Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize from outside this story. I claim only the plot, the characters, any places and such that I make up for the purposes of this story. All characters not in the show are made up as is Club 42, though Queen's Lazy Scholar is real.
Homecoming Week
Chapter 2
Club 42 Thursday Night 11pm
Casey and Janice laughing hard double over walking over to the high top table just off the dance floor where they had set their coats to put down their drinks. They stood there talking and sipping their drinks when the DJ announced the next song. As the beat starts up, Janice lets out on excited yell exclaiming that this is her favorite song; the number of songs she has declared to be her favorite Casey has lost track. Janice rushes Casey to finish her drink before throwing an arm in the air and grabbing Casey's hand with other tugging her unto the dance floor.
A few songs later, they, still dancing, walk back to their table and Janice signals for another round of drinks. Casey tries to motion to the bartender she doesn't want a second one but Janice pushes her hand back down. "Oh no girl, I don't think so. This is not a one drink night tonight. We don't have anywhere to be in the morning."
A waitress sets their drinks in front of them and Janice pays for both drinks causing Casey to laugh. "Fine, one more. You are a bad influence you know. "
Janice raises her glass to clink it with Casey's. "I know but you love me for it. Now drink up." Janice is just about to take a sip when she spots two guys standing a few feet away scanning the crowd with bottles in their hands. Janice hurriedly puts down her glass and waves her hand in the air. "Robby! Over here honey." Rob lights up when he sees her and he weaves his way through the crowd with his friend to join their table. Janice stands on her tiptoes to peck him on the lips before lifting her hand to Derek. "Derek Venturi, it is an absolute pleasure to see you. Robby, dance with me please?"
Rob glances at the dance floor and places his beer on the table. He looks down at himself and gestures to the dance floor. Rob is a tall large man of about 6 feet and about 225 lbs, great for football but not necessarily for dancing. "Umm you sure Janey?"
"Come on Robby and I am sure. Surprise me. I am sure Casey and Derek will be fine by themselves for a while right, you two?" Janice drinks the last of her drink and guides him to the dance floor.
Grabbing both their drinks, Derek guides Casey over away from the table and to a booth along one wall pushing her down into a seat sliding in after her effectively cutting any exit. "Alright Casey what the hell is your damage?"
Casey crosses her arms and glares at him before turning to face front. Derek blows out an exasperated breath. "Come on Casey I thought we were sort of friends. Now get that stick out of your ass and talk to me."
Casey whirls to face him looking like she could spit nails. "Friends? Derek, we haven't hung out or spoken since what? May?"
"Hey I was gone all summer and busy as hell and so were you. Besides we did hang out when the semester started, or did you forget? I let you win at air hockey and I kicked your ass at pool."
"Oh one time yay. I feel so honored. The Great Hockey God Venturi spent time with me. Anyways weren't you the one who told me a long time ago that girls and guys can't be friends?"
"That is a bad example to help your argument you know. To prove your point you chose someone who had a crush on you and Sally and I both chose people we had dated before, which isn't always a sure bet that they don't still have feelings for you. We are talking about me here, I mean look at this." Derek leans back waves his arms in front of his body wiggling his eyebrows like he is showing a prized car.
Casey puts her hand in front of her mouth trying in vain to stay serious. "Are you saying you were wrong? And guys and girls can be friends and never be more?"
Derek puts his hands up in the air smiling knowing he has won. "Now I didn't say that. Have I ever said I was wrong to you? Especially since you have no proof. Now how about we get up and go join our friends on the dance floor so I can embarrass you with my awful dancing some more." Derek gets up holding his hand out to Casey to lift her up. "Unless you want to be my wing woman and help me pick up that red head over that the bar."
Casey looks around him to catch a glimpse of the bar and sees no clear view of a red head anywhere; unless he is referring to the red headed guy buying a Bud Light that looks like he should have went to the country western bar down the street. "Oh Derek, I would love to be your wing woman for that. I think that would be so much fun."
Derek pulls up short. "Wait you would?" Derek turns his head to see the red headed girl in a slinky dress that was there when he came in and instead sees what Casey saw. Derek bursts out laughing. "Oh you are evil, woman."
Casey puts her one hand on her hip and takes a sip of drink with the other. "Hey maybe this means you can be my wing man instead. Besides what do girls see in you anyway?"
