Hi guys! I know its been a longgg time since I updated. College kind of got to me and I had sort of a writers block on how I wanted to continue this story. Hopefully this isn't too late and all of you haven't lost interest. Let me know what you think in the reviews or if theres anything in particular you'd like to see in coming chapters. And a happy late thanksgiving for those in the states!

Back to Casey's point of view!

As I'm waiting outside the coffee shop, I'm wondering why it's already slightly cold. I know we live in Canada and all, but I'm not ready to give up shorts and tank tops yet.

I had texted Derek as I was done hanging out with Jake if he could come pick me up. Jake offered to drive me back but I also left my keys for the house in Derek's (our?) car so I would have to wait until he's home anyways. I need to remember to ask him on whether I get to use the car or not when he isn't.

I picked up his favorite drink (a medium caramel latte) to go after he told me he was five minutes away. I remembered him telling me that was his favorite order at some coffee shop at college, hopefully this is the coffee shop he was talking about.

Hanging out with Jake had been nice, he told me all this information about the school and the English department that I was dying to know. I'm glad I was able to meet somebody of the same major before school started. He helped me figure out which teachers to avoid and which classes to get out of the way next semester. I'm actually looking forward to seeing him again, I'm glad we have a class together.

As I'm trying to plan out what I need to put together to graduate on time and what classes I should take when, Derek has pulled up to the curb in front of me. Once I get into the car and hand him his drink, I see his eyes light up. Who knew he liked his coffee so much?

"How'd you know what drink I like?" He asked, still smiling at his drink. When did Derek turn into such a sap?

"Maybe I know you better than you think too," I say with a smirk, referring back to what he had said to me in the morning at the diner.

He just laughs and looks straight forward.

"What, no mean or perverted joke?" I ask.

"I told you, I'm turning over a new leaf. Most of the time. You can still expect a few pranks here and there don't worry, for old times sake" he responds.

"What happened to the 'I missed you' Derek that was so nice to me a few days ago," I tease back.

"Moment of weakness, what can I say? Won't happen again," he replies while taking a sip of his coffee, "How was your date?"

He says the word 'date' like he's saying broccoli or curfew or something.

"Not a 'date' but it was fine, he gave me a lot of good info on the journalism major and the English department so I'm glad we met. I'll see him in the class we have together later."

"Gee such exciting date topics, I wonder why your last few boyfriends didn't work out," he says sarcastically.

"Again, not a date. But he still had fun with me, thank you very much."

"Try not to make yourself sound like such a prostitute."

"Der-ek!"

Once I've settled down after hitting him on the arm and him trying to dodge me while continuing to drive, I continue the conversation because I feel like I need to clarify.

"Wait it wasn't a date right? Because like I really don't talk about that stuff on dates. Oh god. What if it was a date and I completely bored the crap out of him?"

"Relax Case I'm joking. Jake is a good guy, even if it was a date, he wouldn't mind that shit," he responds, looking straight ahead at the road, as if making eye contact with me while reassuring me would completely break character for him.

"So what kind of stuff DO you talk about on a first date?" He continues, making eye contact with me now and smirking.

"I don't know. Family, future goals, etc. I guess," I reply, "What about you? What famous Derek Venturi moves do you use on first dates?"

"I don't do a lot of talking on the first date," he says grinning, clearly making a perverted joke.

"Ew, Der-ek!" Once again, I find myself smacking his arm.

"Relax Princess, I'm just joking. I guess the same kind of stuff as you, family and future goals. If I'm serious about the girl, I like to make sure she has a future planned for herself I guess. I like to give a lot of compliments. I'll try to plan the date out so I can see if she likes the same kind of stuff as me."

"Hmm, Derek actually being nice to a girl. Not relatable."

"Hey! I'm nice to you."

"Oh yeah, like when?"

"Like right now. I set up the TV with Sam while you were gone, and picked some stuff up, if you wanted to hang out tonight as a last fun thing before classes start."

As he's saying this, he puts the car into park after he's parked in front of our apartment. He reaches over his shoulder into the back seat and pulls out a DVD with a cheesy rom com movie, just the kind I like.

"Awww how sweet Der-Bear, got a movie I like just like I'm a girl on a date you're trying to impress. You going to let me choose the take-out for today too?"

