Everlasting Love

Chapter 5

1 week later

It had been a week since Derek had seen Meredith but still, his mind wandered day and night about her. When he wasn't studying, in his classes, helping Jack at the bar, or sleeping; he was thinking of her. The feeling of her in his arms sent tingles down his chest and her smile made him flustered easily. He had no idea where she went but he couldn't find her at school and no matter how long he watched her window at night, the curtains were always closed. Today was different though. He could feel it.

Seeing no car parked in the driveway, he grabbed his phone and pulled on jeans and a shirt. It was almost midnight but her light was on. He quietly opens his window and climbs down the house before sighing. He had no idea what to say to her but he knew he had to talk to her. Scaling the side of her house, he sits on the roof and gently knocks on her window. He waits a while and the curtain opens before she unlocks the window.

"What are you doing?!" She exclaims as he climbs through her window and stands in her room. It is the same as his except it is decorated with green.
"I'm trying to talk to you." He says as she closes the windows and pulls the curtains shut.
"You shouldn't be here. It's too risky!" She whispers.

"Meredith..." He trails as she shuts her door and locks it before looking at her driveway.
"Don't. My mother is coming back from work soon." She snaps.
"You're mother comes home at three in the morning?" He asks.
"She is a surgeon," Meredith says softly.

"It's been a week since I've seen you." He says softly.
"If my mother knew you were here, she'd kill me." She sighs.
"Meredith, she doesn't know." He reassures.
"Stop saying my name. You're the guy next door and I don't even know your name!" She says.
"My name is Derek Shepherd. The parents in that house are fostering me." He replies honestly.

"Derek..." She trails softly.
"Meredith. I've never done this before. In fact, I don't often talk to girls. What's wrong?" He asks.
"I don't know you! How can I tell you?" She asks as she sits on her bean bag in the corner of the room.

Suddenly, he had a revelation. He hadn't thought his actions might have made her uncomfortable and he wanted to apologize. Maybe she just didn't want anything to do with him. As his mind wandered, he sat in front of her and closed his eyes. If he told her how he felt about her, he could eventually end up breaking her heart. His parents could send him back.

"I don't know if I did anything or said anything to make you uncomfortable but you have blocked yourself from me and there has to be a reason. Till I find that reason, I'm not leaving." He sighs, reaching his hand out to hers.

"It's what I do. It's a lot of work to talk to people about things. I cover it and just block people out. I don't like it but it works." She admits sheepishly, coving her face with her hands.

"I'm still staying here." He smiles as he stands up and takes off his shoes. Leaving them by the window, he pulls out two pieces of chocolate. Tossing one in her lap, he unwraps his. She sighs and looks up at him with admiration. He smirks and holds his hands out before helping her up.

"Give me your wrapper." He says, folding his into a little person made of tinfoil and wax paper. She hands him hers and sits beside him in the bed, leaning on his shoulder. He makes another paper person and grabs a blue post-it note from her nightstand. She laughs as he folds two small boats and places the tin people in. It was fall and it was raining tomorrow night.
"We could race them." He smiles, placing them on her nightstand.

"So, you're a foster kid." She sighs after a while.
"Yes." He nods.
"Did they adopt you?" She asks.
"Not yet."
"Is it good to be a foster kid?"
"Thinking about running?"
"Sometimes." She nods truthfully.

"I stopped by the drama club." He says calmly.
"What did you find out?" She asks nervously.
"You are cast as Juliet in the play. That's why you wanted Romeo and Juliet at the library last week." He says as he pulls out a folded flyer in his jeans, handing it to her.
"I told him not to put up flyers for Romeo." She sighs.
"I auditioned." He whispers.
"What?!" She says loudly, turning to him and staring into the calming blue eyes to find a hint of sarcasm.
"I'm kind of popular and I thought I might get to see you." He shrugs and she grabs the sides of his head, pressing hard.
"I'm trying to figure if you have a brain in that hollow head of yours!" She says as she gets up and grabs a thick yellow packet, tossing it on his lap.

"Okay. The script can't be that hard." He says as he opens the page and sees that she has highlighted her lines. As he flips through them, his chest contracts realizing what he had gotten himself into. She nods in front of him and flips to the end of the play when they kiss. His heart beats faster as he reads the scene and imagines it. Just the thought of her velvety lips pressed to his makes him blush prominently while he gasps.

"You have to go back and tell him that you don't want the part." She says fast, closing her scrip and placing it on her desk.
"No way. I said I would act so I will." He shakes his head and grabs her hand, pulling her onto the bed.
She sighs and he smiles as he leans over her. His charming smile makes her get flustered and he snakes his hand to her nose.
"So you're worried about the kiss too?" He whispers as his hot breath fans her face.

"Meredith?! I'm home, are you awake?" Someone calls from down the halls and her eyes widen.
"You have to hide! Now!" She whispers.
He looks around the room and sees that he doesn't have enough time to leave. She points underneath the bed and he crawls under it frantically before he hears the click of the door.