Announcement:

Hi, to those of you who know me. Know I have a Youtube account. Well some of you may already know from taking a look at my youtube. I have posted the official trailer for "Three Hearts One Mind." The link is available on my page. Also thank you to everyone who has been watching this story. You have no idea how much this all means to me! ((hugs everyone)) lol. Okay sorry. I'll shut up and let you read on. Without further adieu. Chapter 11.

Casey knew she was in for a lecture when she arrived home at 9:45 when as she had previously promised to arrive no later then 9:00. Regretfully she grabbed her keys and jammed them into the lock of the front door.

As she opened the door, she was relieved to find that none of the lights had been turned on. It looks like they went to bed already, she thought to herself. Thinking she had been alone. She tossed her bag onto the floor, rung her slightly dirty parka on the coat rack near the door.

"Safe," she said softly allowed.

Just then a lamp flicked open and she saw a person sitting idle in the armchair.

She screamed in horror thinking she had been all alone.

"Busted," the deep male voice called. It was all too familiar to her and when she glanced back she saw none other than the incompetent Derek Venturi.

"What, are you trying to give me a heart attack?!" She spat.

Derek got up from his chair stood toward to face her eye to eye. He gave her that ever famous Derek Venturi smirk that only she had grown accustomed to. Breathlessly he said, "You are 45 minutes late and here I thought I was the irresponsible one."

She looked back at him and gave him dark glare. A look to kill some would say as she turned to leave she said, "I don't have time for this, I'm going to bed."

He stepped in front of her causing her to lose balance, "Where were you?"

She tried to push him aside but he wouldn't budge. "Move," she finally said.

"No," he said blankly.

"De-rek! I mean it if you don't move I'll-" she began to say.

"You'll what?" He interupted.

"I'll-" She said trying to seriously think of she would really do.

"Do nothing, because as I see it, I'm the only one who has dirt on you. With one quick run upstairs, I could tell George and Nora what time you really arrived home," he said.

She went up to his face, her face was literally an inch from his own, "You wouldn't dare."

He laughed in her face, "Do you not know me at all?" When nothing happened except for Casey eyes went down. He began again, "Where were you this evening?"

Derek began to stare into her eyes. She looked up and suddenly regretted looking into them. There was no escaping his gaze and she knew he could see right through her. "Fine, I was with Emily we went to the mall and we came home late," she lied.

She broke the gaze and began to turn once more towards the stairs. Derek ran to stop in front of her again. "You're lying," he said.

"Am I?" She threatened.

"Emily called for you an hour ago," he said.

"Whatever," she ignored him.

"You were with Justin weren't you?" He said staring into her.

"No," She said turning away.

"There you are lying again," he said "Seriously you act as if I don't know you. Your voice always goes high pitched when you lie. Casey I know you better than that. I can't believe you would actually go there after what happened last night!" He said but Casey could tell that he sounded angrier by the time he had finished.

"And I can't believe you suggested that you guys go to a bar," as soon as the words spilled out of Casey's mouth she suddenly regretted it. She didn't believe that Derek would actually do something that low but she had no other way out of this argument.

"Is that what the loser formerly known as your boyfriend told you?" He went back to looking at her.

"I'm going to bed," she said and then she shoved Derek to the floor and moved around him to get to her room.

She dashed up the stairs and into her bedroom. She pressed herself against the door and locked it. A tear began to stream down her beautiful face. Unable to control her emotions she fell to the floor and began to cry.

...

Derek was still downstairs. Shock had written all over his face. I can't believe how much force she used to shove me. I could just sense how tense she truly was. I still can't understand why she went. Especially after what happened. Idiot, Casey! He thought bitterly.

Just then the doorbell began to rang. Regretfully Derek got up to answer it, though the moment he opened it, he wished he hadn't. There stood Justin only a few feet away, his mortal enemy, and the true reason Casey had been extra resentful tonight.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He barked at the unwelcome guest.

Justin began to open his mouth. Big mistake, thought Derek.

"I was staying here. However due to the circumstances I have found other temporary residence. Please tell Nora and the rest of the clan that I will be staying at my friend's place," he said. He looked at Derek in smug-like kind of way that could've tempted Derek to just take him out right then and there. Though this was good news he wasn't staying.

"Whatever," Derek said and then Justin began to walk away from him and toward his car.

Unable to control his urges he ran out in front of Justin catching him off guard. He narrowed hi eyes at him. "The next time you hurt Casey, as you did tonight, you won't need a home to get back to!" He threatened.

"Since when do you care about Casey?" He dared. Derek could feel his body just fuming with anger.

"Get out!" He yelled. Justin tossed him another dark glare then hopped in his car and took off.

Derek went back inside the house and tried to forget about what had just happened.

...

Casey was back in her room. She was still welled up in tears. She sobbed into her knees as she had for the last 20 minutes. I don't know what to believe anymore. Derek just pushed me over the edge. Why did Justin have to make me cry? I honestly don't know who to trust anymore and Noel, sweet Noel, could he really have treated women like that. I don't know, I'm just so confused, she thought.

