A/N: I am SO sorry about the wait.. I feel terrible. I kept writing but in a regular book and just never brought it to my computer. But here it is. I was so sick and then I just totally got lazy. Not anymore. I promise. I hope you guys aren't terribly mad at me.
Chapter Nine Summary: I'm back. Basis.. A fight with Emily? Derek still ignoring her? At least she has Trevor, and some free time to spend with him. Right?
Chapter Nine
Everything had changed Nora was obviously avoiding her eldest daughter. No one asked Casey to do anything anymore. The things she did do, she chose to do. Her guilt was burning a hole in her stomach. She couldn't eat, she couldn't sleep. All she could do was try to make it up to her, try to make it right.
Derek was a different story. There wasn't an escape for the guilt. He was everywhere she went. When she was at home, there he was, when she was at school, there he was. Every time she thought about apologizing she would chicken out. She never knew how to start. Knowing Derek he would turn it into some kind of big joke.
Casey leaned against the row of lockers as she waited for Emily to finish up in theirs. She was going on and on about how Jen had a new boyfriend and the only guy Emily wanted wouldn't give her a second glance. Derek, of course. They had this conversation already. All the time. Casey could say Emily's lines for her. There was never any change, nothing new for Emily to go on.
"Jen told me I should go for it," Emily said. "But I just can't, you know. I mean, its Derek Venturi." She let out a sigh. "I just wish I knew what he was thinking."
Casey groaned in annoyance. "I don't care."
"What?" Emily asked in surprise.
"I don't care," Casey repeated. "I've got enough problems to be worrying about you and your stupid crush on Derek. I am so sick of listening to this stuff. Its never going to happen. Get over it, Emily."
Emily slammed the locker shut. "Well, I'm sorry to of bothered you with my petty problems. I thought you were my best friend. I guess I'll just have to keep it all inside."
"Whatever," Casey said, catching herself using that ridicules word.
"Fine, and maybe we shouldn't talk at all," Emily snapped. "You can find someone else to complain to."
Casey crossed her arms. "Fine by me."
With that Emily stomped off. Casey dropped her head against the lockers behind her. The hole in her stomach began to grow. She had done it again. She had yelled at someone who didn't even deserve it. Emily wasn't doing anything wrong. She was only trying to talk things out in her head. Everyone needed to do that sometimes. But, did she have to do it so much.
She looked down the hall to see Trevor at his locker. She was tempted to approach him when Derek appeared by his side. At first she found this odd. They shared a locker together but Casey had never actually seen them talking. She had never even seen them together before.
Casey pushed herself off of the lockers and walked over to them. Trevor smiled at her when he noticed her. She felt her face get hot. Derek turned around and looked at her as well. He leaned against the lockers and let out a sigh.
"I'll see you later," Derek said as he pushed himself up and walked away.
They both watched him for a moment as he walked back from where Casey had come from.
"What was that?" Trevor asked.
Casey turned to face him. "We're fighting… I think."
"You think?" he repeated.
She shrugged. "We're not talking."
"Ah," he said.
Casey smiled. "So, listen, I was thinking. Well I am having no fun at all sitting at home alone on my couch."
"Really?" he asked. "Because that sounds like a hoot."
She playfully rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I was hoping maybe we could do something. Or better yet, maybe you could come over."
"Come over?" he asked.
"Well yeah," Casey nodded. "I mean, why not?"
Trevor laughed. "Well, maybe the tension you could cut with a knife, the constant silence I'm sure endure, and the fact your mom knows I am the one you cut school with and I am sure I am the last person she wants to meet."
"Okay, so, no then," Casey sighed.
"No, no, it sounds great," Trevor said.
Casey looked at him with confusion. "Are you mental?"
"I must be," Trevor laughed. "We'll meet here after class."
Casey nodded and watched him as he walked away and disappeared into a classroom. She couldn't help but smile and feel so excited. Hopefully she could get him out of the house before six when her mom got home so that there would be no awkwardness. Then her mom and George didn't have to set eyes on him. Only Derek, Lizzie and Edwin.
During her history class she could barely think. She wondered what they could do. Maybe watch a movie or just talk and get to know each other better. Lizzie and Edwin wouldn't bother them, they were good about stuff like that. And at the moment Derek wanted nothing to do with her, so she was safe there. After class she dropped by her locker to pick up her homework books before Emily could even enter the hallway. Then she rushed over to meet Trevor who was waiting by the door with a smile.
On the walk home they walked side by side. Trevor told her all about life in New York and how it differed from life here in Canada. Casey told him about her dad living there and thinking it would be cool to visit him. He explained how he used to want to drop out of school and go with his sister and their carnival crew but she wouldn't let him, because that's what she did and it was no life. It was a seasonal job anyway.
