Ok, something I noticed while rereading the third chapter. One of the dance teachers at my school is named Dawn. What an odd coincident.

Disclaim.

---Casey---

By lunch I had every person in my school wondering how I knew the new kids. We stuck to our stories, and no one bothered us much after that.

"So…" I say I sat down with Lucas and Becca at a clean, deserted table. "How?" I inquire confusion lacing my word.

"We found your composition book. Quite simple to see where you went after looking at the notes you made in it. Dad went flipping out, though," Lucas said from his seat next to me. I knew that he was covering up the fact that my father wasn't in this universe. He lowered his voice. "Kept going on about how you never know when to stop the dangerous experiments."

"Dad can shove it, ok?" I snap back. Some people look at us at my outburst. The Casey MacDonald they know doesn't speak like that. I lower my voice a bit, just in case. "He never understood that his daughter might not want to continue on with Fletcher Academy. He never approved of my liking for science."

"No one did," Becca said under her breath from across the table. I glared at her. "But we never questioned it. He didn't want your four point oh to come back and haunt us, now did we?" Lucas and I laughed. "What's so funny?"

"I just told Em something concerning my G.P.A. this morning that's all. Luke here heard what I said, which is most likely his reason for laughing," I quickly explain.

"Speaking of Emily, I think that this conversation should be continued at my house later." I looked at him stangly, but then saw Emily.

"Right then. Becca's or your house?"

"Mine. My parents understand more, and…" he trailed off as Emily approached our table.

"Thanks for waiting for me, Case," she said sarcastically.

"Sorry, Em, had to talk to them A.S.A.P. That's all," I said hoping she wouldn't cause too much of a scene.

"It's ok. I understand. You wanted to catch up."

Lucas put his arm around my shoulder and leaned toward me to say something in my ear. "So, are we going to pick up where we left off two months ago, or have you found someone to replace me?" his breath tickling my ear. I laughed. Emily looked at me, and I knew that the actions of him and I did not go unnoticed.

"Hey, Princess," I heard from behind me. I should have gotten used to this, but I haven't. I tense up. I know that Lucas notices.

"What, Derek?" I said through gritted teeth as I turn to look at him.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?" His eyes are dancing with mirth, and I want to slap him all over again. My hand twitches, which Lucas notices, and he looks at me with a raised eye brow.

"Derek, you don't need and introduction," my voice dripping in an overly sweet tone. "You introduce yourself to people whether they want you to or not." My friends laugh at my statement. They know the real me, and know that I would smack him if I could. Lucas leans toward me again.

"I'll take the way you treat him as a no to my question, then?" he says in a false-serious tone.

I look at him with wide eyes. I know that he's joking, but Derek and I? Never. My eyes glance at Derek, and he smiles. My glance turns to a glare, and I speak to Lucas. "You want a real answer?" my head turning toward him as I speak. He nods. I lean forward and kiss him squarely on the lips. He sighs into the kiss and wraps an arm around my waist. My hand rests on his forearm, and I feel like I'm in heaven. I think that's how he's feeling at this moment as well.

We break apart and he says, "I was hoping that would be your answer."

Derek is glaring at the side of my head I can feel it. But I don't care. I want to be with Lucas. My heart has been pulling me toward him for a few years now, and I'm not going to let so idiot that is not even really my step-brother ruining it for me.

---

Sorry for the short chapter, but I needed something. I don't want you guys yelling at me about how I'm taking away Dasey, ok? I don't know what's going to happen with them in this story. At least, not really. I have a plot, but that doesn't mean that the characters won't take it the way they want to.

~Tori