She's never been happier in her entire life. Holding hands on campus, going to hockey practices, and late night escapades with her boyfriend have evoked new emotions in her that she never thought she'd have. He makes her absolutely giddy, and she has a feeling he's feeling the same way.
There is rarely a moment when they're away from each other, and when she is away from him he's still on her mind. She thought Derek was an obsession of hers before, but now she realizes he was merely a hobby. She feels cheesy and mawkish saying it, but he is her everything now, and she honestly doesn't know how she waited four years to get together with him.
They meet after class every day, greeting each other with a kiss and linking hands. He carries her backpack for her like a gentleman, and when they get home she cooks him a delicious meal. When they go to hockey practices, she screams her lungs out, and the rest of the admiring fans shoot them jealous glances when they leave together.
And then, when they get home, he finds a spot on the couch, and she finds a spot on his lap, and they talk and cuddle and laugh for hours, sometimes falling asleep in each other's arms, still wearing their clothes. Or sometimes they change into their pajamas and agree to sleep in each other's bedrooms. After a while, she believes that it might be impossible for her fall asleep without his arms encircling her.
Eventually, all of his clothes end up in her dresser and then all of his stuff on top of her dresser, and they just end up sharing a room. They joke that George and her mom should have just bought a one bedroom apartment; it would have cost them a lot less.
She thinks things can't get any more perfect. She is in love with the most amazing guy in the world, and he loves her back. He doesn't force her to do anything she doesn't want, and he respects her. She loves nothing more than making him happy, and he makes her happier than anything.
But bliss can only last so long, right?
She tries not to think about anything that could possibly ruin this.
One day after class she is surprised by him with a date. He brings her socks and a jacket and she isn't really used to all this spontaneous stuff, and she doesn't normally like surprises, but Derek just might change that for her…
He ends up taking her to the ice-skating rink. He laces up her skates for her and guides her onto the ice, one arm on her waist for balance, and the other grasping her hand so that he's behind her and helping her stay stable. She realizes she's not too bad at this skating thing, and soon she's making her way around the rink with ease.
But she also realizes that if she does fall, he's going to catch her, and that could require a lot more touching than if she was actually good at skating.
She pretends to slip and fall, but her plot doesn't work as planned, and she takes him down with her. They're both breathless from laughing as her back and butt hit the ice and he lands on top of her.
"Thanks for cushioning my fall, McDonald." He smirks at her when he finally stops laughing.
"You're perfectly welcome, Venturi." She winks at him and then he leans down to kiss her. She's so cold, the back of her head and back and legs pressed against the ice, but she couldn't care less as she kisses him back.
But then they are interrupted by an angry worker who asks them to 'please take their display of affection else ware.' It's only then she realizes that they're making out in the middle of the rink while others are skating around them. She laughs uncertainly as Derek gets up and pulls her up beside him. She can hardly comprehend the effect he has on her… making her able to forget everything and everyone else around her.
"Want to go get some dinner?" He asks, and she nods, willing to go wherever he wants her to.
They go to a small little restaurant and order chocolate cheesecake for dessert, and for some reason she feels rebellious whenever she's around him, so she smashes some of the cake in his face. And then all hell breaks loose. They leave money for the dinner on the table and run, and she can't believe how reckless she's become, and how fun it is to be free and not have a worry in the world.
That night they fall asleep on the couch again, and when she wakes up in his arms she thinks she is the luckiest girl in the world, and she loves the way he's changed her. She's still very much Casey, but with less anxiety and less fears. And much less wanting to be perfect… because he makes her feel beautiful and special no matter what.
A huge hockey game is coming up - the Gaels verses the Mustangs - and she might not know much about hockey, but she knows they're rival teams, and Derek is getting very nervous.
The morning before game, he sits in the bathroom and hovers over the toilet. She wakes up to the sound of him getting sick, and she rushes to his aid, grabbing him a glass of water and stroking his back soothingly.
"Der… you're going to do just fine. Believe me. You are amazing in practice, and it's not going to be any different for this game." He flushes the toilet and then grabs the glass from her and takes a swig, leaning back against the bathtub. She scoots beside him, and normally she would be totally disgusted by him being sick and the gross bathroom floor, but right now she is only concerned for his well being.
She grabs his hand and leans her head against his shoulder. He's pale, but his complexion starts to come back as she rubs her thumb along his hand, telling him he's going to be okay.
"Thanks, Case." he says slowly, looking down at her and smiling. "I would kiss you, but…"
She smiles back at him and leans up to give him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you." she says softly against his cheek. "I'm going to make us some lunch, okay?"
He nods. "I love you too." She doesn't think she'll ever get tired of those words. She stands up and pulls him with her, and soon they're enjoying an appetizing meal of pasta primavera, Derek reporting that he's feeling a lot better.
The game begins at three, and she kisses him goodbye as he goes to do warm ups. Both of them are worried about the outcome of the game. She knows he's concerned about winning, but she's more concerned about what's going to happen to him if they don't win.
She's wearing his practice jersey and his leather jacket, and she's probably the most enthused fan in entire arena. Her voice is going to go hoarse by the end of the game, but her fervor seems to be working on Derek. He has never played better in his life, and the team pulls together, scoring six goals. The crowd is going wild at the end of the game as the Gaels pile together on the ice, and she's still screaming in celebration. She looks down and sees Derek beaming up at her.
She rushes down through the stands and the throngs of people, and pushes her way onto the rink. And he's skating over to her and she throws her arms around his shoulders and kisses him deeply. He responds with such passion that he lifts her off the ground and spins her around, their kiss never breaking.
Finally they pull apart and she's breathless from the sprinting, and the coldness, and the kiss. Her cheeks burn red as he takes her hand and leads her off the ice. The second she steps out of the rink, she feels her phone start vibrating in her pocket.
"What in the world?" She pulls it out and sees that she's getting a call from her mom. "It's Mom." she yells over the noise of the crowd to Derek. "I wonder why she's calling." She shrugs and puts her arms around Derek's neck again. "Oh well, you're more important right now…" She leans in for another kiss but then feels her other pants pocket vibrate. She sighs, remembering that she was holding on to Derek's phone as he was playing.
She extracts his phone and hands it to him. "Here." He opens it and makes a befuddled look.
"It's from Sam." he says confusedly. "It says 'I knew it.' What does he know?" He looks at her and she raises her eyebrows.
"How should I know?" she says, and then feels her phone vibrate yet again.
"It's Mom. What is so urgent?" And then, out of the corner of her eye, she sees it. A man rolling a giant camera away on wheels. Her stomach sinks. How could she have not seen that before?
"Derek…" she starts slowly, trying to get rid of this huge lump in her throat. "Is this game… televised?"
"Shit."
AN: Muahaha! ;) You know I love you guys, right?
Please review if you have the time!
