Author's note: I got jealous, and I was forgetful. I got jealous because a lot of authors get to have an author note, and I wanted one. (Hi Moksha!) I also want to include a bit from last chapter. I find them helpful. I was forgetful: Disclaimer: I do not own Life with Derek.

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Last Chapter: "…tonight Jason Gats is throwing a Valentine's Day party."

…"Yeah, I was invited," Casey said more confidently. "The thing is Emily and I need a ride to it," Casey blurted out.

… he slyly smiled, "Ok, but on one condition."

*Jason Gat's house*

Approaching the door to Jason Gat's party, A bouncer blocked the way into the house. "Oh no," Casey whispered to Emily.

"We're good Case. I promise," Emily reassured.

The bouncer looked up and down at the ladies. He was a member of the hockey team and his face was stern, "Emily, right?"

Emily smiled the biggest smile she had ever smiled and also unbuttoned her coat revealing the green sparkling top she was wearing. The bouncer smiled back, and winked, but held his position in front of the door.

"Let me explain ladies, before you go into the party, you are given a number. It's random I promise. This party is mostly filled with single people. All single people get a number. Boys pick from blue sticks and girls pick from pink sticks. The bouncer showed them an array of pink and blue sticks, "If you are lesbian then pick a blue stick; we don't want to discourage homosexuality," The bouncer winked again and tried not to laugh as he said the last part. Emily and Casey rolled their eyes and both picked a pink stick.

"Mine has a number on it…" Casey was confused.

"It's supposed to," the bouncer said and smiled, "Later in the night you'll be meeting up with your numbered partner."

"I hope you get my number later…" Emily slouched suggestively.

"Ok… Let's go inside now," Casey dragged Emily away from the bouncer with whom she kept flirting.

"This is going to be so much fun!" Emily exclaimed as she finished taking off her coat and seeing the crowd of people. She stashed her jacket behind a couch and motioned for Casey to do the same. Casey smiled with a hint of anxiety. She was incredibly scared now. She sort of wished she had never spoken to Emily today. She kept scanning the crowd to see if anyone was looking at her, smiling at her; Casey wanted to fit in. She could feel cold shivers of nervousness even though there were loads of people around her creating body heat.

Emily grabbed her hand and pulled both of them into the body heat. The crowd was dancing with the loud music. Casey was a bit standoffish at first, but Emily's vivacity slowly started to rub off on her. Casey started with little movements in her feet and the beat had a ripple effect going up to her knees, hips and eventually her whole body was participating. With excitement and smiles, Casey grabbed Em's hips and started grinding on each other as Just Dance by Lady Gaga blasted threw the speakers. Casey let out a burst of joyful laughter as she let the music detach her body and mind. Then Emily shrieked, "Sheldon?!"

"Emily!" Sheldon cried and pulled Emily with Casey in tow away from the crowd and into the kitchen. It was a bit quieter in the kitchen. There were several girls sitting on the counter, and Derek was in the corner by the keg with a little blonde thing in a short black dress. She wore high red heels and Casey eyed the skank and then laughed at Derek's standards for a woman. Casey thought it was so funny that Emily was with Sheldon making pouty kissy faces and sweet seductive eyes similar to the ones she had been making at the bouncer at the door. Casey was pulled back into the conversation when Emily stopped kissing Schlepper, "What are you doing here, Shel?" Emily smiled at her boyfriend and kissed him again.

"I didn't want you do be alone on the weekend of Valentine's day, so I talked to some of my old friends, and they got me into the party."

"Where are you staying?" Emily asked very concerned.

"Well, I was hoping I could spend the night with you… You could sneak me in your house, but if not, one of my buddies said he'd keep me, and we could hang out all tomorrow!" Sheldon held onto Emily's hips, and she was in a daze.

"I can't believe you came! Of course you can stay with me tonight!" Emily kissed Schlepper's nose.

"Uhm Em, What about our sleep over?" Casey was getting nauseous because this whole scene was something out of a romantic movie or something, but it was with Emily and Sheldon. Weird.

"Oh yeah, Sorry Shel, Casey is sleeping over. We can hang out all tomorrow though," Emily glanced at Casey and then pouted at Sheldon. Casey saw how happy Emily was and she didn't want to be that friend who is single and always gets in the way.

"Well, Derek, is here, and I can just get a ride home from him…" Casey winced at her suggestion with hopes maybe Emily would want her to stay the night.