"You mean other than my good looks, boyish charm, and mad hockey skills? If that fails all I have to do is pull out my guitar and play a few chords."
To which Casey lets out a snort. "Good thing you don't come to these places to dance then and you don't have boyish charm."
Getting behind Casey he pushes her towards to the dance floor. He grabs her hand, gives her a spin and twirling her out he brings her back in with her back to his chest. "Okay Derek where did you learn that?"
"From movies of course. The ladies love it, though that is about all I know, the dancing lesson you tried to give me does not count. Pretending to be zombie won't exactly impress women."
Casey turns to face him. "Well if it does, the women you date are truly ummm unique."
Janice and Rob sidle up to them. "Hi Casey. Hey Derek would you mind giving Casey a ride back? Janice and I are going to head out." Rob asks with Janice hugging tightly to him who winks to Casey and pointing to Derek.
"Oh Derek you don't have to do that. I can always call a cab later." Casey and Derek wave to their friends. 'That girl needs to learn some subtlety,' Casey thinks shaking her head.
"I can take you back. It's on my way to the frat house anyway. I have an early meeting with the coaches for the games tomorrow and Saturday; which reminds me are you sure you don't have those notes from last year?"
"Why? Did you skip class one too many times or something?"
"Hey I will have you know I haven't skipped class more than once this semester; though I may have a paper due on Monday."
Casey cocks her head to the side. "Let me guess: you haven't started."
"Hey why do now what can be done tomorrow, or in this case Sunday. I have the whole day to do it and its only five pages. Simple, even without your help."
Casey sighs and shrugs her coat on grabbing her purse. "Well I am exhausted and should be getting back. Thanks for the dance."
Derek pulls on his leather jacket and follows her out. "I said I would give you a ride back so I will," Derek states nodding to the bouncer on the way out. "See you tomorrow Stucky."
Casey looks at him surprised. "You know the bouncer?"
"He is on my team. Works here sometimes to make extra cash. Well hop in, door won't open itself," Derek states jumping in.
Tuesday 4pm
Rob and Janice walk up hand in hand the hall in front of the library to see Derek chatting up one of the girls signing up her team for the girls' flag football tournament next week. There are small tables set up in the hall in front of the library for signing up for participation in the events for next week's festivities. They walk right up to where Derek is sitting at with a fellow fraternity member.
Janice says with a hop, "Hi Derek!"
"Ah hi Janice. This is Cindy. She just signed up for the tournament. I hope I see you in the finals, I am going to be a ref in that game."
"Oh I hope so Derek. Hi Janice right? It is nice to meet you," Cindy says as she holds out a held to her.
She in turn keeps her hand to her side while remarking, "Yeah you too." The girl in confusion puts down her hand awkwardly and Janice nudges Rob. "Oh hey Derek, you are done here right? We thought we could go get some dinner over at the Lazy Scholar. Want to come with? Maybe play some foosball and pool?"
"Sure, practice got pushed to an early morning one today so I have time. And here comes Tom and Jerry so I am free to go. My shift here is over."
One of the guys Derek was referring to slaps him on the back and laughs. "Ha ha ha D. Hi, my real name is Steve and this here is Sean."
Rob chuckles as Cindy slips Derek a scrap of paper before skipping away with a wave. "Another phone number, D? This has to a record. How many is it this week so far?"
Derek unfolds it and laughs handing to the guy that just got up from the table. "Actually it is for you Kev. Maybe she likes the strong silent type."
"Wow, and I was just being shy. I am going to try and catch up with her. Later D!" Kevin says dashes down the hallway.
The three companions come up to the entranceway of the Lazy Scholar and see none other than Casey standing there. "Janice did you ask Casey to come too?" Rob asks in a voice that sounded both amused and cautious since he doesn't know if this could be setup for Derek and doesn't know how Derek would take to that. All he wants to do is eat and hopefully the foosball table is open.
Janice, always good at thinking on her feet, says, "Okay I did but I asked her first before I asked you to come with me and remember you are the one who asked Derek to join us."
"Oh yeah I did, didn't I? Never mind," Rob replies pacified.
They are almost up to Casey when Josh Kelly walks up to her. He starts talking to her and it soon becomes, by the looks of it, agitated.
