Title: The Soundtrack of My Summer
Spoilers from: Season 4, if you haven't seen the entire thing yet, or heard the horrible rumors about the ending. Pretty disappointing, huh folks?
Summary: It's the summer before Derek and Casey are about to go off to college, so the family decides to spend it in Mexico City. While there, Casey and Derek end up sharing a room, Casey gets a stalker, and Derek figures out just who Casey sees in her dreams.
A/N: Thanks for the many reviews I've gotten so far! I'm really glad you guys are liking this story! This chapter will be the last in Casey's POV for a while, so for those of you who are waiting for the Derek POVs, they're a'coming! The next chapter is really when this story starts taking form, so be anticipating it, and a Happy Holidays to everyone!!
Disclaimer: I do not own Mexico City, Boys Like Girls, or Life with Derek. Surprised much?
Chapter 4- Learning To Fall
(Casey's POV)
I wasn't sure how much sleep I actually got last night, but next thing I knew it was morning, and I was forced to face the horrible reality of no longer having a boyfriend. Even worse than that, I was forced to face the very guy who warned me about Truman, the last guy in the world I would ever admit was actually right to his face. My dearest step-brother Derek.
Well, reality would have to wait. There was no way I was getting up any time soon.
To think that Truman actually cheated on me again was almost unbearable. But what was even worse? The fact that after everything that he had done, and every lie he had spun, I still gave him a second chance. I, Casey McDonald, had believed that a guy like Truman, a guy so chauvinistic and arrogant, could actually change.
Turns out, he might actually be worse than Derek. Derek.
I have no idea now what I ever saw in Truman. Had I stooped to such a low that I was willing to throw away all of my self-pride for a guy who had given me a 6 1/2 on an appearance rating? I had let my desire for a boyfriend take over my mind, just like I had back when I was dating Max. Twice now I've turned myself into a completely different person, a demoralizing person nonetheless, for two guys who never really cared about me at all.
I, Casey McDonald, am truly pathetic.
Still, I needed closure. There was no way I was going to get over Truman any time soon unless I at least had that.
So, what did I decide to do?
I called him.
And after about six rings, he finally picked up.
"Hello?"
"Greetings from Mexico City," I spoke cheerfully, trying to prove that Truman's deceit hadn't hurt me one bit.
"Casey?"
"Of course! Who else would it be!? Oh, I know! Perhaps, the girlfriend you've been sleeping around with behind my back!?" A little more anger than intended, but who cares.
"Right. About that, Case-"
"Don't even bother, Truman," I cut him off, putting on my fake happy voice. "I don't need any excuses from you, all I want is an explanation."
"Of what?"
"Of why you felt the need to cheat on me for the second time!" I nearly yelled, cursing myself for being so loud. Great. Alert the family! Casey's been cheated on! Again.
"Listen, Case."
"You do not have my permission to call me Case!" I spat back. "We're not dating anymore, Truman."
"Why not?" I pulled a Derek eye roll at this statement.
"Because you cheated on me, jerk! And I'm still waiting to find out why!"
"Then here you go! You're off in Mexico City, and then we're gonna be far away from each other in college. You know how it is, Case-y. A guy has needs."
I couldn't believe him. Out of all the lame explanations, he had to go with that one!
"I don't give a damn about your 'needs,' Truman. I just called to get a little bit of closure and to let you know that it's over. Have fun with your new girlfriend, although I bet there are others that you never told me about, too. Am I right?"
"Well...."
"Save it! Don't bother contacting me again."
And on that note, I slammed the phone down with as much strength as I could muster.
To tell you the truth, as much as I hate to admit it, Truman wasn't the one I was most angry at. And no, I wasn't angry with myself all that much now either. I had surpassed that. Right now, my anger was centered towards one person, and one person only.
Derek.
Sure, reader, I bet you're thinking to yourself right now, 'How could Casey be mad at Derek? Derek had nothing to do with Truman cheating on her!'
Well, you want to know something interesting? Derek has everything to do with everything!
He's always been the cause of all of my problems, and I'm darn sick of it!
Plus, to make matters worse, he has the nerve to barge into my room this very second with one of those I-told-you-so smirks on his face!
Oh, he is so going to get it.
"What do you want, Derek?" I said through clenched teeth.
"Oh, I don't know. Just to say good morning, and that I heard your little outburst through the wall. Things aren't going smoothly in Truman land?"
"Shut up, Derek," I warned him, my anger reaching its boiling point.
"Of course, had you listened to me, you wouldn't have been so heartbroken."
"I mean it, Derek."
"Not that I was surprised, of course! You're that boring that you can't keep them entertained, huh Case?"
At that moment, I snapped. So, what did I do?
I shoved Derek down onto my bed with all of the strength I had left.
"Don't ever talk about that guy again!" I fumed, but Derek stayed calm and totally composed on my bed.
"Who? You mean Truman?"
"That's IT! I HATE YOU!" I screamed, stomping out of the room and into my mother's bedroom so fast that I didn't even give Derek a chance to reply.
Mom, on the other hand, seemed quite frightened.
"George, I think the kids have finally reached the point of attempting murder," she sighed, half joking and half serious.
"Mom, I need you to take me away from this place! Away from HIM!"
"Where, honey? I don't know Mexico City all that well! Can't you just try to get along?"
"Oh I've tried, Mom! I've tried and I've tried and I've tried! But I can't take this anymore! We are never going to get along the way you want us to! Why don't you just give up and give me my old life back!?"
This snapped my mom out of it real quick. So much for trying to reason with me. I was uncontrollable.
"I'll get my coat," she sighed, knowing I needed my space.
