Uselessly In Love
Chapter One: Foiled Plan

The distinct, sweet aroma of apples and cinnamon hugged Derek's nose as he leaned against the row of lockers that stood opposite of Casey's locker while the blue-eyed girl dug through her locker. While to the normal plebs, it would look like Derek was planning his next prank.

Which he was.

But he was also keeping an eye on her. For the past week, Derek had noticed that the wanna-be Venturi and the oaf on the football team, despite him being in a relationship with his friend, Kim, skulking around the halls and taking sneak peeks at Casey when she wasn't paying attention.

It was just his luck that he had to deal with two morons after his keener step-sister. Like, how hard was it for these morons to stay away from her?

Speaking of morons….

Derek turned his head to see Truman, in all of his thieving ways, strolling down the hall like he owned the place, with his eyes on Casey. Derek eyed the copycat until the two of them locked eyes. Derek offered a vague smirk and lifted his right hand in a greeting but while his smile was disarming, his eyes were menacing.

Truman faltered for a moment and then sneered before he turned around and left. Victorious, Derek chuckled and called out, "Space-Case, you done yet?"

As he predicted, Casey jumped and whirled around to face him. "Yo!" Derek cooly greeted with a smirk.

"Der-ek!" Casey hissed as she rubbed her chest. "You scared the crap out of me."

"Explains the smell," Derek smoothly followed up.

Casey's face burned with that familiar red that Derek savored and she replied, "Can you be an adult for once?"

"Nah," Derek replied. "Tried it last night. Didn't work out well."

He could see Casey's look of confusion brewing and immediately pushed himself off the locker and approached Casey with a friendly grin. He wrapped an arm around her and directed her to walk to the lunch room as he said, "Speaking of last night. I happened to see something interesting."

Derek noted the brief look of panic on Casey's face, which made Derek smirk. "It was really interesting. I was visiting a long-time friend and I happened to see a little bluebird and sparrow combo flittering about our location. The thing is, last I checked, their migrating path doesn't have them flying around there. Especially so late at night."

"What are you, an Ornithologist?" Casey asked.

"So I ask myself, I ask, "Self? What would two little birdies be doing in a place they didn't belong?" And then I realized, they carried the peculiar scent of apples and cinnamon," Derek continued as if Casey hadn't spoken. "Now, instead of immediately jumping to conclusions, I decided to watch them and listen to their bird songs. Shrill things the bluebird and sparrow are, but I learned…."

Derek then swiveled so he was in front of Casey and walked backward as he pulled out Edwin's Kodak EasyShare C330 camera, which caused Casey to gasp. "Nice try, Case. Smart. Devious even. But you can't outthink me."

Casey gaped at him for a moment, another look that he savored, and then asked, "How?!" I had that—"

"—In the bottom drawer of your room with your underwear," Derek picked off where he interrupted Casey. "You gotta pick another hiding spot." Derek tossed the camera into the air and then caught it.

"You are the worst," Casey grumbled.

"Hey, if I wasn't trying to be an adult, I would have pranked that drawer when I snuck into your room last night as you slept. But did you notice anything wrong with it or anything missing?"

Casey narrowed her eyes and muttered, "No. I don't think I did."

"See. I can be an adult," Derek smirked, slipped Edwin's camera back into his pocket, and added, "But next time, try not to take a picture from a lower vantage point. If you want to try and get me, think higher."

Derek tapped the tip of Casey's nose as he said, "Boop," turned around, and walked away.

Hopefully, she would learn her lesson in messing with the best.

"You're glaring at him again," Emily noted as she stared at her grouchy friend's face as she glared at Derek's table.

"He thinks he's so smart," Casey grumbled while narrowing her eyes in his direction. "He saw us last night at Hart's party. He snagged Edwin's camera before I can transfer the pictures to my computer."

"Wow. How did he even get it?" Emily asked with confusion. "Didn't you tell me that you hid it in your unmentionable drawer?"

Casey finally looked her way and nodded.

Emily immediately realized what happened and couldn't help but snort. "Yeesh. He really doesn't respect your personal space," Emily commented.

"No and now I have two things to pay him back for," Casey replied as Emily spotted Kimberly Hart approaching Derek's table.

Emily knew she was pouring gasoline in the fire at this point but she couldn't help it. Watching Casey and Derek's feuding was entertaining to her. She needed something to distract her after Sheldon moved away.

Emily ignored that pang in her heart.

"Well…maybe we can have another chance to find something on him," Emily said as she motioned to Derek's table. Casey turned her head and Emily noticed a familiar frown appear on Casey's face.

That frown she often got when she was confused and frustrated at the same time. "What's up?" Emily asked.

Casey shook her head and said, "I'll tell you when there are no ears around us. But the last time I followed them, I got some juicy information about Derek…"

After a few words exchanged, Derek and Kimberly departed the table and walked away while Sam and Ralph shrugged and continued eating.

"So, are we following them or what?" Emily asked.

A very Derek-like smirk appeared on Casey's face.

When it came to Sports, Derek generally enjoyed most of them. He was in love with Hockey, had a deep soft spot for Basketball, and enjoyed Futbol, and Baseball well enough. But the one sport he couldn't stand was American Football.

Not because it was a bad sport or anything, but it just felt like a downgraded Hockey to him. Sure, that was a massive hot take that could get him into a fight, but he didn't care. Those were his feelings on the matter.

So when Kim decided to meet while football practice was going on, he found himself bored out of his skull. "So, why are we meeting here?" Derek asked.

