A/N: Last one I have written for now.. But I am working on Chapter 22 as we speak.

Chapter Twenty-One Summery: Casey breaks it off with Trevor. She decides to have a nice night out with Grace but realizes that the night brings anything but fun.

Chapter Twenty-One

"Friends?" Trevor asked.

Casey tried to hold a smile. "I think its better that way."

"I think so too," Trevor said.

"Yeah?" she asked, leaning forward in her chair.

"Yeah," he assured her.

"Thank goodness," Casey sighed. "I don't want us to be weird but I just think we're not meant to be a couple."

Trevor nodded. "I think you're right."

"Okay, well, I'm going to go," Casey said, standing up. "I'll see you tomorrow."

She walked out of the empty classroom and into the empty hallway. He had come to get her after class and she asked him to stay. She was glad he took it all so well. He must have realized the same thing she had.

Before leaving she grabbed her coat out of her locker and dropped off a couple books. Then she started her walk home alone. Outside it was freezing cold. She hugged her coat around her. She hated when she missed the school bus but she figured that she would want the fresh air after her talk with Trevor. But now having had the conversation, it looked as though the long walk and freezing cold fresh air wasn't actually needed.

When she arrived home it was around four o'clock. Nora was home early preparing dinner in the kitchen. She shut the door as quietly as possible, not wanting anyone to know she was getting in. She took off her coat and hung it on the coat hook before tip toeing up the stairs to her room.

"Grace called for you," Edwin said as she passed him in the hallway.

Casey grabbed the phone off the receiver and started dialing Grace's number. She went into her room and dropped her bag onto the floor. As she waited for Grace at to answer she kicked off her shoes and looked for something more comfortable to wear around the house.

"Hello, most amazing girl in the world speaking," Grace answered, obviously knowing it had to be Casey on the line.

"I wouldn't go that far," Casey joked.

"You talk to Trevor?" Grace asked.

Casey laid on her bed. "Yeah. It went pretty well. We agreed that being friends would be best."

"Did you tell Derek?" Grace said.

Casey let out a long sigh. "No." She sat up. "And I'm not going to tell him. It doesn't matter. I don't have to tell him. What difference would it make? He's still my step-brother, he'll still sleep in the room next to mine, he'll still be Derek. My relationship status with other boys, won't change my relationship status with him."

Grace was silent for a moment and Casey waited for her response. Part of her hoped that Grace would try and convince her to not give up but the other part of her wanted Grace to agree completely with her. She wasn't sure which part she wanted more.

"Do you remember when we were younger, every Wednesday night we would get together and watch Dawson's Creek?" Grace asked but didn't wait for a response. "You were all for Pacey and Joey getting together. I remember you saying that you wanted a Pacey when you get older. You can always tell what your ideal relationship will be by the relationships you 'ship' as its called. Well, the reason why I am pushing the whole Derek thing is because its ideal for you. You argue and bicker and flirt constantly. Its almost heartbreaking that you haven't realized he's your Pacey. I mean, minus the vocabulary lessons and gay best friend and a creek, you've got your little Wednesday night show."

Casey staid quiet now. She let out a long sigh.

"I'll talk to you later," Casey said, barely audible, and hung up the phone.

She laid back down and looked up at the ceiling. Grace knew exactly how to put things in the most cheesiest of ways. She was amazing like that. They did argue an awful lot with the obvious sweet moments. It was fully noted now that they cared a lot for each other.

Somewhere along the way she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew she was opening her eyes to the sound of knocking. She looked around a little confused. Her room was dark. She had never turned the light on when she got home. She climbed to her feet and opened the door, squinting at the light from the hallway.

"Dinner," Derek said.

Casey leaned against the door as she held it open. "I'm not really hungry. I'll pass."

"Are you still feeling sick?" he asked.

Casey smiled softly. "No, no, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired."

"Alright," he said, turning and heading back down the stairs.

Casey waited a moment, staring where she had last seen him. She closed the door and turned on her light. She sat down at her computer. Grace had sent her an instant message an hour before telling her that the Winter Formal theme song was "Have a Little Faith in Me" and that she wished it wasn't the Mandy Moore version. Casey smiled and rolled her eyes.

Casey: I think I'll go to the dance.

Grace: Seriously?

Casey: Yeah, I'll be going stag but it may be fun.

Grace: It'll be so much fun!

Casey: I just need a dress.

Grace: Come over right now.

Casey bit the inside of her lip. She had already avoided dinner, how could she possibly get past them without a really good excuse. Nora would most likely get all upset that Casey ditched dinner to hang out with Grace.

Casey: Be there in a bit.

She put her shoes on quickly. Then she went downstairs where everyone was sitting at the table. They all turned when they heard her come down.

"You decided to join us?" Nora asked.

"I can't," Casey told her. "I totally forgot about this English assignment. I've got to run to the library before it closes and get a book." She grabbed her coat off the hook. "I'll be back in a little bit."

With that she walked out of the house. The night was absolutely freezing. She pulled her coat on as fast as she could. She wanted to go back in and grab her scarf but decided against it. There was a reason she left in such a hurry. If she went back in she would be subjected to questioning.

