.

"And since when do you listen to me, of all people," he laughed, as well.

"I guess since I realized we aren't so different. Just on different sides of a coin," she leaned her chin on his shoulder. Hands in his hair and smiling down at him, his eyes at the ground again.

She was a different person. This was not Casey. He knew it was the alcohol talking. He knew, but...

"Don't have sex with him."

The words came pouring from his lips.

"Derek," her breath was in his ear. But he felt it down to his toes. "Why does it matter? It has to happen sometime...with someone"

"Just..." He looked into her eyes. She was so close.

So close.

"Just...wait..."

"Thanks for caring, but i will be ok, big brother," she kissed his cheek, then. She wasn't even sure why.

The word rang in his ear.

"Casey," he breathed. "I'm not...your brother."

They were so close. Breathing each others breath.

"I know," the words were barely audible.

Then...

Her perfect pink lips slowly inched forward and lightly touched his.

He could feel it. But it felt so unreal that it was like it wasn't happening. But the electricity shooting through him let him know it was real.

He kissed her back. It was delicate. He did not deepen it.

It was the softest kiss he had ever experienced, but so much better than anything else.

She pulled back and looked at him.

Stil, those hazy, sparkling blue eyes.

"Let's get you inside, Case."

/

Chapter title is lyrics from 'Coming Down' by Dum Dum Girls

:)

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