Jesse, once the object of her affection, became nothing more to Casey than a distant memory as college life granted her with new prospects and, at long last, a new boyfriend named Rob. Well, let's pump the brakes. Rob wasn't her boyfriend as of yet, but after five really good dates, Casey had a good idea of where this was going. They mutually agreed to be exclusive but without labels to see where their budding relationship might lead, and Casey was over the moon. Derek, however, didn't bother to share in the joy of this fantasy. He thought if Rob wanted to commit to her, he would've slapped a label on it already and not wasted any time.

Regardless of Derek's opinion, everything was going great in the love department, according to Casey... until it wasn't. She began to catch Rob in several lies; his tone of voice, his sweaty palms, and his averted glares were enough to set her radar off. Casey wasn't as perceptive as Edwin or as intuitive as Derek, but it was clear this guy was lying through his teeth, and he wasn't very good at it.

So, she did what any normal, sane person would do, and she followed Rob to catch him red-handed in his lies.

Rob was at the library instead of in his dorm like he said he would be. If he lied about his location, he was bound to have lied about so much more.

Casey inconspicuously sat a few tables away from Rob, hiding behind a worn-out book in her hand, nearly losing her mind when Derek took a seat beside her, threatening her cover.

Of all the places she predicted running into Derek, the library wasn't one of them.

"Hey, Case." He might as well have had a megaphone with as loud as he called her name.

"Shh! What are you doing here?!" She hissed, making sure Rob didn't notice her a few yards away.

"I'm studying." Derek was an even bigger liar than Rob. Since when did he study, much less on a Friday?

"You don't study! What are you really doing here?" She asked, noticing Derek didn't have any books or study guides on his person, as she suspected.

"I decided to start reading," Derek answered, lying again.

"On purpose? I don't buy it."

"Alright, fine, I'm here because my roommate wanted the place for him and his girl, and I'm not one to be a third wheel. It looks like I'm the only one without a date on a Friday night apart from you, but that's not exactly newsworthy," he snickered.

"You know me - I love my boring Fridays alone! So can you, ya know, leave?" She seethed at the very thought of Derek ruining her covert operation.

"I could, but I'm not in the business of giving you what you want. So, are you going to tell me why you're hiding behind that book?" Derek took the book from her hands, saw the word feminism, and immediately became disinterested. Casey snatched the book back and slouched in her seat, trying to maintain her cover. Derek may have been observant, but Rob still didn't notice she was sitting there.

Successfully hidden behind her book once more, Casey gave in and told Derek everything in hopes he would get bored with her tragic dating life and walk away from the table.

"The guy I'm seeing is cheating on me. Well, I don't have any definitive proof, but that's why I'm here."

Derek followed her gaze to Rob, tapping his fingers on the sticky table in front of him.

"That's the guy you've been obsessing over? I say cut your losses and run while you still have the chance. He's below average, even for you."

Looking at Rob sitting there alone, Casey honestly didn't see the appeal at first glance either, but it had been his personality that drew her in initially. Rob was a nice guy to talk to, or maybe he was just manipulative enough for Casey to think he was nice.

"As great as that advice is, shut up," she told Derek.

All of a sudden, Casey snapped her head back to Rob when a pretty blonde walked over to him and, without hesitation, gave him a big kiss on the lips, solidifying every horrible assumption Casey had about him. A kiss on the cheek could have been deemed as friendly, but not a kiss on the lips!

Casey was right all along! Sometimes, she hated being right.

If Rob didn't want to be exclusive, he should have just said so instead of stringing Casey along.

"Look at her! She's all over him!" Casey was rightfully outraged.

"Oh, I think I know her. Yeah, I definitely went out with her last week." Before Casey could complain about Derek's need to date every female with a pulse, he shot up from his chair and started toward Rob, avoiding his stepsister's gaze and her effort to tug him back to their table.

"Der-ek!" No matter how hard Casey tried, Derek paid no mind to her sad attempt to get him to sit back down. He was on a mission, whether Casey approved of it or not.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Cindy Lancaster. You know, I thought we had a great date last week and here you are, with another guy."

"Derek, you told me that you're not into relationships," Cindy mentioned.

At least he was honest, Casey thought.

"Oh, I know," Derek smirked, recalling the very moment he sent Cindy out the door.

"Then what's the problem, dude?" Rob was the next one to speak, taking a stand from the table while visibly agitated their special library date was being interrupted.

Good thing the librarian was far away from the tables, or else they would all be kicked out for a disturbance.

"The problem, dude, is you're supposed to be seeing Casey," Derek said, directing his thumb behind him at a now fully uncovered Casey McDonald. So much for covert.

"What's it matter to you?" Rob asked aggressively, his unibrow defensively furrowing in response.

To Derek, Rob's bark had no bite, and even if it did, it wouldn't deter him from telling this loser off.

"It matters to me because she's my stepsister. No one is allowed to treat Casey like crap unless it's me. So consider whatever relationship you had with her over."

"Oh really?" Rob turned to Casey, expecting to hear a rebuttal, but she said nothing.

The joke was on Rob if he really thought he was going to see Casey again. The worst mistake Casey ever made was going back to Truman French after he cheated on her; she was not making that mistake again.

"Really. Come on, Case. Grab your lady books, and let's get out of here," Derek nodded toward the door.

Cindy, surprised to find out her date was involved with Casey, rushed out of there without a word to anyone. What a coward!

