A/N: Just so everyone knows (I probably should have put this in some sort of flashback, but I didn't), Sam is ok with Derek's feelings NOW. At first he found it really weird and didn't talk to Derek for about a week, but he managed to get over it after he realized that it must have been the reason for the "male code".
Chapter 6 Kiss me, baby
Casey's POV
Derek has been acting weird. He seemed so upset when I couldn't help him with his English paper. And then he seemed genuinly concerned when I was telling him about Emily. Not that I'm complaining in the least. I mean, recently we have been fighting less in general, but that doesn't mean we were really getting along, so it was still a little surprising. But I enjoyed every minute of it. Normally when I start ranting he tells me he doesn't care or, if we're home, calls for my mom, but today he just sat there listening to me for around five minutes before he said anything. And he seems to have actually thought about what to say.
I know I really shouldn't be getting as excited about this as I am because it probably just means that he is starting to think of me more like a sister, but that doesn't keep me from hoping that it's something deeper than that.
The rest of that day was uneventful as was the one after it. It was Thrusday that I was excited for. I wanted to know what Derek got on his paper. Of course I had to wait all day to find out. And the day wasn't very good.
Emily hadn't spoken to me since Tuesday and by Thursday she wasn't just ignoring me, she was outright glaring at me. I felt her eyes on me everytime a guy walked up to me. I finally snapped and told her to cut it out and if she had something to say, then say it. She told me at that point that I was being incredibly selfish and I needed to tell her what the joke was. I explained, yet again, that I was just going back to how I used to dress, but she would have none of it. I guess she still needs to cool down a little more.
At any rate, I was very ready for the end of the day when I got to English class. Then the teacher had to be mean and not hand back the papers until the end of class. With about ten minutes to go he stopped his lecture and grabbed the stack of papers. "Okay, just let me say that the majority of the class got B's on this assignment. There were, however, two A's. The first went, of course, to Ms. MacDonald." He put her paper on my desk. "The second was a bit surprising." He began making his way to the back of the room as everyone's eyes followed him. "I expect to see this level of work on all your papers from now on Mr. Venturi." He set the paper down on Derek's desk as the boy looked at it with surprise clearly written on his face.
I smiled and the teacher said we could leave as soon as we had our papers, so Derek and I got up and quickly left the room. As we made our way down the hall towards our lockers we didn't speak. Derek continued staring down and the big red A on his cover sheet. "We skipping last period again?"
He looked up at me. "Why? You aren't upset."
I laughed at him. "No, but you have gotten your first A that I have ever seen and I think that is cause for celebration."
He grinned at me. "You paying?"
"Absolutely."
"Alrighty, then. I'll meet you at the car."
I nodded and left him to go to my own locker. Emily was standing there. I opened my locker and waited for her to say something as I filled my backpack. "You going somewhere, there is one more period."
I nodded. "I know, but my last period is free and so is Derek's so we're leaving."
She glared at the mention of his name. "You're dating him, aren't you?"
I was completely shocked when that came out. I couldn't even look at her. "What?"
"Look, Casey, I know you like him. I just never thought that you would get to the point that you would sell out who you are to get him. Or that you would go behind my back when you know I like him."
At this I was able to look at her. "Alright, Em, listen. I will tell you this last time. I used to dress like this when I wasn't in my school uniform. You can ask my mom or Lizzie. And nothing about me has changed. I still don't like the stupid jocks, I still get strait A's and I still take everybook in my locker home every afternoon. The only difference is the clothes covering my body. Now, if you please, I am going to go to the car now." I passed her as she stared at me, open mouthed. I knew that at some point she would realize that I didn't ever really answer her question. I never said Derek and I WEREN'T dating and I never denied that I liked him, but I didn't want to lie to her, even though we aren't dating.
I got to the car and Derek was already in the driver's seat. He frowned at me, confused, as I climbed in and slammed the door. He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot before talking. "Now, what could possibly have happened in the short time between us parting in the hall and you getting to the car to have royally pissed you off?"
I sighed, not really wanting to get into it. "Will it sufice to say Emily?"
