I'm only saying this once for the slow few. TEXT MESSAGE is in :Here, SPEAK is in "Here" see? Good. Oh, did you know Life with Derek is Canadian and takes place in Canada? I didn't. LOL! I'm so slow sometimes. Anyway... Enjoy.

-LF14-

At home the next night, Casey and Derek sat in their rooms. They had been confined after an argument at dinner over the stringed beans, resulting in mashed potatoes on Edwin's head. Casey was laying across her bed reading Pride and Prejudice when her cell phone blared Def Leppard. That meant she had a text message. It was Derek.

Their conversation was as follows-

:Hey sexy. What's up:

:Nothing. You?:

:Checking email. There's one about genitalia enlargement.:

:LOL. Like you need that. wink:

:And that is why you're awesome:

:I know.:

:Wat r u wearing?:

:What?:

:WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?:

:I know what you said, that was more of a shocked what.:

:Are you going to tell me or not? I'm hard as fuck over here.:

:Aw, you miss me... okay, I've got on a cami and sweat shorts.:

: No bra and the Daisy Duke's?:

:Oh yea:

:We're so dirty:

:We're teens still. We're allowed to be dirty.:

:I hate this house. There's no privacy. Edwin totally ruined it by knocking on my door. I need a DO NOT DISTURB sign.:

:Me too.:

:What for? It's not like you can jerk one off.:

:No but what about when I want some privacy to masturbate in peace?:

:o.o I'd like to see that.:

:Maybe. If you're good.:

:I'm better when I'm bad.:

:And you make it look so good.:

He sent her a picture of his shirtless self flexing his biceps.

:Yummy.: She sent a picture of herself topless.

:Very yummy.:

:Weird thing is I don't think I'm all that yummy.:

:Well, that would be very lesbian, so I'm grateful you don't.:

:I guess you're right.:

:Unless you're bi and interested in a three way:

:glare:

:Don't look at me like that:

:But I'm not looking at you.:

:But if you were you'd be looking at me like that:

:Well, don't be such an ass.:

:But you said you liked my ass:

:Very true. Doesn't mean you have to act like one.:

:Touche.:

:Pouts I miss you.

:I miss you too.:

:what exams you got tomorrow?:

:Theater and Newspaper.:

:What kind of exams can you have in those classes?:

:None really. My final exam in NP was our last issue, the seniors going away one. Theater we're just hanging all day. What exams you got?:

:Art and chem:

:How's the art exam work?:

:We only had to do one big project for the past month with progress grades.:

:what's your's:

:It's an angel sculpture. I just changed it a bit.:

:Really? Can I see it?:

:L8er maybe. If you're good.:

:depends what you mean by good.:

:lol you drive me crazy:

:Well it's a short trip. Mom's calling. I gotta go.:

:Why do you get to leave your room.:

:Cause I have the vagina.:

:...And I have nothing to say to that.:

:I know. Byes.;:

:L8er:

Casey got up and walked into the hall. "Mom?"

"Downstairs." She walked down the stairs putting on a look of apathy. Her mom was on the couch alone.

"Where is everyone?"

"Out for ice cream. I just thought we'd have a little chat."

"Let me guess. About Jesse? Or Sam?"

"Your counselor called."

"Paul called?"

"He says he didn't see you for the past two days and got worried. I told him about your... Situation and he's thinks you should take up your visits again tomorrow during your newspaper exam."

"Wow. Paul's great. The one time I don't WANT his help is the time he takes some initiative.

"Come on Casey, please."

She rolled her eyes, "Fine mom. I will." She then sighed and trudged up the stairs, going back into her room. Grabbing her phone she texted Derek again. :You know Paul right?:

:That dude from trig?:

:No my counselor.:

:Oh yeah. That guy.:

:He's high jacking me from my newspaper exam.:

:Why?:

:I didn't barge into his office and complain yesterday or Monday.:

:Well we were in the closet... Literally:

:This isn't good:

:Why?:

:Paul has always known when I lie to him. He knows when I'm faking. He always has:

:Three words; DENY, DENY, and DENY!:

:You make it sound so simple.:

:Well I try:

...

