A/N- This is a little more Rated T for suggested themes. Let me know how you like the chapters and how my writing is. I really love your reviews. Thank you for reading.

Oh Shit, Did That Just Happen?!

Chapter 4: Hiding the Truth

Casey POV

The rest of the week passed by with little excitement. The hickey is still there, but it's fading along with the threat that had been the party. No one had stepped forward to claim the mark on my neck and I was ready to breathe a sigh of relief for the weekend. I was looking forward to a quiet weekend reading and going to dance practice. There would be no more parties for Casey Mcdonald. At least not for awhile.

Yes, everything was returning to normal in my life. Everything that is, except for a particularly strange step brother.

Something is off about Derek and lately I can't understand what it is. At first it seemed as though he were avoiding me. Perhaps, because he got into trouble because of me and George had grounded him for the weekend. His punishment could have been worse for violence, but George saw it as Derek standing up for me and didn't have it in him to really punish him for it. However, I got the impression that Derek was still angry about it. Normally, he would have at least held it over my head for a few weeks and try to guilt trip me into doing things for him.

Yet, nothing. Not even one attempt to get me to so much as bring him the remote. It's strange. Like he is avoiding me but whenever I do see him it doesn't seem as though he is mad.

I am worried and confused. He seems like his usual self and then I appear and it's suddenly like he can't stand being in the same room as me. A part of me wants to ask what's wrong, but then again this is Derek. He probably wouldn't tell me even if I asked.

Anyway, other than Derek's strange behavior, the week was wrapping up just nicely for me. That is until I sat down for dinner Friday night and noticed Mom and George were particularly expressive with each other.

I was reaching for more broccoli and the scene before was comical. George and Mom were staring at each other intently. George would raise an eyebrow and Mom would lift her nose slightly glancing in my direction. George would shake his head and Mom would stare forcefully back. The exchange went on for a few minutes before Derek suddenly broke the silence from the other end of the table.

"Oh out with it." He groaned. George seemed to lose the staring contest he was having with Mom at that point and sighed.

"Nora and I want to go visit Grandma and Grandpa this weekend and we want everyone to come with us."

The chorus of displeasure was immediate.

"No." Edwin cried. "They pinch my cheeks."

"Grandma always tries to get me to knit with her, it's boring, and their house smells weird." Lizzie whined.

"I have hockey practice." Derek shouted. "The big game is next week against a rival school! I can't miss practice. Coach would have me killed."

"I also have a dance class this Saturday and our recital is next week." I add in a much more polite tone that still voices my displeasure.

George looks pleadingly to Mom. She caves.

"Derek and Casey can stay home, but the rest of you are coming with us." She says sternly. "Your grandparents are very excited to see you."

I watch as Lizzie and Edwin resign themselves to their fate, before my eyes meet Derek's. A jolt shoots through my spin and I shiver. The whole room suddenly feels smaller. The family talking around me fades into a faraway background. It is only Derek and I in this moment as words rattle and process in my brain. A weekend alone with Derek. It was both exciting and terrifying. The air between us is almost tangible as the thought processed in my brain. Something in my chest squeezes, but before I can begin to wonder about the feeling he looks away and the moment is over.

Feeling stunned I sit back in my seat as I halfheartedly listen to George telling Derek that just because Nora and him were away he was still grounded and not allowed to go anywhere other than practice or have anyone over.

"Casey is in charge." He said.

This would be an interesting weekend.

Derek POV

Saturday morning came and soon he found himself standing by the front door next to Casey, waving to the rest of the family as they drove away. He breathed heavily as they disappeared from view and he found himself very much alone with Casey Mcdonald.

Slowly, he turned to meet her eyes. So blue he found himself being sucked in.

"Just us now, huh?" She said with an awkward smile. "What are your plans for the day?" He found himself staring at her lips and had to practically rip his eyes off of them.

God. He was becoming so pathetic.

His eyes hurt. He hadn't slept barely at all this week.

"Eh. Stuff." He grunted as he started to head back inside, rubbing at his eyes.

Fingers brushed against his arms as he turned into the house. They wrapped around his arm in a way that did dangerous things to him. Like a jolt of electricity he felt her touch all the way through his body. Casey's worried eyes met his and she studied him like one of her books.

"Are you sleeping okay? Your eyes look red. Maybe you should take it easy and nap today."

"Thanks, Mom." He said. Speaking harsher than he had intended, as he pulled from her grasp and quickly headed up the stairs to the solitary of his room.

The door slammed behind him. His fingers brushing the play button on his stereo. Hard rock poured into the room, shaking the walls. Raking his fingers through his hair he stared into the mirror on the wall. Casey had been right. His eyes did make him look rough. Like he had partied a little too hard the night before.

