Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the favorites and review and alert! Here the first official chapter.

When I got to my room, I hurried to lock the door. I flopped down on my bed and turned to the first page.

Casey McDonald

3rd Period

Mrs. French

So Mrs. French says this diary project is to help us "release our emotions" and "help us let out our inner angst." Frankly the only inner angst I am feeling at the moment is waiting for Derek to get home from hockey practice so I can pound him for what he did to my lunch.

Well there is something I could go on for days and days. Derek. My annoying stepbrother. The one who makes it his personal goal to make me as miserable as possible. So, why do I feel the way I do around him? This flipping of the stomach when he smiles. And not his smirk, but his real, genuine smile. It lifts my spirits, for some reason. There was this one time, when we were fighting as usual; he kind of pushed me against the wall. He has grown so much in the time I have known him that he was towering over me. So I was looking up into his deep chocolate colored eyes, and all of a sudden we both stopped yelling, and mumbled something quickly, and ran back to our rooms. I flopped down on my bed, mind racing. What was going on? I hated Derek. He pranked me all the time. So, what was this strange feeling that had come upon me just then? It was a feeling of loathing, wasn't it? Or- what? Grr. Oops, Mom is calling. I guess Derek is home. Time for dinner.

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I just got back from dinner downstairs. Marti was telling us all about how she learned "If You're Happy And You Know It," but she called it "The Happy Song." It was really cute. Even Derek was smiling at it.

It is so strange. Derek is an annoying, selfish idiot, but when it comes to Marti, or "Smarti", as he calls her, it is almost like he has a weakness for her. He actually is a very good big brother when it comes to her. Shocking, really.

But he acts like her big protector, and she really loves him, and he really loves her. It is almost like he leaves "Derek" behind, and becomes "Smerek."

One time Marti came into my room, and said. "Casey?"

I was working on some homework at the time, but I turned around and said, "Yes?"

She walked over and hopped into my lap.

"Why doesn't Smerek talk to me when he is with his friends?

I smiled. "Well, Marti, Derek thinks he has to act tough, and apparently talking to your cute little sister isn't really tough."

"That's stupid." Marti said, leaning down against me.

"You said it Marti." I hugged her. "Now, you need to go to bed! It's twenty minutes past your bedtime!" I exclaimed, looking at the clock on my computer. I carried her back to her room. She was already in her pajamas, so I set her in bed. I was about to turn off her light when she said in a small voice, "Casey?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Are you and Smerek in love?"

I raised my eyebrows. "What makes you think that?"

"You and Smerek act the same way around each other that Nora and Daddy do."

I smiled. "Well, I don't know about that. But I do know, that you need to go to bed! Good night, Marti."

"Call me Smarti." I looked at her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Well then, good night Smarti."

"Good night Smasey."

I walked out of her room. I felt honored. No one was allowed to call Marti Smarti except for Derek. And she didn't call anyone with a Sm except for Derek. What had made her want to call me Smasey?

I closed the diary for a moment. I remembered when that had happened. The next night at dinner, Marti had called Casey Smasey when she asked for the peas. Everyone stopped dead. I had looked at the look in Derek's eyes, the pain, but happiness, because I knew that Derek was okay sharing the nicknames, but ONLY with Casey. Anyone else couldn't.

Then I had looked back at Casey. She lifted the peas and said, "Sure Smarti!" and passed them to her. Then she looked at Derek, and the started talking with their eyes like Mom and George do. Casey seemed to say, Marti asked! And Derek seemed to respond with an Okay. I can handle that.

And then everyone turned back to their dinner.

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