Derek sat down at his desk, taking out all his homework that he must have finished by next week.
He let out a great sigh when he realized it was much more than he had expected. He turned on his music to try and block the image of broken Casey lying in the room next to him. Suddenly, George came in, followed by Nora.
"My door was closed." Derek said, trying to make his voice sound mad. Instead he made it sound even sadder.
"Tell me how anyone can think under this condition." Nora yelled over his music before she switched it off.
"Hey!" he yelled.
"Derek, we haven't told the younger kids yet." George said cutting straight to the point. This didn't surprise Derek but it did upset him quite a bit.
"Okay that's fine and everything, until they wake up one day and I'm not here!" he stammered.
"Are you just planning to be like: Surprise kids, Edwin is now the oldest brother!" his stomach dropped. Not because he was going to leave them, but the fact that he would never see them grow up, never see them live. Marti would barely remember him; he would never be able to teach Edwin how to be a man. He would never be able to protect Lizzie from all the perverted boys out there. And he would never get to show Casey that…
That he what? Cared about her? Sure he cared about her, she was his step-sister after all, he wasn't that heartless.
"Can you just go away?! I won't tell them unless they ask. Just go away!" he half yelled, half whispered.
"Derek, we need to talk about this, we-" George began.
"Fine if you won't leave then I will." he grabbed his phone and his jacket and headed out to his car. Running down the stair he found Lizzie and Edwin sitting on the couch watching the T.V. But the volume was on mute. They gave a worried filled glance in Derek's direction before he ran out the door.
It was only 11:30 in the afternoon; somehow this day seemed to be going by in slow motion. He started his car and began to pull out when he heard someone screaming at him.
"Nora, I'm not in the mood for- Casey?" he was faced with a very depressed looking Casey.
"Can I come?" she spoke barely above a whisper.
"Case, I don't really think-"
"Derek, please I won't embarrass you." this made Derek laugh out loud. She thought he would be embarrassed by her? Well, he used to be, that's true, but now? With the end of his life so close in his vision he couldn't think of any reason to be embarrassed by her.
"Casey that's not why," he began again but she cut him off.
"Derek, I'm coming with you. I can't stand it here any longer." she spat back at him while she got in the car and buckled in. He didn't want her to come with him because he knew that if he got close to her now, then it would hurt her much more in the long run if he did end up leaving this world.
Ten minutes into the journey, Derek realized he had no destination in mind, seconds later Casey noticed the same thing.
"We aren't going anywhere specific, are we?" she questioned him. He barely nodded in response. It was her choice to come along; he didn't promise her that he would talk.
Derek pulled up to a red light and relaxed in his seat. But he noticed out of the corner of his eye how Casey couldn't get comfortable in hers. She keep twitching and moving around in her seat, Derek had only seen her act this way two other times, once was when Derek kept making fun of her about liking Sam. The other was that night in the hospital. Then he just thought that she moved a lot while she slept, but having watched her sleep thismorning and watching her now, he knew something was very wrong.
"Casey," he stammered as the light turned green.
"Hhmm." was her reply. Derek hadn't turned his attention from the road yet. But he was dying to see if Casey was looking at him.
"Why," he paused. "Why did you come with me?"
"The house is getting to crazy. Mom and George aren't acting like themselves. I can't talk to Lizzie about my problems so there is no one to help Me." her voice was barely audible.
"Um, why can't you talk to Lizzie?" he questioned.
"You know why." she shot back at him.
"Casey," he had started to love saying her name. "I-"
"Derek, please. Let's just drop it. Okay?" her tone was sad almost, and still full of hurt. Derek had no idea what had just happened. Was Casey mad at him? He couldn't understand how she had gotten so angry. He slowly pulled into a parking lot and turned off the car.
"Casey, Tell me what's wrong. Please." he said looking straight forward. He didn't understand why he needed to know what was wrong with her. But it was suddenly mandatory to understand.
"Is Derek Venturi begging me?" she said trying to change the subject.
"Casey, please just tell me!" he gripped the steering wheel tighter trying to get under control.
The car was silent; Derek was worried that he made Casey scared of him. Tears of fear rolled down both Casey and Derek's cheek. Anger twisted his inside as he realizes he was losing control again. Casey recognized this and started talking to Derek to help him cool down. She slowly placed her hand on his shoulder, at her touch Derek collapsed. Casey carefully places his head in her lap. Derek didn't like feeling so weak but he wouldn't pull away from Casey touch. They sat like that for what seemed like hours. For the second time today Derek could feel Casey breathing. He loved it. But that feeling scared him to death.
I have know idea why some things are underlined! I have tried very hard to make them go away, but they just won't!!! anyway tell me what you think. and thanks to everyone!