Casey stood up next and followed Derek without protest, shoving Rob as she made her way past him.

"Wow, Derek." There was no denying that Casey was highly impressed by her stepbrother's sudden need to protect her.

"I know what you're thinking, so stop thinking it," Derek warned, pointing a finger in front of Casey before putting some distance between them on the catwalk.

"What am I thinking?" She fluttered her eyelashes ever so innocently, but Derek wasn't having it. He knew based on her tone of voice what she wanted to do.

"You want this to be some feel-good family moment where I let you hug me under the moonlight, and it's not gonna happen. Stay away from me, or I'll go back inside and tell UniRob you want to see him again."

"You wouldn't."

"Don't test me, McDonald."

"How else will I have fun on a Friday night?" Testing Derek was the highlight of her day, especially knowing how he liked to do the same.

"You know, I almost feel bad for the guy. Losing that hot blonde has got to be a big hit for the ego." All he cared about was looks!

Casey shoved Derek on the shoulder, gritting her teeth in aggravation. He could be a caring guy one minute and such a jerk the next!

"If Cindy is so great, why did you let her slip away?" Casey asked, walking alongside her stepbrother to her car.

Derek could have walked back to his dorm if you wanted. Surely, he could have found a way to ruin his roommate's date and caused havoc in the room, but, truth be told, he didn't want to go back there for several reasons. Plus, he wanted to make sure Casey got to her car safe. It was getting late, and he felt a bit protective over her, not that he would admit to it out loud.

"First off, I never said Cindy was great; I just said she was hot. Secondly, the move was strategic; I have to keep an open field this early in the semester. I'm playing a smart game, if I do say so myself."

"You and smart in the same sentence? Please," Casey scoffed.

"My college acceptance says otherwise," Derek defended himself.

How they got into the same college, Casey will never understand.

"You got in by the skin of your teeth, Derek. However, I do have hope that college will be a healthy experience for you. Maybe you will mature over the next four years." Fat chance of that happening.

"Mature? In college? Casey, Casey, Casey, have you forgotten who I am? I'm going to experience all of the parties, alcohol, and girls college life has to offer. You can focus on your boring little flash cards or your dorky slideshows, and I'll get my education in the real world." Big words for someone who was also at the library alone on a Friday night.

"Mm, well, enjoy your short experience because when the real world actually hits you, you'll be begging me for a place to stay with the quarters you found in the cracks of the cement."

"Uh, yeah, speaking of a place to stay, can I crash at your place tonight?"

"What? Why?" Casey imagined a day Derek would grovel at her feet for a place to stay, but she never anticipated that day to be so soon. Leave it to her stepbrother to exceed all expectations.

"Well, I wasn't completely honest about my whole roommate situation. I mean, yeah, he has a date over, but that's not the whole story. Truth is, he doesn't like me," Derek explained.

"I like him already," Casey smiled.

"He gets mad when I play my music late at night. To get me to stop, he tossed my keys out the window and into the bushes. Normally, I'd sneak back in, but this guy is bigger than The Fridge. I'll admit I'm a bit intimidated."

"As much as I'd like to help you, I can't. I don't like your music at night, either, and I have a lot of studying to do."

"It's Friday; there's nothing you have to study for. I promise I won't play my music tonight."

"I -"

"Come on, Casey; I'm begging."

Casey rubbed her lips together thoughtfully, watching as his hazel eyes poured into her blue ones.

"Is that why you helped me with Rob? Because you needed a place to stay?" She accused.

"That was just a happy coincidence."

"Alright, fine. You can take the couch, but only for tonight."

She always gives in. It was a curse!

When arriving back to her apartment, Casey flicked on the living room lights and noticed a familiar duffel bag was already sitting on her couch.

"You knew I was going to say yes?" Casey asked, pointing at the bag with an embroidered D on the outer pouch.

"You know, you should really lock your doors before leaving the apartment. Anyone could have come in and helped themselves to the food in your fridge. Luckily, it was just me." Derek smirked, plopping onto the couch and hoisting his feet onto the coffee table as if this were his home. He was going to get himself kicked out after barely walking through the door.

"Derek, manners! Get your feet off of the coffee table!" Casey kicked his feet off and furiously wiped the footprints off.

Derek momentarily admired Casey's flushed cheeks as she cleaned the table but quickly closed his eyes, adjusting himself on her fancy throw pillow. This was much more comfortable than the lumpy bed in his dorm.

"So how are you entertaining me this evening?" He asked, eyes still shut, and hands balancing his head on the pillow.

"I'm not. There's a television in here if you want to stay occupied, but I'd suggest a shower first. You stink."

"Yeah, dorm showers aren't my thing."

"Derek, you forgot I lived with you; showers weren't your thing at home either," she scoffed.

Derek rolled his eyes and rose to his feet, looking for something clean to wear.

Searching for towels, he rummaged through a few of her drawers, panicking when he found her underwear drawer, and then stopping when he noticed she still had his old high school jersey he thought Nora threw away. He didn't think too hard about it, though. For all he knew, she was using it as a duster; this is Casey, after all.

As he took a shower, Derek tossed his bar of soap to the side and opted for Casey's luxury, cherry-scented body wash. He couldn't help but notice how much it smelled like her, and how awfully weird it was that he wasn't opposed to the smell. He tried to rinse the body wash off, resorting to scrubbing, but it was too late. He was going to have to go to bed smelling like, and thinking of, Casey McDonald.