Disclaimer: I don't own Life With Derek. Sorry.
Author's Note: For the 50ficlets community over at LJ.
#30 – Boys and Girls
Derek heard Casey's agitated scream before she came crashing through the front door. He was sitting in his recliner and rolled his eyes as she proceeded to take off all six million of her winter-wear accessories while she ranted, "Do you know what the difference between boys and girls is?!"
Derek grinned. Sometimes she just asked for it. "Well, Case, for those of us who paid attention in anatomy class, girls have these lovely body parts called --"
"Derek?" she asked, cutting him off and looking at him with a confused expression on her face. "Where's Mom?"
"Nora's out grocery shopping with Lizzie and Edwin, and George is taking Marti to tap-dance class."
Casey sighed. "So I'm stuck with you?"
"Oh, trust me, Case, I don't want to hear about your problems any more than you want me here."
She flopped down on the couch, sat silently for a minute, then said, "Well, I have to tell someone."
"Here's a phone," he said, throwing it on her lap.
She ignored it. "What I was saying before, is that boys don't know about what they're feeling as well as girls do."
"I feel that I don't want to hear this."
"For example, when a girl tells her on-again, off-again boyfriend of six months that she loves him, and he stands there in complete silence, it can only prove that he doesn't know how to vocalize his feelings before he doesn't even really know what he's feeling. Which is that he loves me – or her – , too."
Derek looked at her for a second. "Uh-huh," he said. He squinted. "Can I ask you something without you taking it in the wrongest, most dramatic way possible?"
Casey stared at him. "Of course."
"Maybe, just maybe, Max doesn't love you."
Casey shook her head. "Derek, that's stupid."
"No, it's a possibility."
"What, because it's impossible for a guy, any guy, to love me?!"
Derek waved his hands in front of her face. "No, see? That's taking it in the wrong way."
"Because even though Max is cute, and nice, and popular, doesn't mean he can't love me!"
"Casey!" Derek said, frustrated. "God, that's not what I meant! I meant that there are plenty of guys out there who love you, and so it doesn't really matter if Max doesn't. And yes, I said 'if'."
"But I love him," she said sadly.
Derek rolled his eyes. "Then I can't help you."
Casey paused. "You really think there are lots of guys out there who love me?"
Derek's eyes suddenly became focused on the screen. "Anything's possible."
"Like who?"
"Like people out there. Now go find them and let me watch hockey in peace."