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Homecoming Week

Chapter 3

Delta Omega Chi House

Derek nods hi to a few guys as he finds room along the wall in the dining room. Sitting on top of the kitchen island separating the two rooms, Cory spots him and pushes for another guy to move over and Derek takes a seat next to him. Everybody seems to be there if the noise level is any indication. Cory rolls his eyes at his brothers and at a glance Steve yells "Hey shut up. Let's get this over with. I have a hot study date I don't want to be late for."

Cory opens his binder and glancing at it quickly, he sets it on the island behind him before turning back to the group. "Alright, I hate to call this meeting since we all have stuff to do. We just met last week but we have some stuff that can't wait till next week. We won't have one next week instead since it is Homecoming week. First off, we updated the notices on the bulletin boards in the den and on the website of all semester events, volunteering, available tutors and policies. Check them; the chairs do post these things for a reason. Second a group is looking to start a team for to go play disc golf this week. Talk to Sean if you want to play. And now I will give the floor over to Derek, who is heading up the Homecoming event."

"Its next week and I have tons of jobs and shifts to fill. Enough for everybody to have just one shift. I need score keepers, refs, and coaches for a couple teams, and people to help lug the equipment to each game. I can't be at every game so you will need to e-mail me afterwards the details of the game so the next day's brackets can be posted. It's a three day tourney with all the teams that signed up. I will be at a game on Monday and Wednesday for the finals." Derek casts a meaningful look around the room for all the people not looking to sign up. He passes the sheet over to Steve to pass around who signs up to coach a team after noticing the name of the team.

Cory reaches behind himself to hold up a pink t-shirt. "Okay, remember to leave something for me when it comes back around. So onto cleaning and laundry, unless you want to pay more money in dues so I can hire a cleaning lady, clean up after yourselves. Oh and the idiot who added his red jersey to Sean's load of whites, you owe him some new shirts." Cory tosses it to Sean who in turn throws it in the trash. Derek laughs earning him a glare from Sean as Nora forced him to do laundry with her once before leaving for Queen's and even laminated a card with all the rules. The meeting goes on as the various chairs cover what they need to cover and Cory dismisses everyone.

Everybody meanders out going their separate ways for their plans for the night. Steve pops the collar of his letter jacket and picks up his bag. Swinging it on his shoulder and leaving, he nods to Cory and Derek. Cory hops down and pulling two cans from the fridge he tosses one to Derek. Derek sits in one of the barstools popping the can and taking a long sip. Cory leans against the sink crossing his arms. He, over the past year, has taken the time to get to know Derek in particular of all the new pledges from last year. He was Derek's Big brother during Rush week last year and takes it seriously, like his did with him. Cory shakes his head at his friend. "So D, how are classes coming? Being captain isn't adding too much is it? If it is, sorry I can take over working on this Homecoming stuff. The one coordinating the whole thing is Casey McDonald right?"

Derek takes another swig of pop wishing it was something stronger. "I love being captain and I actually got that history essay done on time. And I can handle it, especially Casey."

"How is this Casey girl like? I have seen her around and I think I met her once but that's it."

Derek answers him almost without thinking. "Smart, funny, but can be annoying as all hell so you tend to forget those things. With as much as she is almost insane about control and no surprises, she is almost the most unpredictable person I know."

"What do you mean?"

"I have known Casey since high school and you would think she would hate my pranks. I practically lived to drive her nuts." Cory laughs at this as Derek has kept his reputation of being a master prankster even here. He remembers the pranks Steve and Derek played on each other last winter and the one they pulled off together on another fraternity. "But one time she actually wanted me to play a prank on her so she could make her boyfriend play the hero. She even pulled one off of her own once just so I would get in trouble."

Cory raises his eyebrows. "Maybe I should have been the one to go to that meeting. She sounds interesting."

Derek tosses his can in the trash right through the toy hoop attached to the fridge. "Yeah, today I managed to have her make me breakfast for three days so she will be around."

Cory, indicating the papers on the island, asks "so the slots are all filled for jobs for the next couple weeks for this thing right?"

"Yeah, all that needs to be done is the list posted and people to show up for their swift or Casey will somehow blame me for it."

