I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE CHARACTERS IN THIS STORY, DISNEY DOES!

Chapter Four: The Pain of Losing You

Casey leaned back on her bed. After crying all day, she was exhausted but she couldn't sleep. She skipped dinner and had spent the entire night in her room. Nobody disturbed her so Derek must have informed them about Noel's death. Casey held his note in her hands, reading it over and over and….well you get the point.

"Casey, are you okay?" Lizzie stood in the doorway looking mournfully at her sister.

Casey shook her head and suddenly the tears were back. Lizzie wrapped her arms around her older sister, her heart breaking for her. Losing Noel must have been so hard for Casey. Lizzie just sat there, comforting Casey. Neither one of them noticed Derek pausing in the doorway.

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Noel rested his head in his hands. Tears flowed silently down his face. He was so scared that maybe this wouldn't work out. There was a knock at his door. Noel ran his hands over his face and fell back on his bed before telling them they could come in.

"Noel, sweetheart, can we talk about this?" His mom walked into the room and sat on the edge of his bed.

Noel sighed, "If you're here to talk me out of this, you're too late. Derek told her today at school."

Mrs. Covington looked down at the floor, "Noel, I think this is crazy. It's hurting you and I can't watch this anymore."

Noel sat up, "Mom, I have to do this. I know she loves me, but if she doesn't realize it then I'll lose her forever. I can't handle that."

His mom nodded and stood up, "Alright. Just be careful, Noel." And with that she shut his door.

Noel shook his head and dialed Derek's number.

Derek answered, "Listen, Noel, I think that maybe…"

Noel interrupted him, "Don't do this, Derek. I don't need you to tell me that I shouldn't do this. She'll just be mad at this point. And not just at me, Derek. She'll think you made it all up."

Derek groaned, "Noel, she cried herself to sleep."

Noel closed his eyes, trying to push back the pain that stabbed at him at those words. "I'm so sorry," Noel mumbled.

Derek nodded, "But I guess you're right. I'll talk to you later, Noel."

Noel sighed, "Goodnight, Derek. And don't call too often. People might figure out our plan."

Noel hung up the phone and threw it at the wall. He knew it was going to hurt her but he had tried not to think about it. He flipped over and buried his face in his pillow. He wanted to scream. When Max was hurting her, he had felt bad watching the pain fall over her face. When Truman turned out to be a jerk, he had wished he could make her pain go away. But things were better when he wasn't the reason she was in pain. Now that he was on the other side of her pain, he hated himself.

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The following Monday, Casey decided to go back to school. She could've stayed home another day, but she didn't want to sit around and think about Noel. The entire drive to school, Derek was quiet. Occasionally glancing over at Casey, guilt playing heavily on his heart.

Derek spoke up as Casey was climbing out of the car, "Hey, Case? Are you sure you're ready to come back? It's only been like three days."

Casey stared down at her feet, "I can do this, Derek."

Derek nodded and walked towards the school.