As much as I hated speaking like that to my mom, I didn't regret it as she dropped me off at the local beach where a bunch of kids were hanging out and playing volleyball. It was around noon by now. I guess the breakup had worn me down more than I thought, because I had slept for almost twelve whole hours.
"When should I come and get you?" My mother asked, concerned.
"I'll call when I need a ride home, but it'll probably be really late. I don't plan on returning to Derek any time soon."
"Just don't do anything stupid," my mom warned me, although I had no idea what she was talking about. Don't do anything stupid? What, did she think I was planning on killing myself? Or hooking up with a random guy because I'm on the rebound?
"I won't. See you later."
And I did see her later. Much later, in fact. I spent the next eleven hours at the beach, doing a little of this and a little of that. Anything to pass the time. As far as eating, to tell you the truth I wasn't all that hungry, but a nice boy named Julio offered me half of his sandwich which I politely accepted.
It was now eleven o'clock, and Julio and I were still chatting. I had to admit, he was a great guy. Chestnut brown hair that flopped on his head, dreamy chocolate eyes that you could practically swim in, and a gorgeous smile that could send any girl's heart racing.
"So where are you staying?" Julio asked me, and I had to take a moment to think.
"A cottage called La Casa Del Sol," I replied.
"No way! Are you staying in the master bedroom? You know, the one with the private bathroom and the sunset wallpaper?"
"Yeah! How did you know?" I asked, feeling a bit creeped out.
"Because, that room is supposed to be haunted," Julio whispered, and I couldn't help but notice the air grow a bit cooler at his remark. And was it just my imagination, or did a wolf just howl in the woods?
"You don't say," I chuckled. Yes, I know I'm not supposed to be a chicken anymore, now that Emily cured me of my irrational fear of horror movies. But when the horror comes at you full force in real life, you would be scared too.
"Yeah, it's a legend here in Spain. Apparently, this eighteen year old girl hung herself in that room because her boyfriend broke up with her."
"No kidding!" I laughed nervously, not failing to notice the resemblance between me and this other girl. Snap out of it, Casey. It's just a coincidence.
"All the guys who've stayed in that room said that they felt at one time like there was someone in the room trying to strangle them, but there was no one there."
"So, she's out for revenge on other guys because a guy broke her heart?" I clarified, feeling a bit relieved. I wasn't a guy, after all. I was the victim here, too.
"Yeah, but some girls have felt threatened by her, too. She gets really mad at teenaged girls who let guys walk all over them. You know the type! Those girls that are so desperate for a guy that they'll get back together with their boyfriend, even after he's cheated on them!"
"Right. Those girls," I smiled, beginning to panic. The wolf howled again in the distance, and I could have sworn I saw a flash of light on my right side. It couldn't be, could it?
"Of course, you don't have to worry about a thing! You seem like the kind of girl who stands up for herself, am I right?"
"Yeah," I smiled. Well, I used to be.
"I really like girls like that," Julio grinned, sliding a little closer to me. I couldn't help but notice that he was flirting. Heck, he had probably used his little ghost story to scare the crap out of me so that I would seek comfort in his arms. It couldn't possible be real.
Could it?
"Hey, would you like to go out for coffee sometime? They make some really good ones just down the street from your cottage!"
"Um, I think I'll have to pass," I answered, standing up. "You seem like a great guy, Julio, and if I had met you at any other time I would probably jump at the chance. It's just that I recently broke up with my boyfriend and I don't think I'm ready for another relationship."
"Ah, well I had to try," Julio sighed, although for a guy that appeared to be taking this easily, he sure looked pretty beaten up over my refusal. But then, a grin crossed his face. "Maybe I'll see you again when you're a little less unavailable?"
"Maybe," I half-grinned, scooping my cell phone out of my pocket.
"Like, tomorrow, perhaps? I could meet you here again, same time?"
"I don't think so, Julio," I shook my head.
"Well maybe the next day, then! I'll be here all summer!"
"Thanks, but no thanks," I sighed. Thank God for speed dial. Time for Mom to the rescue.
Unfortunately, Mom didn't pick up the phone, and as I waited through ring after ring, I couldn't help but think back to the ghost story Julio had told me. Was my room really haunted? And if it was, how was I supposed to stay there tonight?
Almost as if in reply, I felt an invisible hand tap my back. Whirling around, I came face to face with....
no one.
There was no one there. I was just being silly. The story was a hoax, a legend. It wasn't real.
There are no such thing as ghosts.
Yet the rock that just appeared to fly at my head out of nowhere? Yeah, that certainly felt like arguing with my theory.
Mom! I cried in my thoughts when literally, I began to cry. The fear became so intense that I actually started sobbing.
And that's when someone finally answered.
"Hello?" asked a familiar voice, husky from sleep. And that's when I realized that it was nearly midnight, and I had woken him up.
"Hey Derek," I choked out through sobs. "Could you put my mom on the phone please?"
"Nora's asleep, like the rest of the family," he replied, and I couldn't help but notice the tiny amount of anger in his voice. He had been asleep, too.
"Well, it's late, I'm alone and cold on the beach, and I need a ride home. Could you-"
Who was I kidding? After the verbal attack we had made on each other earlier, I was now expecting Derek Venturi to come to my rescue? There was absolutely no chance of that happening, especially now that I was obviously crying over the phone. Derek hated tears. Yeah, I had the bet on my side, and technically he would have to come if I ordered him to, but there was no way-
"I'll be right there," he sighed, hanging up the phone.
And that was when I realized that Derek Venturi was a better person than Truman.
Much, much better.