"No one is going to expect us here of all places," Kim replied with a grin. "So, last night's party was a rousing success. No thanks to D-Rock."

Derek smirked and said, "Yeah. We had the party in the palm of our hands, I know."

"I was thinking of having another party pretty soon," Kim started. "Think you and D-Rock can play without running the risk of being grounded again?"

"As long as it isn't for the next few weeks. Sam and Ralph are going to the States and France respectively for a while," Derek answered. "When is it?"

"Lucky for you, at the end of the month. Which should give your two friends enough time to return," Kim replied. "I wonder if that will give you enough time to finish your next song about your Sapphire."

Derek frowned and said, "Those songs are not getting played. I hate the fact I have just the one."

"Why not? The chicks would love a more sensitive Derek Venturi," Kim grinned. "And who knows, she might like it too. If you would bother to tell her about it."

Beneath the stands where Derek and Kimberly were talking, Casey and Emily crouched beneath it, overhearing the conversation.

Casey had to admit, she could understand why Edwin and Lizzie enjoyed it so much.

So, Derek's unattainable girl was codenamed "Sapphire."

Interesting….

"I'd rather not," Derek's voice replied from above them. "Things are too….Stupidly complicated between, and around, us. I am not going to fuck that up any more than it already is."

Complicated?

Casey wondered how complicated it could be. They were both living, breathing people. How bad could it really get if he went after her?

Casey shook her head.

She should not be so invested in her annoying step-brother's love life.

"Whatever," Kimberly waved off. "Anyway, the end of this month is the party. We can work out the rest of the details later. Putting that aside, I'm going to the skating rink with the rest of the plebs. Wanna come?"

Casey heard Derek snort.

"I'd rather not. Your minions annoyed me far too much," Derek answered. "I don't know why you bother with them anyways. You know they're just using you to stay at the top food chain."

"Doesn't matter to me, as long as they know who's in charge at the end of the day," Kimberly said. "Speaking of being in charge, I need to go talk to Max about our date tonight."

"Oh! Speaking of Max. I think he's trying to step out on you," Derek smoothly revealed.

Casey could feel the chill in the air as she and Emily exchanged a look.

"What?" Kimberly asked.

"I've been noticing he's been eyeing Klutzilla down like a piece of meat when you're not around," Derek calmly informed, which made Casey blink in surprise.

It was no secret that Kimberly Hart was dating Max Miller, one of the most popular boys in school and for a minute, Casey felt rather pleased that someone as popular as him was looking at her.

But that feeling went away when she remembered he was very well taken and that this could cause her trouble.

Oh frick!

"I see…" Kimberly said, her tone growing colder. "Does your step-sister know or is she involved with him in any way?"

"Her? Casey's as blind as a bat when it comes to people having crushes on her," Derek waved off. "And if she was doing something, she wouldn't be able to keep it a secret to save her life. Plus, I read her diary. Nothing about Max, so no. She knows nothing."

Casey didn't know whether to be mad that he insulted her and read her diary or happy he successfully pivoted her out of danger.

"Good. I would hate to make an enemy out of you for going after her," Kimberly told him. "It seems I have some investigating to do about him. Thanks for having my back, Derek."

"Yeah, yeah. Go smack that oaf already," Derek said with a slight high-pitch in her voice, which signaled to Casey that Kimberly must have hugged him.

Casey motioned for Emily to follow her from beneath the bleachers.

She had heard all she needed to her and a new plan was forming in her head.

Nora McDonald paced the room with her phone pressed ion her hand as her sister, June ranted on speaker phone, "I just don't know what to do about her anymore, Nora. She's been acting out and just last week, I caught her making out with another girl! A girl of all things!"

George raised his eyebrow when Nora rolled her eyes.

Out of her three sisters, June was easily the most dramatic of all of them. She loved her, but she made it her mission to keep far away from the woman when she went on her tangents about her daughter, Trini.

"June," Nora interjected before her sister could speak anymore. "I know you didn't just call to rant about how "Abnormal" Trini is. What is it?"

"I can't take Trinidad in this house anymore, Nora. But I don't want to send her someplace dangerous. Is she able to….I don't know….can she stay with you for a while? A year at least?" June asked. "if anyone can make her see that her actions are unnatural and make her see the light, it's you."

Nora blinked.

At first, she wanted to laugh at the request. June always had this problem. When things got too tough or became unbearable for her sensibilities, she wanted either Nora or their other sister to deal with it.

But then she paused.

While Nora did not like dealing with June due to her…. old-fashioned ways, she did adore her niece and nephews and she always promised that she could be a safe space for them whenever they needed it.

And because of June's old-fashioned thoughts, Nora knew that her niece was probably in a bad place mentally….

It must be hard to be called abnormal or worse just because you loved someone of the same gender.

But where could they put her? They barely had enough room for the ones living there now….

Maybe she could have Lizzie and Edwin bunk together and free the room for Trini to stay in. Nora gave a silent look to George, who sighed and nodded. "How soon do you want her to be here?" Nora asked.

"I could have her on a flight by next week," June replied. "I'll even send an allowance for her so she isn't a financial burden on you and your family. Thank you so much, Nora. I owe you so much."

Once they went over the specifics, Nora bid her sister farewell and hung up the phone. "Why does she think you'll help "Straighten" her out?" George asked after a moment of silence.

"Because apparently, being the big sister means I'm the voice of reason?" Nora shrugged. "This was always June's problem. She was always a perfectionist, but this is something more…." Nora sighed.

"I know, but at least we can get your niece out of that situation," George told her. "Now to explain to Edwin and Lizzie why they will be bunking in the attic together."