I'M JUST SIMPLY BETTER

Chapter fourteen

Tatooed Mistakes

" Hurry up Casey," I shouted into the girls bathroom." I wan't to get home and work on my look!" I spoke. I looked above the lockers at the big clock on the wall. Hmm. We still had plenty of time before the talent show. Still, either way I hate being with in perimeter of the school when I didn't half to.

How long does it take a girl to pee any way? I began tapping my foot growing impatient. All the halls were empty. It was spooky, and was making me nervous.

" Hey Derek, what are doing here after school hours?" I quickly turned to my left, slightly startled, to see Brendon standing there. I arched an eyebrow.

" Uh my girlfriend's in the bathroom. Wait, why are you here?" I asked him. Brendon let out a shrug.

" I was setting my band equipment up in the theater," He spoke. I looked away not in the mood to bicker. I guess he wasn't in the mood either, considering on how awkwardly quiet it just grew.

" So," He Finly broke the silents. I looked back over at him." Me and my band mates are going down to Pleasure and Pain before the show tonight. Want to tag along?" He asked me. Pssh no.

" Well..." I hesitated.

" Oh come on. Don't worry we don't half to get a tattoo or pricing. One of my band mates just want's his ear priced before the show." He said.

" I don't think so," I spoke." I think Casey gets queazy at that kind of thing." I made something up, on the spot.

" Sooo," Brendon whispered gazing up and down the hall, like he was making sure nobody was listening." Just ditch her!" He spoke. I slightly widened my eyes.

" Nah..." I shook my head. Casey would kill me.

" Oh come on dude! Don't be a pansy ass!" What did he just call me? Ok it's on. I lowered my eye lids, in a challenging way.

" Ok...fine." I crossed my arms. Brendon laughed.

" Great, come on! The guys are out in the van waiting." He spoke starting to walk off. I fallowed him. Casey will understand right? I mean the whole point is to take Brendon down, no matter the cost. She gets that. Right?

I fallowed Brendon out into the parking lot. " Over here Dere." Brendon motioned is hand towards a big black van with red flames around it. It kinda looked like something from the 70's. It was cool though...not that I would admit it aloud.

Brendon pulled the big van's sliding door open and climbed in. " Come on." He said sitting in the floor beside the two middle seats. I climbed in and sat in the first seat I came to. I slammed the door shut.

" Guy's this is Derek," Brendon spoke." Derek these are the guys. That's Butch our head guitar player..." He pointed to the guy in the drivers seat. He had long brown hair that came a little past his shoulder with a backward baseball cap on.

" Sup man." His voice was smooth and smokey. He had an accent of a hippy. I would have sworn it was Chong if I hadn't saw his face. I gave him a what's up nod.

" That right there is Billy our bassist" Brendon pointed to the guy in the passengers seat. I think I had third period with that guy. He had shaggy blonde hair with black at the tip.

" Hey man." He said. His voice was preppy and cheery.

" And this is Jayden, our drummer ," Brendon finished. He had jet black hair, witch fell in his eyes." He's the one hoping to get his ear pierced." He spoke.

" Hey." Jayden said. I gave him a short friendly grin. I didn't really half to talk on the way there, on a count of there music was blasted so loud, I heard a ringing in my ears when there turned it off. The one known as Butch parked the car, and took out his keys.

" Here we are Jay." He spoke climbing out of the car. I quickly jumped out of the van, fallowed by Brendon and Jayden. We all walked into the building of the tattoo shop. Inside it was decorated with mid evil things. Like fake stone walls, plastic torches, and a bunch of other stuff.

I fallowed every body into a room off to the side.

" Oh hey guys." Said a big muscular man sitting in a stool, beside a bed like chair. He was covered in tattoos and piercings. He was also bald...

" Hey J man!" Brendon greeted a bit showy offy. The big guy stood up. Can you say tall! He stood ten friggon feet tall! Ok not really...but he was tall.

" Ready Jayden?" He spoke rubbing his hands together. Obviously they had been here a day earlier.

" Yup." Jayden spoke walking over, and sitting in the bed/chair.

" Are you sure you just want your ear done?" The big guy asked him. Jayden didn't really answer.

" Hey I got a great Idea," Brendon shouted." We should all get matching piercings." He smiled. What?! No way!

" Great idea dude!" Butch nodded laughing. No!