If only that were true, he thought. The truth a bit more unsettling.

The reason for his sleepless nights as it happened was the very girl on the other side of the wall.

She was torturing him and he couldn't make her stop.

Every night he slept, he dreamt of her. Her and her damn blue eyes and that soft mouth. He was going insane because he couldn't stop thinking about that party, that closet, that dick Truman. She was always there and there was big part of him that just wanted to forget it had ever happened. He just wanted to go back to before. When he could pretend that his feelings didn't exist, because now try as he might he was having a harder and harder time pretending.

Walking to the bed I jumped backwards onto the sheets. Closing my eyes I tried to sleep, listening to the rock song and hoping that it would lull me into sleep.

No such luck. As soon as my eyes were shut I was picturing Casey laying next to me on the bed. Her body so close next to mine she whispered into my ear. Wordless nothings they made my whole body shake. I could practically feel her lips there. Her breath tickling my skin. Casey.

Eyes open I shot up like a flash from my bed. I grabbed my wallet, phone, and keys and headed for the door.

I couldn't be here anymore.

I had to get away.

I had to do something and in my mind there was one solution I hadn't tried yet.

I snuck past Casey's bedroom door. Quiet. She was probably reading. I headed down the stairs, and out the front door before I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed. There was no last name on the contact and the first name read Laurie with a question mark next to it. It rang.

"Hello." A light feminine voice answered. "This is Laurie, who may I ask is calling?"

He smirked into the phone. Laurie. So that was her name.

"Hi, Laurie, this is Derek Venturi. We met at a party last week. Are you free?"

A short time later he was walking into Larry's Tavern the next town over with a hot blonde wrapped around his arm. The tavern wasn't huge and he wasn't twenty one. But he was friends with the owner and there were pool tables upstairs that they let him use.

"Derek." Larry called to them as he entered. "Coming for the upstairs?"

With a nod the larger man walked with them up the stairs.

"I am pretty sure there is one table still open. You better grab it. If you want I can try to get you a game, but if your betting money just don't let me hear about it okay." He said with a wink.

"No problem, Larry." He smirked as he grabbed a pool stick and headed over to the last free table. Nearby, he slipped some money into the jukebox and picked out a few rock songs.

"Do you play?" He asked Laurie, who just sat texting on her phone. She looked up at him when he spoke.

Brown eyes not blue.

She looked cautiously at the pool table.

"No. I would rather watch if you don't mind."

He nodded as a couple of skinny guys approached their table. He recognized them instantly.

"Hey, Bob, Carl. You up to getting your asses kicked? Who wants first?"

Bob smiled showing off a grin with a few missing teeth. A memento from his hockey years.

"Don't get cocky kid. I don't feel good taking your money."

"That's what you said last game, but you never got any of it did you?"

"What are we playing for?"

"Twenty."

"Deal."

The game went smoothly. A lot of people didn't know this, but he was actually quite good at pool. It kind of went well with who he was and the few girls he had brought here had always found it sexy. Especially, when he won and reaped the rewards.

"You know, kid, one day when you're of age you gotta come buy us drinks for all the help with the ladies you get from us." Bob whispered glancing at Laurie who was practically bouncing the bar stool she was cheering so loud. Her voice loud and echoing in the room.

She was giving me the eyes. The look girls gave when we were about to do more than hold hands.

"Deal." I whispered. "Corner pocket." The shiny black eight ball sank into the hole with a thud.

"Damn it." Bob frowned as he handed me a twenty.

A little while later after I had collected a few bills in my pocket, Laurie grabbed my hand and led me to a sectioned off area of the tavern. It was a hallway that led to the back exit door that no one used. There, Laurie coyly backed me into a corner. Her arms wrapping around my neck.

This is what I had wanted.

Needed.

Why I had called her to begin with.

Her lips met mine. Hard and forceful as she pressed her entire body into mine. It wasn't quite as comfortable as I had hoped. Her body more than a little suffocating against me.

"Derek." She whispered and moaned. I tried to enjoy it. The kissing. Her touch. I felt Laurie's hands running through my hair, tugging. My mouth slid against hers. My hands reaching around her waist. Fingers going to the hem of her shirt. I paused there, closing my eyes. Big mistake.

Casey was there, staring at me with those same sad and vulnerable eyes she had shown me right before I had decked Truman.

"Derek." Casey said with Laurie's voice, a tear running down her cheek.

"Derek" She cried as she turned away from me. Leaving me.

"Casey" I called, my eyes opening. Laurie pulled away from me, looking confused.

"Who is Casey? My name's Laurie."

Next: Chapter 5 - Tension

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