"Aw thanks Case! I knew you would understand," Emily smiled and quickly hugged her best friend, and then grabbed Sheldon again. She started making out with him in the kitchen. Casey rolled her eyes and headed out of the kitchen. She didn't want to see her best friend and Sheldon making out like that. It grossed her out; also, she hoped Derek hadn't seen her.

In the living room, she didn't feel like dancing so she went and sat on a tiniest smidgen of the couch because that was the only space on the couch unoccupied. She stared at people grinding and having fun. She wasn't having fun. Her dress clung to her body from her perspiration; the room was too dense with people. She sat squished in the corner of the couch next to a couple who were making out with each other. She saw numerous people with a drink in hand laughing with one another and chatting. She felt so out of place.

No one would even care if I left. I could just walk home. I mean it wasn't that far… maybe like 5 miles. If I walk 5 miles per hour I would get home in like an hour give or take. It's only 9:30 pm so I would get home at like 10:30 and maybe I would have time to read a little in my favorite science fiction book, Ender's Game. Hmm, I am wearing heels, but they aren't too big, so I could totally walk home. No Big Deal. This is my only option; I don't want to see Derek, and I don't really want to talk to people.

Casey sighed and stood up to get her jacket. She tried not to look at the couple that were making out and pulled her coat from behind the couch. She went to the front door when someone stopped her.

"Where are you going, pret-ty la-dy?" Jason Gats slurred his words together and tried to smile at her. He was a couple inches taller than her and wearing a red sweater and black slacks. His smile seemed to sparkle in the dim light.

Casey rolled her eyes and lied, "My curfew is really early… and my ride is almost here to pick me up…"

Although Jason was drunk, he could still see how bad a liar Casey was, "Well, we're starting the numbers games, so stay. I mean c'mon. Is your ride really coming soon?" Jason smiled again, and then went on his steps. He started yelling, "Ladies and Gents, The numbers game is starting. So go and find your number. Spread the word to the kitchen."

Casey was confused a little. Jason jumped off the steps and laughed as he spilled a little of the drink that was in his hands. He moved back toward Casey and slyly smiled, "You're number one right? I'm number one because I'm the shit! Are you the shit?" Jason cockily grinned and his brown eyes sagged a little.

Casey remembered her stick and pulled it from her bra, "So that's where you kept it," Jason laughed his blonde shaggy hair covered his eyes as he was blatantly looking at Casey's chest.

Casey pulled her coat tighter around her cleavage, "Yeah, but sorry Jason, I'm number 17…"

"Dang well, See ya round, beautiful," Jason passed by her and with his open hand squeezed her butt. Startled, she turned around at him with a disgusted face, but he wasn't looking. He was talking to some other girl. Casey didn't like being considered a piece of meat, but she was also happy that Jason thought she was beautiful. Maybe she would stay. She went back over and stashed her coat behind the couch. With stick in hand she looked around the room at people talking to one another. She smiled, but her smile faded as no one wanted to see what number she was.

She was about to give up when, "Hey!" Casey looked up startled as the bouncer with a black Italian hat on greeted her.

"Oh hey, What's up?" Casey thanked God that someone talked to her. She didn't really feel like walking the hour back to her house.

"I can't find my other number; What's yours?" The bouncer looked at Casey, "I hope you have 21."

"No actually, I am number 17." Casey shrugged.

"Well, someone will be lucky to get 17. Do you at least want to come with me and search for our other numbers?" the bouncer also shrugged but smiled at Casey.

"Sure, sounds like a plan, oh and what's your name?," Casey went wrapped her arm around the bouncer's arm and walked toward a group of people who were exchanging their numbers.

"I'm Greg. You are?" Greg smiled, his surly face had 2 dimples and a cute rounded pig nose.

"I'm Casey," Casey looked up and smiled back and squeezed his muscles with her arm as they arrived at the crowd. Greg was tall and muscular, but had a soft baby face.

"I'm 21, and she's 17…" Greg looked at the people's faces with inquiry.
"Are any of you those numbers?"

Casey looked at the crowd and a girl spoke up, "I'm 21!" She was a short girl with curly red hair. Her pale skin gleamed in the dim light. She walked over to Casey and Greg, and Casey let go of Greg's arm.

