AN: I KNOW, I HAVEN'T UPDATED THIS IN TEN THOUSAND YEARS! I'M SORRY! I know exactly where I want this to go, yet I didn't write it out. SHAME ON ME. Anyways. For those of you who enjoy this story, I thought you should know that this chapter fic may end up being a short one! BUT there will be a sequel to it! And it WILL be longer, and... to be honest, a lot better. LOL! Anyways! Dasey revival FTW!

I'm holding a fanfic contest! I'll be uploading something about it soon! It's up on the dasey revival website and facebook group page if you want to check it out. it's all about toothpaste and orange juice.

ANYWAYS!

This ones a bit short, but there's more to come, don't you worry.


What She Doesn't Know Will Hurt Her

Chapter Five: Not So Anonymous Anymore

The next week that passed, I avoided Derek Venturi.

He called, he left flowers, he left chocolates. He did basically everything he could to get a hold of me. He even waited outside of my apartment one day, but I snuck out of my window and down the fire escape.

I had also taken to texting that guy regularly. You know, the one who was mysteriously sending me text messages about Derek.

The night he sent me the picture of Casey leaving the rink, I'd messaged him back asking why she had been crying. He didn't answer.

However, the next morning, he sent a text saying, "Ask Derek."

I tried calling the number to see if he'd either answer, or make the mistake of sending me straight to voice-mail. That way I could get a name out of him, or at least a voice.

Unfortunately, he knew my game and answered before quickly hanging up. Following this was a text: "Nice try, but it's not happening."

I harrumphed but asked if he would ever meet with me. He replied with, "Maybe. But only in private."

That's when I realized that I needed to get to know this guy.

I mean, I wasn't going to meet some random guy in a private setting without getting the least bit of background information on him.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to cheat on Derek; because for all intensive purposes, we were still technically 'together'. I was still pissed at him, yes, but when you're in a relationship, you've got to have room for give and take. Even if there was more giving than there was taking on my end. I've never been one to cheat, and I wasn't going to start.

I'm just saying, this guy could have been anyone! It could have even been a woman! I didn't know who I was talking to! And I was certainly not going to meet with someone that I knew nothing about.

So, I told him that. He agreed that he would call me eventually and prove to me that he is in fact, a man. Not that it really had anything to do with... anything. It was just one thing that would make him a tiny bit more trustworthy because he didn't lie about that at least.

It'd been a week, as I said earlier. I had received no call from him yet, and we'd been exchanging stories about ourselves and information. Mostly on his part. He seemed like a pretty decent guy...

It was right when I got home from my last class of the day when my cell phone rang.

The screen read, "Anonymous" which is what I had him saved as, since I didn't know his name.

My heart jumped to my throat as I answered the call, "Hello?"

"Gretchen?" A man's voice. Definitely a man's voice.

"Mystery man?" I raised my eyebrow, gaining some confidence.

He laughed, "You can call me Sam. You know, as in Some Anonymous Man."

I smacked my forehead, "Of course! Why didn't I put that together, before?! Stupid, stupid, stupid!" I reprimanded myself.

He laughed more, "Don't beat yourself up, dear."

I sighed, taking a seat on my sofa, "So, I finally know your name! This is a turning point in my life that I will remember forever." I joked.

He chuckled, "You better."

"Now that I've got you here, Mr. Not-So-Anonymous-Anymore... how do you know so much about Derek?" I figured I'd just go for it.

He hesitated, "I'm an old friend of his... which is why you can't let him know I'm talking to you."

"Well you'd think any friend of Derek's should be a friend of mine..." I frowned.

"You'd think... except, Derek is more complicated than he lets on." Sam informed me.

"I noticed." Frown still in place, "What's his deal, anyways? He's so confusing! I mean, one second he's totally into me, and the next he's leaving me standing alone at the ice rink."

"Like I said, Derek is... complicated. He may have a simple brain, but when it comes to his heart, there's a lot going on that most don't know about." He explained.

"You're being very vague." I pouted.

He laughed, "Yes, well, I also didn't tell you my name for quite some time. You have to find things out on your own, I'm afraid. I can't be of much more help to you."

"But I have learned nothing! The only thing you've told me is that Derek is lying to me. But what is he lying about? And what does Casey have to do with everything?" I was getting frustrated, but I kept my cool, for the most part.

"You'll find out in due time. All I can say is, ignoring Derek isn't going to give you any answers, and it's just going to prolong the inevitable. You're going to have to talk to him eventually."

I sighed, "I know... you're right; I just wish you weren't."

"Same here, Gretchen, believe me."


So I stopped ignoring him.

He came by my apartment that same night, and of course, to my chagrin, I let him in.

"Gretchen, listen. I'm so sorry I left you at the rink last week! I can explain..." He started as he strode into my apartment. I followed him to the sitting area where he sat on my couch and I sat on the coffee table in front of him.

"I'm waiting." I prompted him to explain his side of the story.

"You see, right after we kissed, you heard that loud bang, right? Well I caught a glimpse that it was Casey, and saw she was crying... I went after her to see what was up, and she had bad news from the fam. Then she wouldn't stop crying and it was just this whole big mess. I'm not good with tears. Espec-" he stopped abruptly, "-ially when I'm not expecting them." He finished.

I listened intently, but I knew he was lying. Something about the story was just... off.

"You could have at least yelled that you'd be back or something. Or you could have maybe... I don't know... come back to take me home?" I argued.

"I know," He started, reaching out for my hand and taking it into his own, "I'm sorry, Gretchen... please, give me another chance."

And you know... I really shouldn't have. You'd think I would have learned my lesson. The awkward situations that I've gotten into with this guy, the warnings from Sam, the lies and deceit... those should have all been signs that I should have said, 'screw you Venturi' and kicked him to the curb.

But his eyes told a completely different story. They called to me, enticed me with their brown color and golden ribbons or mirth and hopefulness. If I could go back in time to one moment, I'd go back to this very moment and punch myself in the face before I could respond to him.

"Alright..." I spoke mindlessly before shaking my head to focus a little more clearly, "But this is your last chance, Derek."

His face brightened, and I felt relieved that he was so happy to be given another chance. I thought, maybe he did want me, after all.

Boy, I really wasn't smart.


AN: WHATWHAT. Review please!?!?! lol :D I'll try to respond! I suck at life, though, so there's that.