Just then she thought she heard a tapping at the window. For second she was frightened then she realized that it was probably just the wind and she ignored. Then just as she was beginning to think that she wasn't out of her mind, she heard the tapping again. Curiously, she turned over to her window. Carefully unlatching the window to see what was going on.

Just then a figure appeared at the window, her heart began to race, and then as the figure became more focused, she realized that it was the one person she wanted to see.

"Hey, hope this is okay?" asked Noel.

She smiled at him, "Of course it's okay." She hadn't realized it but her voice was a shaky.

"And are you okay?" He said at the caught wariness of her trembling voice.

"Yeah, of course I'm fine," she lied. Here eyes were red, it was difficult to hide, though she doubted Noel would find out.

"You're not fine," he said. "You're voice is high pitched and besides that you're eyes are deeply red." So much for that theory, thought Casey.

"It's nothing," she said softly turning her head away from him.

"Come here," he said. Giving into him she rushed towards him wrapping her arms around his tall yet powerful body. Of course she was so much shorter than him that she only managed to wrap herselfaround his chest.

"Oh Noel!" She cried.

"It's okay," he whispered stroking her hair. Having her in his arms sent this overwhelming sensation that he could barely keep under control. It took a lot for him not to just lean over and kiss her. Having her this close to him, clouded all sensible thinking, all he wanted was to hold her and to him that was enough.

As she fell into his arms, he began to think. He loved being the person she came to with her problems. He loved being the person she could admit anything to, the person she looked to for smile. He knew of course that this had been merely an act of friendship, though to Noel just being part of her life was a blessing.

Casey didn't know how long she had been within Noel's strong embrace but suddenly she didn't care. It felt warm, it was a feeling she hadn't been expecting. She didn't know how it made her feel, all this was new to her. The only thing she knew for sure was how good it felt to just be in his arms.

They stayed like that for awhile. Casey needn't say anything about what happened tonight with Justin. It was as if Noel understood everything without having the knowledge of what actually happened. That was Noel for you and the way he was connected with Casey everything she felt he felt.

It was late and Noel knew it. The reason he had only stopped by was to make sure Casey was alright.

"I've got to get going," he said. Suddenly regretting what he had just said. He wanted to stay with her for as long as he could but he knew it was time to go. He was inside cursing his parents for having a curfew.

"Do you have to?" She said pulling away and looking into his eyes. Aww, why did she have to do that? Now I am never gonna get home.

"Unfortunately," he said sadly. She looked rather glum at hearing that. "I'll stop by first thing tomorrow though. I promise!" He meant it too. He turned to leave but then realized something had fallen out of his pocket.

Curious as she was. "What's that?" She asked.

Honestly Noel hadn't any idea what it was. Casey went down to pick it up and she began to read and suddenly her face fell.

Leslie

512-867-5309

"Who's this?" She asked. Her face suddenly beginning to fall.

Noel was in utter shock. He had absolutely no idea what the heck that was. He hadn't met a Leslie. He had know idea what it was, or how it had gotten into his pants.

Suddenly she remembered what Justin had told her.

"If you don't believe me about Noel then why don't you check your boyfriend's pocket," he snapped.

"Oh my... Justin was right!" She said taking steps away from Noel.

Noel's eyes got big, "What?!"

"I can't believe the smug jerk was right. I feel so stupid!" She said to herself but Noel seemed to hear her.

"What are you talking about Casey?" asked Noel.

"How could you use women like that Noel? I thought you were better than that. You're, you're just like Derek! Like Justin! Like Oh My God! I am such an idiot!"

"WHAT! Casey none of this is true! I have never met a Leslie. I don't even know how that got into my pockets! I swear I didn't put it in there! Casey, you've got to believe me!" He yelled trying to reason with her.

"And to think I almost..." her voice broke off.

"Almost.. what?" He said clinging to her words.

"It doesn't matter anymore, you're not different Noel, you're just like any other guy out there and I can't believe I fell for it, for all of it!" These words seemed to come at Noel like thousand needles digging straight into his heart. He couldn't control his heart was going out of control. He felt as if the life was being sucked right out him and there was nothing he could do.

Casey turned away from him unable to look him in the eyes. Tears began to falter down her face once again.

"Casey-" Noel said.

"Just go," she said softly.

"If that's what you want." She didn't look back and Noel caught that he wasn't wanted. That didn't stop his heart from breaking. It was bad enough that she listened to Justin. It was even worse that she believed the worst in him.

He kept is sullen head down and climbed back down and headed home.

Inside Casey was falling apart. Everything had gotten to her. She was weak and she didn't care for feeling helpless though what else could she do. Who was she going to believe. Things were becoming a mess and she knew deep down they were only going to get worse.

A/N: Thanks everyone. Sorry I left last chapter on a bit of a cliffhanger I seriously did that unintentionally. I hadn't even noticed it until I reread it. So I hope this chapter helped a bit. Thanks soo much for the lovely reviews. They mean alot! Hope you'll continue to read/review! :D

-Ally