"Actually, I already ordered your favorite. Garlic Chicken and Broccoli with fried rice."

I'm stunned because I was just teasing, I wasn't expecting him to actually go along with it. He didn't even pretend to gag at the date comment.

Wait is this a date?

No it's not, we live together. Just two room mates watching a movie and eating dinner.

Two step siblings.

What is wrong with me?

I never got this nervous or felt like overthinking everything I said around Derek before. Maybe the year away from home is making me freak out unnecessarily, he's definitely just trying to make me uncomfortable so I'll spaz out.

Hah, I won't give him the reaction he's looking for.

Without a word, I step out of the car and towards the front door. Derek has both of our keys so I'm left waiting at the door step while he takes out the takeout and DVD out of the backseat.

As he opens the door, I see he even put a blanket down on the floor in the living room, with pillows against the wall for us to lean on, in front of the TV since our furniture hasn't come in yet.

I looked over at him confused, because this was definitely not Derek-like.

"What? I don't want your klutzilla ass to drop food on the ground and leave me with vacuuming. Just a precaution," he says sheepishly while putting the takeout on the floor.

Ah yes, that sounds more like Derek.

"Okay, lets go change into PJ's and meet here in 10?"

"Sounds good."

—

After we're done eating and put the takeout aside, I'm leaning back on the pillow watching the movie with Derek leaning next to me.

We're a few inches apart, not touching, but close enough for me to feel his body heat. He had turned the air conditioning on full blast and got us a blanket to cozy up in while watching the movie.

I can't help but think that this moment with Derek feels nicer than any moment with any other moment I had in the past year in New York.

Or even before that. With Truman, all we did was fancy things so he could show off his parent's money or attend school events. Sam was always simple and it was just us hanging out at each other's houses. Max was too oblivious to ever plan nice things for me.

But this feels… different.

Nice different.

But I have to snap myself out of it quickly because this is DEREK.

While we're finishing up eating, Derek pauses the movie to talk for a second.

"Wait I completely forgot, Casey did I tell you the story about Marti's boyfriend while you were in New York?"

"You mean Emily's little brother?"

"No like A real boyfriend. She just announced it at dinner one day and I swear Dad had a heart attack and I spit my water out on Lizzie and then she stood up and the tablecloth went with her and dropped food all over Edwin and then Nora was mad because she worked hard on dinner. All while Marti is sitting there smiling about her boyfriend."

"Oh my god, I'm so sad I missed this. Hopefully Lizzie isn't inheriting my Klutzilla genes." I say, putting my food down because I'm laughing so hard imagining our family in this situation.

"Oh she definitely is. She tripped down the stairs a few weeks ago and toppled right into me and we all landed on Ed."

Once we're done laughing and exchanging stories from the last year, we go back to focusing on the movie. He turned down the lights and now I see him slouch lower in his blanket and can eventually feel him rest his head on my shoulder.

"Okay I guess this movie isn't that bad, you have DECENT taste. And your choice in Chinese food dishes was on point too." he says, looking straight ahead at the movie and not up at my face, as if its the most normal thing in the world for him to be nice to me.

I lean down a little so my head is rested on top of his and I'm breathing in the smell of his shampoo. Which smells a lot like my shampoo. Remind me to call him out on that later, maybe right now isn't the right moment.

"Wow Derek were you just nice to me?"

"Well I told you, I like to give compliments."

"Well yeah.. wait you said you like to do that on dates."

"Yeah, I also like to talk about my family and plan everything. What have I been doing this whole evening Case?" he says, just pulling the blanket up closer to his shoulders and still pretending to focus on the movie. I'm starting to think he doesn't have the courage to say this stuff with the lights on or facing me.

Wait pause.

Did he just admit this is a date?

So I'm not crazy for imagining this right?

But this is DEREK.

Stunned and unsure of how to respond, I just continue watching the movie and place my hand on my lap. Under the blanket, I can feel his hand reach over and rest on top of mine. This time he looks at me and makes eye contact, as if to confirm if it's okay, and everything he just said is okay.

I simply nod and we go back to watching the movie in silence. I'm not sure what just happened but I think I'm going to try overthinking this. I'll focus on the technicalities and logistics tomorrow, when I'm not cuddled up and warm and enjoying the moment.