Disclaimer: I don't own Life With Derek, but I'm considering seducing Daphne Ballon so I can influence her... Of course this will only work if she's into girls...

Chapter Seven

The next few days passed quickly, spent either with Emily or Cher. I discovered that I liked Cher; she was ditzy but sweet and funny, and surprisingly smart. She was overtaking Laurel (who hadn't called since we left university) as my best school friend, and the prospect of going back brightened at the thought that I would be able to talk to her about home and my friends and family. I loved university, but I never realized how big the workload would be, or how lonely it would be. How my fellow students possibly found the time for parties and socializing I'd never know!

Somewhere in my mind a familiar voice that was never far away remarked that I'd have more time if I didn't obsess over my work, and triple check and edit everything before handing it in, but as always I pushed it back.

I stood up from where I'd been lying daydreaming on my bed, and stretched. I needed to think of something to do. Emily was spending the day with her family, and Cher was having a romantic day out with Josh, which left me at home. On my own as well, seeing as Mom and George were at a baby group with Simon, Marti was at a friend's house, and Lizzie had dragged Edwin to a leafleting and food taster session she'd organized to promote Vegan living. I still remember her trying to turn all of us when she made that particular dietary choice; telling us about the industry shooting calfs in front of their mothers so they could have all the milk themselves, and sawing chickens beaks off so they didn't peck each other in their tiny cages. I'll admit, I cut back a little. God help me if Derek found out; I'd never live it down. Oh, and that brings me to Derek. He's at home but there was no way I'd ever be bored enough to spend time with him of all people.

I got up and turned on my laptop, quickly finding the site for the movie theatre Browsing through, I wondered what movies had come to these days. There wasn't a single title that peaked my interest.

"You aren't going to the movies alone are you?" Derek said in a tone that oozed how-much-of-a-loser-are-you?

I wasn't surprised to find him standing in the doorway; hockey had probably finished, leaving him nothing to do for entertainment but annoy me. "I don't see what would be wrong with it." I replied defiantly, refusing to give him eye contact or the satisfaction of annoying me.

He shook his head, "Casey, Casey, Casey. How can you not see how lame it is to have so few friends that you have to resort to going alone?"

"I have friends, they're just busy today," Damn it, I'd wanted to say I was choosing to go alone! Or better yet that I was meeting someone there! "Besides, I don't see friends just swarming around you to take you out."

"That's because there's such a thing as a telephone; you'd know about it if you had anyone to call; my many friends already called to see if they could get me to enrich their lives with my presence. I decided to stay at home." By this time he had wandered further into my room and was bent over, looking at my laptop screen over my shoulder.

"Der-ek, did I say you had permission to bring your disgusting self into my room?" His proximity was unnerving, and I could see his smirk reflected in my screen.

He ignored me, instead reaching around to click on something.

I pushed his arm away and leaned away from him, "Ew, personal space!"

"Relax Case! Just seeing what's on." He seemed highly amused by my reaction.

"And why would you care? I thought you decided to stay at home?" I folded my arms and turned to face him.

"That was until I realised you were staying at home."

I sighed. "So go look on your own computer and call one of your many friends to come get you out of my hair."

"Firstly, I'm not one of your lice," He waited a second for my look of disgust before continuing, "And secondly, I can't think of anyone needs their life enriching more than you Case. So put something on that'll make you less ugly and let's go." He ruffled my hair and left my room.

Two thoughts then entered my mind. One that he was being nice for a change; and two that he was somehow managing to be a jerk at the same time.

Still, I got up and obeyed his instructions, getting ready to go.

He was already down stairs when I got there. I made a noise and he turned.

"Let's go then." He barely gave me a glance and I was oddly disappointed.

Shrugging off the feeling, I followed him out of the door and into the Prince.

"So what are we going to see?" I asked, hoping that it wouldn't be an overly gory action film where the plot lines were replaced with car chases.

He shrugged, "You tell me; you're the one who got a look at the listings." He looked at me sharply, "And no girly romances. No, not even romantic comedies."

"Der-ek! Keep your eyes on the road!"

He swerved on purpose, making me squeal. The grin on his face made me want to hit him, and as we pulled in to the parking lot, I punched him repetitively on the arm.

"Hey! Do you want us to crash?" He leaned away from me and raised his arm in self-defence.

I sat back with my arms folded, willing him to see my glower.

"So, what are we watching Princess?" He asked as we walked in.

A pretty blonde followed our progress from near-by, shooting me a look of jealousy as he called me Princess. I had to repress a laugh; there was absolutely no reason to envy me when it came to Derek, but it just now struck me how the nickname could come across. I looked at him to see if he'd noticed, but his eyes were on the titles displayed on the overhead sign above the counter.

