I DON'T OWN LWD!!!!

(YES, I KNOW. SHORT CHAPTER)

Chapter Fourteen:

Developing A Plan

CASEY'S POV:

In the movies if something like this were to happen the two main characters would go there separate ways. Of course, this isn't a movie, this is reality and neither of us wanted to part ways. Instead we stood there on that bridge and he held me. The tears that I shed had long since gone but that broken heart feeling never left. Derek, never gave any indication that he wanted to let go and his grip never lagged. Snow started to fall, light at first, but we just stayed there, and when it started to get heavier we moved back to the car. We held each others hands, not wanting to let go just yet and no words were spoken as we went back to our houses. How I felt, I could never really put into words but in it's simplicity one word came to mind. Numb. I felt numb, not because it was cold but because of everything that had happened. My sister dying, my boyfriend. No, I can't even call him that, my closest friend that I can't let in just yet because if we were to both get into this relationship now it would fail. I was vulnerable, he maybe even more so and the only thing that would keep us together was the fact that we thought we couldn't survive without the other. That shouldn't be how it is, we could go on with out each other, but there would always be a part of us that couldn't let go. Being in love shouldn't mean I can't live without you, it should mean I wouldn't think of anyone else I would want to spend the rest of my life with. Right now, we weren't in love, we thought we were but we're not. We desperately need each other and as friends that is okay but as lovers it would fail. My thoughts seemed confusing me but I knew they made sense, at least for right now.

"Don't say goodbye." He said to me as we stood outside of his car.

"I wasn't going to." I looked at him.

"Good, because I wasn't going to let you." He looked away from me to the space between our houses.

"I..." I looked down, not sure what to say.

"I know." He hugged me tight.

I kissed him on the cheek when he let go of me, and I walked into my house. I could feel his eyes on me the entire way, especially when I twisted my ankle on the porch steps. I kept my head up and when I walked into the house my family was on the couch watching television. They looked at me but I just went upstairs.

"Casey, you're crying." Mom from her spot on the couch..

I lifted a hand to my cheek and felt that it was wet. I hadn't even noticed that I was crying.

"Oh." I said.

"What's wrong?" Greg asked me.

"Oh, I just twisted my ankle walking up the steps. It didn't hurt until now." My hand was still on my cheek.

"Here sit down, we'll put your foot up." Mom moved off the couch.

"Where's Liz?" I asked after I got settled.

"She's with Edwin, they've been spending a lot of time together." Greg said in monotone.

"Yes, he was asking for Derek. Were you just with him?" Mom asked.

"Yea, he said he needed to talk to me." I looked at Greg.

"About what?" Mom was trying to act like she didn't know.

"Kaylie." I said softly, and Greg got a far off look in his eyes and Mom got tears in her eyes.

DEREK'S POV:

I watched her walk into her house and when she twisted her ankle on the steps I almost ran to help her. She glanced back slightly to see if I had seen her, and when she saw me she got a hurt look on her face. I took a step forward to see if she was alright but then she stood up with her head held high. Somehow she needed to prove to me that she didn't need my help, saying that she would be fine without me. Although her eyes gave everything away. I bowed my head and walked into the house. Mom tried to wave at me but I just ignored her and went to my room, passing Edwin and Lizzie as I went. They looked at me and Edwin looked as if he were going to say something but he shut his mouth when I slammed my door shut.

I plugged my headphone in and laid back on my bed. The curtains of my window were open and Kaylie's room. Her curtains were closed and that empty feeling I had got worse. She never kept her curtains closed, ever. With a sigh I turned the volume up and closed my eyes. Wishing for nothing more than to just forget.

–

–

I woke up hours later and groaned turning off my iPod and taking out my headphones. That aching feeling in my ears hurt too much for me to think about anything else. After I got up and moved to my computer and finally after the aching stopped, my thoughts went back to Casey. Idly my hands took over and I surfed the web but still thinking of that girl next door. I knew I wouldn't just give up on her, us, or whatever. I couldn't but I knew what she would want me to do. Even it was out of character for me, I would do it. Why? Because it was Casey. Simple as that, right? She told me she needed time and I would give her that and I would be friends with her. I won't make any move though, as stupid as it sounded. I knew it was the only way that things would work out between us and if it didn't. Well there isn't a plan B.

TWO WEEKS LATER

CASEY'S POV:

"Are you coming to the Christmas party?" I asked.

"Do I really have a choice? You dragged me into planning it with you." He replied with a sigh as he cut into the construction paper.

"You volunteered!" I threw my pillow at him.

"Hey, I knew you would have eventually come to me begging for my help." He smirked holding the pillow I threw at him.

"I don't beg." I pouted folding my arms.

"Whatever, Princess." He went back to work.

"Derek?" I asked after a few moments of silence.

"Casey?" He was still focused on what he was doing.

"Do you think your parents would want to celebrate Christmas with us this year?" I stopped what I was doing.

"I don't see why not. Why do you ask?" I knew he knew what I was about to ask.

"Since...Kaylie won't be here. I was thinking that we could all get together. You know? Somehow make it easier." I watched him nod.

"Yea, I don't think they would mind." He smiled at me.

"Thanks." I smiled back at him.

We went back to working on the party invitations. My parents were throwing a Christmas party next weekend and naturally I volunteered to plan it. There was two weeks until Christmas and everything had to be perfect.

"Finished." I smiled after we had finished.

