Chapter 9: Mixed Feelings
Math class was already Casey's least favorite subject, and today was no different. Her focus was split between the quadratic equations on the board and Derek, who sat two rows ahead of her. He leaned slightly toward a blonde girl, whispering something that made her giggle.
Casey clenched her pen, the tip pressing so hard against her notebook that it nearly tore through the paper. She could only imagine what cheesy line he was feeding the girl.
Her frustration melted into reluctant amusement when the teacher called on Derek to solve a question. Derek froze, clearly unprepared, but instead of panicking, he flashed his trademark smirk and said, "Energy equals mass times the speed of light squared?"
The class laughed, and the teacher shook her head, "Wrong class, Mr. Venturi," before moving on to another student. Casey rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a small smile. How does he always get away with that?
Later in chemistry, Casey found herself paired with a quiet girl named Mia, who diligently measured out chemicals while Casey tried to focus on her own work. Across the room, Derek sat with his lab partner, a smart and pretty girl named Samantha.
Samantha was doing all the actual work, meticulously following the experiment instructions, while Derek fiddled with the equipment, pretending to be a mad scientist.
"Careful, Doc, this could blow up the whole school," he joked, making Samantha laugh.
Casey rolled her eyes, pouring her own solution with just a little more force than necessary. She caught herself sneaking glances at Derek, annoyed that even his laziness seemed charming to some people.
Gym class was the worst. The boys played basketball while the girls rotated between practicing volleyball and laps around the gym. Casey tried to focus on her volleyball drills, but her eyes kept drifting to the basketball court, where Derek was leading his team.
His hair was damp with sweat, clinging to his forehead in messy strands that somehow only made him look more attractive. Every time he sank a shot or passed the ball with practiced ease, the other boys cheered, and Casey felt her heart flutter against her will.
After the game, Derek sat on the sidelines, a towel slung around his neck, casually talking to another girl. She laughed at something he said, swatting his arm playfully, and Casey's chest tightened.
She turned away quickly, her pulse racing. This can't be happening, she thought, gripping the volleyball in her hands. I can't be crushing on Derek Venturi. He's my stepbrother now. This is insane.
But no matter how much Casey tried to convince herself, the truth was unavoidable. Her feelings were more tangled than ever, and her heart wasn't playing by the rules.