He looked a little sympathetic. "I suppose, for now. But if you want to rant, you can."
I shook my head and forced myself to smile at him, though it really was a genuin smile. "Nope, we're skipping out early to celebrate your A, and I refuse to let anything dampen that. So, did the teacher leave you any comments on your paper?"
"I haven't checked yet."
"Well, where is it? I need to read it anyway, let me look."
He suddenly looked panicked. "No, no. It's ok. I want to look at it, not have you read any to me. We'll look when we get there."
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Ok. Where are we going, anyway?"
"ICE CREAM!!!!!"
I got the feeling that we would have punched the air if it weren't for the car roof and he had a big, stupid grin on his face. I just laughed at him. I couldn't help it, he just looked so cute and it was moments like this that I could see clearly that he and Marti were related.
He scowled at me when I started laughing.
"I'm sorry," I said, trying to control my laughter. "You just look so much like Marti with that expression on your face and, dare I say it, you look incredibly cute."
He grinned sheepishly at me. "Well, at least I remind you of someone you don't hate when I look like that."
I looked at him and saw that he was refusing to look in my direction. "I don't hate you, Derek."
He pulled into the parking lot of the ice cream shop and looked at me before getting out. "You really don't hate me?"
I shook my head. "I've never hated you, Derek. You're damned annoying most of the time, but I've never hated you." I smiled at him and got out of the car. "Now, let's get some of this cold stuff sooner rather than later."
He smiled at me, a genuine smile not a Derek-smirk, and got out of the car as well. Once we got into the shop the smirk did make its appearance and he said, "You are going to pay dearly for my A."
I returned a smirk of my own and snapped back, "Just remember that black eye I gave you last Saturday."
His smirk disappeared at that and was replace by a look of fear. He ended up only getting two scoops. We sat in the corner of the shop and I told him to pull out his paper and see if there was anything written on it. He did and started reading some of the comments. "Well, he says here, 'Good work, keep it up'. Well, that's highly original." Derek read a little more in silence. "He wants me to keep this level of work up for the rest of the year and says he's going to grade me more harshly from now on."
"What's the problem with that? Obviously you can do it, and in only one night."
He shook his head. "I had massive inspiration the other night. Normally I sit for hours and hours trying to write anything that doesn't sound like crap. For some reason, this assignment was different. I sat there for a few hours wondering what to write and then all of a sudden I knew what to write and I wrote it."
"Can I read it now?"
He looked at me for a moment before shaking his head. "No, I don't think I want you to read it."
"Oh, come on, Monday you were all upset about me being unable to read it. You have to let me read it now!"
He shook his head again. "I know, but I thought it over and I don't want you to read it."
"Is it about something embarrassing?"
He thought for a moment. "I'm not embarassed by it, really. I just don't want a negative response."
"So, are you scared of my reaction, or that I'll tell your dad?"
"The first one." He mumbled the line to the point that I could barely determine what he was saying.
So, with the stubborn boy in front of me being firm in his decision, I leaned back in my chair and began developing a plan to read the paper anyway.
By the time we got home the rest of the family was already there. "Hey, guys, what took you so long?" Mom asked.
"We were celebrating."
George came to the table with some papers in his hands. "What were you celebrating?"
There was a pause in which I elbowed Derek. "Ow." He rubbed his ribs before he answered. "I got an A on my English assignment."
Everyone looked up at that, clearly they were all in shock. Mom recovered quicker than the rest of the family and came over to hug Derek and congradulate him, followed closely by George. While Derek was being enveloped in hugs and pats on the back and being asked questions about the assignment, I went up to his room and got on his computer. I searched quickly for the file that I knew would be there and emailed it to myself. I hid all traces I could think of the email and put some of my notes that he had asked to borrow on his desk, making it look like they had bumped his mouse, bringing his computer to life. Then I made my way to my own room to unload my backpack. I didn't try to read the paper right then, I knew it wouldn't be long before I was called down for dinner.
I pulled out some homework and got started. See, Emily could certainly tell that I was still the same Casey she knew. Stupid Emily.
