Post Script
August 25, 2009 : Sunday : 5 AM : Casey's Room
Looking around her now bare room (disregard the furniture), Casey groaned. Her suitcases were off to the side of her room, awaiting her departure. She hadn't planned on waking up this early, due to her flight not leaving until about noon or so, but you can never change Casey.
'I can't believe that Marti would even think such a thing...'
Sighing, she pulled off her covers and crossed her room to get to her door. Creeping quietly as not to wake anyone, she paused to look at some photos. Groaning quietly, she walked off to the stairs and proceeded on her way down.
While walking, she thought of all the times she'd spent on this staircase. Whether it was chasing Derek, being chased by Derek, spying on their parents, making-out with Sam on the top step, or even walking down to answer the door, and walking down to show off her Prom dress, she would treasure those memories always.
Especially the Derek-filled ones.
Yes, it's highly true that Casey does in fact like her step-brother, the one and only: Derek Venturi.
Does he know? Of course not! Casey would never ever openly admit that she likes her own stepbrother. The fear of it being 'frowned upon' was long gone, but the fear of rejection still catches her conscience. Besides, she knew Derek would never like her. She never truly gets the 'vibes' that he liked her, not even as a friend, but she fears that he only thinks of her as a friend, or worse: a sister.
Now, that would break her heart.
Turning on the TV, she figured that some comedy would help her get over Derek. At least she would get to spend her last morning at home before moving to college on Derek's couch watching Derek's favorite movie on Derek's television.
'Wow, have I got some problems.'
7:55 AM : Derek's Room
'She's watching one of my favorite movies...'
That thought was stuck in Derek's head all morning, from the time he had woken up (at around 6:30 AM) and up until now.
Derek couldn't believe that Casey would even consider one of his favorite movies to watch. It was funny, but it was more...'slap-stick comedy' than the 'romantic comedies' girls were usually into.
Glancing at the envelope in his hand, he clutched it tightly.
'Now or never, Venturi.'
Making sure no one else was awake, Derek crept out of his room and into Casey's. Looking down, he found about 5 suitcases.
'Jeez, what did that woman bring?'
Fumbling around with the smallest suitcase's zipper, he opened it and found Casey's shirts tucked and folded only as neatly as Casey would have it. Grabbing one of them, he hastily unfolded it, stuck the letter in the middle, and folded the shirt around it.
"Ow!"
Derek swiftly turned around and started to panic. He was sure that was Casey, and knowing her, she would probably take care of whatever she hit to make sure it didn't hit anyone else...which gave him about a minute. Throwing the shirt in, he zipped it up and looked around her bare room for a place to hide.
Hearing her socked-feet shuffle on the hardwood floor of their hallway, he quickly ducked under her bed, hoping she wouldn't find him under there. Without anything to hide behind, he pushed himself farther and farther until he could barely see past Casey's knee up.
"Marti should really move her toys somewhere else! Ugh! Ow...my foot..."
After grabbing her robe from her bedroom door's hook, she swiftly walked away, leaving Derek under her unmade bed, trying to see if she would return soon or not.
Seeing that she wouldn't return anytime soon, Derek scrambled out and opened the door only to find—
"Casey!"
Smiling as sweetly as she could at the moment where she just caught her step-brother in her room, Casey batted her eyelashes and awaited an explanation.
"Uh, um, well. I could see why this-" he pointed to himself and the door, "-would be suspicious to you, but, it really shouldn't be! You can trust me."
Looking into her face, Derek saw a lot of expressions.
One was of annoyance.
One was of surprise.
Another was of sadness.
'Wait, why is she sad?'
And, another one was of...confusion.
"Derek, would you please tell me what you were doing in my room?" She held up a knowing hand, "And, please don't lie. I don't really want my last impression of you being a liar...even though you are. I want to leave this house knowing we could be civil to each other for at least a couple of hours."
With that being said, Derek mumbled his reply: "I was gonna get something."
Sighing, she continued on, "And...what would that be?"
"Something."
"What thing?"
"I told you: something."
Closing her eyes, she decided not to let this conversation (or whatever it was) end and slide. She really didn't want to do this right now.
"...Alright. I believe you."
With a pure shocked expression, Derek replied, "What? Can you say that again?"
Smirking, he leaned closer as she innocently rolled her eyes and slapped him playfully on his arm, her hand lingering on his biceps longer than he thought she would.
Looking into his eyes, she found it suddenly hard to move away. His eyes contained such...emotion. Actually, many emotions.
Sadness?
Happiness?
Guilt?
...Regret?
What emotion exactly, this she did not know, but all of a sudden, she found him leaning towards her as if to...
'No. He's not going to...? Oh my God, he is!'
'What are you doing, Venturi?!'
Suddenly realizing what would've happened if he kept leaning towards her, he stopped.
Upon realizing what he was about to do, Casey let her arm drop from its spot on his arm and quickly turned away, her hair brushing against his face so he could smell her shampoo from when she had taken a shower and washed her hair the night before.
When his face came in contact with the tips of her hair, he came back to reality. His mouth open in shock of what he thought of doing, he quickly turned and took two big steps towards the door to his room.
Hearing Derek's door close behind him, Casey found it hard to concentrate on...well, anything.
'What just happened?'
'Argh, man! You just had to lean in to try and kiss her, right? Why!'
8 AM : MacDonald-Venturi Living Room
"...What is it?"
"That, Casey, is a CD. I thought you of all people would know that!"
Shoving him playfully to the side, Casey giggled.
"I know that! But, what I meant was...what's in it?"
"That, Casey, is what I can't tell you. You'll have to watch it when you get on your flight or something on your laptop. But, I warn you: you'll probably love me for this, so, try not to scream on the plane, 'kay?"
