A/N-Check me out, updating for two challenges in one day! Who knows, maybe I'll even crank out some new chapters for the other stories! I'm feeling motivated! Unfortunately, not motivated enough to make this longer. It's the shortest entry I've had for this challenge, but it's okay. It's just a little introspective Derek, and he doesn't do long, in-depth thoughts really.

Disclaimer-I don't own Life with Derek, nor was any copyright infringement intended.

25. Water on Fire

Seeing them together was as weird as water on fire. I know that I should be used to it by now, but I just wasn't. I was getting there, slowly, but it would still probably take me a while.

It's just that, I dunno, he's so awkward. And not cool at all. Which was a surprise, because Emily was always such a little social climber. She strove to be one of the cool kids like none other. And then for her to date Sheldon, Sheldon Schlepper, just made no sense at all.

I guess he made her happy, but still. And, granted, he could be funny, but it seemed to mostly happen when he wasn't even trying.

Sometimes, though, he was just outright creepy. Like that thing he does, when he'll just suddenly be right there? Good Lord, who taught that boy how to sneak around, because they did way too good of a job. He's practically a ninja.

I guess the weirdest thing was that they got together after I had started liking her. She had like me for so long, and then, right as I started to catch on, she jumped ship. Bad timing on my part, I suppose.

She still looks at me like she might like me sometimes though. Which gives me hope. Granted, I'll never be as sweet as Sheldon is, but hey, you never know. She's still got that little social climber in there somewhere, so maybe I've still got a chance. Probably not though. Especially since Casey's started to look at me the same way, and I know Emily's loyal as hell and wouldn't do that to her.

I suppose being with Casey might not be too bad. I did have a thing for her for a while there, but she didn't seem to be into it. I guess we're just all stuck in this weird relationship thingy, not a triangle because there's too many of us, a square, maybe? Emily liked me, then stopped when I started to like her, I liked Casey, then stopped when she started to like me, and Sheldon's just in there for kicks. I still don't see how he fits in, but whatever. He makes Emily happy, so that's good, I guess.

Casey and I would probably end up self destructing though. Too much fighting. She's too picky, and I'm too lazy. Now that would really be like fire on water, eh? People would flip.

Maybe everything will work out, someday. Shouldn't be too worried about it right now anyways, right? We're still in high school, there's plenty of time. Maybe eventually the water will put out the fire and everything will go back to normal.

Till then, I'm just going to sit back and wonder, how the hell did Sheldon get Emily?