After dinner that night I went back up to my room and did a little more homework. I heard Derek go into his room (the first chance he'd had since we got home from school) and not long after he knocked on my door. I turned around in my chair as he stuck his head in. "Thanks for the notes. I'll get them back to you in the morning."
I waved my hand at him. "I don't have to have them back until Saturday."
He nodded, said good night and disappeared, closing my door behind him.
I got up and locked my door then turned back to my computer and opened the document. I decided to print it out so I could sit on my bed to read it. I could hardly contain my excitement as the pages came out. This is what I read:
The Girl by Derek Venturi
He sat staring out his window. It was midnight, but he couldn't sleep. He let the moonlight cascade down his skin as she invaded his thoughts. He was unable to think of anything else. She was beautiful and confident and she hated it when she didn't get exactly what she wanted, but at the same time she wasn't really selfish. She was just Carrie. She was perfect.
Devon sighed as he took one last look out the window before going back to lay on his bed. She was exactly the kind of girl he had always wanted, and exactly the kind of girl that wouldn't give him a second look. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.
When morning came, Devon groaned at the early morning light that flowed through his window. He had forgotten to close his blinds the night before. He cursed himself for being unable to go back to sleep once he had been woken up. He made his way to the bathroom and was ready for school just as he normally got up. He pulled out his sketch book and started drawing absently, his fingers moving around familiar curves as he stared at his wall. When he finally looked down he saw familiar blue eyes staring up at him. He hid the picture along with all the others and went downstairs for breakfast.
At school he was distracted as her brown hair popped up everywhere he went. Finally at lunch he was able to talk to her. As usual, since she wasn't in his high school social circle, he couldn't really talk to her. He had to make fun of her, but it was all a joke. It was all a reason to get her to talk to him. They had their normal witty banter ending with scathing remarks that they would forget by the next day.
He sat outside after school smoking while thinking about her again. Carrie was his sister's best friend, he couldn't really ask her out. Plus with his reputation it was highly unlikely that she would say yes anyway. She was a smart girl. She knew when she was dealing with a bonafied jerk like him.
His best friend came out and asked if he was alright. "Yeah, just thinking."
"About Carrie?"
Devon nodded. "I think I love her, man."
His friend nodded. "I've known you love her for a while now. It's a wonder she hasn't picked up on it yet."
Devon shook his head. "I don't want her to pick up on it. I want to tell her myself, but I don't think I can."
"Why not?"
"She's my sister's best friend, dude. You don't date your sister's best friend. What would it end up being like if I broke up with her. I don't want things to be awkward if she ends up coming over afterwards."
His friend shook his head as Devon lit another cigarette. "You don't know when to quit do you?"
"I'll have you know that this is the only pack I've bought in the last two months. Don't tell me I'm addicted."
"No, that's not what I meant. I meant that you don't know when to stop putting yourself down. You not asking her out has nothing to do with your sister and you know it. It has to do with the fact that you don't think you're good enough for and your afraid that she knows it too. You have to quit that. You are a great guy and if you would just show her that every now and then she would be willing to go out with you."
Devon nodded more as a way of telling his friend to shut up than as a sign that he actually agreed. He got up and went towards his car. "I'll see ya later." He stomped out his cigarette before climbing into his car and driving home.
When he got there, she was there. 'Naturally,' he thought. 'There is no escape.' He plopped into his recliner staring at the tv that the girls were watching so intently. He snorted. "Don't tell me you guys actually watch this crap?" It was Laguna Beach. He hated that show with a passion because of the bitchy girls and even bitchier guys.
The two glared at him. "Yes, we're watching it," Carrie started. "And if you change the channel I will be forced to hurt you."
He snatched the remote from the arm of the couch, his sister shaking her head as he stared into her friend's eyes.
Carrie glared at him and locked eyes, having no intention of letting him change the channel. "Devon, just let us finish this show in peace, then you can have the tv. It's almost over."
"Now, Carrie. Since when have you lowered yourself to begging?"
"Since your sister asked me to quit fighting with you."
