Disclaimer: Nothing recognizable from the show is mine, but on the flip side the producer's secretary finally called me back and we're in the process of setting up an appointment. ;-)
A/N: Before anything, I have to say sorry... I'm fighting with It won't let me upload anything from Microsoft Word. Otherwise this chapter would have been out sooner and you may even have been able to read the fourth already!... or maybe I should have thought to upload it from a different program sooner... Ah, well, the show must go on :-)
Can I Help?
Reputations
"Oh my God, Case, what happened to your hand?" Emily shrieked in her way when they met up at their lockers in the morning.
Casey got herself worked up in the proper 'Augh Derek' way and used Derek's story. After all, it was less complicated if there was only one story out there. And really, she wasn't going to be telling her what really happened. Then the whole school would know what a psycho she really was. As if she needed a new nickname. Grade-grubber still hadn't died out yet. As long as she stuck with one story, nobody would think otherwise and the only person who would know it wasn't true was her.
And Derek.
Shit. She had to find Derek before he started a new laugh-at-Casey story himself.
Two periods and five detention threats later, Casey was practically going crazy waiting for her stepbrother. She bit her nails nervously. What if she didn't see him in the halls this period either? He usually walked down this hallway after second, but what if he didn't? What if by then he had told everyone in homeroom, everyone in first period, and everyone in second period? That would be over sixty people! Her life could very well be over already and she didn't even know it!
Right before she had driven herself legally insane with worry, she heard a couple voices with the usual 'hey Derek!'s and her heart leapt. Maybe she still had a chance to save her reputation after all.
"Derek," Casey pulled him off to the side of the hallway, putting on her normal 'I-hate-you-and-I'd-rather-be-eating-bugs-than-talking-to-you-but-I-have-no-choice.'
"Jeez, Case. Lay off the jacket. And I'd rather not be seen with you in school. I don't like people know I'm related to you," he quipped, letting no sign of his concern be seen.
"Likewise. But there's something I need to discuss with you." Derek gave her his 'get-on-with-it' look and leaned against the locker next to him. "You didn't tell anybody about last night did you?"
A freshman scurried past them through the almost empty hallway, no doubt scared of being late. Neither noticed him, nor anybody else. Derek stared at her, his expression a calculated boredom, "Uh… let me think… no, I don't think so…"
Casey shoved him against the locker, holding the collar of his shirt and ignoring the pain coursing up her arm. "What do you MEAN you don't think so?"
"I mean," he took her by her wrists and pulled her off of him, "that I don't think I did."
"You mean you could have?" she shrieked, ready to pounce on him and scratch his good for nothing eyes out.
He rubbed his ears. "Jeez, way to deafen me, sis. No, I didn't tell anybody."
Casey visibly relaxed and crossed her arms in what turned out looking more like a defensive position than confident. "Oh… good. Well look at that, gotta get to class!" She turned, ready to run to her next class, wanting to get as far away from him as possible. He connected her to last night and she just couldn't be near someone who could do that.
"Wait," he grabbed her arm. "Case… what really happened?"
She looked up at him and saw not the bored, greater-than-thee expression, but one of concern. For a split second when he looked at her, he saw that pleading look again, that look of fear. Then the bell rang and she tore her arm from his grasp and ran to class.
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a/n: Thank you to those that reviewed. It's your words that make me feel like it's worth continuing, even if it is only a couple of you- so thank you. hands out mini virtual stickers
The next chapter is written and ready to go as long as I get lots of good response! So don't hesitate to hit that little review button :-) And don't forget- flames will be used to burn down the houses of those who flame! xD
