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"And it wasn't that it was a bad kiss," Addison continued to ramble as the two of them laid in their beds later that night. "That's not it at all. It's that it was a really good kiss. One of the best kisses ever. But he's…Mark. He's arrogant and cocky, but…God, Mer, that was the best kiss ever."
"Mmhmm," Meredith mumbled, not really listening as her best friend went on and on about her perfect kiss. Since they had gotten back to their room, Addison had been freaking out about realizing her desire for the boy across the hall, and Meredith had listened only partially, the majority of her mind still lost in Derek's deep blue eyes. There was something about him that made her feel completely safe, and she couldn't believe how captivating his gaze was.
Derek Shepherd. Even his name sounded perfect as she rolled it around in her head. She wasn't sure why she was thinking like this, being the girl who obsessed over the boy with the perfect hair. She'd never been that girl before, and was instead more interested in partying with Addison and their friends from high school than she had been in messing around with boys. But now…she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be with him. There had definitely been a spark when he'd taken her hand, gently massaging the back of her hand with his thumb, and she could only imagine what it would be like to be wrapped in his arms.
"Mer?" Addison asked, propping herself up on her elbows. "Are you still awake?"
"Hmm?" Meredith asked. "Sorry, Addie, I was just…thinking."
Addison flopped back onto her back. "So what do you think I should do?" she asked.
"We just started college," Meredith replied. "This is our second night here. We haven't even started classes yet. We can't fall for anyone right now?"
There was a long silence in the room, and Addison finally asked, "We?"
Meredith cursed herself in her head, hoping that she could cover herself okay. She didn't want Addison to know about her feelings towards Derek. "You," she said quickly. "I meant you."
"You were talking to Mark's roommate on the porch," Addison stated. "Mer, do you like him?"
"No!" Meredith cried. "I can't like him. I don't even know him. And I'm here for school. So no. I don't like him."
Addison was silent, and Meredith could swear she could hear her smirking. "We can't let them win though."
"Win what?" Meredith asked tiredly. Suddenly she couldn't wait until classes started on Monday so she could have something to focus on rather than Addison's games.
"The game," Addison rolled her eyes. "They're playing us, Mer, waiting for us to give in first. And we can't let that happen. If we want any power in these relationships, we can't let them win."
"There is no relationship," Meredith said. "And there won't be."
"Good," Addison replied. "That's the attitude we need to have around them so we can make sure they know where we stand." She paused for a moment, a smile playing over her lips. "I can't believe it, my little Meredith is finally starting to show emotions for a boy."
"I'm going to sleep," Meredith rolled her eyes, turning onto her side to face the wall, her back towards Addison. She heard Addison shift around as well, getting comfortable before the room was quiet, leaving Meredith alone with her thoughts.
The last thought in her mind as she drifted off to sleep was of the way Derek's eyes had told her that she was special, and he wanted to know her forever.
XXXXXX
"Oh, God," Meredith muttered under her breath as she and Addison sat at a corner table in the cafeteria the next morning. She ducked her head closer to the table, trying to hide her face behind a newspaper.
"What?" Addison asked, ducking her head close to Meredith's as she followed her gaze.
"Idiot one and idiot two at three o' clock," Meredith whispered as she watched Derek and Mark move through the food line. "What do we do?"
Addison glanced to her left, lying eyes on the boys before she turned back to Meredith. "Do we make a run for it?" she asked.
"If they see us here they'll sit with us."
"If they see us trying to leave they'll corner us."
"Shit," Meredith muttered. "I think it's too late."
Derek and Mark were approaching their table, matching grins on their faces. Meredith rolled her eyes as she sat up, picking up her newspaper and trying to ignore Derek as he sat down next to her and Mark sat down next to Addison.
"Good morning, ladies," Mark greeted them. "Lovely day out, isn't it?"
Addison and Meredith exchanged a glance before they both returned to pretending to read the newspaper.
"You're ignoring me," Derek stated as he scooted his chair closer to Meredith.
"Trying to," Meredith replied without lifting her eyes off the paper as she scooted her chair further in the other direction.
