Ah, I haven't forgotten this one. I was just having some MAJOR writer's block when it came to this story. But with me working on a bunch of other updates and new stories, I finally forced myself to sit down and plan out the rest of this story. So now that I kind of know where this story is going, it won't be a long wait to the finish, which I think will be in three chapters after this one. The plan I have makes me like this story a little more, since, I'll admit, this is one of my least favorites. But I think I'm going to be able to take this is a good place with the rest of the chapters. So I hope you like it.

Enjoy!

x—x

When Casey woke up the next morning, she was pleased to find that she was in Emily's room, and not her own, knowing that if she went down for breakfast, Derek wouldn't be there. But then she remembered that Derek wouldn't have been there anyway. He went to Sam's.

He escaped me and I escaped him. Casey thought.

"Hey, you're up." Casey rolled over a bit to see Emily sitting at her desk.

"Hey, I am." Casey said.

"You sound surprised."

"Yeah, well I wasn't sure I was going to live through the idiocy." Casey said, not sure why she felt a blush creep across her cheeks.

"What's with the embarrassment?" Emily asked, noticing Casey's color.

Casey sat up and sighed.

"I just feel so stupid. I mean, with all the drama with Derek... We're both so high strung. We shouldn't have reacted the way we did."

"Well, obviously. You guys are sub-humans. Can't deal with your feelings the way normal people should." Emily said.

"But then again, we're not normal."

"Exactly." Emily nodded.

Casey allowed herself a small smile.

"You're going to have to go home today." Emily said.

"I know." Casey said, getting up.

"Derek will, too." Emily said softly.

Casey sighed. "I know."

"Are you going to be able to handle it?"

Casey thought for a moment. "No, probably not." she answered truthfully.

"Way to be confident!" Emily laughed, playfully throwing a pillow in Casey's direction.

"I'm being truthful!" Casey said.

"You're putting yourself down." Emily said, raising her eyebrow.

"I am-" Casey started, but Emily stared her down.

"...So putting myself down. Em, I just don't know how to handle it!"

"Don't try to handle it! That was your first problem! You thought about it way too much." Emily pointed out.

"Ugh, I know! But it's like I can't turn off my brain. I never could!" Casey cried.

"Being your best friend is never boring." Emily chuckled to herself.

"Em!" Casey cried. "This isn't funny!"

"I know, I know. But it's true." Emily said.

"Well, I'm glad my troubles are amusing to you." Casey sniffed.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic." Emily said.

Casey rolled her eyes.

"Well, it's 10 am. What do you want to do until I kick you out?" Emily asked.

Casey's eyes widened. "You're not-"

"I'm kidding! I'm not kicking you out." Emily laughed.

"Oh, okay." Casey said, obviously relieved.

"But really, what do you want to do?" Emily asked.

What's something to postpone going home; postpone facing Derek? Casey asked herself.

"Wanna go to the mall?" Casey asked.

x—x

"It's really crowded today." Sam observed, looking out at the sea of squashed people, pushes through elbows and the occasional stomped toe, or slap by shopping bags.

It was madness.

"Summer searching." Derek shrugged.

"Everyone's still in school." Sam said.

"They're preparing." Derek said. "Believe me, it gets even more packed when it's actually summer."

"So they're preparing for all the time they're going to spend at the mall this summer?" Sam asked, sounding confused.

"You wouldn't understand." Derek shrugged again. "You never come to the mall."

"Yeah, and for obvious reasons." Sam said, spreading his arm out to motion at the crowd, but having to tuck it back in, for he almost smacked a bypassing stranger on the forehead.

"Then why'd you suggest we come in the first place if you hate it so much?" Derek asked.

"Because you needed out. And you obviously weren't ready to go home yet." Sam said.

"Hey, I could go home." Derek said defensively.

"Like you wouldn't slink up to your room as soon as you got there." Sam said, knowingly.

"I wouldn't!" Derek declared.

"Oh, really?" Sam asked, unconvinced.

"Really." Derek assured.

"So if I were to take you home right now, you would face Casey then and there." Sam said, crossing his arms.

Derek hesitated, and crossed his arms. "Yeah. I would."

"Okay, then. I'm taking you home." Sam said.

"No, no, no. Okay, I'd run to my room, probably with my eyes closed, and screaming to avoid anything of Casey. I don't want to go home." Derek said, grabbing his best friend's arm.

Sam chuckled. "You're pathetic."

Derek rolled his eyes. "You're cruel."

"Is there a particular watering hole we're heading to, or are we just drifting?" Sam asked.

Derek looked around. "Just drifting until we find something that makes us stop."

Sam laughed.

"What?" Derek asked.

"I think we can stop drifting, then." Sam chuckled.

"What are you talking about?"

Derek looked in the direction Sam pointed to, while still chuckling.

He saw Emily pointing at them the same way, and Casey wearing the same expression that he himself probably wore. The one that said. 'aw, crap.'

"Let's go talk to them." Sam suggested.

"Are you kidding me? I don't want to talk to them. I want to run. Far, far away." Derek said, looking at his best friend as if he were crazy.

"You don't want to talk to Casey." Sam said.

"You think?" Derek asked.

"Come on." Sam said.

But before Derek could protest anymore, Emily appeared, grasping on to Casey's arm, as if she had pulled Casey there.

"Hey, guys." Emily said brightly.

Sam said hi back, while Casey and Derek merely mumbled, and didn't look in each others direction.

"You know what we should do? Hang out here together." Sam said.

Derek and Casey both looked up and stared at Sam as if he had lost his mind.

"Sounds like a great idea!" Emily said.

Derek and Casey's dumbstruck gazes turned to Emily.

"Doesn't that sound like a good idea?" Emily asked, implying that she didn't care if they thought it was a good idea. They had to suck it up and deal.

"Oh, fabulous." Casey murmured.

"Sounds great." Derek mumbled sarcastically.

x—x

Yeah, kind of awkward. But I'm glad I updated. It's been five months since I updated this story! Anyway, thanks for reading. Please take the minute to review. I love hearing what you guys think. (:

Love,

-Tarryn