At some point she felt his warm hand slip into hers. She looked at him with surprise before looking down at their hands. He didn't intertwine them, just sort of cupped hers with his. Her mother always told her you can tell you're meant to be with someone by the way they hold your hand. If it's a perfect fit, how tight they hold it, and how they hold it. She told her that she would know when it was right. It wasn't right. But she didn't dare pull away, instead she smiled at him.
When they entered the house no one was home yet. She called out but no one answered. Derek was usually home before her unless he took the walk home with a friend. Sometimes stopping by the park to play a little ball. Lizzie and Edwin got out of school a half hour after they did so they would be home a little later. As Casey dropped her bag by the door, Derek came in through the kitchen. He stopped when he saw them.
"Hey," Derek said, more so to Trevor then to her.
Trevor nodded. "Hey."
"I didn't know you were coming over," Derek said.
"It was a end of the day decision," Casey told him.
Derek nodded. "Yeah. Kitchen."
Casey watched as he headed toward the kitchen. She knew he wanted her to follow. Casey held up her index finger to Trevor, indicating for him to wait a moment. Then she followed him in. Derek closed the doors behind them.
"You're being extremely rude," she noted.
"Did you ask Nora if you could bring a guy over when she's not even here?" Derek asked.
Casey crossed her arms. "And how many times have you brought a girl over without the parentals knowing?"
"This isn't about me," he snapped back. "Its expected from me. Right now your mom and you aren't even on speaking terms and you're going to ruin it. If she comes home-"
"She won't," Casey interrupted. "He'll be gone by the time she gets home. Now, Derek, please don't ruin this for me. I really like him."
"You don't even know him," Derek said, more like an angry whisper.
Casey rolled her eyes. "Don't ruin this for me and its not a request."
She turned away from him and went back through the doors. Trevor was looking at the pictures sitting on the mantle. Derek was on her heals. When she stopped in her tracks he nearly ran into him. She tossed him a dirty look over her shoulder then turned back to look at Trevor.
"Okay, so, how's a movie sound?" Casey asked.
Trevor nodded. "Sounds good."
Casey looked back at Derek. "Bye."
"No, no, I'm in for a movie," Derek smirked at her.
"No," Casey said, "go upstairs or go out or something."
"Something," Derek said, "like watching a movie."
"Pretty in Pink," Casey snapped.
Derek laughed. "My favorite."
"Its fine," Trevor said. "It sounds good. Except the 'Pretty in Pink' thing."
Casey shot Trevor and angry look, hoping he would have at least backed her up. "Fine."
"Can I use your bathroom?" Trevor asked.
"Upstairs," Casey told him.
Derek waited until he was upstairs to turn to Casey. "I'm saving you."
"I wouldn't call it that," Casey said. "I would call it being in my way."
Derek shook his head, stepped closer and lowered his voice. "You see, you've gone off the deep end. Lizzie and Edwin will be home any minute, they'll meet Trevor and tell the folks all about him. I mean, have you fallen off your rocker. What in your right mind says cut school and invite the kid over without supervision?"
"You don't count as supervision," Casey said, just as low.
"No, but you do," he told her. "I invited Trevor over and you are with us because it turns out he's your friend too."
"Why do you even care?" Casey asked.
Derek opened his mouth to say something but decided not to, he just sighed, staring at her. Casey noticed that Derek was standing extremely close to her. When he sighed she could feel his breath on her face. Behind them she heard the front door open and Lizzie and Edwin's voices. She quickly took a step back and turned to look at them.
"Are we interrupting something?" Lizzie asked.
Casey gave a forced smile. "Of course not."
She looked over to see Trevor coming down the stairs. Her eyes traveled back to Derek was now heading back into the kitchen. She followed him with her eyes then her whole body turning to watch him. She let out a sigh. She didn't know what that was. There was no explaining it.
She looked back at Trevor and smiled.
A/N: I am SOOOO sorry again. But here I am. At first it was I got really sick and then I just kind of neglected it. But enough excuses. I'm starting to show signs of Derek's feelings. Hints- I think that its like Derek doesn't know what he's feeling. But he has some tricks up his sleeves and Casey will see just how much he cares. I'll explain why Trevor gave her a chance. I'm introducing a new character. For any of you who found, or even those who didn't, this fic through my Youtube music video Mirror, I now have a new one with all different songs. All can watch. It shows some things I plan on doing. I tried to keep it along with the fic. Just go to youtube look up my account shalzi17 and it'll be on my page.
