Life With Dasey (A Life With Derek Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-two

Casey and Derek sat beside one another on the couch, their hands brushing against each other's as they watched a movie that neither one was paying any attention to. Casey would look at Derek, and Derek would look at her, and then they would both avoid each other. It was torture to be so close but so far away. Derek was so desperate to touch her again that he thought about popping popcorn just so they could "accidentally" reach into the bucket at the same time and end up holding hands. It was ludicrous!

It had only been an hour since their kiss in the kitchen, but Derek was already awaiting the next. He mentally started putting pressure on himself to top their last kiss because although he was enjoying kissing Casey, he didn't want her to lose interest, seeing as how she had ungodly high expectations.

Derek wanted to make a move by pulling Casey into his lap and kissing her senselessly, but the way she remained rigid next to him on the couch stopped his advances. Casey wasn't some fling, and if he had to go slow for her to realize that, he would. He was fine watching a movie with her, keeping his distance if that's what she wanted. He wouldn't even try to put his arm around her unless she wanted him to. Small steps lead to big rewards, as long as she doesn't shut him out completely.

The credits of the movie were far from rolling, but Casey turned toward her stepbrother, taking a deep breath before speaking.

"Derek, we need to talk."

Oh no. Those dreaded four words. Every relationship's Achilles' heel! Derek's used those words enough times to know where they always lead. Casey was planning on ending this - whatever this is - for good. Great! She figured out she was too good for him and was leaving him in the dust! Derek wasn't ready for the shame! He was fine with taking things slow but getting dumped before they were a couple? Nope. Not today! Not ever!

"We can talk. Er - later! Yeah, I just remembered I promised Greg I'd meet up with him. Gotta go!" Derek scrammed out of there before Casey could utter another word.

They were back to their old routine of Casey wanting to talk, and Derek wanting to avoid talking.

"Der-ek!"

**

Casey tried to focus her energy on studying, but her mind drifted back to Derek (which it often did lately). Not bothering to open the rings of her pink binder, Casey tore out a piece of loose leaf paper and began writing.

Written on the page was a pro/con list for her and Derek. Seeing their names on paper together made this all the more surreal. She couldn't believe she was actually doing this; the temperature must have dropped in hell.

She started with the cons because those were easier to figure out, as they've been plaguing her for a while.

Cons? Derek and Casey were related by marriage and shared a brother; that issue topped the list. Then, there was the fact that Casey wants a real, meaningful relationship, in contrast to what Derek wants. Lastly, Derek was arrogant, annoying, and a pain in her butt—three different cons, by the way!

Pros? Just one. One very big one that was hard to deny:

Their chemistry.

The chemistry between them was off the charts, whether they were making out or sitting beside each other on the couch or going about their day. They balanced each other out, whether in life or dance or school...