Darn That Thin Line

Summary: The story comes out about Derek's little mishap and it changes a little along the way. Casey and Derek see how thin their love hate relationship is andfinally realize how far they've gone but whose fault is it?

"Venturi, your late. Take a seat."

"Sorry Mr. Chang." Derek took a seat in the back. It just so happen that two girls that were father fond of him were seated on either side of him.

"Oh my God, Derek, what happened to your face?" The blonde on his right asked with concern.

"It's nothing."

"That's not nothing, Derek. Did you get hurt at hockey practice?" The brunette on the left questioned.

"No, it's nothing really." Derek didn't want to be rude but these chicks were really irritating him. He didn't want to talk about how he got roughed-up by his 16 year old stepsister and his 6 year old baby sister.

"Venturi, would you please tell us what is so interesting that you have to interrupt my teaching, wasn't it enough that you were late for class?"

"I'm sorry Mr. Chang, it won't happen again."

"Of course it won't but since class has stopped just for you please inform us on your conversation."

"I'd rather not sir."

"Sir, Derek won't tell us how he got hurt. Look at his face, I think hockey is becoming too rough of a sport, don't you?"

Derek couldn't help but to give the blonde a look, 'Hockey too rough, is she nuts. That's the only reason to play.'

"So Derek, what little mishap have you gotten into?"

Everyone in the room turned with expectant eyes to see just what happened to the Great Derek Venturi. He really didn't want to tell them but he did want them off his back.

"I pissed off my sisters, okay."

"Your 'sisters', you mean your step-mom's kids right?"A fellow hockey teammate asked.

"No just Casey and my little sister Marti."

"What happened Derek, was it an accident?" 'Gees what's with these chicks and questions?'

"Uh..." Derek looked at his teacher for an out, but that wasn't going to happen. Mr. Chang nodded for him to continue. "I bugged Casey while she was watching some 80's movie."

"Which movie?" the blonde asked.

"Does it matter it was just a movie, right Derek?" the teammate, Brian asked.

"It was Sixteen Candles. Ouch!" the brunette smacked him in the arm. "What the hell was that for?"

"Isn't today her birthday?" Derek nodded his head.

"Ouch! What the Hell?" this time the blonde hit him on the other side.

"You don't ruin that movie, especially if it's watched just before a birthday, you idiot." the brunette turned back to face the front of the class.

Some of the guys in the class laughed as he took the beatings from the girls, Derek was too cool to hit back. "Casey broke your nose I'm guessing?" Brian stated.

Derek nodded.

"I never thought she had it in her, but that still doesn't explain the bruise on you cheek."

"My sister Marti had the same reaction as these two, but better aim." Derek smirked and the rest of the class laughed along, even Mr. Chang.

"Class, let's get back on topic. Can anyone tell me the two opposing themes in the prose assignment last night?"

Class went on as usual and Derek was happy to get out of that room when the bell rang. For some reason the room got very cold after the little attack from the two girls.

All day Derek heard people whispering as he walked by, it didn't bother him but the things they were saying were so ridicules

"Look there's Derek. I heard his sisters ganged up on him and beat the crap out of him."

"His face is the only thing that looks damaged."

"His clothes must be covering the other bruises."

This only made him laugh. His sisters did not gang up on him. If anything, and he hated to admit this but, they taught him a lesson. 'Don't mess with a girl while they're watching Sixteen Candles', it's like saying 'come beat my face up'.

Casey's day was going great until she had a close encounter of the Freshie kind.

"Hi Casey."

"Dodge."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." 'Hopefully one-word answers will make him go away.'

"Did you really beat the shit out of Derek? Because if you did I would like to ask you to go out with me."

"What!"

"Derek is scary and..."

"You want protection from my brother? You think that me hitting him makes me bigger and badder than him?"

"Umm... yes."

"Your such a dork." Casey didn't realize she was yelling at him and that everyone in the café was looking at her. "You are asking a girl to protect you from what..Derek Venturi. Oh please, that is so pathetic. How dare you ask that, not only would I rather him beat you up for being such a over-confident terd, I wouldn't protect you for nothing. In fact as of right now I am the one person you don't want to mess with. So don't ask me out, ask for protection, nothing. I'm tired of you, you cheesy Freshman. The only person your gonna need protection from is me, now Beat it Dodge Ball!"

"Umm Casey?"

"Yes Emily?"

"I think you should sit down."

"Why?" Casey heard the clapping. She looked up to see everyone's eyes on her and Derek standing ten feet in front of her. She realized she was yelling and everyone heard, including him.

He had that smirk on his face, the one that earned him a broken nose in the first place. She looked him right in the eyes, 'Yup Casey, you blew it. And in front of everyone. That smirk shouldn't be there. I can't stand this.' Eyes still locked, she walked right up to him and raised her hand. Casey intended to get rid of that smirk, but Derek caught her hand.

The other students faded away and it was just the two of them. No more oohs and ahhs from peers that thought she was going to hurt him again. Silence, except for their beating hearts that seemed louder that a roaring engine.

All alone, entrapped by the others eyes, their true feelings boiled to the surface. Casey saw everything in his eyes, His love, lust and hatred for her. Derek read anger, want, need across her face.

'I'm sorry'

Casey's hand was dropped and within seconds she was through the doors and gone. Derek stood there, knowing his peers were all around him, but that didn't matter, everything was different now.