-1Somebody to Love

Disclaimer: I do not own Life with Derek

Chapter Five: Falling

"Oh really? Because I don't remember you and Casey or your guys' little friends trying to talk to me before, now….Do you? So tell me."

"Okay…" Derek began, but then paused for what seemed like days.

"…..Derek? Uh, are you…okay?" Adrienne asked a little worried, "You look…odd staring off into space like that…are-are you drooling?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" He asked not so convincing.

"You know what? Whatever you and your sister are up to, I don't want to know," She said giggling.

"Stepsister," He replied.

"Huh?"

"Stepsister. Casey's my stepsister not my sister. There's a difference, we're not related," Derek said with a noticeable coldness in his tone.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Was all Adrienne could shoot back at him.

Adrienne studied Derek's face for a while, and wondered why his voice turned so cold when she called Casey his sister. Then they both stood in awkward silence for a while until…

"So, what're you two up to, eh?" Casey said with an extra ounce perkiness.

"You seem very happy today, Klutzilla." Derek replied with his infamous smirk.

"How're you doing, Adrienne?" Casey asked, ignoring his remark.

"Fine."

"Do you have any plans after school today?"

"No."

"Oh, uh. Would you like to hang out?"

"I'm busy," And with that, Adrienne walked away.

"What the-?" Casey asked half angered and half saddened.

Derek put his hand on her shoulder, "Can't you see that she doesn't like you? Geez, Case." He chuckled and walked away.

During lunch Casey and Emily took their regular seats in the cafeteria.

"So, she told you that she didn't have any plans and then you asked her to hang out and she said she was busy?" Emily asked trying to comprehend Casey's story. "So what're we going to do? I mean, she seems to be only talking to Derek…do you think that she might like him?" She asked Casey with a worried look on her face.

"No," She started to say, "there's no possible way."

"Case, it's-"

"There is no way in hell that I am losing this bet," Casey mumbled as she stood up and marched her way into the crowded high school hallway.

"Does Adrienne Berwits like you, Derek?" She said in a panicked tone.

"Why? Are you afraid that you might lose this bet, Casey?" He replied in his usual smug voice, "Whatever happened to 'I already have this thing won hands down?'"

"I do."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, and I hope you don't mind. But I'm going to make my room extra messy. Just for you." She said as she walked away, once again.

When Casey got home, she ran straight to her room to make and illustrate a plan for the bet, not even bothering to say 'hello' to her brother and sisters. A few hours into her work, the phone rang. "McDonald-Venturi residence," Casey greeted.

"Hello….is Derek there?" Asked a familiar voice.

"Oh. Umm, yeah who's this?" She said a little anxious.

"Adrienne Berwits."

What. The. Fu-

"Is that for me?" Derek said interrupting her in mid-thought.

"Huh?" Casey asked, a little panicked.

"The phone call. Is that for me? I'm expecting someone."

"Umm, no."

And with that said, Casey had a whole new plan in mind.