I'm sorry. I told you guys that I would update yesterday, but I wasn't able to. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and the next chapter will be the last. I might write a sequel though. How does that sound?


Casey laid on her back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She had no real motivation to do anything. It was one of those Saturdays where she didn't have any obligations and she didn't feel like moving from her bed.Her mom had asked her if she wanted to go out, but getting Edwin new shoes and Lizzie shin guards with Marti running off every two seconds was not her idea of a good Saturday so she declined.

She let her mind wander, but as it always seemed to these days, it ended up on Derek. More specifically, if he liked her. It gnawed at her. She felt like she had to know. Casey liked to be on top of things and in control, but with this she felt like she had no control because nothing was definite.

It all came back to how she would find out. He probably wouldn't tell Sam because Sam had gone out with her. There's no way he would tell anyone else if he couldn't tell Sam and he would never willingly admit it to her, she was sure of that.

I should just ask him myself, she thought. Then it struck her. She should do just that. There would be no middleman, and no one else had to know that she even thought of it if he didn't. She and Derek were the only ones home with everyone else out on their shopping expedition so no one else could possibly overhear them. Was she really going to do this. Yes. Just do it. You'll feel better even if he doesn't. Besides it's probably better that he doesn't since you don't like him and you're step-siblings. Just do it now. Get it off your chest she told herself. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of her bed. She stood up slowly then went over to her mirror to make sure she looked okay. She was wearing a pink cami and blue skinny jeans. Her hair was down and a little wavy because she didn't bother doing anything with it when she got out of the shower this morning.

She took a deep breath and walked out of her room. She felt her hands shaking a little and her brain told her hands to stop. There was no reason to be nervous. It was just Derek. She wasn't nervous. There was no reason for it at all.

When she reached his door, she hesitated. What was she going to say? Just do it. Just do it. Just do it. Just do it. She told herself. She lifted her arm up to knock on his door, but then stopped herself. If she knocked he would know it was her and would tell her to go away. Instead she placed her still-trembling hand on his doorknob and turned it. She pushed the door open slowly and walked inside.

Derek immediately looked up from his computer and jumped up. "C-Casey, what are you doing here?" he asked her in a tone that said he obviously was afraid of getting caught. Had this been before, she would demand that she see what was on his computer but she found she could barely breathe, let alone worry about his computer. Slowly, she walked towards him and he didn't move an inch. Their eyes locked and Casey felt something. She walked closer and stood before him. Her heart was pounding and she just wanted to turn and run out of his room into the safety of her own, but she had come this far. She couldn't turn back now.

"Derek," she said softly, her eyes cast downwards at her feet, "do you like me?" She looked up and her eyes met his. She silently pleaded with him not to make a joke out of her and not ask her exactly what she meant. If he made her say the words, she knew she wouldn't be able to.

Derek's eyebrows furrowed together and his face contracted into a look of disgust. "Of course not," he responded.