Derek's final hockey games were something the whole family attended, and while he usually hated having to keep his guard up around Casey, the games were an exception.
Mostly because after games, Casey was usually willing to give him a massage, which also usually ended up with her in his bed, muffling her mouth with his hand. But also because he liked knowing she was there, watching him, seeing him excel at something.
Focus on the puck, Venturi. It's all riding on you. He could feel the sweat drop down his face. It stung his eyes but he forced them to stay trained on the black object that was being swapped back and forth. Faintly he could feel the burn of someone ramming into his shoulder; he reeled slightly, but regained his balance. Dammit. Where'd the puck go?
There it is. Derek though, a smirk growing on his face. Sam sent it his way, and he sent it home with as much force as he could muster.
"AND THERE IT IS, FOLKS! DEREK VENTURI HAS JUST WON THE FINAL GAME FOR TORONTO HIGH SCHOOL!"
The game was over, the crowds were cheering. All because of him. Derek Venturi, who got shitty grades and wasn't always the best person. But hockey? Hockey was his thing. It made him worth something.
Exhilaration overwhelmed his senses. He loved games like this. The ones where he could truly feel proud of himself and no one could take it away from him. He searched the stands as he skated back to his chair. Nora, George, Edwin, Lizzie…Marti was waving excitedly, strangling a stuffed cat in the process of her excitement. He looked through the line of his family members again.
No Casey.
"You promised this time, Case." Derek muttered, heading down into the locker room. He ripped off his shoulder pads and skates off with fury. He took off his helmet, ran his fingers through his wet hair. Breathing heavily, he rammed a fist into one of the steel lockers in front of him.
His teammates rushed in, hogging up all the space, and consequently the silence. Derek sighed and distracted himself by washing up.
Fifteen minutes later, Derek had all his hockey gear in his bag and he went out to meet everyone. Casey had not just slipped away to go to the restroom, like he'd hoped. Nope, she just hadn't showed.
"Congrats, bro!" Edwin cheered. Derek pasted an overly-confident smile on his face. Nora and George patted him on the back, Lizzie ditto'd Edwin's remark and Marti leapt into his arms, cheerfully commenting on his last play.
Everyone was happy for him, was proud of him, but he took little enjoyment in it.
He stepped out onto the wet concrete, staring at the refection on the ground cast by the streetlights. The cold bit into his skin, and he sighed. Casey had known how important this game was to him.
Marti enthusiastically asked for Wendy's, and he murmured a reply of agreement. The kids clamored and filled up the silence as they asked for their orders. Derek didn't order anything. Nobody noticed. Just like nobody noticed one crucial family member was missing.
Everyone was half into their burgers or chicken sandwiches or nuggets, except Lizzie, who was on some anti-meat crusade or something and opted out of a meal, when Derek finally asked, "So where's Casey?
The silence returned, and everyone stared at him. Thankfully, they were still in the parking lot.
"Dude," Edwin exclaimed, "why do you care?"
"I don't." Derek muttered unconvincingly.
The ride home was silent.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
The first thing Derek did when he got home, excluding opening the door and tossing his hockey stuff into the laundry room, was march up to his own room and set Korn blaring. He didn't even like Korn; it was just something to bug Casey.
Like clockwork, Casey's angry steps quickly made their way to his door, and she opened it with vicious force. "Derek. How many times do I have to ask you to turn it down?" Casey asked, in a low, guttural tone that was strangely intimidating.
Derek leaned back into his chair. "Close the door, Case."
Casey evil-eyed him.
"Close the door." He said again, but softly.
Casey obliged, sitting on his bed with a frown.
It was his turn to yell. "You missed my game. You know, the game you said you'd be at?"
Casey stared at him with her exhausted eyes. "I'm sorry Derek. I totally spaced. I was working on AP stuff for finals, the tests are coming up next week. God, I'm sorry."
Derek's strength weakened. Crap. He couldn't stay mad at her.
"You said you'd be there." This was slowly making Derek feel like the bad guy.
"I know," Casey whispered, "I'm sorry, I should have been."
"We won." He said simply.
"Good." She said softly, but he knew she was just saying that. She was already wrapped up in her little world of lists and homework.
Derek surrendered. "Visit me later?"
"I'll try."
She left quietly, and Derek sighed, heading to the bathroom. First, they were fighting so much, it threatened to end their relationship. Now Casey was so busy, she didn't even fight with him.
I will get her to take Friday night off, Derek vowed silently.
At that thought, Casey pushed the bathroom door open and slipped into the room with him. She locked the door.