" Um I don't think I"-

" Wait," Brendon interrupted me. " Or better yet! Matching tattoos!" WHAT?! No way was I getting a tattoo!!!!

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three hours later.

I laid in my bed moaning in pain. I can't believe I-

" Derek Venturi," I heard Casey burst threw my door." I can't believe you!" She yelled starting to paste my room.

" Casey I-"

" No Derek," She interrupted." How could you ditch me like that? I came out of the bathroom worried sick when you were not there! So what did I do? I spent three hours looking for you around the school! And when I couldn't find you, I decided I would go tell mom and Gorge! But as soon as I got out to our car I remembered you have the keys to our locked vehicle!!!! So not only did I half to walk home worried sick, I almost got killed by a mad squirrel on the way!" She screamed.

" Casey!" I spoke standing up. I grabbed her shoulders to make her stop pasting around the room. Casey looked at me pausing. Suddenly her eyes grew wide.

" Oh my God," She covered her mouth as she looked at my lip. " Derek when did you-...how did you-...Where did-...Mom and Gorge are going to kill you!" She stammered. I nodded rolling my eyes, as I walked over to my mirror.

" What, you think I don't know that?" I stated the obvious.

" Derek what would posses you to get your lip pierced?" Casey asked.

" It's all Brendon's fault," I turned away from the mirror." Damn this thing is killing me." I murmured to myself.

" Derek you do know you won't be able to cover that up?" Casey asked.

" Yeah but I could just take it out. The lip ring's not the problem." I told her.

" Huh?" Casey arched an eyebrow. I rolled my eyes at her. I lifted up my wrist band, to hear Casey gasp.

" YOU GOT A TATTOO?" She screamed. I quickly covered her mouth.

" Shhhhh," I said." If my dad finds out, I'm dead!" I told her letting my hand fall.

" What the heck is that thing any way?" She yelled looking at it.

" It's a heart grenade! And it really hurts!" I began blowing on it. Honestly when I got it done, I almost cried. It wasn't even that big. About and inch long, and an inch wide.

" Derek I am so mad at you right now!" Casey yelled.

" Casey please don't yell," I begged." I already feel bad! Look I'm sorry. I really, really am. Just please tell me you're still doing the show tonight?" I went to bite my lip, but then stopped remembering.

" Oh I'm playing that show! It's become personal now! But that doesn't mean I half to talk to you during it." She yelled.

" Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I said in relief.

" Whatever! Just meat me at the school in an hour. I ridding with Emily." She spoke attempting to walk out of the room.

" Oh come on Case," I blocked her path to the door." You can't possible be mad at me. Who was the one who said 'let's take Brendon down no matter the cost'?" I crossed my arms.

" Well I didn't mean for you to ditch me after all I've done for you!" She yelled.

" What you've done for me? What about what I've done for you! I took care of you when Brendon spiked you're drink! I forgave you when you almost killed Haylie with a paint ball gun! And that's not mentioning all the details I have done for your sorry ass!" I screamed getting a little carried away. Casey's face fell as she took a step back.

" Derek," Casey spoke smoothly." I'll meet you there." She rolled her eyes, shoving her shoulder into mine as she walked out my door.

I sighed rubbing my forehead.

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" Derek! I'm talking to you!" Ralph interrupted my thoughts. I shook my head realizing I was lost in my own world.

" I said where's your girlfriend?" Ralph asked me. I took a peek from behind the curtain, scanning the crowed. I let out a heavy sigh.

" I don't think Casey's coming Ralph." I admitted. I turned to see Ralph and Sam's jaw to the floor.

" Here they are guys," I heard a voice that sounded like nails on a chalk board. " Hey Derek! We was looking for you dude." Brendon spoke as his band walked up towards me.

" Hey have you guys seen Casey?" Sam asked right off.

" Why can you not find her? Didn't she ride with you here?" Brendon asked.

"Actually she said she was ridding with Emily." I told him.

" Well she must be here because I just saw Emily by the doors." He surprisingly helped.

" Ok how about we split up and look for her?" Ralph suggested. Everybody seemed to be ok with the plan.

" Great idea," Brendon turned to his band mates. " Ok guys we have plenty of time before Derek's band goes on. But still try and find Casey as fast as possible. Ready? Break." And with that everybody was off."