"Why don't you go in the kitchen to find your number Casey?" Greg shrugged a smile, and Casey smiled with disappointment. She had sort of made a friend, and he was instantly taken away, "Okay, thanks Greg; It was nice meeting you…" Casey walked away and into the kitchen. She found Derek sitting on the countertop island with a group of people who were also exchanging numbers. The blonde skank was sitting next to him fussing with his hair and giggling at every word he said. She wasn't only giggling at every word, it seemed like she was giggling with every movement he made. Casey was disgusted as she watched the blonde spill a little bit of her drink in on her chest. She then asked Derek to wipe it off. Casey snorted a laughed and rolled her eyes as she walked over to the group. She smiled and tried to peer at people's numbers. The girl to the right of her had number 8 and the boy to the left of her had number 14. Casey sighed because she couldn't see anyone else's numbers. She didn't dare look at Derek because she didn't want to remember the condition.

"I AM LOOKING FOR NUMBER ONE!" Jason busted into the kitchen grabbing everyone's attention. His drunken swagger made him look hilarious, and Casey chuckled at the sight.

"Oh Oh! I am number one," a high pitched voice came from behind her, and Casey realized that Derek's blonde bimbo was number one. Casey smiled with amusement as Derek watched blondie hop off the counter and toward Jason.

"Right this way m'lady. I saved us a special spot in my room," He grabbed her ass as they walked out of the kitchen. She squealed and playfully hit him on the shoulder. Casey sighed at the idiocy of Jason Gats.

"So. Anyone here number 17?" Derek looked with boredom at his blue stick. Casey's eyes widened. Derek was number 17 and she was also. She quietly tried to exit the room, but it seemed whenever Casey tried to do anything quiet or sneaky, she was noticed. Casey tripped over someone who was behind her, and everyone in the group looked at her. The guy she fell over lifted her up, "You ok?" He asked.

"I'm fine thanks," Casey winced because her elbow hurt a little.

"You number six?" The guy whispered in her ear with his arm still on her arm. He smiled at her. Casey shook her head, but smiled. She liked that guys actually wanted to be her partner. Her smile was interrupted by an outburst from Derek.

"Casey! Haven't seen you all night! How is the party?" Derek smirked because Casey was blushing from all the attention caused by her fall and his greeting.

"I'm great, Derek. I just have to go to the bathroom," Casey moved out of the guy's clutch on her and into the living room. She felt herself blushing all over again as she climbed the stairs to the bathroom. Ascending the steps, the house grew darker and darker. The stairs were big and winding, and she hadn't realized how big Jason's house actually was. The entrance hallway's ceiling was at least 15 feet away from the floor. On the ceiling hung a dazzling glass chandelier that sparkled in the low light from the party. Casey found her sighing at the pretty colors of the glass's reflections. The second floor was carpeted with an ivory colored carpet that looked fluffy and new. Her feet were cushioned as she walked down the hall to the bathroom. The walls hung pictures and artwork and wooden candle sconces. I didn't know that Jason was so well off. The outside of the house looked normal, but this inside is so nice.

She found the bathroom and knocked. The door was closed, but she didn't know if anyone was in there. When no one responded to her knocks she slowly opened the door to reveal a huge bathroom. There were deep red shower curtains, which matched the red window curtains which matched the towels, hand towels and even the soap bottle. The room was painted the same ivory white of the carpeting, and the tiles in the bathroom were a mix of black, white and red. The toilet, sink and bathtub were black. There was a huge amazing mirror that reflected her, and Casey looked a wreck in the mirror. She wore a grimace from the party, some of her makeup started to smudge and some pieces of her hair were sticking out from falling or bumping into people or both. She started to fix herself up when she noticed that she lost her pink stick. Thank God I lost that stupid stick. I don't want to be stuck with Derek.

Casey realized that she did actually have to go pee. She pulled down her panties and sat on the toilet when she heard a knock on the door.

"Just a minute!" Casey sighed; she sort of liked the bathroom. Why did someone have to disturb her? She washed her hands, and did one last mirror check.

She opened the door, "Hello sevent..." Derek said in a suave voice and abruptly stopped, "Casey?"

"Derek?," Casey looked at Derek standing in the doorway. Both his arms were on either side of the doorframe. His black shirt was slightly unbuttoned, and he was leaning suavely on one foot.

"Where's number seventeen, Casey? I found the stick outside the bathroom," Derek asked confused as he straightened his posture and looked at her with boredom.

"I don't know…" Casey fidgeted with her feet and lied.

"Casey, you know you are a horrible liar. Do you know where she is then?" Derek stared at her and wasn't letting off.

"Yeah… Sorry to disappoint you, but I am seventeen," Casey shied away from Derek and slid back into the bathroom. She sat on the toilet and hung her head. It looked like she was going to cry.