Chapter 7:
"Derek time for dinner!" yelled Nora from the bottom of the stairs. "He's usually the first one down here, is he ok?"
Edwin looked at Nora "He said he didn't want to come down and eat, he's not feeling well."
"Aw, well Edwin could you send this plate upstairs to him?" asked Nora handing Edwin a plate of food.
"Sure" said Edwin. He took the plate and headed upstairs so Derek's room. "Derek mom sent up some food." he handed to plate to Derek who was lying on his bed looking at the ceiling.
"Thanks" Edwin turned to leave but stopped and looked back at Derek.
"What's wrong Derek, you can tell me."
Derek looked at him and sat up "You won't tell anyone?"
Edwin shook his head "I won't tell a soul. Now what's bugging you?"
Derek looked at Edwin then looked away "I fell for someone so unlikely and they I assumed liked me too, until she got back with her ex because she thinks that's the more 'logical choice'."
Edwin smiled a little in realization "This girl really got to you huh Derek."
Derek laughed "No, are you crazy? I'm Derek Venturi, I control the girls they don't control Me." he laughed some more.
Edwin stared him down knowing the Derek was lying. "Derek…"
Derek tried to resist but he couldn't "Ok she's turned me into a complete freak! All I can think about is her and when we're together I can't stop smiling and laughing with her!" Derek freaked out a little then came back "What's happened to me?"
Edwin crossed his arms and sat back "You fell in love."
Derek's eyes got wide "I don't fall in love."
"Maybe because you haven't met the right one worth falling for" Edwin had a point, he was like a miniature Dr. Phil. "How long have you known her?"
"A long time, but I finally got to know her. You know what I mean?"
"Yeah, of course" Edwin looked at Derek "So…"
"So what?" asked Derek
"Who is she?"
Derek began to turn a little red and get nervous "You also can't tell anyone. Not dad, not Nora, and not your little girlfriend Lizzie."
"Shut up, she's not my girlfriend!" Edwin yelled back "So who is she?"
Derek struggled to say it, but it finally spilled out like word vomit "Casey MacDonald"
Edwin became quiet and wide eyed. Derek looked at him like he wanted Ed to say something, anything! But Edwin just sat there with no words to say. Finally he spoke "The Casey Macdonald?"
Derek nodded "That's not all either."
"There's more?" asked Edwin.
"We kissed…twice."
Edwin got quiet again but he was quicker to answer this time "Wait she got back with Max? Why?"
"I can't tell you that, but just tell me what I should do Edwin. Please!"
"Ok, ok. Uh…if she means this much to you, you should keep fighting for her."
Derek knew Edwin was right, he had to keep fighting for the girl who meant the most to him.
(Later that night):
Casey went to bed early, she was so bombarded with stress she decided to turn in early, and then she had her dream again…
(Dream):
"Casey"
"Max?"
"Casey"
Casey turned around and saw not one but 2 figures, one on her right and one on her left. She already knew one was Max, so that only meant the other one was…
"Derek?" said Casey walking closer to him so she could see him more clearly
"Casey, look at me. I'm right here; I've always been standing right here."
Max came closer to Casey and looked at her "Casey, I can make you happy, you and me…its fate."
"Casey" said Derek
"Casey" said Max
"Casey…Casey…Casey…"
(Reality):
Casey woke up screaming but not from fear, from the stress. Lizzie ran into her room and turned on the light.
"Casey?" said Lizzie walking over to her bed. "What's wrong?"
Casey couldn't help it, she burst out crying. "I made a mistake; I didn't listen to fate and fell for someone I shouldn't have. Then I dumped the other guy who was wrong for me and went for the guy who broke my heart. Now I'm stuck with a guy who I'm not really in love with because I'm in love with Derek Venturi."
Lizzie had the same expression on her face that Edwin did. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. The phrase was still replaying in her head "In love with Derek Venturi…Derek Venturi…Derek Venturi." Lizzie finally said something. "Casey, why did you hook up with someone else when you're in love with Derek?"
Casey looked at her "Fate wants me and Max."
"If fate wanted you with Max, it wouldn't be giving you these feelings for Derek."
Casey never thought of it that way. She looked at Lizzie and smiled "You're right Liz."
"I know" said Lizzie smiling.
Casey smiled again then got up and headed to Derek's room. She knocked on his door. "Derek?"
Derek didn't answer so she knocked again. "Derek?"
"Casey?"
"Yes."
"Oh…go away."
Casey rolled her eyes, "Derek let me in!"
"Go away!"
Casey couldn't take it so she opened his door and he shot out of bed and looked at her. "Sit down." she said sternly and very intimidating.
"What are you-?"
Casey pushed him down onto his bed with a lot of force "SIT DOWN!!" she yelled
Derek looked at her in shock but he remained seated and looked at Casey waiting for her to talk.
"First you become my stepbrother and completely drive me crazy! Then you come after me in the utility closet and break off the door knob, you make me want to kiss you, then you leave me feeling guilty for dumping you!" Casey said all these things so sternly and full of anger, but the last part she said softly "And let's not forget the part where you made me fall in love with you."
Derek looked up at her and smiled. "Did you just say-"
"I love you Derek, and I'm sorry if I-"
Casey didn't get to finish her sentence because Derek interrupted her with a kiss, and not a little peck, a deep passionate kiss that made everything else fade away and all that was left was Casey and Derek.
(A few nights later): (Dream):
Casey looked down the long hallway into the bright light and saw her shadow figure.
"Casey…"
"Max"
Max walked closer to her about to kiss her until Casey put her hand over her mouth causing him to kiss the back of her hand.
"Sorry Max," Casey took off her bracelet and dropped it at his feet "You won't hurt me again." then Casey turned around and grabbed none other then Derek's hand and walked down the hall into the bright light where Casey and Derek shared another one of those kisses where everything else faded away and all that mattered was each other.
-The End-