Chapter 10:

Derek was outside Casey's room knocking on her door. He had been knocking for about 10 minutes already trying to get Casey to come out and talk to him.

"Casey? Casey will you please just talk to me?" Derek knocked again. "Casey, I'm sorry, please just come out."

Meanwhile, Casey was in her room laying on her bed thinking. She had thought about Derek in so they could talk but she just couldn't do it. She couldn't bear to look at him, she had put her hand on the knob about 3 times almost turning it but she always pulled away. Her heart said to give Derek another try, but her head said to stay away from him and since Casey was always a logical thinker up until these past few days, she had to decided to go with her head and forget about Derek, or at least try to.

Derek continued pounding on the door begging Casey to open up. "Casey please…Casey!" he finally backed away from the door and walked away to his room.

Edwin saw Derek walk to his room looking depressed, so he decided to see what was up. "Derek?"

Derek looked up at Edwin, "Hey Edwin" Derek got up and pulled out his guitar and gently started strumming. "What's up?" he asked Edwin.

"I should be asking you the same question. What's with you and Casey?" Edwin sat down on Derek's bed beside him. "You can tell me Derek."

Derek knew he could tell Edwin and it would stay a secret with him, until he told Lizzie, he told her everything. "Casey hates me, and all I want to do is fix it."

"Why don't you?"

"Dude, she won't even talk to me." Derek strummed his guitar again "I messed up, I messed up bad."

"Well, there's nothing you can do Derek except try to fix what you broke." then Edwin got up and left leaving Derek to think about how he could fix what he had broken.

Derek thought for a little bit, and then he got an idea. He picked up the phone and called Emily.

"Hello?"

"Emily?"

"Who's this?"

"It's me Derek."

Emily's face soon was covered with rage "You've got some nerve calling me."

Derek bit his bottom lip knowing what Emily was referring to "Casey told you, huh?"

Emily chuckled "You know I can't believe you. I help you get Casey then you treat her so good she can't stop smiling all the time, and then you break her heart."

"Look Em-"

Emily interrupted "Just leave me alone, and you better leave Casey alone too." then Emily hung up the phone angrily.

"Emily?" Derek rolled his eyes then hung up the phone too. "Ok, then I guess plan b is already in effect."

(Plan B):

The next day Casey was about to head to the mall to get a dress; even though she didn't want to go and see Derek win prom king she had to go since she was on the dance committee. She put her jacket on and reached in the pocket for her keys, but they weren't there.

"Derek!!!" she yelled.

Suddenly someone knocked on the door. It was Emily holding up a pair of earring and smiling. "Hey Casey, I brought you those earrings you wanted to borrow for prom."

Casey took them "Thanks Em, but I might not get to use them."

"Casey, we've been over this about 7 times. You have to go, you're on dance committee."

"No, that's not the reason." Casey looked outside and saw her car was gone too. "I can't find my car."

Emily looked at her like she was crazy. "How do you lose a car?"

"I don't know, but I bet Derek had something to do with it."

"Hey, what's that?" Emily pointed to the table by the door which had a note on it.

Casey picked up the note and read it aloud. "Casey, if you ever want to see your car again meet me at Smelly Nelly's." Casey crinkled the note in her hand and looked like she was about to pop. "Em, can you give me a ride?" she said trying to stay calm and not explode.

Emily was slightly terrified but nevertheless gave Casey a ride to Smelly Nelly's.

(Smelly Nelly's):

"Thanks for the ride Em." Casey undid her seatbelt and got out of the car. Emily drove away and Casey stood outside the restaurant. She took a deep breath and walked in wishing she could just leave and forget about her car, but she had to face Derek.

Casey walked in and saw the lights dimmed and Derek standing in the middle of the restaurant. The place was filled with candles and rose petals, just like their first date.

"Casey"

Casey looked at Derek angrily and marched up to him with rage in her eyes. "You think this is romantic? You stole my car just so we could talk?"

"I'm sorry Casey but how else was I going to get you talk to me?"

"You weren't, now give me my keys." she held out her hand.

"Casey please, just give me 2 minutes."

"You've got 1. Go."

"Ok, Casey I know you really hate me right now, but you have to know that bet I made was before I got to know you, really know you. If I could build a time machine and go back to when I made that bet I would've just walked away. You matter to me Casey, you do."

Casey snickered "Right, and what I'm supposed to believe you now?"

"I'm hoping you will."

"Derek, you lied to me about everything. Tell me one honest thing you said to me, just one."

Derek was silent wanting to say something but couldn't. It was like his brain had shut off and all he could do was look at Casey with remorse. "Casey-"

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Casey held out her hand. "Give me my keys Derek."

"Casey please, don't do this…I…I love you."

Casey wanted to say it back so badly. But, she couldn't, she had to give him up. She knew if she actually tried this with Derek she would regret it, she couldn't afford to hurt this much again. "That's impossible Derek, because the only person you love is yourself. You're not a one woman man; you're only interested in what's best for you."

Derek looked at her with sad eyes "Casey…I…"

Casey held out her hand again "Look, just give me my keys."

"Casey, come on, please just give me one more chance."

"I gave you a chance and look how well it turned out." Casey folded her arms.

"So, you regret all the time we spent together?" Derek asked.

Casey looked away, she didn't want to lie to his face but she couldn't tell him the truth so she held out her hand one more time and said "Derek, just give me my keys. Please."

Derek let out a mournful sigh then dug in his pocket and pulled out the keys. "Here" he placed them in her hand.

Casey and Derek looked at each other for a few seconds with Derek's hand still in Casey's. One wanted to say something to the other but nothing came out, their was just silence but Casey felt she could stay like this for a few more seconds, just staring at Derek. Casey looked away then pulled her hand away grabbing her keys "Thanks" she walked out of the restaurant and started heading to the car.

Derek talked to himself a little bit "If she turns back to look at me that means I still have a chance." Casey kept walking "Come on Casey…" Then Casey turned around and took a look at Derek for about a half a second, but that was all Derek needed "There you go Casey." then Derek watched Casey get in her car and drive off.