Chapter 5: Chain Reaction

It was oddly quiet and just plain weird tonight, Lizzie noted. Derek was staring at Casey, who was avoiding Derek and everybody else by staring at her food. Sally was looking back and forth at Casey and Derek with a smile on her face. Although those three were acting strange the rest of the family were their usual selves. Marti was oblivious to everything while Edwin , George and Nora tried to make conversation with Derek and Casey.

"So Casey, Derek," George started slowly. "How's school?"

"Fine," they replied in unison.

"Ok, um, Casey uh how are you and Max doing?" Nora asked trying to get a response other than fine.

Casey almost choked as she heard the question. The whole time she was thinking about Derek she forgot about Max.

"Um, actually mom, Max and I broke up about a week ago. I caught him cheating on me," Casey replied.

"You were going out with Max?" George asked clueless.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry." Nora said sympathetically.

"That jerk." Lizzie stated

"Did you get revenge on him?" Edwin asked wanting to hear a good story.

"Are you okay?" Sally asked.

"I'm fine, guys," Casey replied after everyone was done talking. "I decide to take a break from all guys for awhile."

Derek snorted when he heard the 'break' from guys. All eyes immediately flew to him even the pair that had been avoiding him since dinner had started.

"What?" Derek asked with food stuffed in his mouth. "It's not like Casey had a lot of guys to take a break from anyways."

"De-rek, you're such a-"Casey started but was cut off by her annoying step-brother.

"Caring guy, thanks for noticing," Derek cut in.

"May I please be excused? I can't stand to sit at the same table as Derek," Casey glared at him feeling the need to kick him in the shin.

Giving up on trying to have a nice family dinner Nora sighed and said, "Go ahead."

Casey stood up from her chair and for the second times since she has been home stomped up the stairs to her room and slammed the door.

"Um, Derek, you have a little something right here," Sally said gesturing to her chin.

Ignoring all the murderous looks he was getting from his family Derek looked at Sally then wiped at his chin.

Casey lay on her back in her old bedroom with her pillow on her face waiting for Emily to pick up the phone.

"Hey Casey," Emily's voice came on through the phone. "How did everything go?"

"Horrible," came Casey's muffled reply.

"What?"

Before replying back Casey took the pillow off her head. "It was horrible, he saw me and freaked out for a while then he started fighting with me. Then miss goody two shoes came over making me jealous of her because she was with him and there is no way that Derek and I will ever hook up again. Plus the dinner conversation was awkward because Derek kept staring at me and Nora asked me about Max who I haven't thought about in a long while. I said I was taking a break from guys in general which caused Derek to say something rude and ended in me stomping up to my room and wonder why I was jealous when I never liked Derek in the first place," Casey ranted without taking a breath.

"Case, chill for a sec. I didn't understand anything after the goody two shoes part. What happened? Who's miss goody two shoes?" Emily asked confused.

"Sally came over which made me jealous for some odd reason. Then we had dinner and Derek kept staring at me. Nora asked how Max and I were doing and I told them that we broke up and that I was taking a break from guys," Casey explained again.

"Casey, I think it's obvious why you're jealous."

"I know, it's bad enough that Derek knows I'm jealous, but I'm not even sure that I want to feel this way. I've even thought about making him jealous."

"Really, are you going to do it?" Emily asked intrigued.

"I don't know if I could pull it off plus I don't even know who to ask," Casey answered back.

"You could ask Sam or Ralph," Emily said trying to be helpful.

"No it wouldn't work since they're Derek's friends."

"Noel?"

"Nah, I don't want him to get the wrong idea," Casey said after a moment of contemplation

"I could always set you up with a date."

"I don't think I'd be comfortable with going out on a blind date."

Emily sighed in frustration running out of ideas of guys. She almost gave up when a thought stroke her.

"What about Truman?" She asked. "I mean you guys ended on pretty good terms and Derek doesn't even like him. He'll be even more jealous," Emily added before Casey could shoot down another idea.

"That just might work! Thanks, Em, you're a genius," Casey said happily before saying goodbye to Emily and hanging up.