A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger last time ... but it kept you interested, right? I'm really pleased that so many people are reading this story--I've gotten over 3,000 hits in the last week, which is really exciting for me. I hope you enjoy the next installment! Also, if/when you review, let me know how this chapter works--I did a complete rewrite last night because I didn't like where it was going, and I'm not sure how well it flows. Thanks!

Casey stared out the window during the drive home from Wasaga Beach, completely absorbed in her thoughts. The weekend had been less than stellar, and she couldn't wait to get home. After the precipitous almost-kiss in the family room, Casey had been avoiding Derek as much as possible, with little success. It seemed like he was lurking around every corner, trying to catch her in a moment alone. She didn't really want to avoid him, but she couldn't erase the memory of the strong plains of his body underneath her. Inevitably, she would flush and start babbling nervously, and it had gotten too hard to make excuses for her behavior, both to him and to the rest of the family. Lizzie had already figured out that something was going on between her and Derek, but she hadn't been able to figure out exactly what. Yet.

To further complicate matters, Derek had insisted on joining Casey and Emily in Wasaga. On the ride up, Casey had resigned herself to the backseat, presumably to let Emily and Derek have their couple-time. As Emily chattered away happily about her plans for the weekend, Derek had watched Casey in the rearview mirror; Casey had spent the entire ride concentrated on the passing landscape, willing herself not to make eye contact with her almost-paramour.

The weekend was terrible, as expected. Casey was still trying to avoid Derek and throw Emily off the trail, Derek was trying to find alone time with Casey, and Emily, oblivious to the entire situation, tried to force everyone to hang out and get along. Everyone failed. Casey found herself bumping into Derek at every corner. Derek never found true alone-time with Casey, as she either ran away or Emily joined them. Emily could never seem to get Derek and Casey into the same place. Finally, Casey had taken a book and curled up into a corner of their hotel room, and Derek and Emily had hit the beach, Derek glancing at Casey over his shoulder while Emily dragged him outside.

When the shouting first started, Casey tried to ignore it. She was still trying not to get involved with Derek, and especially with his relationship with Emily. But as the noise grew, so did her curiosity, and she finally had put down the book and gone outside.

"Derek, I know there's another girl! Who is she? And how could you do this to me?" Emily had been screaming at Derek.

Derek never answered her. He didn't confirm her accusation, but he didn't deny it either. His tacit admission had spurned Emily on, and she had continued to yell at him. After a few minutes, she had stormed off, brushed past Casey, who had been standing in the doorway, and threw everyone's belongings into their bags before saying, "We're going. Take me home."

I still can't believe that I pushed him away, Casey mused to herself, still staring out the window. And I can't believe that he and Emily broke up. I knew it would happen sooner or later, especially because I know that I couldn't have kept this secret from her for too long, but I didn't think it would be this weekend. I'm glad, but I'm a little freaked out about this too. Derek is officially single now, so now what? I've been wanting this for so long! But there's no way that we can let this go anywhere. I mean, the family would freak! I just have to keep avoiding him. I can do this. I have to.

When the Prince pulled up the driveway, Emily got out of the car, slammed the door, and stomped across the yard. She flung a brief, "Casey, I'll talk to you later," over her shoulder before opening her front door. "Oh, and Derek?"

"Um, yeah, Em."

"I never want to speak to you again." SLAM.

George and Nora met Casey and Derek at the door. "What just happened?" Nora asked.

"Oh, um, Emily and I … kinda … broke up over the weekend." Derek scratched the back of his head and motioned with his hands.

"Derek, are you serious?" George asked. "I knew this would never work," he continued. "What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything, Dad," Derek replied, "she just wasn't the right girl for me. I mean, I'm going to university next year, and there's going to be women. College women. I need to be free, available … you know how it is."

"Yeah, I do," George began to smirk, then quickly rescinded his next statement when he saw the look of disgust on Nora's face. "I mean, no, I don't. And I hope you at least broke it off with her nicely."

"Derek didn't break up with her, George," Casey interjected, "she broke up with him. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go unpack." Casey turned to walk up the stairs.

"Um, yeah, I'm gonna go too." Derek followed Casey and cornered her in the hallway.

"Case, we need to talk."

"No, we don't."

"Yeah, we do. We can't just spend the rest of the summer pretending that nothing happened, and you can't keep avoiding me like this. But we both know that you like me; you made it pretty obvious the other night. I mean, who can blame you? I'm awesome."

"You? Awesome? You're the one that tried to kiss me! That is so not sweet. And the way you and Emily broke up? Also not sweet. What was that about anyway?"

"Casey … do I really have to tell you?"

"Yeah, you do." Casey folded her arms and looked expectantly at Derek.

Derek sighed, "Fine. It was about you. It's always been about you."

Casey felt herself soften a little bit. "Really?"

"Yes. Really."

"But why are you telling me this now?" Casey waited for an answer.

"Because, Case … how would you have really reacted? After all these years of supposedly hating each other, do you think that you would have really accepted a big confession from me? Besides, you know I don't do mushy, sappy, emotional things. I'm more about … action." He winked suggestively.

"Action? OK, you are WAY ahead of yourself there."

"What? You can't tell me that you don't want me too. I could see it in your eyes, Casey … just admit it."

"OK, fine you're right. But do you see why I need to avoid you? This is too weird! Do you have any idea how freaked out Mom and George are going to be if they knew what happened?" I'm still freaked about what happened. Or almost happened. Whatever.

"Spacey, nothing happened. It just almost happened. Which is why we have to go back to being normal."

"Derek, there is nothing normal about this situation! You know what? I'm going to go. My dad offered me an internship in New York for the summer, and I think I'm going to take it." Casey's mind continued: I don't want to take it. I don't want to leave. I can't believe all this is happening … did Derek really confess his feelings for me? He has feelings? Whoa … weird. Who knew?

Derek's voice broke into her thoughts. "Wait, what? No, Casey, you don't have to go anywhere!"

"I think I do. I wasn't going to take the internship, not with my mom expecting, but I think it'll be for the best. Plus, I don't know if I can keep lying to Emily about me being the 'other girl,' so … yeah, I'm just going to take it. It's look good on law school applications, even if it's just working in the mail room."

"Whatever, Casey, you do that." Derek turned to go into his room.

Casey followed suit and slipped back into her own thoughts. I have to leave. There's no way that I can keep telling Emily that I don't know anything about another girl, even if nothing really happened AND it doesn't really count. But there's no way that I can keep acting normal in this house. I'll miss everyone, but I think they can handle my being gone. Besides, I miss my dad. And Lizzie has a handle on the big sister thing with Marti, so … things will be fine.

"Casey?"

"What, Derek?"

"I'll miss you."

"Yeah, I'll miss you too."

A/N: Aww, boo, I know, no big Dasey moment. A small spoiler--it WILL happen by the end of story, and it will be beautiful. So keep your pants on and keep reading!