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               I snapped my head towards Nicole, a slice of pizza hanging from her teeth as she stared back with fear in her eyes. I quickly got up from Derek's lap and ran after Nicole. She escaped the kitchen before I reached her and she used the kitchen table as an obstacle.

               "You told him!" I growled at her as I stood on the opposite side of the table. I tried to run around to catch her but she was fast. "I trusted you!"

               "I didn't tell him anything!" She mumbled with the pizza in her mouth. "I just stuck my tongue out at him."

               "I don't care what you both did. You still told him and I trusted you!" I thought about jumping over the dinner table but I might damage it and I don't want Steve to get mad at me.

               "By the looks of it you really don't look all that angry." She rolled her head at me.

               My jaw dropped. "Don't you roll your head at me you ... you ... Vicky sibling!"

               Her jaw mimicked mine. "You take that back!"

               I ran around the table again but she dodged me easily. How is she so fast and agile? I'm taller and stronger than her, yet she manages to miss me easily. I tried to run around again but a pair of hands caught me.

               "Let go of me!" I hissed at Derek as I kicked the air violently. "I have to kick her crotch!"

               "Calm down." He whispered calmly in my ear. I dropped my legs and relaxed all my muscles. He gently dropped me down on the floor and as soon as he did I ran away. Nicol was out in the open, no table to protect her.

               She dashed up the stairs and headed for our room. I followed but I was too late, she locked herself in our room. I looked back at Derek who gave me a stern look. Oh, is he mad at me for wanting to smack her brains out?

               "What?!" I shrieked at him after he held the expression for longer than needed. "She told you and she promised."

               "Promises are meant to be broken!" She yelled from the other side of the door. I kicked it just to scare her. "And I did you a favor, now you have Derek."

               "I don't have anyone."

               "Whoa," Derek intruded as he walked closer to me. "If I recall, just a few minutes ago you told me you loved me. So that makes me yours, because I love you, and it makes you mine, because you love me."

               "I was caught up in the moment!" I horribly lied. It was such a bad lie that I made look Pinocchio look like a sweet angel from above.

               "You're too easy to read." He smirked.

               "Get that smirk out of your face." I pointed a finger at him.

               "Oh will you two just kiss already?!" Nicole whined.

               "No." I crossed my arms childishly.

               Derek showed discomfort in his face, he's hurting? I sighed and dropped my hands. Why does this have to happen to me? Sure, I like Derek, possibly love him since he makes me feel like life is worth living. But there is just so much going on that I don't know if it will end up good.

               He just stood there all alone in his own little world as he watched me mentally destroy myself. My mouth slowly formed a smile as I watched him, it was uncontrollable. He just made me smile. I rolled my eyes playfully and opened my arms out at him.

               He quickly walked towards me and picked me up in a tight warm hug. I took in the smell of his hair, it was so mouth watering, it smelled like cologne and shampoo. I buried my nose into his neck as he spun my around.

               "I'm hearing silence." Nicole sang.

               "I forgive you." I sighed.

               The door creaked as it slowly opened to show only one of Nicoles' eyes. I glared at her, I wanted to punch her eye but I stepped back to let her out. She then fully opened the door and stepped out.

               "You two will be happy together, I can tell." She said this to calm me down, but I wasn't buying it. Maybe we will, maybe I'll die at the end. Who cares!

               "We still aren't together," I looked at Derek who raised an eye brow. "I still want to be asked properly." I went all diva and walked away, leaving those two in the dark gloomy hall.

               "Let's watch a movie! It's Friday night but I don't want to go out." Nicole skipped down the hall and jumped over the stairs like a fairy princess. She looked back at Derek. "Do your parents mind if we buy onDemand movies?"

               "No." He answered quickly.

               I bit my thumb as I sat down on the couch and Nicole laid on the coffee table. Her eyes were glued on the T.V. as she searched through the new released movies. Derek was looking at the T.V. but I knew that he wasn't paying attention to it.

               "Do we really have to watch a movie?" I asked, my voice cracked half way through which caused both of them to laugh at me. I reddened.

               "Late puberty huh?" Nicole muttered.

               "Shut up."

               Derek walked towards me after standing like a statue. I was sitting in a one person couch but he still insisted on sitting with me. I scooted to the side and let him sit down, after he got all comfortable I laid back on his chest and I stared at the screen.

               I felt really comfortable snuggling against him. His legs were wrapped around me, his arms were around me and I just felt really ... free. He just makes all my troubles and worries disappear, which is a very good thing.

