PREVIOUS: Casey found the text message Sally sent to Derek and is now convinced that they are back together and that anything she thought they shared was in her imagination. However, thanks to the powers of following your dreams, Casey has come to the conclusion that her feelings for Derek are too important to throw away. Casey is going to fight, but the question is, does she really even have to?
CHAPTER 10
Derek's POV
What was that? I had been sitting on my bed trying to figure out my subconscious when I heard it: a scream followed by a thump. Casey. How had I managed to forget my responsibility to her? I leaped of my bed and ran across the hall. I twisted the doorknob but it was locked. Funny, even during our worst fights I couldn't ever remember Casey having locked herself in her room. I knocked on her door and waited, but she didn't come. More importantly, I didn't hear the sounds of her picking herself up of the floor. How seriously was she hurt?
"CASEY! CASEY! COME ON! OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW!" I pounded at her door as hard as I could but there was still no answer and I didn't know what to do. I started to panic. Should I call our parents? 911? Was she passed out or just ignoring me? The only thing I did know for sure was that I had to get the door open. How I managed to think through what I did next I'm still not sure. I ran all the way down to the basement and grabbed my dad's tool box. Even having never used so much as a screwdriver before, I managed to surprise myself by breaking into Casey's room rather quickly. At first, I couldn't see her at all. Then, I noticed her foot peeking out from behind her bed. So I was right. She hadn't gotten up. I ran to the other side of the room and saw her lying face down on the floor. I kneeled down I gently shook her shoulder.
"Case? Are you ok? Please talk to me!" Slowly she raised her head and consequently her eyes to meet mine. She blinked twice before speaking.
"Derek? How did you get in here?" She looked genuinely confused. I smiled at her and brushed her hair out of her face before lifting her off the ground and softly placing her on her bed.
"Didn't you hear me calling you? I heard you fall. I was really worried about you! Please tell me you're ok?"
"I'm ok, I think," she said quietly. She took old of my arm and slowly pulled me closer to her until our faces were inches away. I could feel her breath on my cheek. She directed my hand to rest above her heart. Her pulse was rapid and soon, so was mine. We locked eyes.
"Derek?" I nodded as Casey whispered my name.
"Promise me that you'll look after me and..."
"Protect you?" I smiled as I promised her that I would always do just that and a look of relief crossed her face. At that moment, her bedroom seemed to morph into a forest of abnormal trees. I saw the wall behind Casey's bed open up into a path full of twists, turns and horrific obstacles: vines, pits, walls built fifty feet high in the way. But this time, there was nothing hiding Casey from me. I saw once more just how lustrous her hair was and how beautiful her smile was, especially when directed at me. There was absolutely no doubt in my mind at this point that Casey was the path that I wanted to follow. She was right there. And she needed me. She wanted me. Obviously she couldn't want me in the same way that I wanted her but I was willing to fight for it. Sure, at one point I had had strong feelings for Sally. At one point, I'd even thought that I loved her. But what I was feeling now was completely different. My feelings for Casey seemed on the one hand sudden and on the other years in the making. Just like in my dream, Sally was the safe route. Everyone would approve. With Casey, we would have no end of trouble and yet…
I knew that Casey saw it in my eyes. It happened so quickly I wasn't even sure which one of us had initiated closing the gap. All I knew was that one minute we were gazing at each other and the next her lips were on mine. I only had a moment to enjoy it before she pulled away but in that moment I knew that I'd chosen the right path. Casey would never even have to know that Sally had come back into my life because I wasn't going to let her come back. As soon as I could I was going to email her not to come. That I was sorry, but that I had moved on. That I did want to see her and had been overwhelmed by her sudden communication for the first time since she'd left that I hadn't been able to say no. But, unless she wanted to see me only as a friend, she should visit with her parents and other friends but that she shouldn't waste her summer on me. Yeah, that sounded about right. The best part was that I didn't even have to think it over and not even because thinking wasn't exactly my strong suit. I meant every word. I was over Sally and I wanted her to know it.
I turned my attention back to Casey:
"That was amazing," I said smiling at her.
"What?" Casey stammered. Was she avoiding my gaze? Was it too soon? Didn't she feel the same way? Hadn't she kissed me? I started to pull away. Thank god she stopped me.
"Wait! Where are you going?" I guess she saw that I was nervous and confused because she continued without hesitation.
"Derek, I'm sorry. I'm just not sure what to think! This seems so wrong and yet…"
"Feels so right?" I offered, knowing exactly how she felt. I smiled again and she seemed to relax. I decided to go for it. For the second time that morning my lips captured Casey's and for the second time, it was perfect. That is, it was perfect until the phone rang. Casey got up to answer it. I laid back on her bed happily. This was finally happening. Then I heard it.
"Oh, hi Sally. Yeah, Derek's right here."
OH. MY. GOD.
Well here it is, as promised. Sorry it took me all day! Anyhow, I want to test out this excerpt from chapter 11:
From the second his lips met mine I felt the waters close in around me. At first, it was the best feeling in the world, as if after this nothing could ever go wrong ever again. But then, just as I remembered her, remembered her perfect blonde hair and their perfect relationship, I remembered something else: I hate swimming.
Looks like Derek's got his work cut out for him next time on The Journey Our Dreams Direct!
REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! The faster you give me your feedback, the faster I turn that excerpt into a chapter :)
Midnight Trills
