And the Winner Is...
by TheBucketWoman
Disclaimer: I will once again state the obvious and admit to having no claim on LWD or any of the other stuff I mention.
Chapter Thirty-One
Part One: Derek
Derek stared at the computer screen. The deadline for submission really wasn't for another month or so, but, for the first time in his life, he didn't feel like procrastinating. He needed to see that he had something he could use, something impressive. His ego would allow nothing less.
At that moment, his ego was giving him a lot of grief. He thought everything he's shot since he got the camera looked like shit. He could have saved his father a lot of money and used his camera phone for all the technique he was showing here.
He said none of this out loud, of course. Casey, who was currently sitting next to him, would go into cheerleader mode, and, really, there was only so much of that that she could do, and only so much of it that he could stand. Plus, insecurity was a waste of time. His Dad always told him that. He did listen once in a while.
His little behind the scenes documentary about the play wasn't a problem. As long as everyone was in focus and he didn't cut the tops of any heads off, all would be well.
But his short film was kicking his ass.
"Know what?" he said. "I think it's time for a break."
"What'd you have in mind?" Casey asked, running her hand up and down the back of his neck. That actually wasn't what he'd been thinking, but he was up for it. He got up and kissed her, spinning her swivel chair around as he moved toward his bed. He sat down and pulled her on top of him.
In the midst of making out, Casey decided to make conversation.
"So," she said as he nibbled on her earlobe, "when we were talking about hooking up Chris with someone. Who did you have in mind?"
He stopped mid-nibble. "Is this what you call pillow talk?"
"I dunno," she said, rolling off of him. "It just kinda occurred to me just now, 'cause you know I'm really happy, and that makes me want to make other people happy, so I must yenta."
"You've been hanging out with Sheldon too long," Derek said. "Yenta. Is that even a verb?"
"The point is," Casey said. "Poor Chris is not making out right now. Probably everyone else we know is."
"I don't need that mental picture, Case," Derek said.
"You think it's just as cute as I do, admit it," she said. Derek rolled his eyes.
"So who were you thinking of?" she asked.
"I dunno if it's the best move anymore," Derek said.
"Who is it?" she prodded.
"Promise not to laugh?"
"I make no promises, but you will tell me." Casey pinned him to the bed.
"Okay, okay," Derek said. "Think for a minute..."
"Just tell me!"
"Nope," Derek said. "Out of the guys I hang out with, who is the most likely to be gay?"
"Out of the guys you hang out with?" Casey said. "Take a number. I have to wonder about guys who play with big sticks and shower together."
Derek groaned. "I guess I walked right into that one."
"Yes, you did."
"But out of that group of guys who shower together," He cringed a little at that. "Who would seem just a little more interested than most. Or let me try another tack. Who is the one who tries the hardest to deny it by hitting on anything in a skirt."
"You," Casey teased. He flipped her the bird.
"Who else?"
"Ralph?" Casey said. "No!"
"Yes," Derek said.
"Really?" Casey said. "He must be terrified."
That was the last thing he expected Casey to say, but once she said it, he realized how completely and absolutely true it must be.
"Maybe," he said. "His folks don't look like the type to join PFLAG."
"Oh my God," Casey said. "That is so sad."
"So should we probably leave him alone, then?" Derek wondered.
"No!" Casey said, kneeling on the bed again, one hand up, index finger extended. "Hell no. He deserves to be happy just like anyone else, even if he probably needs to keep it a secret for another year or so till he's out of the house. Why should he be alone?"
"You're scaring me," Derek said.
"Nuh-uh," Casey said. "We have a job to do."
"We do?"
"Yes, we do," Casey said, leaning in for a quick peck. "But first, a little fact checking. I'm gonna go see what Lizzie and Edwin are up to."
She got up and he followed her, first to Edwin's room, then to Lizzie's to look for them. Eventually, they found them in the driveway, kicking a soccerball. Casey got in the middle and stopped the ball with one foot.
"Talk to you guys for a second?"
"This doesn't involve money, does it?" Edwin said.
"Grrrr," Derek said. Edwin smiled.
"Actually, we just have a question that we need your opinion on," Casey said.
"Shoot," Lizzie said.
"Should we go inside?" Casey wondered.
"Air conditioning," Derek said.
"Nuff said," Edwin said.
They sat down at the kitchen table. The cool air hit them like a tidal wave. Edwin sighed theatrically, like there was little else that made him this happy.
"So," Edwin said. "What are we talking about?"
"Okay, so remember over the weekend when we made you guys help us paint sets?" Casey asked.
"I still have paint in my ear," Edwin said.
"So remember Chris?"
"He was cute," Lizzie said. Edwin looked annoyed, but then seemed to remember that Chris was no threat.
"Well," Casey said. "Remember the way he looked at Sam?" She was dancing around the subject too much.