               "We're watching a scary movie!" Nicole shouted in a man voice. Nice, she's turning into a man now. I think she might have been watching too much football. So scary that Nicole is so nice, pretty and smart during school. But off school, she's so ...

              Derek kissed my head, which made me forget about everything. He made me feel so warm! And not because he's so warm right now. I wanted to shove him in my mouth and just eat him up. The screen turned alive, I didn't see what movie Nicole put on, just that it was scary.

               (One hour into the movie...)

               "Oh no, Oh no." Nicole muttered as she dangled from the coffee table, her ass sticking up in the air. "Don't go in there. Don't go in there!" We waited for the actress to go in the room, silence was our fear right now, we just waited for that sudden moment where something pops out. Nicole suddenly screamed as the actress went in the room and her head was chopped off. "I told her not to go there, they never listen..."

               Now the killer was running through the haunted house, the other stupid teenagers had no clue of what was happening upstairs. They always send the blonde one after the scary rooms. So cliche! Now the killer was looking at them through a two way mirror. I should get one of those so I can see Derek while he takes a shower.

               I giggled too loudly and they both looked at me.

               I shrugged.

               My perverted mind should stay in my mind.

               By the time the movie ended, we all somehow fell asleep. It's like we were all drugged by the pizza and the heart pounding. Fear makes us sleepy somehow. Only the commercials were playing now, but I was too comfortable and sleepy to get up and turn it off. I could hear Derek breathing against my neck, it was like a lullaby. So calm and soothing. Until the front door opened and the sound of my mom laughter echoed through the house.

               Oh crap. They're going to see Derek and I together like this! Step brothers, do not snuggle like this! Specially fully grown teenage ones. I felt Derek stiffen under our embrace. Is he awake? Is he also afraid of them seeing us like this?

               "Aw, look at them." My mom stopped laughing walked around the living room. I could feel her eyes resting on us. "Honey, give me my purse."

               "They look like two little kids." Steve said amused.

               "I'm going to take a picture." And then I heard the click of her camera. "I'm putting my Facebook all over this shit!"

               "Look at Nicole, she took the entire couch."

               I sighed in my mind. They probably thought we were like this because of Nicole. Thank you Nicole! But oh God, my mom took a picture of us and she's going to put her Facebook all over this shit. To be honest, my mom is scary when she's drunk.

               "My mom will adore this picture." Mom's voice subsided as she walked away with Steve into their room. I'll wait till I know they are sleeping so I can go back to our room.

               As soon as I heard the door close, Derek awakened. He slowly stretched then laid me down gently as he got up. I pretended to sleep. I thought he was going to walk away until a pair of hands lifted me up. Aw! He's taking me to my bed! 

               Was I really this light or was he really this strong? I don't think I'm small, I have my own muscles and everything! Derek just makes me look really tiny even though I'm tall. I guess I am small...My whole life has been a lie?!

               He kicked our door open and after we were inside he laid me on my bed. I heard him run away so I quickly got up and stared at the room. I groaned, too tired to go to the bathroom so I fell back on my bed. After a few minutes Derek came back and closed our door.

               I was already falling asleep when I felt him touch me.

               "Don't you dare undress me." I murmured softly.

               "Uh, I was just ... I was just going to take off your shoes." He said in such a cute and innocent tone. He removed his hands from me and walked towards his bed. "Good night, I guess."

               "Whoa." I sat up and blankly stared at him. "What do you mean 'I guess'?"

               "It's just ... Nah, it's nothing. Don't worry about it." He assured me.

               "Don't do that." I shook my head, even though he can't really see me in the dark. "Don't just say something like that and not tell me."

               "You know, my bed is bigger and softer."

               "Don't change the subject!" I snapped.

               "I'm not, I'm expanding it."

               I frowned.

               I laid back down on my bed and I closed my eyes. I won't say anything else. I'm counting chickens in my mind. One chicken, two chickens, three chickens, four chickens, five chickens, six chickens.

               "You're such a drama queen." Derek pulled me away from my bed, which sent shivers down my spine from being startled like that. Never scare a person when they are counting chickens to fall asleep!

               "What are you doing?" I asked him as I rubbed my eyes.

               "You're sleeping with me, I need you."

               "You're so cute, you know that?" I smiled at him, I could see his face from up close.

               He laid me down on his bed, I was actually getting annoyed from him picking me up some easily. After I felt Derek wrap his arm around me, I felt so much better. I didn't even care if my mom walks in and sees us. I don't care anymore. I'm happy.

