My first thought is pure revulsion; no one wants to see that. But then I realize the giant, momentous moment this is and I force myself to look.
No part of them is touching except for their lips. Casey hasn't pulled away yet, but it doesn't look like she's kissing him back. Her arms are frozen at her sides.
I take quick stock of my companions. I already know Lizzie's elated; she let up on my foot and is now squeezing my hand. I don't waste time looking at her face. I know it looks like mine. Instead I focus on Marti. She's got her hands over her mouth, eyes wide. But her eyes are sparkling and her cheeks are flushed. I can't wait to find out if she suspected anything like Lizzie and I did. She may be younger, but she's smart.
Nora looks … smug. She knew, too? I am dying to know how she found out about Derek's feelings. And whether she knew something about Casey's feelings.
Dad looks bewildered, but more at the fact that this is actually happening than surprise at the possibility of that fact. Hmm. He must have had some inkling, too.
And then there's Gran. Her features are frozen in horror, and she's got one hand halfway up to cover her mouth, but it looks like she can't quite get it there. She's too stunned and dismayed.
Well, that isn't good. But really, who cares what Gran thinks, when Derek is kissing Casey!
I look at Casey and Derek again, just in time to see Casey break their connection. She recoils and stares into Derek's eyes, probably looking for some hint of a joke or prank or something other than sincerity, which I am positive is all she's finding.
It happens so fast that I hear the slap more than see it. One second she raises her hand and the next, Derek's cheek is red.
Lizzie reacts before I can, probably because she knows Casey's first instinct is to run. She's right. Casey's heading past us but Lizzie jumps up and blocks her path. I'm not far behind, standing next to Lizzie. I realize Marti has joined our little blockade as well, arms folded.
Derek turns to face us, and I can't read his expression.
"Don't run away," is all Lizzie says. Casey meets our eyes one by one, seeing the seriousness in them. She's been cornered and she knows it. She could have easily pushed past Marti, but Lizzie and me? Forget it. Between my newfound height and Lizzie's soccer muscles, Casey doesn't have a chance.
No one knows what to do. Nora, Dad, and Gran are all standing up, looking from Derek to Casey and back again. I have a sudden urge to throw my arms around my brother with pride but I know that's out of the question. Instead, I eye Casey. "I think maybe you should go sit down," I say sternly, and to my amazement, she nods and goes over to sit in her old spot. She trains her gaze on the floor.
Derek looks down at her. He's smart not to sit down next to her; she's too jumpy. "Can we go somewhere and talk?" he asks. She doesn't look up.
"Honey?" Nora comes over to Casey and puts an arm around her from above. "Why don't you go talk to Derek? Sort everything out?"
Lizzie nudges me. "Be ready," she whispers in my ear. Wherever they go to talk, we're going to follow.
Casey finally stands, lightly pushing Nora away. "I need to be alone right now."
Derek grabs her arm. "Casey, I'm sorry."
I gasp. I've never heard him apologize to her.
She looks at him and then down at his hand on her arm. Her whole body is tensed against the contact, ready to push him away, but something is stopping her.
"How could you?" she finally says quietly. Nora backs up a little, sensing that this is a private moment. Lizzie, Marti, and I don't move, in case she makes another run for it.
"I just …" Derek lowers his gaze, but he doesn't remove his hand from her arm.
"That … This …" Casey's attempt at speaking doesn't go much better. She stares at the floor.
"Can someone tell me what in God's name is going on here?" Gran pipes up, and Lizzie and I both groan. She's going to ruin everything if she doesn't shut up. Casey's embarrassed enough; drawing attention to the, shall we say, unconventionality of their attraction is just a bad, bad move.
"Mom, let's let Derek and Casey work things out," Nora says, gently but firmly leading her mother away from our group. She motions to us. "Come on, guys."
Marti skips toward Dad and grabs his hand, and we follow the adults out of the lodge. I look back before we reach the door and Derek is still staring at the floor, while Casey's looking up now while gnawing on her thumbnail.
As soon as the door swings shut behind us, Gran lets out a moan. "I can't believe you let him assault her like that! George, your son is deranged! What—"
"You have no idea what you're talking about," Nora cuts her off and turns to Dad. "George, take Marti to bed, okay?"
Dad nods. "Good night, Felicia," he says icily as he scoops a protesting Marti up and heads toward our cabin.
I'm not too worried about Gran—Nora will set her straight. Lizzie and I have some eavesdropping to do.
We dart around the side of the porch and huddle under the first open window we find. It's really difficult to hear, so we peer over the ledge and can just make out Casey apologizing.
"… shouldn't have hit you. But you caught me off guard."
"I know, I know. I went about it all wrong. But everything was happening so fast, and Edwin was right—I had to tell you."
I really, really wish I had a recording of that. He'll probably never admit to my face that I was right. At least I have Lizzie as a witness if it ever comes up.
"You didn't tell me anything!" Casey cries, frustration evident in her voice. She puts a hand on her hip. "Why did you kiss me?" She shudders, and Derek makes a move to clasp her shoulders. But he doesn't touch her.
"Because, I …" He starts, then flounders.
"Because he loves you, you idiot!"
Lizzie claps her hand over her mouth and turns to stare at me, wide-eyed. "I can't believe I just said that!" she whispers. I can't, either. Guess we both have verbal diarrhea tonight.
"Liz," I say, hearing Derek's footsteps thundering toward the window, "Run!" We both tear away from the lodge, but it's too late. Derek is out the open window, down the stairs, and sprinting across the grass at an unnaturally fast clip.
We can't go forward because of the lake, so we bank right and one glance communicates that we need to split up.