"Need a study break?" Derek hinted.
"Yes." Casey sighed. "I really am sorry, Derek."
"I know," he said, kissing her. "You can make it up to me, though."
Casey wrinkled her nose. "You smell of sweat."
Derek rolled his eyes. "That usually follows physical activity, Miss Priss."
"Whatever. You still smell." She sniped.
"You're so damn moody, Case."
"I'm tired." She growled.
"You're the one who came in here!"
"You're not the one busting your ass trying to get into college, either!"
Derek sighed and rested his forehead against hers. "I'm trying, Case." He admitted in a whisper.
Casey sighed tiredly. "I know. We both knew this wasn't going to be easy."
They both stood in silence, their eyes conveniently distracted by something else than each other.
"Derek." Pause. "I love you."
"Love you too." He mumbled back.
Another pause followed.
"Good night."
Casey left. He ran the shower, stripping out of his clothes.
But right now she was so stressed with college and (though she didn't admit it) was worried about them, it was like worrying took up all her time, not their relationship.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
Casey sat on her bed, sighing. Her mother came in, sitting beside her.
Hesitantly she said, "Is everything all right?" Casey stared at her mother. For a second she wondered what her mother would say if she told her of Derek and their relationship.
Everything was not all right, but they were working through it. It was just tough. "Yeah, mom, everything's okay." She forced a smile onto her face.
Nora was smarter than that; she knew her daughter was lying. It was a boy, probably. She looked at her daughter, saw the array of college applications and scholarship letters.
Still, it was a boy. Nora knew this for a fact.
And she had the gnawing feeling it was Derek. And this time, it wasn't a prank. It was something different.
Nora stood up. "Okay, dear. Try to get some sleep."
She exited her room, and ran into Derek in the process.
Nora forced a smile on her face, this strange, strained smile. "Derek." She acknowledged, as if she didn't know her own stepson. Perhaps she didn't. Not at all.
"…Nora." Derek murmured uncertainly, before going into his room.
He could read her face. Nora was suspicious. It was only a matter of time.
Only a matter of time before things got worse.
"Crap." Derek sighed.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
It was a Friday. A glorious, wonderful Friday—one without the restrictions of hockey practice, or chores, or detention, or a grounding. He was free. And Casey would be spending it with him, whether she agreed or she had to drag her into the car; that girl was a walking disaster—not to mention he wanted a little bit of fun. In various ways, of course...
Derek dumped his stuff into his room, then barged into Casey's. she stirred from her slumer and peered at him through a mass of tangled dark hair. "Urgh." She moaned.
"Oh, look," Derek said cheerfully, "It's the creature from the black lagoon!"
Casey blew her hair out of her face—it didn't do much—and slumped back into her awkward position: one leg off the bed, arms sprawled out, her back arched. "What's up with you?" Casey sneered.
Derek sat next to her, a smirk quickly growing across his face. "Now, now, Princess. If you aren't nice, I won't give you the surprise I've set up for you."
"Does it involve you leaving?" Casey murmured.
Derek pushed her heavy hair back, stared into her face. "No, darling." He said in a sing-songy voice. "Quite the contrary."
"You aren't going to leave me alone, are you?" She groaned.
"Nope. Pack up, Princess. We're taking the weekend off."
"We're what?!" Casey screeched. "No! I have too much stuff to get done!"
He kissed her; a chaste kiss. "Mm. Compromise. We'll come back tomorrow instead of Sunday. Now pack up."
Casey sighed forlornly.
"You so don't appreciate me," Derek called back to her in falsetto.
She began to pack her things.
Derek smiled victoriously.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
"Do Mom and George know about this?" Casey asked uncertainly.
Derek ruffled her hair, popped in a CD, and started the car. "Don't worry your pretty little head. I've got it all handled."
Casey had to admit, it was nice to let someone else deal with the organization. Maybe Derek was right; maybe she did need a break.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"You'll see, Case." He said teasingly. "First, we're stopping at the grocery store to buy food that clogs our arteries and has, like, fifty million calories."
The store was bustling and Casey sighed wearily. She had to pretend again. That she wasn't dating Derek. "C'mon, babe. Junk food time!" he disappeared.
Babe. He had called her babe. And it wasn't even hidden in a joking or snide remark. It was just…babe. Her heart, admittedly, swelled, and she smiled.
She leapt after him. He was at the chips aisle, trying to choose from Cheetos Puffs and Sunchips.