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Casey's point of view (That's a first)

I sat in the floor of the girls bathroom. At the school that is. I wonder if Derek noticed I'm late yet. I could be laying in a ditch dead for all he knows. Like he would care. He would just be upset his dumb band didn't get to play tonight. Well he and his band can just drop the frigg dead.

After all I've done how can Derek still be acting like this? It's like he's a permanent jackass. Brendon hardly matters any more. Ok maybe he does. All guys are jerks! And to think I was starting to fall for Derek. Turns out his charm wares off!

I'll show him what it feels like to give and give, then just get crap back! I'll show him what it's like to hurt!

" Casey? Are you in here?" I heard a unexspected voice say. I looked up to see Brendon walking into the girls bathroom.

" There you are," He smiled walking over to me. " I was worried sick." I arched an eyebrow at him. He leant his hand out for me to take.

" W...what do you want?" I asked. It was the only thing I was able to spit out.

" Come on Casey! I don't bite. Now you're going to be on before long so lets go get cleaned up." He told me. I decided to let him help me up.

" I don't need your concern thank you! I already have a boyfriend." I started to walk past him.

" Oh come on Casey." He spoke fallowing me out of the bathroom and into the empty halls.

" Leave me alone." I told him.

" Casey," Brendon paused." I'm sorry." He spoke. My walk slowly came to a stop. I turned to face Brendon in shock.

" W-what?" I asked in a soft voice.

" Can we go for a walk?" He asked. I shook my head no. He nodded understanding.

" Look Casey," He sighed." I'm sorry for being such a jerk. It's just every time I look at you I...You're just so beautiful." He sat down against a locker on the floor.

" I have to be honest. I never wanted to move to Rome in the first place," I sat down beside him. I really had to hear this load of crap he was about to tell me." Casey I know it seems like I'm a jerk to Derek. But I just can't help it. He has the perfect life." He sighed.

" But that's not why I'm a jerk to him. When I use to live here in Canada me and Derek were the best of friends. Until one day I met this girl. She was perfect. Everything I ever dreamed about. I treated her like a goddess. I loved her. So much. So so much." He paused starring into space.

" One day I decided to go over to Derek's house. And when I went up to his room I found him kissing a girl. Not just any girl. My girl. My goddess." He sounded slightly corny. But I couldn't help but wonder if this was all true.

" I was heartbroken. So I moved with my Dad in Rome. Once my heart healed and I got over how my girlfriend cheated on me with my best friend, I decided to move back. Then once I came back I made an oath to never fall in love again. But then I saw you from across the hall. You looked just like angel. And I couldn't help myself. And before I even got a chance to hear your heavenly voice, Derek tells me you guys are dating." He bowed his head.

I'm an angel? But he...and he's a...and I...but Derek...this can't be true!

" Casey," Brendon looked up into my eyes." I have to admit to something. I've been trying to sabotage Derek and your relationship. Casey I've seen how Derek treats girls. You deserve so much better then that." He spoke. I sat in compleat shock, starring back at his face.

" Casey," I quickly stood up when I heard Derek's voice. Derek noticed Brendon sitting on the floor next to me. " W...what's going on?" He asked. I shot Brendon a quick glance.

" Nothing." I replied. Suddenly silents fell.

" There you are Brendon," Some guy came running up to all of us." Come on dude were on!" He spoke heavily panting. Brendon quickly stood up.

" Dang it! Hurry lets go Billy!" He spoke before they ran off towards the gym. I looked at Derek who was completely puzzled.

" Were you just having a conversation with my arch enemy?" Derek asked. I didn't reply.

" Derek, Casey! Come on Brendon's band is on!" Sam spoke running up to us. Me and Derek exchanged a long look before fallowing Sam into the gym.

I wonder if that's all true? Who's side have I been on all this time? The good guy or the bad guy's? Is Derek the true jerk after all, and Brendon and I, are just victims? Or was Brendon just lying to try and screw things up again...

Boy did it take forever to write that. Can you believe Derek got his lip pirced AND a tatoo!?!?!?! And how about the way he talked to Casey? Sorry but Derek was acting really mean to her! Shame on him for ditching Casey. Poor her. And could you believe Brendon!?!?! I wonder if he's lying. Is he? Don't be so sure about yourself. But Derek's the good guy here right? Right?

I need song sugestions on what song Brendon's band plays! I already know what song D-rock with be singing tho. Thanx 4 reviewing! Keep 'em coming plz!