I double back behind Derek as he sprints for Lizzie, growling all the way.
Miraculously, thanks to an adrenaline spike and a gulp of chilly lakeside air, I catch up to him and tackle him to the ground. Casey is on me a moment later, trying in vain to pull me off Derek, whom I'm pinning to the ground with Lizzie holding his arms above his head.
"Get off of me!" He whisper-yells. We're all very aware that it's the middle of the night among various cabins full of sleeping guests, and except for our heavy breathing, we're not making much noise. Derek finally gives up the struggle and we sit there in our heap, panting.
"I'm sorry, Derek. I didn't mean to steal your thunder," Lizzie says, truly contrite. "But let's face it—you needed some serious help back there."
Casey pulls herself up and stares down at us. "Is this some sort of conspiracy?" She looks at each of us in turn. "You're all in on it? 'Let's play a giant joke on Casey'?" She folds her arms.
I lock eyes with Derek and something intangible passes between us. Things will be different between us now, I can feel it. I've earned a new level of respect for setting this in motion. I spring up and away as Derek brushes himself off. "This isn't a joke," he says seriously.
Casey starts to move away as he gets up, but thinks better of it. She stares at him in confusion.
Derek goes over to her, and Lizzie's hand finds mine as our eyes stay glued to our siblings.
"This is not the way I wanted this to happen. That was not how I wanted our first kiss to be. But you mentioned leaving and I just, I freaked out. I can't let you go without knowing …" Derek gives her a small smile.
"So …" Casey says. I can see the wheels turning: Casey is putting it together. She somehow has to reconcile three years of hatred with the person standing in front of her. It can't be easy.
Derek catches my eye and I nod encouragingly. He turns back to Casey. "Case, it's kinda crazy, but I do. I love you. And I want to go to Queen's with you. If you really want to go to New York I can't stop you, but at least now I know I did everything I could."
I don't think Casey knows she's crying. Tears are streaming down her face. Derek steps forward and slowly slides his arms around her waist. Casey slides her own arms around his neck.
And for the first time ever, Derek and Casey hug.
I put an arm around Lizzie and she hugs onto me. Her eyes say, "What a night!" I nod and kiss her cheek. She squeezes me closer, our mutual joy radiating between us.
Casey pulls back first and wipes the tears from her eyes. "I don't know what to say, Derek."
Derek shrugs. "That's okay. I don't need you to say anything."
He so obviously, desperately does. But he's not about to tell her that. For now, I can see that he's just grateful she didn't run away again.
"Do you think …" She seems to remember suddenly that Lizzie and I are standing right here and a blush spreads across her cheeks. "Guys, can you give us some privacy?"
I shrug. "Do you honestly think we wouldn't just eavesdrop again?"
Lizzie nods her agreement.
Derek doesn't even bother to acknowledge this. He's focused completely on Casey's face, reading every mood change and expression. I don't blame him for being cautious.
Casey frowns, but seems to decide it's not worth the argument. She turns back to Derek and grabs his hands. "I was going to say, do you think we could maybe try that again?"
"Try what again?" Derek looks down at their intertwined hands.
I roll my eyes. My brother is so stupid sometimes. Her face is telling him everything he needs to know. "One two three go," I say to Lizzie under my breath. I know she'll know what I mean.
"Just kiss her already!" we say in perfect unison.
Derek laughs and Casey nods, blushing again.
Lizzie and I watch just long enough to see Derek palm her cheeks and tilt her face toward his. Casey puts her hands on his shoulders, and they go for it.
We retreat into the shadows near the lodge as they continue kissing in the moonlight.
"And here I thought nobody could top my romantic night," Lizzie giggles quietly.
"Yeah, too bad. But you know it's always about them." I'm only half kidding.
"What else is new?" She sighs, leaning against me as I brush her hair off her face so she can put her head on my shoulder. It's true, but tonight we don't mind.
Derek and Casey are still kissing, halfway between the lodge and the lake, so we stare out at the water for a few minutes, enjoying the sounds of wildlife and the chilly night air.
They finally break apart and walk hand-in-hand toward our cabin.
Lizzie and I follow quietly so we can hear them, but they don't talk. I guess they'll leave the rest of the conversation for tomorrow. I'm dying to hear Casey's thoughts on all of this and whether she'll still decide to go to New York, but I guess it'll have to wait.
Casey holds the cabin door for us as we catch up to them, and Derek puts a finger to his lips and points to Marti—she's out cold in her bunk.
Derek and I take the bathroom first since the girls look busy gathering their pyjamas. I know Lizzie will tell me if Casey says anything to her, and I'll do the same for her about Derek. Not that he'll say anything.
But yet again tonight, he surprises me.
"Edwin, I don't deserve you," he says as I'm spitting out toothpaste. I just barely avoid choking on it.
He claps me on the shoulder. "What I say does not leave this room," he intones, trying to sound tough. I nod and wipe my mouth. "You always have my back, and I appreciate that. Thank you."
Because it's getting a little too touchy-feely, I know it's time to make a joke. "Man, I should get you kissed more often."
Derek chuckles and throws his T-shirt over his head. "Can't a guy say something nice to his little bro?"
I shake my head. "You're welcome."
He pulls me into a hug and I return it with vigor. The last time he hugged me like this was the day Mom moved out, so I'm not going to waste it.
And then we pull apart, shake our shoulders to erase the moment, and smile as we head back into the bedroom.
Casey and Lizzie are waiting by the door, smiling too. Derek squeezes Casey's hand and then punches Lizzie's arm as we pass them, but no one says anything. We're all still smiling too big.