"Sunchips. It's healthier." She said. He glanced at her—then glanced again. She was smiling. A real relaxed, happy smile. He raised a brow. That was a little odd, but then again, his Verturi charm was a gift.
"Cheetos it is," Derek said smugly. "Now to the candy aisle!"
"Get some Crunch bars," Casey called, and grabbed his hand.
He gave her a sidelong stare. Silly girl, he thought.
He squeezed her hand.
Ten candy bars, one bag of chips, two bags of cookies, and a six-pack of soda later, the two were ready to head out into a weekend of no restrictions.
"Der-ek!" Casey whined. "Where are we going?"
He ignored her. Twenty minutes later, the car jerked to a stop, and beside them stood a towering hotel.
"You took me to a hotel." She said flatly.
"Case, it's by Niagara Falls. You girls go crazy for that sort of thing."
"Niagara Falls? Really?" she squealed. "Ohmigod, I've never been here!"
He rolled his eyes. Precisely.
"Let's get our room first and then I'll take you there."
The skinny, stuffy guy at the reception desk eyed Derek as if he were gum on the back of his shoe. "We have no openings," He droned.
"Venturi." He said simply.
The man's eyes flickered to the list beside him, and he sighed, rolling his eyes. "Room seventeen." He handed him two card keys. They both picked up their stuff, headed to the elevator.
"Oh, kids," the man called out, "Please don't be too loud. There are some people who want to sleep."
Casey blushed and Derek glared. "You've messed with the wrong person, Ebenezer—your days are numbered here."
Casey knew it was an empty threat, and the man did too. "Have fun, kids." He said sweetly, before the elevator swallowed them up.
"God, what an ass." Derek griped, fuming.
"Are you implying you're gay?" Casey joked, punching him in the shoulder. Derek glared at her.
"Lighten up," she whispered in his ear, kissing his neck in the process, "Let's enjoy the time we have."
Derek's head lolled back.
"Case." He whispered.
"What?" She said, nuzzling his skin.
"The door's open. And little children are staring at us."
Casey whirled around, and indeed, two small children with tricycles stared at her, open mouthed.
"Er… Um…Bye!" Casey said, and dragged Derek along with her.
"We're going the wrong way." Derek muttered.
Casey dragged him the opposite way, and the two children stared at them again.
She shoved the card key in, and the door slammed shut.
"Casey, Casey, dear." Derek said in that sing-songy tone, "Who knew you had a dominative side?"
Babe. Casey smiled again.
"C'mere, you idiot." She said, digging her fingernails into his shirt and pulling him close, "I need to kiss you."
And kiss him she did.
o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o
A loud, shrill sound jolted Casey out of her pleasant half-slumber. "Derek," she whispered hoarsely, her lips still swollen and red, and the number of bruises on her neck still growing.
"Mm." Derek grunted in a whiny tone, "I'm comfortable." He said, snuggling into her breasts with a smile.
Casey rolled her eyes. She grabbed his cell off the beside table, answering it abruptly. "Yes?" she said, annoyed.
"Casey?! Where are you?!"
She swatted him on the head, shoving him off of her. "I thought you took care of it!"
Derek gave her a sheepish grin and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "White lie?"
Casey groaned and gave him the cell. "I'll be in the bathroom."
Derek waved her away. "Hey, Nora. What's up?"
"Where. Are. You?" Nora asked between gritted teeth.
"Oh. I took Space Case on a little adventure. Y'know. So she wouldn't drown in those books? We'll be back soon."
Nora sighed. "She has been working a lot. Still, it would have been nice to know, Derek."
"Sorry." He said, in that way that suggested he wasn't the least bit sorry.
"It's…all right, Derek. Just be careful. We'll talk about this later. Don't think you've wormed your way out of a punishment."
"Yes, ma'am," he said sarcastically. "See you later, Nora."
He ended the call.
Nora, on the other end, sighed worriedly. Yes, her daughter needed a break. But…alone? With Derek?
What have I done? Nora thought, feeling the stress run through her veins, God, I hope I don't regret this. God, I hope I'm wrong.
Derek, while annoyed and a little suspicious of Nora's attitude, pushed those thoughts aside.
"Case!" she poked her head out of the doorway.
"Yes?" she said flatly, still annoyed with him.
"I'm sorry I lied." He stretched out his arms, as though wanting to hold her.
She walked hesitantly toward him. There was a glint in his eye…
"TICKLE ATTACK!"
He crashed her into the soft mattress, and muffled her squeals with his lips.
Casey laughed breathlessly. "Derek?"
"Hmm?"
"Thanks for dragging me here."
"Anytime."