Now, of course I wasn't actually thinking of killing myself, but it sounded like the best thing to say to a guy who threatened to stalk you. It sounded better than a complete surrender. Honestly, I had thoughts of running into Derek's arms and pretending that I was happy with him. However, me being the Casey that I am, I could never do something so totally against what I was feeling. I didn't know what I was feeling. It was a rush unlike any other to tell Max off, but now I had to face everything else in the world. What had I done when I broke down in front of Sam? Had I meant it? I know I'd been extremely emotional at the time, but was there any truth behind it? I shook my head.

"No," I assured myself defiantly. "My feelings for Derek are as they've always been. Cats and dogs." After a few more sentences with odd similarities, I found myself ready to return home. Ready to face Derek (and/or any other Dasey fan in her way).

"Casey, where have you been?" Mom asked worriedly the moment I walked in the door. As she took in my appearance, I knew I had to think quickly.

"I went over to Kendra's…to talk about everything with Max and all. Obviously, I ran into some sprinklers on my way," I lied. "I meant to call you, but my cell died and her dad was waiting for a call and I didn't think I'd be out this late." I looked to Mom for her approval.

"I was just so worried," she admitted. "And when Derek said you might've run off with Noel for revenge on Max, my heart just stopped."

"And you believed him?" I questioned angrily, completely mortified that she'd taken what'd he'd suggested as a possibility.

"Well, you hadn't called, and you were at Emily's. I would've believed Marti if she'd said you went to the moon." I couldn't help but smile at this thought. "Derek was really worried," she continued. "He's still up in his room staring at the wall." A sudden look of shock came to her face. "Oh! I should tell George not to call the police." I nodded happily in agreement. This was what I wanted. One, big, happy family. And there was only one thing getting in the way of that.

"Getting bored yet?" Derek stood upright.

"What do you want?" he inquired angrily as I entered the room, shutting the door behind me. One of his eyebrows shot up.

"It's nothing like that," I assured him. "I just need to discuss some of the things that happened at the park with you."

"Discuss…?"

"Yeah, I just think we need to talk it through."

"Oh, yah do? Do yah?" His sarcastic tone was starting to bother me, but I held my temper.

"I do."

"Well there's really nothing to talk about. Either you've come to tell me that you think we're meant to be together, or you're still an idiot."

"Derek, we're stepsiblings-"

"See, you wanna "discuss" this, Casey, but it's more like you telling me what you want!"

"No, that's not-"

"But, it is, Casey! It is! You don't realize my feelings! I can't just pretend that they don't exist!"

"I'm not asking you to,"

"Yes, you are!" he snapped. "You say that we're stepsiblings as if it solves everything! It solves nothing! It just let's you pretend things are perfect for a little bit longer! Casey, I can't just pretend that I don't have feelings for you anymore!" I turned to leave, but he grabbed my wrist. "So I have to sit here and listen to all that crap but you can leave whenever you hear something you don't like? You're such a hypocrite, Casey." He let go of me.

"I'm the hypocrite?" I questioned. "You're the one who acts like he hates me in front of everyone, then pulls a confession out of his butt! You're the one who says he wants me to be happy, but won't let me be! You're the one who sent Edwin to the pool to threaten me!

"What?" he asked, eyes widened.

"And you deny it! And yet you call me a hypocrite?" Derek shook his head in frustration.

"Just admit that you don't know what you want, Casey!"

"Gladly!" I shouted. "I don't know what I want, but I know what I don't want!"

"Let me guess, you're gonna make a speech trying to convince me about why we shouldn't be together!"

"No, Derek, I think even you have the common sense to know the answer to that."

"But that doesn't stop me!"

"You're just idiotically persistent!"

"Love knows no bounds!"

"We're in high school," I commented. "We don't know what love is."

"But I do, Casey. I knew it from the moment we kissed."

"That was lust, Derek." Before I couldn't continued, I was up against his wall. His lips were upon mine.

When he pulled away, he asked. "Was that lust?"