"So Janice, with Casey and Josh who broke up with who?" Derek asks crosses his arms.
"Josh broke up with her, and didn't exactly spare her feelings in the end in doing so. I hope he isn't trying to ask her out again. It really made her upset at the time, besides underneath I think he is just such a skeez."
Not hearing their conversation, Casey is wondering what the frak is going on. "Josh, I thought you had made it pretty clear you didn't want to see me again. When I went to the paper's office to check on the Homecoming ad, you made it a point to not talk to me let alone look at me." Casey crosses her arms, juts out her hip to the side and shifts her leg to tap her foot.
Josh reaches out to touch her arm before Casey pulls away. "I missed you Casey."
"You make no sense. I mean Janice saw you flirting with a girl from one of her classes yesterday morning. If you missed me so much, what's up with that?"
"Well that isn't my fault. I'm guy plus you were a lot of fun the three weeks we were hanging out before we started dating. Then it was like someone flipped on the crazy switch. You had all these expectations of me all of a sudden. Maybe we could try again but just be casual.
"Oh I don't think so. I told you before I don't do casual where we date other people too."
"Maybe you could think about it? I do like you," Josh starts to say when a black haired girl with bright green eyes walks up to him and takes his hand.
"Hey Joshy, I thought you were waiting for me outside. Hi I'm Tiffany." The girl waves to Casey and Casey's ingrained manners kick in and she proffers a hand to her.
Janice, Rob, and Derek are on their way in the place figuring Casey would join them in a bit when Derek makes a split second decision and turns back. On his way over to her, he can see she is tense and very uncomfortable.
Derek wraps an arm around Casey's shoulders and gives them a squeeze. "Casey, Princess, I have been looking for you everywhere. We are supposed to be meeting up with Janice and Rob, remember? You weren't going to stand me up were you?"
Casey looks sideways at him confused at first then decides to play along for now and see where this is headed. "Ummm no, I wouldn't dream of it," Casey says mockingly.
Derek fights the urge to roll his eyes. Nice save Case. He leaves one arm around Casey's shoulders and extends a hand out to Josh. "Josh right?"
"Yeah, Josh. Josh Kelly? Remember we met when you had that interview when you first made captain." Josh is a little stumped; he is a big deal here right? Dean's List, Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, plays the drums, and even had the lead in a couple plays.
"Oh sure sure. Must have slipped my mind. Hi there, Tiffany; I'm Derek. Nice to meet you."
"Hi Derek," Tiffany says as she leans against Josh's shoulder.
"Well, it is great to meet both of you but I am afraid I have to steal her away. We are going to be late for dinner. My friend's girlfriend Janice will be upset which will make the princess here all mopey and totally ruin my plans." Derek throws a smirk Josh's way before opening the door to the café. Derek steers Casey inside and towards where their friends are looking at menus near the foosball table.
Seeing them approach, Janice gets up and inspects Casey's face. "Are you okay? I thought we were totally over the whole Josh thing? You aren't upset about it still right?"
Casey looks over at Derek before going to hug Janice "I think I was more upset by what he said when we broke up than the fact we broke up. This is nice Janice. Thanks for asking me to come."
Janice pulls back and smiles at her friend. "There is such a thing as over studying for a test you know Casey. Do you want to talk about earlier?"
"Sure but later when it's just us okay?" Casey asks.
Janice smiles back at her. "Alright, good plan. You, me, our pj's and Ben and Jerry." She takes Rob's hand and they head to the coffee bar to order.
"Hey Rob can you and Janice order both of us our usuals? I am going to show Casey the fine art of a pool game." Derek hands Casey a pool stick. "Alright Casey it is all about the angles and force." Seeing Casey's surprised look, Derek says "I know. Weird right? Apparently that geometry and physics we are forced to learn in high school is actually useful sometimes. It has even helped my hockey game."
"Well seeing as I got A's in those classes and you barely passed them, I figure I will probably win anyway." Casey says cockily.
Derek looks up from racking the pool balls and sets up the cue ball. "Want to make it interesting?"
Casey keeps putting chalk on her cue stick and says, "You mean like a bet?"
"Yeah, a bet. Unless you are scared?" Derek lines up his cue stick to break but holds in place to stare at her until she answers.
"Okay sure, what are we betting?"