Not to much later she arrived at Grace's house. She was outside for some odd reason. As Grace walked up the walkway she noticed that Grace was holding something in her hand.

"Car keys?" Casey asked.

"We're going shopping," Grace said, holding up her mother's credit card.

Casey shook her head. "You only have a learners permit."

"And what more of a reason to learn," Grace explained. "Come on. Mom said its fine."

Casey watched as Grace rushed past her to the car parked in the street. She hesitated but ignored her gut and followed. Grace started the car and turned on the heat immediately. Cold air came out at first but at the engine heated up, the air turned warm. Casey put her hands over the vent to warm them up a bit.

Grace pulled onto the road. "I was thinking I would get something tight and red. That'll drive Josh crazy. We all know you'll get something pink."

"There's nothing wrong with pink," Casey laughed.

"No, no there's not," Grace agreed. "But I'm beginning to think you don't realize there's any other color."

Casey rolled her eyes still smiling. A couple minutes later they pulled into the mall parking lot. Grace picked the closest spot to the doors. The hurried into the warm building after she parked. Grace grabbed Casey by the wrist and dragged her into the first dress store she saw.

"I saw a dress here the other day," Grace explained.

Casey strayed away from her, looking at a couple racks as Grace dug for the one she wanted. She pulled out this one soft pink dress. It was medieval looking, very classy. She put it in front of her and glanced at herself in the closest mirror. She would look really nice in it. She looked at the size. It was a little to big for her so she started to look for one in a smaller size.

"Found it!" Grace called. "And in my size."

Casey laughed a little as Grace rushed for a fitting room. She continued her own search, finally finding it on another rack in her size. Then she herself headed for the fitting room. Grace was coming out as she entered. She looked stunning. The dress was a thin layer of silk and another layer of sheer red with sparkles on it, not right for the winter, but completely Grace. She adjusted the thin straps on her shoulder and smoothed it over her stomach.

"What do you think?" she asked, spinning in a circle.

"Josh will certainly go crazy," Casey smiled.

She dunked into a fitting room and tried on her own dress. It fit perfectly. It flowed from her waist down to the floor. The top had a corset appeal to it and the sleeves hung off her shoulder a bit to reveal a nice neck line. She walked out into the main fitting room where Grace stood, back in her clothes.

"Wow," Grace said. "You're breathtaking. You're getting it."

"Its only the first dress I tried on," Casey said.

Grace smiled. "And you look amazing. Don't press your luck."

"Alright, this dress it is," Casey said, turning back around to change back.

When she came back out Grace grabbed the dress and rushed to pay for it. Casey didn't bother to argue. Grace's mom must have made her mad in some sort of way. She knew that she didn't allow Grace to drive that car and she knew that she didn't hand Grace her credit card. They were in some argument and Grace was just trying to get her back in some sort of way.

She began looking around at the other dresses. Grace was absolutely right. The dress she chose was the one for her because she couldn't see herself in any other one. She looked over at the register where Grace was taking two bags off the counter. She waved for Casey and they went back out into the mall.

"Here's yours," Grace said, handing her a bag.

"Thanks," Casey smiled. "I told my mom I went to the library and I'm coming home with a dress."

"We'll need some accessories," Grace said. "Like hair stuff and jewelry."

"Don't you think you're pressing it," Casey noted.

Grace shook her head. "I could never."

Casey followed her from store to store. Grace bought at least one thing from every store she entered. If Casey refused something, Grace would buy it for her anyway. She seemed kind of out of it. Casey tried to stay as close to her as possible. She knew something was so obviously wrong with her best friend and she wished nothing more then to know what.

Knowing Grace she would tell her later. She just needed some time to cool off. Unlike Casey, Grace liked to keep things inside until it passed, once she could think clearly on the situation. It had always bothered Casey when they were younger. Casey always wanted to help her and hated it when Grace would turn her down. But as time went on, Casey learned to deal with it and become more understanding.

Grace didn't give a second thought to any purchase she made until the card was finally declined. She smiled at the cashier before shrugging and exiting the store, Casey on her heals.

"Ready to go?" Grace asked.

Casey nodded. "Sure."

Grace shuffled the bags in her hands, trying to hold them more comfortably. Casey watched from behind her. She watched as Grace stumbled a bit, practically running into someone. Once outside they tossed their bags into the trunk of the car and climbed inside.

"That one necklace I got for you will look perfect with that dress," Grace said as she pulled onto the road. "We'll hot curler your hair and then put those clips in it. You'll look stunning."

Casey smiled. "Its not like I'm impressing anyone."

"Please," Grace laughed. "One look at you and Derek won't be able to refuse. He'll leave that Emily girl in a heartbeat."

"Watch the road," Casey said.

Grace swerved a little. "Right, right."

Casey felt a little uneasy. She was actually starting to regret going with her. Grace swerved on more time into the next lane but quickly came back into theirs.

"Grace, have you been drinking?" Casey asked.

Grace smiled. "You caught me."

"You should pull over," Casey said.

"And what? Let you drive?" Grace asked. "You don't even have a learners permit. We're fine."

Suddenly the car swerved again onto the sidewalk. Grace hit the breaks so the car skidded and then hit a telephone pole.