AN: Sorry this took me so longgg. I was just. Oh I don't know. I really don't have an excuse. haha But here it is, anyways!! Read & review, if you'd likee!

They Try to Pull Me Away

Chapter Five: What!?

Yeah, so… she was pissed at me; and I don't blame her, I was being a total douche. But like I've said before… I'm tired of her denying what we both know is true.

And I know, I know! You're thinking of how much of a hypocrite I am.

'Well Derek, you did say you'd wait for her' or some shit like that.

But here's the kicker. I will wait; but I've never been one to make things easy. That's just the way we work.

She never gives up. Never. Which is why I predicted her pounding on my door at six thirty one night as I was getting ready for work.

(Picked up a job at yet another local dinner.)

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I was just about to put on my shirt but decided against it before opening the door.

I rose my eyebrows at her and she just gaped at me.

"Close your mouth; you look stupid." And I slammed the door closed. She didn't look 'stupid'.

"Der-ek!" I heard from the other side.

She just had to make it personal (not that it wasn't always with us).

I sighed, making my way back to the door again, throwing my shirt around my neck.

"What?" I asked breathlessly, I don't know... I was just a bit exhausted by all of this.

I didn't know what I expected her to say. I thought maybe she'd yell at me, throw some shit. I don't know…

I'll tell you one thing, though; I sure as hell didn't expect her to kiss me.

But she did it anyways.

I don't know what made her do it, but dammit who cares, right? It was short, and corny, and so… Casey… that it was nothing short of perfect.

"Uh…" I couldn't even talk.

"Please; don't talk, Derek. You always ruin things when you speak, anyways." She smirked at me.

"Um. Ouch." I replied in mock pain, placing a hand over my heart.

She just laughed and leaned up to give me another kiss.

"Nuh uh! I don't think so. You can't insult me, then expect me to let you plant your lips on me!" I argued playfully.

"Pft. If that was the case, we'd never kiss each other."

"Touché." I raised an eyebrow.

"You were right. About everything. Well… maybe not everything," She clarified, any chance to take a dig at my ego, "but you were right about me. I was scared to let myself feel anything for you. I mean… you're supposed to be my brother, but instead I feel like if you were my brother, I'd probably puke. You know… 'cause... then I'd be in love with my brother and that's so not cool."

"In… what?" My throat went dry.

"In love, you buffoon. I'm in love with you." She grabbed my head and shook it playfully. "There is a brain in there, right?"

I growled. "Very funny." I replied sarcastically. "Well, you have horrible timing. You know, to go along with your bad coordination."

Her eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm off to work." I tugged on the shirt I had hanging around my neck.

"Yeah, you just had to keep the shirt off to answer the door?"

"Hey. It could have been some hot girl, coming to profess her love for me." I paused, as she smiled, "How was I supposed to know it'd be my sister?"

"Um… ew?!" she smacked my chest.

I laughed, "But I really better get going. Why don't you swing by the restaurant tonight? I'll give you some free pie." I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively, while putting my shirt on.

"You've got a deal, Venturi." And she grabbed my shirt and pulled me into a kiss.

I can get used to this.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

What the HELL just happened?!

I shot up from my place on my couch. I looked at the clock: 6:27pm.

None of that even happened!?

That's not even fair!

So I went to the door, this time my shirt was already on.

There she was, in all of her anger, her rage, her... glowing, blue eyes.

FOCUS.

"C- Casey?" I asked, my voice was small. What can I say? She was kind of scary at the moment.

She fumed.

"Don't 'Casey' me."

"B-but that's your name."

"Who cares what my name is!?"

... uh ...

What the hell is she talking about?

"You- you can't just hang up on me, and then not answer when I call you back!" She yelled at me.

Alright, some insight on the current Godzilla act she's trying on. I regained my composure.

"Really? 'Cause it seems like I can. And I did." I told her, stepping back to slam the door.

She stopped the door with her foot, and flung it open again.

Yeah, I forgot how strong she can get when she's pissed at me.

"Don't walk away from me, Derek. I've had enough of your incompetence."

"MY incompetence?! Mine!? You're the one who won't just... ugh!" I couldn't finish.

"Won't what, Derek?" She pried. Which... I don't know why she was prying, considering, all she's going to do when I finish the sentence is act like she has no clue what I'm saying.

"Won't..." I paused, "won't just admit that you feel the same way I do." I rubbed my temples. Where did this headache come from?

She fell silent. Of course.

"What the hell, Casey?! You do this every time! You want to know what the fuck is wrong with me, but when I tell you... you just back away. I'm tired of it! If you didn't feel the same way about me, you wouldn't be here. You'd just ignore me forever, and just pretend I don't exist." I paused, "You know, all the years we've known each other, we both said that we couldn't stand one another, and how we would just wish each other out of our lives if we could... but... for some reason, we both always ended up right back with each other. Helping each other, screaming at each other... whatever the situation... we were together. You don't realize that?"

Silence.

I took a step forward.

"Casey. You and I... we aren't normal. We never have been. But... at least I'm okay with that. Me. The guy who prides himself on being the top dog about everything; the guy who's cool cache is way larger than it should be. I don't care if I'm normal, as long as it means that you're there with me. And I know you want to be. You're just too scared to say anything; and you're afraid that people will look down on you. Well... maybe they will, Case. But wouldn't it all be worth it?"

Silence.

"Apparently, you just don't think I'm worth the trouble."

And I left her standing in my dorm.

Hey. I had to get to work, didn't I?