Disclaimer- I own nothing…

A/N-I changed the format of how I said I was going to do it but hopefully you like it!! It doesn't really seem up to my usual standards but I like it. It is less drama filled than usual. I wanted this story to have a mellow ending.

Chapter 20

"I can't believe your mother called the police on us!" Derek exclaimed to Emily as they walked into his house. They had just spent fifteen minutes being yelled at by the cops and an hour cleaning up.

"She didn't realize it was us. She said she was sorry," Emily told him. Sally was grinning brightly while Ralph had collapsed on the couch.

"I think, considering everything, it went pretty well," Sam added.

"Now is the time when you find out whether it was all worth it," Sally said. Derek nodded his head and turned to go up the stairs. As he walked up them, Olivia was walking down them.

"Olive!" Sally yelled, causing everyone to laugh at her old nickname. When Derek got to the top of the stairs, he looked down to see his friends. It seemed as if things were going back to the way they were, only everything was different and in a few moments he would learn if things were really going to change for him.

- April -

"Let's be truthful here, you knew this was going to happen," Kendra said to Derek, who shook his head as he stood at his locker.

"No, I didn't," he retorted.

"Derek you have been dating for a long time now that word is going to come up," Kendra told him. Kendra coming back into Derek's and everyone's life had been something that had taken time. It had been hard for Kendra to accept the fact that things were changing but after a while she had realized it was better to have them as friends then as nothing at all. In the end though, Derek couldn't help but feel as though it was Ralph that had pushed her to change her mind.

"Hey sweetie pie," Ralph said to Kendra as he walked over to them, causing Derek to gag.

"Hi Ralph baby," Kendra said as she kissed him on the cheek.

"You guys are just too much," he complained.

"Casey seems upset," Ralph observed as he looked over Derek's shoulder. Derek looked over where Casey was at her locker with Sally and Olivia listening and watching as she obviously ranted.

"It slipped out," Derek told him. Ralph just shook his head smiling.

"You should apologize," Kendra told him.

"I tried to but she keeps ignoring me. She had Emily bring her to school," Derek answered.

"Well who answers a statement like that the way you did," Kendra pointed out. Derek opened his mouth to defend himself but was cut off by Sam.

"Really?" Sam said, a huge grin plastered on his face as he laughed. Emily was next to him and she couldn't help but giggle.

"Oh yeah, laugh it up," Derek said.

"Derek, come on, you have to admit that it is hilarious," Sam said.

"No, I will not admit it because guess what, it is not funny! I mean, she wants to cut my balls off and last time I checked my girlfriend wanting to rid me of anything down there is not good," Derek told them.

"Then why didn't you say it back?" Emily asked.

"Because I was startled. It came out of nowhere. I was taken completely by surprise," he retorted.

"FYI, when a girl says I love you, she doesn't want to hear 'really' as an answer," Kendra told him before walking over to join Sally and Olivia in watching Casey's rant.

"Emily, tell me it is not as bad as they are making it seem," Derek said to Emily.

"I hate to tell you this but its pretty bad," Emily admitted.

"Great, absolutely wonderful," Derek whispered.

"I hate to point this out but wasn't this the reason we avoiding dating because it leads to all this miscommunication," Ralph said.

"So it is okay with you if I go and have sex with Kendra," Derek asked.

"Excuse me," Ralph said, his smile disappearing.

"Exactly, now you see why this works and is better," Derek told him.

- Study Hall -

"You better hurry up and fix this because you are causing major problems in the group," Sally told Derek who was sitting on one side of her with Casey on the other.

"The group?" Derek whispered.

"Yes the group! How can we all go out together with you two fighting? It makes it awkward," Sally hissed at him.

"Sally, it was a mistake," Derek muttered.

"Well fix it. I don't care if you have to erase it, rewind back time or hit her over the head so she has amnesia but you better fix this," she insisted. Casey rolled her eyes and pinched Sally.

"I love you Derek but you are totally in the wrong," Sally whispered as the study hall teacher eyed them.

"This is becoming way too big of a deal," Derek murmured.

"That's because it is a big deal you idiot," Casey retorted angrily.

"Oh she talks," Derek remarked.

"When someone says I love you the answer is supposed to be I love you too not 'really'," she whispered angrily.

"I am sensing some tension," Ralph said from where he sat in front of them.

"No duh," Sam laughed. He was sitting on one side of Ralph with Emily on his other side while Kendra was sitting on Ralph's other side.

"I think we should discuss this after school because Ms. Dillwell looks like she wants to kill you Derek," Olivia muttered from next to him.

"We? No, this is not a group discussion. This is a me and Casey discussion so you guys need to mind your own business," Derek whispered.

"We are just trying to help," Kendra said, turning to look at him.

"Well I don't need help," Derek told her.