Laughing, Casey wondered what the CD contained.
Was it a variety of her favorite music?
A CD of her favorite songs, no doubt.
Either that, or a movie.
Or, a Word document.
Either way, Casey was intrigued and wanted to know more about the mysterious CD that Edwin had burned for her. Sighing knowingly, she playfully pretended to give him a hug to show him thanks. As predicted, he moved away, pretending to run from the terrors of a hug from a girl.
'Boys.'
As soon as that thought entered her mind, another one came as Derek himself entered the room.
'What should I say? Should I even ask about the moment up there? What!'
Unknown to her, Derek was thinking of the exact same things.
"Hey Case. Um, breakfast is ready. Nora and Dad wanted to make your last breakfast here special, so, yeah...they made all your favorite stuff and everything...so...yeah. Go, I guess."
Fumbling around with the apple he was eating, Derek flopped down on his recliner and took the remote as Casey nodded and went away to breakfast.
'Girls.'
11:30 PM : Airport Lobby
"Are you sure you've got everything?"
"Yes, mom! For the thousandth time, yes."
Smiling, Nora took her daughter's hand in hers and pulled her into a hug. The whole family plus Sam and Emily were there to wish Casey luck and bid her goodbye as she leaves for her college.
As Casey said her final goodbyes to everyone (excluding Derek, for now), Derek stared at her. His only hope was that she would find his letter so he could go on with his life knowing that she knew. She just had to.
"...I'm gonna miss you a lot, too Casey. I love you, always remember that."
Pushing their faces so their noses would touch, Derek's heart shattered a little at the sight.
Casey and Sam smiling at each other, Lizzie and Edwin almost disgusted by their pubic show of affection, Emily, George, and Nora smiling knowingly and sweetly, and all the while Marti observed along with her oldest, most favorite brother.
"Smerek?"
"Yes, Smarti?"
"Do you—?"
"-Smarti! Please...don't go into that again...please."
With a pleading look at his youngest sister, he uttered those words and walked briskly up to the smiling couple and broke them apart.
"Yeah, yeah. Casey and Sammy are gonna miss each other. Blah, blah, blah. Now...let's go!"
"Dude! What is your damage!"
"Derek!"
Sighing, he held up two defensive hands, "Oh, puh-lease, you guys have been doing that for the past hour, now, Casey, I think it's time for your flight."
For emphasis, Derek pointed to his watch, tapped it three times, smirked, and pointed to the screen which read off the flights.
Groaning, Casey and Sam both knew it would be time for her to leave any minute now and decided that Derek was right.
"Ok, guys. Let's go towards Casey's door-thing and walk her over! Hustle, gang!"
George pointed to a banner that read 'Flight 578' and walked over, along with the rest of the group, leaving Sam, Casey, Marti and Derek behind to follow.
"Sam? Could you give me and Derek a minute? I need to talk to him."
Glancing at Derek, Sam nodded, "Sure, honey. Hey, Marti, let's catch up to the others, ok?"
"Ok."
Carrying her laptop case on one shoulder, Casey shifted uncomfortably while Derek and her walked along slowly.
"So..."
"So..."
Chuckling, the two glanced at each other nervously before Derek decided to speak.
"...Ok, Casey. I know that I haven't really been nominated for the 'best step-brother award,' but I hope that you thought that...these past few years have been...fun."
Giggling, Casey nodded.
"Oh yeah. Fun, and...highly interesting."
"Yeah...interesting would be the understatement of the year, you know this, right?"
Smiling a real, true 'Derek Venturi Smile,' he looked at her expectantly. She was smiling as well, and they walked as slowly as their feet would take them, and as slowly without trying to show that they wanted more time with one another.
Before reaching their awaiting family (who was at this moment, talking to a flight attendant), Derek grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him.
"Casey...I know I haven't been the easiest person to deal with-" he looked at her as she giggled and rolled her eyes, "-and that I haven't made these past few years easy...but, everything will be explained to you. Everything."
Pausing, he looked at her as she knitted her eyebrows together for a frown clearly saying, 'What are you talking about?'
"Ok, um-" Derek glanced behind her to find his dad waving at him to get Casey past that door to her plane, "-just...wear your favorite shirt tomorrow, ok? You know. The pink one. It looks really...hot on you."
Winking, he grabbed her for a clumsy hug, leaned in for a quick, but sweet kiss to her cheek, and as she stood there trying to process what the heck had just happened, he pushed her past their family and into the door, not even caring that he just stopped Sam as he tried to hug her in the process.
Waving his last goodbye, he quickly whispered, "Pink shirt..."
Smiling his true smile (which he rarely ever gave out), he winked and whispered the last few words he memorized on his letter to himself as he watched as Casey walked into the tunnel and out of sight.
'And, probably...also out of my life.'
Author's Note!
- 1.22.07 -
Wow, I am loving my new keyboard right now. Its so...awesome! I love it! Its making me want to type more!
LoL, aside from this update...hey there! Thank you for the people who had reviewed the first chapter...this story most likely won't be all that long. At least, I hope. It'll probably be shorter than Derek Meets His Match, actually.
And, about that: I'm trying my best to type all that had been in my mind for ideas on the sixth chapter, and...don't worry guys, it's coming! Soon, hopefully! Well, maybe more reviews will help motivate me, but, hey, who knows, right?
LoL, kidding.
But anyways, thank you for reading, and, this story...might be a Dasey. Depends on how things plan out from when Casey reads Derek's letter. Hehe. Eventually though, once I've made up my mind, I will start bringing out some Dasey moments. Cute, ain't it?
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN LIFE WITH DEREK.
Well, please tell me whatcha thought, and thank you very much for reading!