"That is to be expected though. Also one of the reasons I swore off dating this semester so I could get more done on my honors thesis."

Derek laughs remembering seeing Cory chatting up a girl at the last party they went to thrown at Alfie's, a bar on campus. "So how's that working that out for you, Cory?"

"Shut it, D. Okay so that plan probably needs to be scraped. You and Casey are just old classmates right? So speaking of new plans, if you aren't interested, I will make sure Casey feels welcome. " Cory pauses, waiting for Derek to object. Derek doesn't speak up at first as he isn't sure why he should care and yet something is stopping him from saying 'go ahead'. Not getting a response, Cory asks, "guessing that is a no. Do you need me to keep the other guys out of the kitchen while she is here instead?"

"What? No, I won't need privacy and why should I care?" Derek straightens his jacket and picks up his pen starting to click it incessantly before putting it back down. "That reminds me I never did call Stacey from my history class, maybe a study date is in order."

Skeptical, Cory takes his word for it. "Whatever you say D. Oh and about pranks, I don't care if you pull them, in fact they are usually pretty funny but remember you and Steve both promised you would lay off the freshmen during their first year with us, even if it's to get people to sign up for stuff. Focus on the rest of us okay?"

To which, Derek smartly salutes him. "Gotcha Chief." Cory flings his pen at Derek's head and misses.

Sean pops his head in. "You want to go shoot some hoops with Kevin and me? Two on two?" They head outside where Kevin is already shooting free throws.

Adelaide Hall

Janice walks into the dorm room and sets her keys in the key bowl on the end table that Casey insisted they needed. It is an open space with a twin bed, desk, dresser and closet on either side of the door. They each have a couple shelves attached to the wall over their desks. Along the wall in between their personal spaces, they have set up a small flat screen TV and two disc chairs. Janice walks over to her chair to set her purse next to it and laughs when she sees what is on the floor in front of the TV. There in front of each of their chairs is a pint of their favorite Ben and Jerry's with spoons. The door opens behind her and she turns to see Casey in a big pink fuzzy robe over her pajama's hair wet, head bobbing to her ipod, and carrying a book. Casey takes out her ear buds and with a grin waves a textbook. "Sorry I couldn't help myself but there was a bubble bath involved."

Janice waves her Chunky Monkey at her. "Fine, but only because you know my weakness. Now put down that book and get over here and open up that frozen yogurt and indulge with me."

Casey curls herself up in her chair and pops open the lid. "Okay, so are we watching Sandra Bullock or Jennifer Lopez, again?" She says the last part with a cringe, even she gets tired of her friend's love of Jennifer Lopez's movies.

"Oh no, You are not dodging me again Miss Casey. This is your best friend remember? Now you are making him breakfast all weekend? Breakfast in bed with a hot hockey player? Nice; if I didn't have my own hot football player, I might be jealous."

"Ha ha ha, it's not like that. At least I don't know if it is. I don't even know why he wanted that for a bet. I mean I know he liked my cooking and is super lazy but still." Casey sighs taking a big bite of her frozen yogurt.

"Wait how does he know what your cooking is like? Am I missing something here or are you hiding something? You know secrets are bad for the soul." Janice ends her statement with flourish shoving her spoon in her mouth smartly.

Casey has a look of defeat realizing what she said and that her friend has a point. "Okay so you know how I said that my mom, my sister and I moved to London when she got remarried, her new husband had kids already and I know Derek from there? Well Derek is my step-brother." She finishes in a big gush of breathe bracing herself for the reaction she just knows is coming.

To her surprise, Janice lets out a sigh shaking her head. "Oh sweetie, I already knew that. Okay so I didn't know and Robby let it slip thinking I knew already. Apparently Derek told his best friend," Janice states in a slightly accusatory tone.

"Sorry I didn't tell you. I guess I didn't know how once so much time had gone by and he doesn't feel like family to me anyway. You're not mad?"

"No, just wish you would have told. Not like I am going to ditch you. You did save my ass last year in that literature class. You never said what he is to you. You're not sure what he is?" Seeing Casey nod, Janice smiles. "Well how do you feel?"