Casey walked into Paul's office in a huff and plopped into the chair across from him. He gave her a weak uncertain smile, "Hello, Casey. Long time no see."

She tried to sound exasperated, "You know me; Busy, busy busy."

"Yeah, well I heard you had quite the weekend."

"Yeah, I was almost raped by my prom date. Lovely isn't it?"

"Casey you're... Unusually hostile today."

"Well, it's a hostile world."

"Okay now you're just covering up the real problem."

"No."

"Yes. Your mother told me that there's been some issues at home with your stepbrother."

"Oh... That." Then she didn't say anything else, choosing to stare at his stapler. He let it go on for a few minutes before sighing.

"Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

He blinked at her, "What?"

"I don't wanna talk about Derek okay. I mean, for once, can it just not be about him?..."

"But this is about him isn't it?" Casey looked up desperately, Paul was smiling, "This isn't about Jesse at all. This is about Derek. Derek stepped up, for once." She forced herself not smile, "You always complained when he didn't. So why are you like this, or should I say ACTING like this? Because I know you better than this. You don't do this. Or at least not this way."

Now she really was exasperated. She threw her hands in the air unhappily. "I'm confused! Derek just totally threw all I knew about him out the window! He did something that he's never done for me before! He did something for me! Without expecting anything in return. And he was right. About everything..."

"Is that the problem? Him being right about Jesse?"

"No. It was just irritating." She sighed, for real, "I just wish I knew what it all means. I mean, he was looking out for me, right? He... He cares. I think..." He was grinning now for a while he didn't say anything. Just sat looking at her. Then he chuckled. "What?"

"Much ado about nothing."

"Shakespeare's play?"

"He's your Benedict. You're his Beatrice."

"I've never read it so... Could you elaborate?"

"Beatrice and Benedict would snipe at each other back and forth until one day they hear her family and his friends talking suspiciously loud about how the other has fallen for them. Then it's a totally other matter. And suddenly they're both very much in love. It's all quite funny actually."

"Are you suggesting that I-?" He nodded. She crossed her arms and rolling her eyes, "Liking him would be like liking a cactus. Not exactly the prettiest plant in the garden and also a total prick."

"I remember you complaining about the death of chivalry."

"And?"

"What Derek did was mighty chivalrous if I do say so. He defended you and your honor without any other motive but it was you. That's what you like in a guy if I recall. Doing nice things because it's the nice thing to do. Did I forget anything else from that speech?"

Casey glared at the floor, "You forgot caring about me more than anything else."

"Oh yeah, that too. I hear he was dumped by Sally because he left her at prom to save you. Even after she dumped him he proceeded in taking you home when he might have had a chance to fix things with Sally." She nodded. "I think that qualifies him for that last bit. Now will you at least admit you're not mad at him if you're not going to admit you like him?"

"How about this? I don't hate him."

"I should say not. You're in love with the boy. You always have been."

"He's my brother!"

"Step-brother."

"Touche."

"There's nothing wrong with it." He chuckled, "You know Derek better than I do. Do you think he likes you?"

"I don't like him."

"That wasn't my question."

"But I still don't like him."

"Whatever you say."

"I don't like him."

"Hypothetically... If he liked you and he wasn't your stepbrother would you date him?"

She opened her mouth and sputter a few words before she just shrugged, "I don't know."

Paul sighed, "That has to be the closest to honesty you've gotten." He shook his head. "How about this I promise not to tell anyone or call you out of exams again if you'll AT LEAST admit Derek is a good guy."

She rolled her eyes, "He's not." Then she smiled at Paul. A genuine smile, "He's a GREAT guy." Getting up she went out the door without looking back.

Paul smiled after her, "She'll be alright."