Invisible

What Does This All Mean? {3}

All week, Derek and I successfully avoid each other. I think it's safe to say we would never talk  again. Until...

"Hey, Kate, can we talk?" Derek asks me at lunch on Friday.

"I don't  know, are we actually going to talk this time?" I ask rudely.

He looks down at the ground.

"Yeah," he says quietly.

I follow him to a deserted hallway.

"So..." I say.

He stares intently at the wall next to me.

"Listen, if you want to say something, say it. If not, I'm just gonna go and finish eating," I say.

He bites his lip.

"I don't know what to say besides I'm sorry," he admits.

"For..?" I ask.

"The other day... at my house. I shouldn't have kissed you," he says.

"It's... It's ok," I stutter.

He smiles slightly.

"Friends?"

"Friends," I say. 

We walk back to lunch together, smiling and laughing. He has the most amazing smile. The way the soft lips curve into a perfect smile... And those lips, those plush, pink lips, are enough to make me want to pull him to me and kiss him long and hard when I remember the electricity I felt as those perfect lips connecting to mine...

"Hello? Kate? Earth to Kate!" Derek says, pulling me back to reality.

He smirks when I frantically blink my eyes and a blush spreads across my face. Did he notice me staring at his lips?

"I love when you blush," he says, making my cheeks even redder.

He laughs loudly.

Due to our new found "friendship" Derek spends the rest of the day with me. I have to say I'm enjoying his company. When school gets out, we walk out together.

"Do you want to come over?" he asks me.

I shrug and say, "Sure."

As we drive to his house, I'm nervous because of what happened the last time we went to his house, but I push it back. It's not going to happen again.

"Do you want to watch some tv?" he asks me once we enter his house.

"Um.. Sure," I say and move to sit on the couch at the same time as him.

We trip over each other and I land on top of him. We start laughing but it slowly dies down as we realize how close we still are. I feel his hot breath on my cheek as I stare into his beautiful eyes. I want him to kiss me. He blinks rapidly and clears his throat.

Jumping up, he says, "Sorry about that. Do you want to watch a movie?"

Slightly disappointed, I say, "Um.. okay. Let me just call my mom."

When I get back, we start watching some action movie. I'm bored right away.

"Hey, Derek?" I ask.

He turns to me.

"Yeah?"

I gather up my courage.

"Um... I was wondering... Why did you react that way after we, um, you know?"

I blush. He looks away.

"You told me you liked to be alone and I know how you disliked me and everything, I just... I just thought I crossed the line. I shouldn't have just kissed you like that," he admits.

"But...But maybe you should have," I reply quietly.

He looks at me, suprised.

"You mean... You were okay with it?"

I nod. I was definitely more than okay. He looks relieved. He looks deep into my eyes and cups my cheek gently. He leans in and kisses me softly. The gentle gesture makes my heart swell as much as the other kiss had. He pulls away.

"Was that okay?" he whispers.

I nod my head, speechless. 

We turn our attention back to the movie, but I can't concentrate. Especially not when he reaches over and laces his hand with mine. Are we dating now? I've never had a boyfriend before. I have absolutely no experience. Am I ready for a boyfriend? Ohmygod, people notice these types of things! Well, it might be time to come out of my shell... But I'm afraid. It's safe in my shell, it's comfortable. Am I ready to give all that up?

"Hey, Derek?" I ask.

He turns to me with a smile.

"What does this all mean?"

I look at our entwined hands.

"Well, what do you want it to mean?" he replies.

I admit, "I don't know."

He thinks for a minute.

"How about this; let me take you out tomorrow night."

I smile and nod.

"Pick you up at 6?" 

I squeal when I wake up in the morning. It's Saturday! My first date ever. I sigh in contentment. What am I going to wear? I walk over to my closet. With a quick glance at my clothes, I know I need to go shopping. Derek said we would be going out to dinner, so I guess I should go get a dress. I decide to head to the mall. 

I walk into Macy's with determination; I will find the perfect dress for my date. I make my way towards the dress section when I hear a familiar voice to the left of me. I duck behind a clothing rack and listen closely.

"Derek is so cute! He's taking me out tomorrow night. He's such a gentleman!" I hear Lydia say as her minions, Rachel and Steph, giggle loudly.

I stumble back against the clothes rack. What have I gotten myself inot? He's playing me. He kisses me, asks me out on a date, only to go out with Lydia the next day. I've never felt so stupid in my whole life.

I feel tears running down my cheeks as I rush out of the store and out of the mall. Once locked in the safety of my mom's car, I pull out my cellphone. At his house last night, Derek gave me his number. I dial it quicky. He picks up on the second ring.

"Derek?" I croak, struggling to hold in my tears.

"Kate? What's wrong?" he asks, concerned.

Why does he act like he cares about me? He obviously doesn't.

"I...I can't make it tonight. You should just reschedule your date with Lydia for tonight," I say, letting the tears fall.

"What? Kate? Just listen to-"

I hang up on him. I don't believe a word coming out of his mouth. What was I thinking? Letting him in. Letting him see the real me. I should just go back to being invisible. Alone. I like it that way. If people don't get close to you, they can't leave you in the end. And that's just the way it is.

These walls are gone for

They are no more

But am I the one you care for?

I can't be sure

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A/N What do you think? Is Derek playing Kate? What's really going on between him and Lydia? Please comment and vote <3