"And Sam went off with Brianna," Lizzie said. She made a get-to-the-point gesture.
"Casey wants to set Chris up," Derek said.
"Don't put it all on me, you do too!" Casey said. "And so does everyone else."
"And you're telling us this because..." Edwin said.
"We have a candidate," Casey said. "See, we thought about whom we could ask to help us finish the sets next weekend, and Derek had an idea of someone to ask."
"Who?" Edwin asked. Derek had the distinct feeling that Edwin was playing dumb.
"What do you guys think of Ralph?" Casey asked.
"He'd have to work through his crush on Sam, but maybe this is a good way to do it," Edwin said.
"What?" Derek squeaked. "Sam?!?"
"Yeah," Lizzie said. "You didn't know that?"
"Um no, I didn't know that!" Derek said. "Sam?!?"
"What're you jealous that he wasn't crushing on you?" Lizzie teased.
"No," Derek said, meaning yes. What was wrong with him that Ralph pined over Sam? He really did have the biggest ego in the world, he realized.
"Anyway," Derek said, getting back to the task at hand. "Think he's ready to be set up?"
"You'd have to go slow, but yeah," Lizzie said.
"Good enough for me," Casey said. "Do you need a new guitar pick Derek?"
"Huh?" Derek said. Then he caught on. "Ohhh, yeah I could use some strings, too."
"I think we need to go to the mall," Casey said. "You guys wanna come?"
Part Two: Casey.
They went directly to Musicville, where Ralph had recently started working.
Casey worried for a minute that this would be his day off, but they saw him through the window. Ralph nodded to the group of them as they walked in. Edwin and Lizzie dispersed and Ralph came up to Derek and Casey.
"Welcome to Musicville," he said. "Can I help you lovely people find something today?" He said this in a hilariously artificial tone of voice that Casey couldn't resist tossing back at him.
"Why yes, young man," she said. Derek snorted. "Would you perhaps be able to show us where you keep the guitar equipment in this fine establishment?"
"Ooh, you're good," Ralph said. "You need a job?"
"Ask me again in August," she said. "What we need right now is some guitar stuff and to know whether you're working on Saturday."
"Okay, the guitar stuff is over here, follow me, and what?" Ralph asked.
"Saturday," Derek said.
"Heey, it talks! Thought you lost your voice again for a sec," Ralph said. Then he shrank back from Derek's glare in mock fear. "Kidding," he said.
"Are you working Saturday or what?" Derek said.
"Pretend like you're buying something," Ralph said.
"No I need some new strings and stuff, too," Derek said, pretending to look over different packages, even though he knew exactly what he needed. "But answer the question."
"Yeah, I'm working, like, every Sunday, so it's the least Barry could do to let me off on Saturdays," Ralph said. "The Fender stuff's on sale."
"Good to know," Derek said. "So Saturday..."
"Yeah," Ralph said.
"We need your help," Casey said, batting her eyes at him. Then she remembered what they were after and why, and realized what a waste of energy that was.
"Yeah?"Ralph said.
Casey nudged Derek. "Um, we need people to paint sets for that play Casey's in," Derek said. "Sam did it last week, and I figured since I was stuck doing it..." Casey smacked Derek's arm. "That you could help and we could maybe hang out."
"Who else is doing it?" Ralph asked.
"Sam, Emily, Sheldon, us, a couple other people," Casey said.
"Any girls?" Ralph said. Casey suppressed an eyeroll, but didn't quite make it. He didn't read it right anyway. "What? You can't expect me not to ask what's in it for me!"
"Of course there will be girls," Derek said. "In tank tops, even."
And we'll tell Chris to wear a wifebeater, Casey thought.
"So, yes?" Derek asked.
"Um," Ralph said, handing Derek a guitar cleaning kit and a marked-down songbook. "Let's get someone to ring that up for you."
"Okay," Derek said. "But about Saturday?"
"Yeah, okay," Ralph said. Casey squealed and threw her arms around him.
"Thank you, ma'am but we have all new releases on sale," Ralph said.
"Cut the crap, Ralphie," someone said from behind the counter. "Like I don't know those are your friends."
"Busted," Derek said.
"I suppose you want his discount, too," the guy said.
"Duh," Derek said.
"Looks that way, Barry," Ralph said.
"Okay, get your butts over here before it gets busy," Barry said.
"It's noon on a Tuesday," Ralph said. "What is this 'busy' of which you speak?"
Barry rang them up and Derek took out his wallet. He'd finally been paid for that week's worth of work at Good Deal and as small as the check had been, Casey knew it was burning a hole in his pocket.
"The Nickelback songbook?" Barry said. "You finally got someone to buy the Nickelback songbook? You're a genius Ralphie!"
Ralphie grinned. Derek glared. Casey thought Ralphie was a little smarter than they gave him credit for.