Wow wow wow! I went from 115 to 133 reviews, and for the last chapter, I call that a success! So thanks so much for all that. The past few days I haven't updated, I've been in Las Vegas, to take a trip to Grand Cannon. And let me tell you, the whole time, I was thinking about continuing the story. ;) So, let us carry on.

Because They Said So - Chapter 8

"Hey, you've reached the MacDonald-Venturi Household. Leave a message!"

Casey dropped her bookbag on the couch and glanced at the red blinking light on the answering machine.

"Case, it's Emily! I didn't get a chance to talk to you after school, but I wanted to know if you hang out tonight, you know, you and Derek with Sam and me? Give me a call!"

She rolled her eyes and deleted the message.

"You have 2 new messages. First unheard message.

'Hey D, it's Ralph. We're gonna grab a bite to eat, so if you-'"

Click.

"Message Deleted. Second unheard message.

'Hey, Casey, it's Max...'

Caseys head cocked to one side.

'... I just wanted to know if you wanted to talk, maybe meet at the Snack Shack by school. Well, give me a call. Bye.'"

She pursed her lips.

And why, exactly, would you want to talk with me, Max?

She grabbed the phone hesitantly and dialed.

"Hey Max? It's Casey..."

000

"... what you want to do is add a pinch of sugar..."

Click.

Derek flipped the TV off.

"Edwin!" He called. "I'm hungry!"

No response.

"Ed!"

Still nothing.

"Ugh," he groaned, before lazily getting up from his recliner and making his way to the kitchen.

Grabbing the necessaries, mayo, turkey, tomato, and bread slices, he rolled his eyes. He hated making his own food.

"You called, bro?"

Derek glanced up.

"It's a little too late now, Ed," he hissed, waving the sandwhich in the air.

Edwin shrugged.

"How's that bet going?"

Derek narrowed his eyes.

"It's going, uh, none of your business."

"You guys getting along?" He tried.

"Oh yeah," he remarked snidely. "Hopelessy devoted to each other."

Edwin quirked a brow.

"If you guys are so 'devoted', how come Casey's going out with Max tonight?"

Derek sent him a questioning look. He motioned to a small Post-It note clipped to the fridge.

"'Went out to the Snack Shack with Max. Don't wait up at dinner. Love, Case,'" he read aloud, squinting at the piece of paper.

He stiffened.

What the hell?

000

"I'll get a salad. Croutons on the side?"

Casey grinned as she handed the menu back to the waitress, who gave a sheepish smile and walked away.

"So..."

She glanced at Max over the rim of her glass of water she was sipping.

"Um," she muttered slowly. "You wanted to talk?"

His eyes widened.

"Oh right, yeah."

She sent him a look that clearly stated 'Go-on...'.

"Case, I think-"

"Your fries."

They stared up at the waitress, who set a basket of french fries in the middle of them.

"So," he said, once she was out of sight. "As I was saying..."

He paused a moment, and slowly took her hand in his. Her eyes quickly darted to this movement, and she stiffened.

"Casey..." He said, once she didn't make any sudden movements. "I don't really know how to say this... But, I think...I think I still have feeling-"

"Ahem."

Oh, crap.

Casey slowly lifted her eyes.

Derek had a sheepish grin plastered across his face, his arms crossed.

"Derek..." Casey muttered softly, pulling away from Max's hand. "It's not..."

Max stood up.

"Der, hey," he said, holding out his hand.

Derek looked down at his hand and scrunched up his face in distaste.

"Don't call me that."

Max slowly brought his hand down. "Um, if you don't mind, we were kind of in the middle of-"

"Actually, I do mind," he cut off, narrowing his eyes. "Casey, let's go."

"Woah, woah," Max said sudddenly. "Casey's not going anywhere."

She hadn't really planned to, anyway.

"Yes," Derek took her by the arm and pulled her up. "She is."

"Derek," she said firmly, wriggling out of his grasp.

"No," Max shoved Derek slightly. "She isn't."

Bad idea.

"Derek," Casey called again. "Don't!"

But it was too late. Anger was clear in his eyes as he took a swing and got Max in the nose.

"Derek!"

"So you're defending him now?" Max hissed.

"Max, no..."

He took a threw a punch at Derek, and got him in the temple.

"Max!"

Soon, the two were throwing each other up against walls, down on the floor, and knocking over tables, earning gasps and shrieks from groups of people.

"You're insane, dude," Max snarled, Derek pinned under his arms on the floor.

"Proud of it," he shot back, kneeing him in the stomach and flopping him over.

"Excuse me!"

They were pulled apart suddenly, a middle aged man tugging on the back of Max's jacket, and Casey taking Derek by the arm.

"Excuse me," the man repeated, huffing, once the two were seperated. "You two are going to have to go. Now."

"That's fine," Derek said through gritted teeth. "We were just leaving."

Without another word, he grabbed Casey by the arm and led her outside.

000

"Derek, you are such an asshole!"

Casey dabbed at his now swollen eye with an ice pack.

"Me?" He spat.

"Yes, you!"

She sat at the edge of his bed, her face pink with fury.

"We were just talking."

"What, with your hands?" He hissed.

"We were just talking," she said again. "Nothing was going on."

He snorted.

"And you'd have known that if you just listened to me," she continued.

"Whatever."

Casey stood up suddenly.

"What is with your attitude?" She narrowed her eyes.

He remained silent. He really didn't know what he was on about. Something strange shot through his core when he found out she was out with Max.

"Why were you out with him?"

She stepped closer to him.

"That doesn't answer my question, does it?" She crossed her arms. "What is your problem?"

"I don't know," he mumbled.

"What?" She leaned in closer.

"I don't know!" He shouted, shooting up from his bed, causing Casey to back up slightly. "You shouldn't have been out with him! How would that look to Em-"

"Were they there, Derek?" She snarled. "No, they weren't. And if they were, it'd fine because we were just out as two friends."

He huffed.

"I really don't know what's wrong with you, Derek." She shook her head in disgust and shuffled past him. "Get yourself together."

The room shook as she slammed the door behind her.

000

"... because she just had to get remarried..."

Edwin plopped down on the couch next to Casey.

"I'd ask what's wrong, but then I'd have to pretend to care," he said, taking a chip into his mouth.

She glared at him.

"Please. You're the last person I'd want to talk about my problems with."

"O-kay," he shrugged, chugging down his soda.

There was a moment of silence.

"You're brother's such a jerk!" She blurted out.

He rolled his eyes.

"Tell me something I don't know."

"What is his problem?"

"Does this have something to do with the incident at the Snack Shack this afternoon?"

She sent him a confused look.

"He talked to you about that?"

"No," he shrugged again. "From the way you two barged through the front door arguing, and with that black ring around Dereks eye... it's kinda hard to miss."

She shook her head, "Don't you have something better to do?"

"Yeah, actually, I do. See ya," he stood up.

Casey grabbed him by the arm, and pulled him back onto the couch.

"Well, did he mention anything to you?"

"No," he sighed.

"Nothing?" She tried again.

"Well..." He pursed his lips.

"What?" She shrieked, taking him by the collar.

"He sorta left in a fit. Like, he'd keep cursing and muttering something about 'no-good-stupid-quarter-back-girlfriend-stealers'."

Casey grinned suddenly. And then again, it was kind of hard not to.

Bleh, it was pretty long, right? Longer than most of the others, anyway. But, I hope you liked this one. Drama drama DRAMA. Reviews? Please?

I don't have an expectation, seeing as this chapter was rather dreary. But it would really encourage me to update if I got a good number of reviews. Thanksalot.