"Well, I can't have that, now can I. No, no, that would be horrible, I might have to start fighting with my family." He looked over at his sister. "Would you like me to start fighting with you?"
"You mean more than you already do?"
He smirked and looked back at Carrie, who was still staring at him. As he looked back into her bright blue eyes he felt himself falling. He was lost in her eyes until she yelled at him and he snapped back and jumped out of his chair. "You can have the tv." He threw the remote at her and ran upstairs to his room. He could feel her watching him as he climbed the stairs.
When he got into his room he collapsed onto his bed. Carrie was perfect, he knew this. It was the reason no one ever asked her out. He wanted her badly enough that he had threatened the entire male population at his school that if they asked her out it would be the last thing they did for a while. He listened as footsteps made their way up the stairs and into his sister's room. He stared at the wall that separated his room from his sister's. he could hear laughing. He listened for a moment before slipping his headphones over his ears and turning on his music.
There was no way he could date his sister's best friend. Not that it was really wrong, but if they broke up, his sister would hate him because the discomfort around the house if Carrie ever came over again. He would also insist on monopolizing Carrie's time and his sister wouldn't like him much for that either. But the worst was thinking about telling her how he felt, knowing full well that she would say no and think he was crazy. Then school would be uncomfortable as well.
As he rolled over to sleep before dinner it was decided. There would never be anything between Devon and Carrie. He would simply admire her from afar, probably never get over her. He would love her until the day he died.
I stared at the paper. There was no doubt in my mind that "Devon" was Derek and "Carrie" was me. It was impossible that they were anyone else. I wondered if Sam had caught on to it, but that wasn't the main question in my mind. The main question was why Derek had apparently decided he could never tell me he was in love with me. I know that the story was supposed to be fiction, so I hoped that he didn't actually think like that.
I sat there for a few more minutes, just thinking about the story and what its implications were. Finally I decided to get up and go to his room. When I got to the door I saw light coming from under the door and heard some music playing softly. It was just guitar so I figured he was the one playing. I knocked and the guitar stopped, confirming my suspicions. "Come in."
I opened the door and stepped into his room. He watched me with no discernable emotion on his face as I closed his door and walked over to sit on his bed. "I have a confession to make."
He smirked. "You really are a man."
"No. I read your story for English."
He was silent for a moment. "How? I've had my backpack with me since you found out about my A."
I nodded. "I emailed it to myself earlier when I put the notes on your desk."
Derek looked horrified. He didn't start yelling like I had almost expected him to and he didn't seem at all angry. He just stared at me. "So, what did you think?"
I smiled. "I really liked it. I was just thinking about what it was about." I was trying to get him to say something about it. I needed him to make the first move.
"Yeah, how about that?" He wasn't budging.
"Derek, how personal was that?"
"Very."
"Who was Carrie based on?" I had to get him to tell me. But I think he must have been trying to do the same thing by what he said next.
"You can't figure it out?"
he looked at me with an intensity I have never seen before. "I have an idea. I just want you to say it."
"You."
That was surprising. I thought it would take more coaxing than that. "That's what I thought."
He refused to look at me instead keeping his eyes trained on the floor.
"How much of the feelings were made up?"
He shook his head, still with out looking at me. "None."
I smiled at that, even if he couldn't see me. I stood up and walked over to him. Gently I lifted his face to look at me. There was sorrow in his eyes and he looked like he wanted to cry. "Please don't hate me," he whispered.
I couldn't help but smile at his misunderstanding of the look in my eyes and I shook my head. "I can't hate you, Derek. I love you."
He blinked at me a couple of times as we looked at each other in silence. Then, before I could say anything he had stood, grabbed my hips, and slammed his lips on mine. I let my arms wrap around his neck. Before the kiss got any deeper he pulled away from me and leaned his forehead on mine and laughed at me as I pouted. "I love you, too."
I smiled and pulled his lips back down to mine.
A/N: Ok, so it was a short and rather sucky kiss but better than nothing, right? Also, the inspiration really struck for this chapter so, I guess this is a Christmas surprise! YAY!! Hope you enjoyed it!