"If I win you have to make me breakfast this whole weekend, Friday too," Derek says thinking of her awesome chocolate chip pancakes and omelets. Derek breaks and he gets one of the striped ones in.
Casey lines up her cue stick squinting to judge which ball to aim for. Casey ends up with getting two of her balls in at the same time. Casey straightens and leaning on her stick she smiles at his shocked expression. "All angles and force right? How about if I win, you have to come to the variety show and help out that night, in anyway that I see fit."
"Oh you're on," Derek says walking around the table to be closer to the cue ball.
"Yeah oh hey your drinks are ready?" Rob says as Janice and him bring all of them to a nearby table.
Janice shakes her head as she sees that all thoughts of food are gone. "I don't think they can hear us. Bet you five bucks she wins."
Rob clinks his glass with hers. "You're on."
Sometime later Casey throws up her hands in triumph. Derek points his cue stick towards her and picks up the triangle to rack the balls back up. "Okay Casey best 2 out of 3."
"Alright but only 2 out of 3. No saying best 3 out of 5 or anything like that," Casey states placing her hand on her hip.
"Deal and it's your turn to break." They shake on it and start filling the rack up again.
Rob is in the process of getting out his wallet when he stops and says, "double or nothing."
Janice lays down a ten and Rob sets one on top of it. They pay for the ordered food when it is carried to their table. Throughout the game, Casey and Derek stop by the table when it isn't their turn to grab a bite. Derek wins this round by two balls.
By this time the trash talk and cheering coming from the group has drawn the attention of the rest of the people in the small café. When they start the final round, there is a small group of people holding their drinks lined on the outskirts of the pool table. People at the various tables and at the bar are angled facing them. The only people not watching are the staff and the people absorbed in the basketball game on TV.
They are down to the last balls for both of them. Derek has two balls and the eight ball to hit in while Casey is ahead with only one ball and the eight ball to go. Casey is eyeing where to take aim and leans over the table to line up her shot. Derek gets an idea and decides to put a theory to the test. He had noticed what he thought was Casey checking him out a couple times. If he was wrong, the worse that can happen is an entertaining fight with Casey. Derek nonchalantly walks to stand next to her. He leans against the pool table and whispers in a low deep voice close to her ear, "You know if you win, you will miss bringing me breakfast in bed and I was going to share. Now all you will get is my help on one measly little show."
Startled Casey jerks her hand and cue ball goes flying sending her ball to an awkward angle. Derek springs up with a little hop. "Well, looks like it's my turn." Casey moves to stand next to their table and hides her beet red face with her drink. Derek easily hits in both of his balls with one shot before putting the eight ball in. Derek, with a hint of a smirk, walks up to the table. He picks up the money and hands it to Casey. "I think this belongs to us since we were the entertainment. Or rather to you since you will be needing supplies especially for those chocolate chip pancakes. I have a frat house meeting to go to so I will see you two later." Derek sets down his cue stick against the table and plops down money for his share of the tab. "And I will see you Friday Casey." Derek picks up his jacket and heads out the door.
Casey plops herself down in a chair still holding her cue stick with a vacant look on her face. Janice waves her hands in front of her face startling her. She hands the cue stick to Janice and reaches for her purse to pay for her meal. Rob reaches out a hand to stop her. "Derek left enough money to cover both of you."
Casey stops, gets up, puts on her coat and gives her friend a hug. "I think I am going to go. Maybe take a long bath and read. Don't worry. No more studying for me till tomorrow."
"Fine but if I find a textbook or plans for next week in your hands when I get back, it will take more than Chunky Monkey to save you." Janice wiggles a finger at her. "And no sad crappy music either."
After Casey leaves, Rob rests his forearms on the table and leans into Janice. "Want to try to beat me at foosball?"
****End of Chapter 2****
Thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing. I got five reviews for Chapter 1 so I decided to keep going with this. Hope you like this too. Sorry for any mistakes, I did edit this super late at night.
Note: I know it says a week in the title but essentially it is going to be covering seventeen days. The committee meeting is held 10days before the festivities start and the story will be going from that to the day of the Homecoming game mentioned last chapter.
Wow Thanks to the people who reviewed the first chapter: leanaplumz, Laura Ferrari, Dark-Supernatural-Angel , Silverspear, TheMavster. And thanks for the story and author alerts. You guys are amazing.