"Guys, dinner's ready

"Guys, dinner's ready! Make your way to the table."

Immediately there was the normal sound of doors slamming and people running from opposite directions as everyone made there way to the table, everyone but Lizzie. As Casey made her to the table, Nora asked her "Where's Lizzie?"

"I think she's still up in her room, I'm pretty I sure her lying on her bed when I walked by."

"She's been in her room forever!" said Marti.

"Well, she won't be there much longer, because Casey if you don't mind could go tell her she needs to come down for dinner, she doesn't have a choice."

"Sure, no problem."

"Thanks, Case"

Casey ran back upstairs, the door Lizzie's room was half open and Lizzie was lying on her bed reading a book. "Come on Liz, it's time to eat."

"I'm not hungry," she said.

"Well Mom said you don't have a choice, you have to come down for dinner."

Lizzie ignored her and didn't even look up from her book.

"Liz, come on. If you don't come down then everyone WILL think something's wrong, so I'd get down there if I were you."

"Well, I'm sure by now that Derek has told everyone that I started my period…he probably even told Sam!"

"Liz, how many times have I told you?! Derek promised not tell anyone! Trust me!"

"So in other words you're asking me to trust Derek?"

"I guess in a way, yes."

"So you trust Derek?"

"Normally, no of course not, but as far as this is concerned yes I trust him."

"Wow that must be a first!" Lizzie said sarcastically.

"Liz, just come on. If you don't go downstairs soon then Mom's going to come up and then you know everyone will realize something's up, so let's just go downstairs and have a normal dinner."

"Fine! You win! But if he embarrasses me at dinner I'm blaming you!"

Casey and Lizzie walked into the kitchen to join the rest of the family." Finally, we can eat!! I'm starving!" said Edwin.

"Edwin." said George warned.

"Sorry."

Lizzie then realized that the only remaining seat was directly across from Derek. "Just great! The last thing I want is to be anywhere near him!"

Everyone started eating but Lizzie just sat quietly and starred down at her plate. "Lizzie, aren't you going to eat anything?" asked Nora.

"Oh yeah, pass the chicken please." Lizzie smiled, hoping that it looked somewhat real so everyone wouldn't think she was some kind of freak.

"So how was everyone's day?" George asked.

"Awesome, I got this really cute dress at the mall when I went shopping with Emily after school," said Casey.

"Yeah and thanks to your 'emergency' shopping trip, I was stuck here most of the afternoon!"

"Sorry, but at lunch I realized I needed to get something to wear for my date with Max tomorrow night."

"Well, apparently shopping was more important than watching your siblings!"

"Derek, that's not true! As soon as I got home I let you leave to go hang out with Sam!"

"Well just don't' let it happen again! You owe big time me, especially since-"

"DEREK NO!!" screamed Lizzie and she ran out of the kitchen and upstairs.