XXXX
I was pacing around Paul's office early the next morning. I didn't sleep at all yesterday; I was up all night thinking about Derek. These stupid feelings!! I refuse to have them! I can't! No matter what Emily says! Paul would reassure me, tell me I hated Derek. He had too.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Paul asked calmly taking a sip of his coffee.
"No!" I shouted. Then I rolled my eyes and slumped into the chair across from his desk. "Yes."
"Let me guess, a Derek problem?" he guessed correctly of course. He always did, but boy was he going to thrown off by the bomb I was about to drop on him.
"This isn't just a Derek problem Paul. This is the mother load of all Derek problems!" I flailed my arms a little for emphasis.
He leaned forward in interest, like he was going to hear something he'd been waiting for. I started explaining about the prank and he nodded and asked questions, which I ignored to continue the with the story. When I finished explaining about the prank and how Emily felt about it I stopped.
"That's it?" Paul asked sinking a little in his chair. "It seems to me that everything's fine besides you feeling a little guilty. I-"
"No that's not it" I whispered looking at my feet, I really didn't want to tell Paul, but I knew he would help. He leaned forward in his seat again. I wouldn't meet his eyes. I didn't really want to tell anyone about my feelings lately and if I told Paul it would be the first time I ever said the words out loud.
"Well?" Paul asked eagerly. I sighed.
"I-well, um lately- because of the prank and everything maybe."
I stopped for a second and took a deep breath trying to compose myself.
"Because of the prank I think I might be starting to like Derek. But I can't like Derek I hate Derek so this must all be a figment of my imagination right?"
I looked up at Paul hopefully. He had a smug grin on his face.
"Finally!" he threw his hands up in the air forgetting he was holding his coffee and spilled it all over his head. I wanted to laugh but I couldn't, 'finally?' what was that suppose to mean? He picked up a napkin and wiped his head and dabbed at the stains on his shirt then he looked over at me never losing his smug grin.
"Casey, it's been obvious since day one. I'm just glad this prank made you finally realize your feelings."
I stared at him for a few minutes, my mouth ajar.
"That's not what you're suppose to say!" I shouted
"And what exactly was I suppose to say." He asked folding his hands on his desk.
"You we suppose to tell me I was right! That it was all a figment of my imagination!"
"Well I'm sorry Casey but I just can't do that. It would be wrong of me to lie to you."
I glared at him a few minutes more; he just kept up that smug grin. Eventually I slumped a little in my sit not quite ready to except that my feelings were legit.
"Well what am I suppose to do about the prank thing then?" I whined. Paul raised his eyebrows knowing I knew what I was supposed to do.
"I know what I'm supposed to do but don't you have any other options?" he just raised his eyebrows again and I groaned and walked out of the room. As I walked out I noticed Max leaning against the wall outside of Paul's office. Did he hear what Paul had said? Did he know?
"Hey Max." I said carefully. He smiled.
"Hey Casey, listen, about last night I was really being a jerk."
"Ya think?" I snapped annoyed.
"Yeah. I'm sorry, I had no right to overreact about the math notes, and I guess I'm still a little jealous because of the whole Derek thing."
Max shrugged his shoulders. I smiled. How was it he ended up saying exactly what I wanted to hear?
"So are you saying you want to get back together?" I ginned. What a perfect distraction to Derek. Max laughed a little.
"That's exactly what I'm trying to say." He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine.
OOOO
"Why is he so interested in her anyway?" I said to Sheldon when I looked over and saw Max talking to Casey. Sam wasn't in school again today and I didn't really have anyone to hang with so when Sheldon started following me again I let him.
"Isn't he her boyfriend?" he asked confused
"They broke up last night." I said maybe with a little too much pleasure.
"Are you sure? Because they don't look like it."
I looked over at them and they were kissing. Kissing?! Wait a minute! It never occurred to me that Casey didn't share my feelings toward her. I mean she kissed me on the cheek. So not Casey like. Why was she kissing Max? I felt anger and frustration pulse though me. I wanted to go over there and punch that stupid wax figure's face in, but Casey would probably be mad. She hates violence I remembered. I threw my biology book into my locker and slammed it shut.