"You shouldn't ignore me," Derek murmured in her ear. "I've already told you, I'm someone you need to get to know to love."
Meredith couldn't help the small smile that played along her lips. "You really like yourself, don't you?" she asked.
Derek shrugged. "What's not to like?" he asked.
"I could think of a few things," Meredith said coyly as she picked up her tray. "Ready to go, Addie?"
"Definitely," Addison replied as she pulled herself away from Mark's hovering presence.
"I don't think you should go," Derek said, looking up at Meredith with earnest eyes.
"I agree with Shep," Mark said firmly before he frowned. "I think that's the first time that's ever happened."
"Shep?" Meredith asked, her eyes shining with amusement as she looked down at him.
"Mark thinks it's the best nickname ever," Derek said as he rolled his eyes. "He's an idiot, you can ignore him."
Addison watched in fascination as Meredith sat back down, this time not caring that the chair was close to Derek's. She'd never seen her best friend act like this, and she couldn't help be glad that Meredith was showing interest in Derek. She would definitely never have expected Meredith to fall for someone like Derek, but if that's what was happening, she was more than happy for her.
"You know, we could leave them alone," she heard Mark murmur in her ear, feeling his hot breath on her neck.
She rolled her eyes as she turned to face him. "It's ten o clock in the morning," she said. "I have things to do."
Mark gestured with his head to Derek and Meredith as they sat close together at the table, talking quietly. "You think they want us around?" he asked.
Addison sighed as she turned to look at him. "Fine," she said. "I'm going back to my room. If you're going to your room, we can walk together."
Mark smirked. "Oh, I'm coming," he said, offering her a wink.
Addison rolled her eyes as she stormed towards the door, trying to ignore the feelings of arousal surging through her body.
"So you really think that the Red Sox have a chance?" Derek asked Meredith back at the table, his eyes wide.
Meredith giggled. "Of course they do," she replied. "We're the best."
"We?" Derek asked. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize that you're taking a leave of absence from the major leagues to attend college."
"Everyone knows that you refer to your team as we," Meredith rolled her eyes. "And to think that you consider yourself a baseball fan."
"I'm a real baseball fan," Derek laughed. "The Yankees are the best there is. No one can deny that."
"Whatever," Meredith sighed. She looked up for a moment, surprise in her eyes when she turned back to him. "Our friends are gone," she stated.
Derek rolled his eyes. "Mark probably found some excuse to get her up to our room," he said.
"Oh, so Mark's the womanizer," Meredith nodded. "You're the perfect gentleman."
"Of course," Derek said with a smile, tilting his head to the side. "Have I done anything ungentlemanly?"
"Hmm…except for the time every time you use lame lines to try to pick me up?" Meredith asked. "Nope."
Derek frowned. "They're not lame," he protested.
"Have they ever worked?" Meredith asked.
Derek leaned forward and winked. "You're the only one worth using them on," he said huskily.
Meredith rolled her eyes as she stood up. "And you think you're not corny," she said. "I have to go."
Derek jumped up and followed her to the door. "Where are you going?"
"I have to buy books," Meredith replied. "And talk to professors. And do…things. Things that don't involve you."
"See, that's where I think you're wrong," Derek argued as he walked beside her. "I think I should be involved in your life."
Meredith rolled her eyes as she stopped walking, looking closely at him. "What is it with you?" she asked. "You're chasing. You don't even know me, but you're chasing. And if you knew me, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be chasing, so…you should just stop chasing. It will be better for everyone."
Derek frowned. "I'm chasing because it's fun," he said. "And you're right, I don't know you. But I want to know you. And I'm pretty sure that I won't stop chasing once I know you."
"But why?" Meredith asked. "What's the point?"
Derek smiled softly as he took a step closer, brushing some hair out of her face. He looked deeply into her eyes as they tried to read into his thoughts, and after a moment he leaned down to press his lips to hers in a quick but firm kiss.
"That," he whispered in her ear as he pulled away. "That is the point of the chasing."
With that, he turned and walked back towards the dorm, leaving Meredith standing in the middle of the path, lifting a hand to her lips to feel the tingle of where his lips had been, starting to think that maybe there was a point to the chase.