"It seems like you do," Sam said.

"I mean, you are the only one in a failing relationship," Sally pointed out.

"My relationship is not failing and since when are you even in a relationship," he asked.

"Trevor and I decided to be official last night," Sally gushed.

"Oh congratulations," Casey said smiling.

"Thank you! We are very happy," Sally grinned.

"Um…back to my problem," Derek said.

"I thought you didn't want us to meddle," Sally pointed out.

"He just likes to be the focus of attention," Casey told Sally.

"No, I do not. I just want my girlfriend to stop acting like a lunatic," Derek retorted.

"A lunatic? Derek I told you that I loved you and you questioned it. How can I not be upset," she cried.

"I wasn't questioning it Casey. I was just…surprised. You are the first person who has ever said that to me so I was caught off guard," Derek told her.

"That's not true. I tell you that I love you all the time. I love you Derek," Sally said.

"I love you too," he said, almost involuntary.

"Are you kidding me?" Casey exclaimed.

"That's not what I mean. I did but Casey it's different when you say it then when Sally says it," Derek said.

"Yeah it means something to you when she says it and you believe her," Casey said, close to tears. Everyone was silent then as Casey looked away from him and bit her lip trying not to cry.

"Excuse me but do you think you could all keep it down," Ms. Dillwell said from the front of the room.

"Casey, please don't cry," Derek whispered.

"Leave me alone Derek," she whispered, not looking at him.

"Casey, I am so sorry. I am an idiot, a jerk, and a just really stupid," Derek told her.

"I second that motion," Sally muttered.

"Shut up Sally," Kendra said sternly as she looked at Derek, motioning with her hand for him to continue.

"Casey, the truth is when you told me that you loved me it kind of freaked me out because I wasn't expecting to ever hear those words from someone other than, well you know, them. I realize my answer wasn't the answer you were waiting to hear but my real answer was something I have been feeling since the first time I kissed you," he said. He stopped, waiting to see if she said anything and looked at Kendra quickly, who motioned with her hand again.

"The truth is, I love you Casey. I think I fell in love with you the first time you rolled those pretty blue eyes at me because unlike everyone else, you don't put up with it all. You were the first person to call me out on everything I do or say and you were the first person to see past it all. Also, let's be truthful. I have done a lot for you…like almost get arrested, so for you to ever say I don't love you is ridiculous," Derek stated. He sat there, realizing that there wasn't much more he could say. He watched as a smile started to spread on her face.

"They were not going to arrest you," she finally said.

"That's easy for you to say. You were inside the house," Sam defended.

"Casey, I almost went to jail and became some guy named Cookie's girlfriend," Derek whispered, causing her to laugh.

"Do you mean it?" she asked.

"What? The 'I love you' or the Cookie's girlfriend thing," he asked.

"The 'I love you'," she said.

"Of course. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. Just like I wouldn't have become Cookie's girlfriend unless there was a really good protection plan involved," Derek answered.

"You really need to stop with the Cookie stuff," Ralph said.

"It's not very romantic Derek," Sally added.

"Why can't I get rid of you guys? Seriously. I am trying to have a conversation with my girlfriend and you all have to butt in," Derek asked.

"We are just trying to help," Emily said, pouting.

"Yeah Derek, they are just trying to help. Don't be so dramatic," Casey said, grinning at him.

"I hate to not help you Derek but you are forgetting that you already said you loved her only it was to us," Kendra reminded. It was a bad memory of them because it was the day they thought they would never all be friends again but in the end, it was the day that saved their friendship.

"I did! I told them I loved you which was why I was going to choose you over them!" he shouted, much to Ms. Dillwell's anger.

"Why didn't you tell me," Casey asked.

"Because things were already a mess. Why add more emotions to what was going on but now things are normal if you think any of this is normal," he said. As he looked at his friends all together yet now apart living their own lives he couldn't help but think this was the normal he wanted, despite how intrusive they were.

"Derek I don't think life with you could ever be normal," Casey whispered, trying to appease Ms. Dillwell.

"I hope that doesn't scare you away," he said, sliding his hand across the table over towards her.

"I don't think anything could scare you away from you," she said smiling as she slipped her fingers through his.

"Oh my gosh, you two are so adorable," Sally squealed.

"You call me over the top," Ralph said as Kendra exclaimed, "And you make fun of us!"

"Derek is whipped. He can't help it," Sam defended.

"No, he's sweet," Emily argued.

"I think he's in love, which defends anything he does or says," Olivia added.

"I think I don't care how corny he is because I love him anyway," Casey said.

"And that is all I need," Derek said.

(A/N-Hope you liked it!! Hope it wasn't too corny. Thank you to everyone who has put this story on their favorite and/or alert list, reviewed or read this story! Please review one last time!!)