When I didn't answer he looked at me, "Hello? Earth to Spacey? What are we watching?"

I swallowed my smile. "I don't know. We could watch..." My eyes scanned the titles, trying to remember what they were. "Frankenweenie?" I seemed to remember trailers on TV for it, a bit childish, but probably my best chance of avoiding an action movie.

"Right," He wasn't really paying attention, he'd finally noticed the blonde who was now trying her best to pretend she hadn't noticed him. It was really quite pathetic.

"Are we going to get tickets, or what?"

He held out cash and I took it. He must really have been distracted, there was enough for both our tickets. Figuring he owed me for taking me out then getting side-tracked by a girl in the first few minutes, I picked up both of our tickets with his money, then wondered over to the snack area with the change.

We had fifteen minutes until the film started, so I took my time looking. I was still annoyed with Derek for abandoning me so quickly, and wondered briefly if it was worth seeing if he'd shell out for popcorn and drinks as well. In the end I settled for getting him a diet cola which I knew he hated, he always said he wasn't on a diet and that it tasted funny. It was sad, I admit, but an act of petty revenge that put a smile back on my face anyway.

Looking back to Derek, who was by now chatting up the poor girl, and to the clock which told me I still had ten minutes to go; I realised it was going to be a long wait. Ten minutes can be forever when you have nothing to do and are waiting. I pulled out my phone, sighing at the lack of messages, and brought up a game.

By the time ten minutes had passed, it felt like it had been hours. I stood and stretched. Derek was still with the blonde, so I walked over to tell him it was time to go in.

"Oh, she's not my girlfriend. She's my step-sister. I take her out every now and then to make our parents happy." He clearly didn't know I was behind him as he continued, leaning forward now and talking in a conspiratorial tone, "She has problems, you know, she's a bit on the slow side."

I folded my arms, standing behind him. The blonde noticed me long before he did and stood with her mouth slightly open, probably wondering whether or not to say anything.

"Derek, sweetie, the movie's starting." I couldn't resist showing him up in front of her, though the word 'sweetie' made me want to vomit.

Derek spun around and took in my sickly-sweet smile and murderous eyes. He clearly thought better than to correct me so said bye to the girl, and followed me to hand over our tickets.

I handed him his drink as we entered the screen room and walked down to find a place to sit. I wasn't even pretending not to be annoyed now.

"So... Sweetie?" Derek questioned, almost as annoyed with me as I was with him.

"Slow?" I shot back at him.

He laughed, "I call it how I see it."

I clenched my jaw and tried to ignore him.

"Or was that what you were doing too?" He asked mockingly.

I gave a snort of derision and decided the trailers were infinitely more interesting than the person sat beside me. A tactic that seemed to work well for a few minutes, until I felt an arm creep behind my shoulders. I flinched away instinctively, but not fast enough. I felt a cold and sticky sliver of ice slip down my back.

"Der-ek!" I blushed as everyone on the theatre shushed me. I didn't bother trying to fish out the ice, it had already melted. Instead, I focused on revenge. Slowly, a sneaky grin grew on my face; hidden in the dark and so avoiding suspicion. I reached for more popcorn, eating half the handful, and carefully crumbling the other half. I waited until Derek went to take another sip of his drink and reached up silently before bringing my hand down quickly, rubbing the broken popcorn in Derek's hair.

"Arrgh!"

Another loud 'shush' from the audience, but this time directed at Derek.

I barely had time to stifle a laugh before diet cola spattered my face, flung from Derek's fingers. I responded in kind and pretty soon we were both sticky and being given warning glances by a security guard who had appeared not far from where we sat.

A glance at the screen let me know that watching the film now would be next to pointless, even if I could convince Derek to stop his childish antics. I stood and started towards the exit, stumbling a little on a discarded popcorn carton.

"Careful klutzilla, you nearly stepped on my foot." Derek whispered harshly, following me out.

Once we were outside I shoved Derek in the side. "What the hell was that about?! Ice down my shirt Derek? What are you, in pre-school?"

"You got me a diet cola, you know I hate diet cola." He shoved me back.

"And that's an excuse for assaulting me?" I knew I was exaggerating but everything was exaggerated when it came to him.

"Assault? That wasn't assault, you shoving me was assault!" He tossed his cup into a trash can before unlocking the prince. To be honest, I was surprised he didn't drop it on the floor.

That one took a little longer to write than I thought it would but oh well. Hopefully the next chapter might actually get the plot line started.