"Let's go." I barked at Sheldon
We stormed down the hall and into the cafeteria, ignoring all the shoves and dirty looks I got. Just because I wouldn't hit Max didn't mean I would sit around and do nothing while he took Casey away.
"Derek we don't have lunch until next period!" Sheldon called after me as I raced ahead of him.
"I need it this period." I said oddly calm, considering how I felt. Sheldon followed me into the empty Cafeteria. It was used every other period for cleaning purposes. So I could work in peace. I ran over to the stage and pulled open the trap door near the back.
"Sheldon! Help me get this silly string out!"
XXXX
I had an ominous feeling as I walked with Max into the Cafeteria. I tried to stay as close to him as possible without seeming too clingy. We were walking over to get out lunches when a pie fell from the ceiling.
"Well something you don't see everyday." I said looking up to where the pie had fallen from.
Max stepped forward to examine it and suddenly fell face first into it. I swear I saw a wire pull up when he fell.
"Oh my god Max are you okay?" I asked trying to suppress the laugh building up inside me.
"Yeah." He said as pushed himself up by the arms. He sat on his knees and started licking his lips. I rolled my eyes. He stood up and stepped over the pie, but when he did silly string shot at him from all sides. The whole Cafeteria was laughing at him including me. When the cans were empty he looked at me with pleading eyes. I smiled a crooked smile and he frowned at me.
"I'll call you later Case." He said and walked swiftly out of the room.
Who would do something so immature? I racked my brain for the perpetrator and then scolded myself when I didn't realize it right away. Derek.
OOOO
Max's face when the silly string hit was priceless! I'm standing behind the curtain of the stage with a video camera. This wasn't over yet; the whole school was going to see Max the perfect football quarterback fall and I was going to make sure of it. Someone tapped me on the back.
"Not now Sheldon! I'm gauging the audiences reaction."
I was tapped on the back again. This time I turned around and saw Casey glaring angrily at me.
"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed. I gave her an innocent look.
"I have no idea what you're talking about Casey." then I smirked, she narrowed her eyes more.
"Why are you doing this? Can't you just leave well enough alone? Why do you always have to into the middle of all my relationships?" Her words dripped with venom and I can't say it didn't hurt that I was unwanted in her personal life.
"Casey you can't tell me you actually like that jerk?" I pointed towards the door Max had run out of, the pansy. Casey narrowed her eyes so much it looked like she was going to go cross-eyed. I could've laughed if I wasn't so scared. I took a step back from her. She raised her index finger and pushed it hard into my chest.
"Derek don't you ever. Ever! Prank Max again!" she used the same tone of voice she had when she was telling me not to bang my head on the desk. I scowled at her.
"And what are you going to do to stop me?" I challenged.
"I'll- I'll never talk to you again!" she hissed.
"That's not much of a threat." I smirked, even if she wouldn't talk to me I'd talk to her, not matter what she said. She glared harder and the phrase 'if looks could kill' popped into my head. This wasn't the reaction I was looking for; this would've been what I expected if I had hit Max.
"Come on Case!" I whined. "You have to admit it was a little funny." She pointed her finger at me again and moved it back and forth a couple of times then dropped it in defeat.
"I guess it was a little funny." I breathed out a sigh of relief.
"So Casey, may I escort you to your lunch table?" I bowed. She thought for a moment then said she should see what's going on with Max. I scowled at I watched he walk out of the Cafeteria.
"You two seem to be getting along okay." Kendra's voice made me jump. I turned to her and eyed her carefully; I almost completely forgot about Friday until this moment, hopefully she'll ask to get back together now. It would be so much easier to refuse her if it was just she and I.
I shrugged. "I guess so." She smiled her bubbly smile. I politely smiled back.
"May I escort you to your table?" I figured if Casey wanted Max fine, she could have him, but if she thought I would sit around and not try to drive her insane with jealously she had another thing coming to her. Kendra laughed at me and walked away. That's right, the loser thing. I forgot about that too. This is frustrating. Sheldon walked up to me.
"Can we go sit down now?" he asked warily seeing my anger. I sighed.
"Yeah let's go. Casey couldn't like Max. And I would make her see it.
I know they saying is, "Got another Think coming." But it's Derek and I doubt he will have read To Kill a Mockingbird. I think that's where the quote was started. They say it an awful lot.