"That's the thing. I don't know how I feel unless he feels the same way and how do I know how he feels unless I ask and I really can't ask him right? I always humiliate myself in front of guys I like. Oh that would be a disaster. What if I mix the signals all wrong? What if I don't, we date, it goes bad and my family gets upset and we hate each other all over again?"

Janice grabs Casey's waving hands effectively stopping her rant and causing her to focus on her. "Here's what you are going to do. Not what you want to do but what you are going to do. You are going to let this play out and chill. If he wants to see you, he will. I promise. A girl can always use more friends and if it's more, then you don't even need to tell your folks till it's like 6 months or something." Casey nods again breathing normal and Janice just hopes she will actually listen to her. Holding her spoon, she clinks hers with Casey's and pops in a DVD and curls up to watch Sandra Bullock go undercover at the Miss America Pageant.

Thursday 4pm

Casey walks into the conference room to see Derek sitting next to her chair. He is busy arguing with Paul over last night's hockey game. Paul is a long time Montreal Canadiens fan and the game was against Derek's favorite team, Toronto Maple Leafs. Distractedly Derek reaches into the middle of table and grabs a can of Casey's preferred choice and sets it in front of her without turning from Paul. Casey gives a small smile before setting her binder down opening it up. Clearing her throat she grabs the attention of the room.

Derek is leaving after the meeting when he turns back and calls out to Casey. She spins around dropping everything scattering papers, pens and a couple books thud to the floor with a bang. Her face grows to a beet red as she kneels down to gather up her stuff. Her tote bag falls open spilling lip gloss and her phone and she wants to hang her head wishing the ground would swallow her up. Derek chuckles as he bends to pick up a Jane Austin novel and a collection of Shakespeare's works. "Really Case? These and the klutziness? You never change do you?"

Casey snatches them stuffing them back in her bag. "Hey these are for my literature classes besides they are classics. English and Literature major remember?"

"Whatever you say there Casey." Derek leans back slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I have to go to practice but don't forget you owe me breakfast. I did win that game of pool."

"Yeah yeah, next time you challenge me we should play a different game. You only won because you cheated. I am better at air hockey anyway."

Derek smirks wondering what he can manage to win this time. "I still won and you challenging a hockey player to air hockey? I will have to take you up on that sometime."

Casey finishes getting her things together when she sees a pretty blonde walking up to them in a miniskirt and ballet flats. The girl almost walks past and in a practiced move, she stops abruptly spinning around. "Derek?"

Derek looks to see Stacey from film history class. Stacey smiles brightly and says, "Hi Derek, I didn't know you would be around here. Who's this?'

"Oh Casey this is Stacey, I know her from class. Stacey, this is my ummm . . . ." 'Oh crap,' Derek's mind goes blank and searches for the word that is on the tip of his tongue. "My Casey, I mean my friend Casey."

Plastering on a smile, Casey greets her. "Hi Stacey, what are you up to?"

Stacey walks to stand next to Derek. "I am on my way to the gym. I had to miss class for an appointment." Turning back to Derek, she asks, "Can I borrow your notes?"

"Oh sure, they aren't much but my notebook is in my car. I have to get to practice but I can give them to you next class."

Stacey places her hand on Derek's arm angling towards him. "Well could I get them later today? We could go get coffee at Tim Horton's over at the Rec Centre."

Derek looks down at his phone as an alarm goes off warning him of the time. "Yeah sure, I need to get to warm-ups so see you at eight. Laters." Derek jogs off to his car in a rush.

Stacey waves to him and wiggles her fingers at Casey before skipping away twirling her tiny purse flinging herself to the outside. Casey frowns pulling out her grocery list and her phone calling Janice to see if she wants to come with her while walking out to her car giving herself a pep talk. She has breakfast food to get.

****End of Chapter 3****

Thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing. Hopefully this flows well, you like it and is edited okay. Sorry for any mistakes, I edit this stuff myself. Reviews = motivation for faster writing and happiness.

Note: I was never in a sorority but have friends who are and all my info on this stuff is either from them or Wikipedia. A Big brother is someone assigned to a pledge after they join to be their mentor and help them that first year.

Thanks to those of you reviewed the last chapter: theconscience, nottingham12, Dark-Supernatural-Angel, Silverspear, Leaf26, wiswinagirl. And much thanks to loveinaelevator for the awesome encouragement.