AN: Thank you so much for the reviews! Oh, and by the way, this isn't a Dasey. Unless its very tastefully done, stepsibling romance is really weird and creepy, and the vast majority of the Dasey on this site seems to be more of the hook-up-out-of-the-blue variety. Besides, the whole concept kind of skeeves me out. I mean, they're stepsiblings. But if you feel differently, I respect your opinion.

Alonzo Ramirez had never loved anyone the way he loved Adia Littlebear. But the strict laws forbidding their relationship promised death if he dared pursue her. Yet he found himself yearning for the part-Native American, part-Spanish girl's tender touch. Each time he closed his eyes he pictured her straight but unruly chestnut hair that fell in thick sheets down her back fanned out on his pillow. It seemed as if her hazel eyes were always watching him.

Alonzo found himself tossing and turning at night, his thoughts and words turning into the disjointed ramblings of a man in love. He often found himself—

For the second time in two days, Casey found her book pulled rudely out of her hands. Derek settled down in his recliner again, holding the book in one hand while cushioning his head with the other.

"Oh, déjà vu," Casey grumbled irritably.

"Alonzo?" Derek murmured incredulously. "What a tool."

"You don't even know him!" Casey protested. "A person's name isn't indicative of their personality, Derek. If it was, your name would be 'Asshole'." She smiled, pleased with her insult.

"Haha. And if that was true of you, your name would be 'Shutthefuckup'," Derek muttered, unconcerned with her words.

"My life was so simple before we moved in here," Casey began, feeling angry all over again.

"This Adia girl sounds hot..."

"Unfettered by stress, I existed in relative peace—,"

Derek settled back in his chair and tossed the book at Casey.

"You're pathetic."

Casey, rudely shaken out of her tirade, fixated a deadly glare on her stepbrother.

"Excuse me?" she demanded, her eyes daring him to say it again.

"I said," Derek responded, unfazed, "you're pathetic. You sit around reading these pathetic novels and live vicariously through these pathetic characters while feeling sorry for your pathetic self because your life is, quite frankly, pathetic."

Casey wasn't sure whether to be stunned that he had accurately described what she was doing, or that he had used the word 'vicariously' in the right context.

'When had Derek turned into some unsolicited-analyzing, large-world-using spawn of Satan?' she wondered. Well, he always had been the spawn of Satan, she corrected herself, mentally apologizing to George.

"Is there any reason for this verbal attack?" she wondered aloud, wondering if she had been catapulted into some weird, alternate reality Twilight Zone type of situation.

"Other than the fact that I find insulting you very satisfying?" Derek asked by way of response. "Only that it's true."

Casey's bafflement quickly gave way to fury. "Stop analyzing me, you disgusting jerk!"

"Sorry for trying to help you admit that your life sucks, especially since you seem to be living on a fun planet called denial."

The fact that he was saying all of this in an unconcerned manner while watching a hockey game on mute only made Casey madder.

"My life does not suck!"

A smirk. "Oh, yes it does."

Damn him. "I know," she sighed. "It does."

"Problems with you and Sam?" Derek asked. Was that a note of sympathy in his voice? Casey was flabbergasted.

"Well, yeah. We're not communicating as well anymore. We just don't seem to talk. I really don't get it. We used to be so close. Has he said anything to you?"

Derek spared her a wry glance. "No. But even if he did, I wouldn't tell you. I told you two that I would tolerate the two of you dating. Not once did I mention that I would offer any support or guidance. In fact, the fact that you're fighting makes me, well, quite satisfied."

Casey was appalled. "We are NOT fighting!"

Derek actually rolled his eyes at her. "Fine, fine, continue to delude yourself."

"What makes you think we're fighting and/or have any serious problems that can't be fixed?" Casey demanded, trying to imagine launching herself at Derek and gouging his eyes out. The thought was a very pleasant one, and she barely suppressed a sigh of contentment.

"You sit around all day reading these trashy romance books while cramming chocolate down your throat. You also blast 'No Scrubs' by TLC on your stereo at night. I'd say that's a pretty good indicator," Derek countered.

"That's not true!" Casey insisted. "I don't even like chocolate."

"Ha. Why you aren't obese is beyond me."

"I really don't! I hate chocolate! And I do not listen to 'No Scrubs' every night!"

"Whatever you say."

His obvious nonchalance was maddening.

"You are such a pig! How do girls stand you?" Casey demanded, shoving her blanket and pillows to the ground in abject rage.

Derek had the gall to actually shrug at her. "Great personal charm?"

"Ha!" Casey exclaimed. "You wouldn't know personal charm if it slapped you across the face."

Derek looked mildly peeved. "Hmm, which one of us is in a rocky relationship right now?" he asked himself out loud. "Oh, yeah, that would be you."

"NOW LISTEN TO ME, YOU JERK—

Nora barreled into the room. "Casey, why on Earth are you shouting?"

Casey was aghast. How was it possible that she was the one getting the blame?

"Mom! It wasn't my fault, it was Derek—

Nora turned to Derek, who immediately assumed his most innocent expression. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Derek, what did you do?"

Derek looked wounded. "Why does everyone blame it on me?" he demanded of his stepmother. "I mean, I know Casey's the 'Golden Child', but do you ever think about the unnecessary stress you're putting on me by assuming that I'm responsible for all your problems?"

Casey snorted at his obvious bullshit, but Nora, shockingly, looked convinced.

Nora turned to Casey. "Honey..."

"What!" Casey exclaimed. "What did I do?" Apparently shouting wasn't the best course of action, because Nora began to look extremely annoyed. "Casey, you can't blame your brother for everything."

A "hmph!" came from Derek's general direction.

Casey wanted to scream, but she didn't even want to think about how her mom would react to that, so she wisely kept her mouth shut.

"GERONIMO!" came Edwin's voice, followed by Lizzie's scream and Marti's peals of laughter. Nora sighed. "Look, I have to go handle those three. Will you two— will you just try to get along?"

Derek eyed her disbelievingly. "I make no promises."

Nora threw her hands in the air and strode out of the room. Casey turned to him in annoyance. "Honestly, Derek, do you ever do anything to help anybody else?"

Derek snorted in contempt. "No, I never have," he mimicked. "And somehow I doubt that I'll start just because my house has been overrun by overly hormonal, sensitive females whose sole purpose in life is to bother me, and of course, populate the planet. Especially you, woman."

"You are disgusting! I have never met a bigger chauvinist pig than you!"

Derek sneered. "I'm honored."

"You know what? Just leave me alone, and don't talk to me." Casey returned to reading the book with even more fervor. She couldn't summon her long gone enthusiasm, however, and she found herself staring viciously at Derek, wishing he would spontaneously combust or do something else to rid himself from her sight.

"Fine by me."

Casey, in a spirited display of anger, hurled the remote at Derek's head. He caught it with relative ease and she growled with frustration. Tomorrow, she resolved, tomorrow she would get her revenge.

TBC.

Reviews are greatly appreciated.