I Don't Own Life With Derek

So this was it. He was going to leave without her. Without 'doing it'. Without making her dreams come true. Without falling completely in love with her.

She couldn't help but think maybe it was just a game to him. Maybe he didn't really care, maybe it was just one last prank before he was out of her life. Either way, he was killing her slowly.

She watched him throw the last bag into the cab. She wondered if, somewhere in that bag, there was a picture of her. She doubted it, but it was still nice to think he might actually care. She thought that maybe he would write to her, explaining why he refused to even look at her his last few weeks at home, or why he felt the need to give her hope, then break her down again.

The song 'Build Me Up, Buttercup' was stuck in Casey's head. Ironic.

It was hard to hold back so many tears that wanted more than anything to fall. Especially since she had been holding them back for weeks. It was over, all the times they would play footsies under the table, or how they would pretend to be sleeping so their parents would go out, without them, leaving them home alone. The times when Casey would tell her parents she was 'helping Derek pack'. All the times that he let her go to sleep with a smile on her face, and all the times he made her dreams become reality.

It was like a lolly pop. Their good, really, really good, but they only last for so long. Soon, their gone, but the taste still lingers on your tongue. And all you have left is the stupid stick (memories), that aren't good for anything, now.

They were all in a line. First, it was George, then Nora, Lizzie, Edwin, Marti, and last, and probably least, Casey.

"Gonna miss you, pop." Derek said to George with a quick hug, he didn't want to get emotional about it. "Thanks for everything, Nora." He asked before gently kissing her on the cheek. "Bye Liz, make sure you keep Edwin in line." He said before giving her a high five, which turned into a hug. "Bye Ed, and no, you cant have my room." Derek said as he shook his brother's hand. "I'll write, I promise, Smarti." Derek said before giving the heart-broken girl a hug longer than the others.

Casey's heart beat got faster as he got closer. He stood in front of her for a second, he couldn't say the things he needed so badly to say, mostly because his family was standing there, but also because he was pretty sure she hated him right now.

"I know it wasnt always peaches and cream with us, but, I'm gonna miss ya, Case." He confesed before pulling her into a long and strong hug.

She never wanted to let go. The tears fell from underneath her eyelids, and by this point, neither of them cared that their family was in complete shock.

They gasped as they saw a tear slide down Derek's face, but Casey just held him tighter.

He pulled away before he feared that his man-hood was completely gone. And with a quick wave, he was in the car, and off to the rest of his life.

Thats it. She watched as the car got farther and farther down the road, and she countined watching even after it was gone. He was gone.

He was almost everything she wanted. He almost made her dreams come true. He almost returned the feelings she had felt for years. He was almost in love. Almost.

-- TEN YEARS LATER--

There he was. 29 years old, and still looking as amazing as he did the day I first laid eyes on him. He was eating dinner at the McDonald/Venturi household for the first time in way too long. As he lifted the fork to his mouth, I studied the ring on his left hand. It had been there for quite some time, and he swore he would never take it off.

Next to him sat his wife. She was so happy, she was glowing, but of course, women always glow when their pregnant. Her stomach was so big, it was almost hitting the top of the table.

I guess I should probably tell you about what happened after Derek left for NYU.

Well, I decided that, only happy stories should end with the word 'almost'. So, about a year later, I went after him, sure it was late, and I probably shouldnt have waited so long.

But, once I got there, he told me that he was already in love. That he already found the woman that he wanted to marry, and spend the rest of his life with.

And just as I was about to burst out in tears, and fall onto the floor. He fell onto the floor first, and asked me to marry him...

Oh, and as for the pregnant, glowling wife... Did I mention, shes me?

So I guess this crazy love story is over... Almost.