Author's NoteThey already got their class schedules before the story started. So when I mention that they had two classes together, know that they already have their schedules I didn't just randomly decide that. (I don't know how it works at most schools but at my school we get our schedules two weeks before school starts.) This is definately longer than last chappie! So enjoy it review it...because I said so. (Powers of mind-control urge you to click submit review)

DisclaimerNo words needed here. Like hell if I'd ever own it. OH!

Casey finally jogged back home, hoping Derek was still in bed. She wasn't sure as of yet how she should confront him, and there was still the pressing matter of who switched her diary and his notes. Was it in fact Derek or someone outside of them that knew their secret? Hopefully, if it wasn't Derek, they didn't really know their secret. Casey's stomach turned.

Lizzie twirled her cereal around, contemplating Derek and Casey. Nothing happened yet. Or did I miss it? Derek had come out of Casey's room last night and it was clearly heard that she was crying. Did they already talk because of the notes?

Edwin trudged into the kitchen. Lizzie frowned at him.

"What?" He asked curiously.

"I think you should've talked to me before you switched them." She said to him in a low whisper, still concentrating on the uneaten contents of her cereal bowl.

"Why do you say that?" Lizzie looked up at him.

"Because last night, before I went into your room I saw Derek come out of Casey's room and she was crying." Edwin looked down and grabbed cereal from the cupboard.

"Could you see his face? Was he happy or angry…or sad?" Lizzie finally took a bite of her cereal before answering him. It wasn't exactly any of those. They were too simple. Usually Derek could be summed up, but from the start of this investigation he became more complicated. Everything was becoming more complicated. It was all so overwhelming.

"He looked remorseful over something, and seemed generally worried about Casey. Before he had closed his door he looked back at hers." Footsteps were heard on the stairs and a long roaring yawn echoed in the dining room and living room. They both knew it was Derek, so they busied themselves with their breakfast.

Derek sat down on the recliner, not a thought given to eating. Quite unlike himself, but considering the events of the past few days and nights, nothing seemed the same. Not exactly at least.

He reached for the remote and as he turned on the TV Casey came in the front door. She looked at him and shut the door, not missing a beat, and walked calmly up the stairs.

Did it really not faze her? If it didn't faze her why is it worrying me? So when we kissed last night…talked about things…what was it to her? What was it to me? Was it anything? Do I simply want her because she is in the house and is easily accessible?

Derek closed his eyes. His thoughts were never complicated. After a year of writing letters that were never sent did he develop an emotion he never had or did? Or did he weaken it by making himself angry over the fact she never responded till he finally gave up? What is THIS?

Casey walked in her room and shut the door quietly and sank slowly to the floor. Tomorrow she would be riding with him in his new car to school and she would be in two classes with him.

Her eyes wandered across her room as she thought about Derek's intentions, and the things of the past surfacing like this and her eyes happened upon the cell phone Derek had given to her. She let a smile spread across her face.

Casey got up and grabbed the cell phone. It had some new additions to it, but it was still the same cell phone. She kept it at this version and not a new version because she wanted to make sure she kept the memory.

And a thought struck her.

She hadn't called Zach yet. What better way to take her mind off Derek than to call him? In this 'ingenious' idea she hastily grabbed her pants from yesterday and pulled out the piece of paper with his number on it. At this point, since he had given the number to her yesterday, she didn't care how desperate she sounded or acted. He was a nice guy and she needed to escape to some reality, some worry-free zone.

The phone rang three times before a distinct male voice picked up on the other end.

"Hello?" Casey smiled to herself.

"Hi! Is this Zach?"

"Yes, who is this, may I ask?" Casey looked down and smiled wider.

"It's Casey. The girl you met yesterday at Emily's."

"Hey! I'm so glad you called! I gave you my number but I never got yours! I was going to invite you to help out on a 'clean up the park' project that me and some buddies are in on. Are you interested?" Casey stood up, her nerves shaking her.

"Yeah, definitely interested." She laughed to herself. "I, um, what is the planned time, and I'll see if I can go!" Casey heard pages flipping on the other line, which she could only assume was a date book or a planner.

"This Thursday. It's the first week of school so you probably won't have too much homework."

"Okay! I'll talk to my mom! Do you still need my number, or do you have caller ID?"

"I have caller ID." Casey smiled. This was of course nothing she should be smiling about, it was just that he had caller ID, but girls are strange. Oh so strange. There was a silence for a period of time, making her slightly uncomfortable. Just as she was about to say something he started speaking. "Hey I have to go, sorry, I need to read this book I was assigned a summer reading list by an AP teacher I have. You understand right?"

"Yeah! Have fun reading!"

"Have fun doing what you do!"

"Bye."

"Buh-bye." There was a significant click on the other line and Casey turned of her phone. She slunk down onto her mattress and laid there for a few moments soaking in the daylight warming her cool skin.

Edwin and Lizzie finished eating and went up to Lizzie's room for discussion. He sat quietly on the end of her bed as she shut the door. She jumped onto her bed, causing the bedding to become even more frazzled than when she had originally awakened.

"I think what they said should be kept private." Edwin started off. Lizzie furrowed her eyebrows inquisitively, encouraging him to go on with his argument. "I think it should be kept private at least a little bit because Derek was passionate about Casey. I know this because approximately when the diary and notes state they were together he was always talking to me about this girl he was with. She made him feel…made him feel like he could do something…He of course enjoyed what he already did, but he never felt that…" Edwin made an emphatic gesture. Lizzie smiled.

"And you pull all of this from memory?"

"Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie, I'm heart-broken! You doubt my memory? I have an extraordinary memory." She raised her eyebrows at him.

"What was I wearing five days ago?" Edwin smiled at her.

"The only girly shirt you own that's blue with soccer shorts." She frowned at him. He was right after all.

"I think I should have heard what they had to say."

"Why? What would it have done for the investigation? Most of what we do that is true is done by body language not words. It's so much harder to lie when body language is 'talking'. We aren't as aware of it."

"It might have told us if he hurt her on purpose and then felt bad, or she cried because she was hurt by the situation and he was just worried." Edwin smiled.

"Well, that is valuable sis, but I don't think it's that important. We can eavesdrop on other things but for the sake of my brothers privacy I will not eavesdrop at night. And if you do please don't tell me." Lizzie sighed.

"You are weird Ed." He made a face at her. "I'm serious! You're weird about brotherly obligations and brotherly secrets and stuff."

"Hey, I don't question your ways." Lizzie smiled.

Derek got out of the recliner and headed upstairs. From the top of the stairs he distinctly heard his name being said. It was probably Edwin, because it had a deeper twang to it.

He pressed his ear on Lizzie's door and listened.