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It wasn’t like she wanted this to happen. Not at all. She wasn’t even meant to know. She just overheard the conversation. It’s not her fault that Sam shouts when he’s confused and shocked by completely impossible information. What was she supposed to do with this new and strange information?
Casey found herself lost in thought from the time she woke up the next night. Sam had spent the night and she wasn’t eavesdropping - promise! But apparently guys gossip during sleepovers too.
“Hi Casey!” Sam waved at Casey as she entered the kitchen.
“Hey Sam.” She responded.
“Morning Space Case! Glad to see you join the living!” Derek taunted. Casey was up much later than usual. But that’s only because she couldn’t sleep with this information.
“Der—“ Casey began the broken way she addressed her annoying step-brother, as her foot was grabbed by the edge of a rug. “—ek” she finished weakly from her newfound position on the ground.
Derek burst out laughing. “The Return of Klutzilla everyone!” He cackled out while clapping at Casey’s oh-so-graceful entrance. Sam smiled meekly as he walked over to help her up.
Okay. She definitely heard them wrong last night.
“Thanks, Sam.” Casey responded looking deep into her helper’s eyes.
“Ugh.” Derek responded and faked a gagging noise.
“Do you have a problem Derek!?” Casey shouted.
“Yeah. I do.” Derek’s eyes darkened as they seemed to bore a hole into Casey’s heart.
Derek sucked in a breath, about to continue, when Sam interrupted. “Hey Der, it’s chill. Let’s get to practice.” Sam seemed to urge Derek to drop whatever was bothering him and pick up his hockey stick.
‘What the actual Hell?’ Casey thought about the scene that just unfolded as she stared quizzically at the back of Derek’s head.
Casey went and poured herself a bowl of Derek’s cereal - revenge for calling her Klutzilla - emptying the box. ‘Oh well’, she thought to herself, ‘if it’s what I heard was true, it shouldn’t matter.’
Hours passed by, family members went in and out of the house, Casey found herself seated in the living room watching some random movie. Clueless. Emily was at Soccer Camp. Edwin was at a Young Entrepreneurs meeting until at least 8. Nora and George took Marti to be dropped off at a sleepover before going to have some “alone time” which Casey assumed meant a date night away from all the chaos in this house. So there she was, watching chick flicks at 2pm in an empty house, with Derek set to be home any minute. At least Sam would be with him.
Casey felt the lack of sleep from the night catching up to her as she watched the movie. Her eyelids fought to be let closed.
“Out of my chair, Case.” Derek stood over her, fave inches from here.
“No.” Casey mumbled sleepily, curling into the cushions trying to let sleep take over again.
“God, you’re pretty” Derek mumbled under his breath. “C’mon on. My chair. My rules.” Derek stood firm.
“y’ can fit.” Casey mumbled scooching herself to the side of the chair. “am sleeping.”
Derek paused before clearing his throat and scooping Casey up in his arms. “If you’re tired. Go to bed.” He stated before gently tossing her onto the nearby Couch.
“Der-ek!” Casey shouted startled by being thrown onto furniture.
“Ah. She’s awake!” Derek proclaimed. “Go get me some cereal!” Derek grinned wildly up from his place in the recliner.
“Can’t.” Casey answered. “You’re all out.” She snubbed before marching up the stairs.
“WHAT?” Derek shouted leaping from his chair. Casey paused halfway up to the next floor. “No. I have a whole bowl left. And no one touches my cereal. No. one.” He insisted.
“Well.” Casey smirked. “Apparently. Someone does. I heard she’s super cute too.” Casey stuck her tongue out and ran the rest of the way to her room.
She was waiting for him to come barging into her room to demand she make him something or pay for his cereal but instead she waited in silence for nothing. Rolling her eyes, she decided to go back downstairs.
“I can’t handle it Sam! She’s too cute and I think she knows!” Derek is venting into the phone. He’s pacing around the lower level of their shared home. “She definitely knows! Do I just confess? Just get it over with? I don’t want to give her ammo. I cannot give her ammo.” Derek continues. “Fuck. Why did I have to fall in love with my keener step-sister!?”
Casey, who had stopped at the top of the landing found her feet falling from under her as the edges of steps jabbing her side.
“Damnit!” Derek yelled before rushing to Casey. “Are you okay?”
“Y-yeah.” Casey sputtered. “I’m fine. Just.” Casey winced. “my leg.”
“Shit. Can you stand on it? What the hell happened?” Derek questioned.
“No. I don’t think so. And I was bored so I was coming down here and heard you on the phone and …” Casey trailed off. “Help me to the couch?”
“Yeah.” Derek practically carried Casey over to his chair. “This is more comfortable. Let me look at it.” Casey nodded permission. He’d been injured enough to know if it was serious. “Shit Casey. I think it’s broken.” Derek gently inspected her leg, careful to avoid causing undue pain. “I need to get you to the doctor.”
Casey nodded in agreement and let Derek help
her up and out to The Prince.
They pulled up to the clinic. A few X-Rays later and it’s confirmed. One big broken leg.
Casey picked out the purple cast and they called their parents to inform them about the disastrous return of one Klutzilla McDonald. Nora frantically said they could skip their date and get home to help, Casey denied them. She said she’s already got the cast and that she’d be fine for the rest of the night.
Casey and Derek pulled back to their empty house.
“Derek. Did you mean it?” Casey asked with her gaze locked firmly on her lap, still seated in the passenger seat of the Prince
“What?” Derek questioned
“What you said to Sam? Did you mean it?”
Derek went silent for a while before responding, “what if i did?”
Casey looked up and locked eyes with Derek. “I wouldn’t be mad.”
“Then. Yeah. I meant it. Don’t. Don’t tell anyone.”
“What if… what if I wanted to tell everyone?” Casey asked bashfully. “Because what if I felt the same?”
Derek’s eye flickered with a million different emotions before he grabbed Casey’s face and bring it to meet his.
“Ouch!” Casey yelped. “Maybe we can continue this somewhere where my leg won’t be bent even more unnaturally.” She giggled.
“Oh! Yeah! Sure!” Derek chuckled as he sprinted from his seat around the car to Casey’s door. She fumbled with her new crutches until Derek finally rolled his eyes and scooped her up in his arms and planted another kiss on her lips and carrying her inside.
The next week they were back in school.
“Casey! What happened to your leg?!” Emily shouted upon seeing her best friend’s bright purple cast for the first time that morning.
“You wouldn’t believe it.” Casey began. “It was caused by the absolute sheer audacity of Derek Venturi falling madly in love with me.” Casey smirked boldly.
“You’re right.” Emily said. “I don’t believe you.”
The two girls laughed as Casey sent a wink back to Derek who was across the hall. He sent one right back at her.