Clearing the Haze

Summary: Sam opens Dereks eyes to his ture feelings for Casey. Casey becomes spontaneous...

Casey went about the day as normal. She was trying her hardest to stay out of the haze that was creeping into her mind. Finally the last bell rang and she headed to her locker to grab her books for her homework.

Derek wanted to concentrate in class but it was hard. The emotions that he saw in Casey's eyes were confusing him. Did she really want him or did she just want to torture him? Why was he even thinking about it so much? This was Casey, she hated him, they always got into fights. Why now would she want him?

'There she is, what do I do? Do I walk over there and talk to her or just let it go? What the hell, I'm Derek Venturi, I don't back down, especially to a girl. I'm the man, I can talk to anyone...'

Casey felt his presence. He was across the hall, looking at her, she was positive. That's when the haze hit. 'Does he want me or did I see wrong? I've messed up too badly for him to want me. I'm not like those other bimbo's that he 'goes out with'.' Casey wasn't stupid, she knew Derek had friends of the female gender over late at night. Considering the close proximity of their rooms, she knew more than she wanted too. 'Is that jealousy, no it's not it's disgust right.? Right, disgust, disgusted that he can be so 'him', playboy extrordinaire, thinking he's God's gift to women. He's not!'

Casey turned around, she was right, he was watching her. Even with the mass amounts of students crowding between them she could tell something was consuming his mind. That was the problem between the two of them, their eyes told too much. She would have been safe earlier today if her mind was clear and her eyes were silent. Even when they fought, screaming and yelling at each other, their eyes battled as well.

'It's happening again. How does she do it? ' The crowd slowed and quieted, they were the only two that existed.

"Casey,"

"Huh," Casey turned to face Emily who was on her other side.

"What's with you, you've been out of it since lunch?"

"No I haven't, I'm fine."

"Casey."

"Em, I'm fine okay. Let's go before we miss the bus."

The two girls closed their lockers and headed out the front towards the bus.

"Damn it!"

"Whoa Derek, what happened to you today?" Sam had saw the girls leaving and his friend standing next to his locker staring in their direction.

"Nothing, I'm fine." Derek turned and opened his locker.

"Lying is only going to hurt yourself man. "

Derek looked at his friend questioningly. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Dude, she gets to you."

"Gets to me?"

"Yeah, she gets to you." Derek was still confused, 'what the hell is Sam going on about?'

"Since she has moved in she has had you wrapped around her finger."

"What the hell? Dude, she hates me, and we fight constantly. You've seen them, they're bad."

Sam looked at his friend, how could Derek not see it. His friend may not do well in school but he didn't think he was this oblivious. "Casey is the only girl you think you can't have, and that pisses you off. She can counter everything you throw at her, and she has never backed down to you, or fallen into your arms and begged you to be her knight in shining armor. Casey is a challenge and you, Derek, love a challenge."

Derek though about these words the whole way home, he had just caught the bus before it left. 'I can't have Casey, can I? How the hell does Sam know so much? I'm glad to have a best friend like him, if it weren't for him I wouldn't be this confused. He's right though, Casey is my only challenge. I love that she challenges me, no one else does. Does she have to be so enticing, I've never seen her do anything like this to anyone else. Does that make me a worthy pursuit or opponent?'

'Derek is sitting a few seats up, I don't think he notices me sitting back here. Emily's talking to Craig, he goes to Degrassi Comm. School. I've only met him once, he's an old friend of Derek and Emily's but he moved long before I came into the picture.

'Derek's eyes are hazy, I wonder what's on his mind. Is it me? I'm starting to like that face, it suits him. It makes him seem real, not like a 'celebrity' or 'king of the school'. That's the real Derek Venturi, confused about how he fits into the tangled web I've woven, the one where I have lost myself and true purpose. I only wanted to make him see me, not look down upon me and think of me as his evil step-sister that has intruded into his happy little home. Somewhere along the line I lost the control and the mission changed.

'The fighting was my way to make him see me, hear me out. But now I do it because, well it get's me off, the excitement, the fury, and especially the passion. It was suppose to be a game, and I wasn't supposed to get caught in it.'

The three of them get off the bus and go into there respective residence. Casey and Derek don't look at each other, both have things running through their minds that hold their attention. Derek goes to the kitchen for food and Casey goes to her room to work on some homework before she get's ready for the dance.

Casey looked at her clock next to her bed, it was almost 7 o'clock, she should go get ready to go. She grabbed her clothes and make-up and headed to the single bathroom that all the kids shared. Her mind was still hazy, in fact she hadn't gotten very much homework done because of it.

Derek was tired of watching t.v., he went up stairs to get ready for the dance. Coach Conrad had given the whole team the night off, he wanted them to attend, you know to show that the jocks weren't jocks all the time. And the big game was this Sunday and he wanted the publicity for the team and the hype to get more students and families to attend.

As Derek was walking out of his room with his clothes he bumped into someone that was also heading into the bathroom.

Both looked up to see those eyes that never shut up, that told too many secrets. During the collision clothes were scattered. They both bent down to pick-up the clothes and their heads collided.

"Ouch!"

"Ouch!"

There eyes met and they couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey don't laugh at me." Casey pushed Derek and he lost his balance and fell over backwards.

"Hey, what are you pushing for. That's not fair, whose to say I was laughing at you?"

"Are you trying to say you weren't?"

"No, of course I was laughing at you," Derek sat up and pushed her over. "That doesn't mean you have to push me."

Casey was a little quicker than Derek though, although recently he had learned not to underestimate her. She grabbed his arms, but still lost her balance and brought him down with her.

Derek landed on her, uncomfortably. Their laughing stopped when their eyes met, there was no mistaking that look, both had it. Derek took his chances, what's the worse she could do, push him away. He was heavier than her and he wouldn't go too far.

Casey saw that contemplating look in his eyes. She had never been spontaneous, why not start now. Her arm snaked around his neck, before Derek could say anything, or move. Not like he would move anyway. Casey brought his face towards her and their lips crashed against each other.

Derek's mind immediately cleared and he knew exactly what he wanted. When they separated, their eyes stared. Casey saw everything change, he wanted her and she didn't know if she could handle it.

Casey pushed him off, gathered her clothes and darted into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

Derek sat on the floor with a smile on his face, he knew what he wanted but how was he going to pull it off.