Author's NoteDerek and Casey finally talk it out. This chap. signals the upcoming smut scene and falling action. Conclusion coming at, let's say between chapter 18 and 24. Not quite sure. Depends on how I write it. I get kind of crazy sometimes. And Hahaahaha to Derek and Casey who misunderstand the intelligence of Lizzie. XP.

Disclaimer Don't own it. Creative expressions of disclaiming this are wearing thin. Life draining out of me. Fainting.

Derek participated in class hoping that it would take his mind off of things. Just one dream told him how to say everything that he was feeling. It was so simple. Say you want me. Say only me. Forever? Casey's voice was aching in his mind. Derek only went to two classes and skipped the rest of the day. He could only imagine what she wanted to say in Science, but he wasn't there.

He was in the car, driving away from the school. Derek found himself driving to the park they had gone to before, and now it seemed so long ago. His heart was racing and all that was going through his mind was Casey, Casey, and Casey.

The car was parked and he got out to go for a walk. He locked the doors and walked up to the grass, when a hand reached out to stop him. When he turned he saw Casey looking at him with a worried expression.

"How did you get here?!" Derek questioned, rather surprised. It was definitely something he wasn't expecting.

"Sorry. I never left the car. It was comfy and I didn't get much sleep last night." She shrugged it off.

"You were in the back seat?"

"Yeah."

"You never skip school." Derek said, still trying to overcome this bit of information.

"I know. I did once, but I think it was worth it."

"You're super smart; you can afford to skip it." Derek stated thoughtfully.

"You on the other hand…" She dragged out in a nervous voice.

"I know."

"Should we go back?" Derek thought for a moment. We could go back, and try to talk at home…or we could do this now.

"No." He sat down on the curb. She looked cute from this angle. She smiled down at him and sat next to him. There was an awkward silence between them. Then Casey started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"The look you had on your face when Toxic came on. I take it you got my hint."

"I'm not quite sure what you want me to decipher out of it. I can't understand your lady-language."

"And here I thought you were a master player." Casey remarked, smirking at him.

"Not with crazy ones like you." She hit his arm, but not nearly hard enough to hurt him. He chuckled. "What did you mean by that verse?"

"From the dance recital?" Derek nodded his head and looked ahead at the parking lot. "I meant…wait, you're not getting off that easy! What do you think I meant first. I'm pretty sure you thought about it."

"Yeah, I thought about it, but I have no clue."

"It's not that hard. It's so obvious." She said, crossed her arms.

"I can't even remember the words." Casey looked at him then shook her head pitifully at him.

"Line one: And knowing that I couldn't be with you only made me try hard."

"We can't be together, but that's what makes it so passionate?"

"Close. It means that because they won't want us together but I'm willing to fight hard because I know it would be worth it. Line Two and Three: Who knows what I'd miss if I wasn't' in your heart; Life with you would be completing and refreshing."

"You can't imagine life without me." Derek said confidently, smirking at her. She blushed and nodded a yes.

"And it would be complete. I would have fights, and tears, and kisses, and…love." Casey was twiddling her fingers. Love? Do I love Casey? Does Casey love me? If I say it am I committing? What if I hurt her? "Line Four: But you're still toxic, and I'm still deadly."

"I have no idea." Derek dismissed even trying on that one.

"Me either, but even though I don't have a clue, in some strange way…It fits." She said smiling up at him. Casey looked down as he was about to say something, then said something that cut him off. "What were you talking about earlier? I want you. Only you. I believe those were your words."

"That they were. Those were my words." He averted his eyes from hers. Derek didn't want to tell her everything about his dream because she might be offended, and at the moment he didn't want to frazzle her. "Well, I had a dream last night, about you. Let's just say that I found a way to sum it all up without saying I commit to you." She looked down.

"You don't have to commit to be with me. We are still teenagers. I shouldn't have put that in anyone's mind."

"Where'd you hear that from?" Derek inquired, looking deeply at her.

"Lizzie believe it or not."

"I'll have to remember to do a nice gesture as thanks."

"Why can't you just say 'thank you'? It's not hard."

"I have my ways and you have yours. You wouldn't want to try to change me, would you?" Derek stated, turning to her and looking at her with a sly face. Casey bumped into his shoulder.

"Just a suggestion."

"Can I make a suggestion?" Derek smirked at her, and her mouth gaped open, but she still couldn't conceal a mimicking smirk. "Everyone, right now, is at either work or school."

"Ok." Derek frowned. She was doing that on purpose!

"You know I was thinking we could go to the house and hang out."

"Or...or we could go see a movie."

"You can tutor me."

"For what you're thinking, you would tutor me." Derek smiled.

"So you do know what I'm talking about." Casey stood up and got in the passenger seat. He just looked at her in excitement, bewilderment, and awe. When he snapped out of a minor trance he got into the drivers seat and started the car.