"Finally! I'm going to go watch hockey now." He pulling himself off the my bedroom floor.

"Wait! You have to help me deliver them!" I yelled after him and he made his way out the door.

"Casey, I just spent the entire day making those ridiculous invites." I pouted. "Please...just...Don't look at me like that." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Like what?" I made my puppy dog look.

"Like that!" He pointed at my face.

"Please Derek? I can't do it all by myself." I stood up and walked over to him.

"Casey." He said warningly.

"I'll take you out to pizza" I reached out and touched his arm. "Please?" I watched as he caved.

"Only because you're buying me pizza." He fought back a smile.

"Yea, that's why." I smirked at him and we gathered all of the invites.

DEREK'S POV:

He lost track of the number of houses they had been to already, and not to mention the amount of time it took Casey to deliver them. She insisted on talking with the families at every single house. Normally, I would have just driven away at one house and would have made her walk to all the others but watching her smile and greet every family, well...made me smile to. These past two weeks that I've spent with Casey were, dare I say, unbelievable? It almost makes me sad to know that I treated her so badly before, almost. I can't say that I've changed much but being around her brought a different me out. It's sounds completely cliché, and maybe I have been spending too much time with her and her romance movies. Although, for her I'd let her push me into a fiery pit of lava, but I would deny it if anyone asked. I make my feelings clear to her everyday and she makes hers clear. I know she's not ready, but it was worth the wait. There she goes, another ridiculous goofy smile on her lips that she gets when she has that fuzzy feeling when she's just made a new friend. I watched her as she walked back to the car and her smile grew when she looked at me. She was proud of herself, and I couldn't help but be amused.

"Only couple more, I promise." She patted my arm.

"Then pizza?" My stomach growled.

"Then pizza." She gave me that special smile again.

This woman would be the death of me. I know this because whenever she does that my heart does that stupid fluttery thing and I think that maybe I'm having a malfunction. Then my heart will just burst out of my chest. No, that wouldn't happen but you never know bad luck seems to follow me around lately. Considering, I haven't end up with the girl yet. Isn't what happens at the end??

"So when were you planning on telling me?" I asked after we sat down for our pizza.

"Tell you what?" She replied taking a sip from her drink.

"That you have the highest score on Babe Raider." I shrugged with a smile.

"You mean the one where Kay and I are tied?" She had a smile on her face.

"Yea." I noticed some of the sparkle leave her eyes at the mention of her step-sister's name.

"It's nothing." She shrugged.

"Yea, sure. It's nothing that the King of Babe Raider couldn't even pass it up." I mocked.

"Well then it seems like you aren't the King anymore then, huh?" She grinned. The sparkle came back, oh how I loved that sparkle.

"Is that a challenge Miss McDonald?" I wiggled my eyebrows at her, remind me why I did that again?

"If you promise not to wiggle your eyebrows at me ever again. You look like a cereal rapist when you do that." She giggled, that's when our pizza came.

"Ha, you mean like this?" I wiggled my eyebrows again but covered the lower half of my face with a slice of pizza.

"Der-ek, that's gross." She covered her face with the napkin holder while I laughed at her.

"You so loved it and you know it." We were both laughing.

Just then Kendra, Truman and the rest of their groupies came up to our table.

"Well, well, well. Look at these two love birds." Truman and Kendra were in identical positions with their arms crossed over their chests.

"Hi, Kendra. Would you like a slice of pizza." Casey offered.

"You know I don't eat carbs." She sneered.

"Oh, sorry I must have missed the memo." Casey said with fake sincerity.

I think I fell even more in love with her at that moment.

"Sorry guys this is a private party with me and Casey." I spoke up.

"Your girlfriend just died and you're already having private parties? And with her step-sister. Even I didn't know you would go that low Derek." Truman said.

"What I do is my business Trashcan. I'm eating pizza with my best friend and you're interrupting. So why don't you disappear before I make you disappear." I was standing now.

"Let's go, Truman. We don't associate with these losers." Kendra said as they walked away.

"Derek, sit down." Casey's voice came from behind me.

"Finally, I can eat." I said after I sat down making sure that Truman and his little group were out of sight.

"So...best friend huh?" She had that smile again.

"Yeah? So?" My mouth was full.

"Ew, gross. Derek, where are your manners?" She gave me a disgusted look.

"You really want me to answer that?" I smirked.

"No, save me the explanation." She smiled.

We sat there in silence for a few minutes. She was concentrating on eating while not getting any of the grease on her clothes or face. There was a moment where I thought she was going to bring up about what they said about Kaylie. Lately she seemed more open about the whole thing and even though the light in her eyes would dim whenever she would think or talk about her. At least there weren't tears there anymore and thinking about it. I knew exactly when would be the best time to make my move. I make it sound like I've been planning this for weeks but in reality I just came up with it now. I knew she was ready, even if she didn't. There were three weeks until New Years and what a better idea then to start the New Year off with a new beginning to something spectacular? Okay, I really need a guys weekend, this girl is making use fancy words to describe a relationship...Who cares? It's Casey and I'd be all kinds of sappy for this girl. As ridiculous as it sounds.

I'VE HAD THIS CHAPTER DONE FOR ABOUT A WEEK BUT I DIDN'T KNOW IT I WAS GOING TO POST AS IS...I DECIDED THAT I WOULD. HOW DO GUYS THINK DEREK'S PLAN WILL GO??? R&R!!

LOVES,

AVA

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AvaBell323