               This is what I wanted right? And now I got it. Me out of all the people in the world. My wish came true. My dreams came true. To be loved and to love. It's happening and I'm letting my insecurity get the best of me. But no, not anymore.

               I touched his hand that was tightly wrapped around my stomach and locked my hand with it. He pressed his face against my neck and I closed my eyes. It was a lot more easier to fall asleep like this. Drifting to sleep was as easy as cutting butter with a tooth brush. Just crush it! JUST CRUSH IT!

               "Goodnight, for real this time." He muttered.

              "Goodnight Derek."

               (The next morning...)

               I woke up from the longest sleep in history. I let my head rest as my eyes opened. Derek's arms were still around me, we didn't move an inch. And that's weird for me, I move a lot in my sleep. I heard him yawn before me. Seriously? We even wake up together? That's just the cutest thing ever!

               Except that it makes me feel old, like one of those old couples in retirement homes. Or like those two cute couples in the titanic movie that died together in their sleep. That is just tragic yet beautiful. I looked around just to make sure that we weren't really in titanic.

               I felt something ... something evil ... "Please tell me that's a phone." I muttered.

               "Shut up, it's morning." He whispered with a raspy voice.

              I shrieked and jumped up from the bed, dragging down parts of the covers with me. I fought with the fabric as I became entangled in it. I gave up and noticed that it was Derek who had wrapped me and unless he releases the covers, I'm stuck.

               I pulled the covers but he wouldn't let go. "Derek! Let go!"

               "Huh? What? Oh!" He didn't even notice. He got up and released the covers. I quickly got up and rubbed my chest, it hurt from the fall. "Oh it's raining."

               I looked at the window, it was closed. How did he know it was raining? Oh, there is the thunder, never mind. He opened the window and I looked at the pouring rain. That's too bad. This was pretty much my first break and it's raining. I wanted to finally go to the pool.

               I skipped into the bathroom and brushed my teeth. After I was finished I skipped back out and crashed against Derek. He lowered his head to kiss me and I let my body drop on the floor with a squeak.

               "Brush your teeth if you want some lip action." I puckered my lips at him.

               He rolled his eyes and proceeded to the bathroom. There we go ...

               "Dirty mouth? Clean it up with orbix!" I said out loud in a British accent.

               "Now let's talk about that haircut, I was serious about it." Derek said when he came out.

               "Well now that you aren't with icky, I will tell you that you should leave your hair the way it is. It's very sexy and I'll miss it if you cut it." He walked over to me and lowered on to my body, I was still on the ground.

               "What ever you say." He smirked and pressed his lips against mine.

               A moan escaped my mouth as I let him grind on me, his lips passionately moving mine along with his. It was a very inappropriate grind, I was somehow wearing pajama pants; which I don't remember changing into. And all of our glorious parts were rubbing up against each other easily. 

               I pushed him off, I was too embarrassed by this.

               "What's wrong?" He asked me.

               "That's a little inappropriate."

               "No it's not."

               "Obviously it isn't for you. You just love it don't you." I said loosely.

               "Now that's not fair."

               "Neither is life." I pulled him down and kissed him quickly before I got up and ran out of the room. I happily skipped down the hall and then I froze when I saw icky Vicky standing there with a mean look on her face. "Derek..."

               "What?" He called out.

               "There is someone here to see you."

               "Vicky?" He said shocked. "How did you get in my house?"

               She flashed a key and Derek past by me. I stood against the wall and watched them carefully. This is going to get bad, very very bad. I could already predict it by looking at both of their faces.

               "Please tell me you were joking yesterday." She tried to touch him but he pushed her hands away.

               "No, you heard me loud and clear. We are over and you need to leave." He told her, he looked angry and in my head I was singing that's hot. "Give me my keys back too." 

               "You see," I heard Nicole's voice. I almost forgot she existed. She was sleeping on the couch the hole time! "Vicky here feeds on popular guy. Derek being one, she dated him for the obvious, popularity. The only reason she's popular is because she hangs out with Derek who is liked by everyone, thus, making people believe that she is actually a good person, when in reality, she's just icky."

               "Shut up, Nicole." Vicky hissed at her.

               "And the other reason Vicky is so popular is because our dad is the principle. But honey, they don't like you, they fear you, because you're icky."

               "I am not icky. I am the most prettiest girl in the whole world." She started twitching. She might blow up, so I scooted deeper into the hall where I could see and protect myself.

               "You may be pretty but that's all you are. You have no personality and no brain." Nicole popped her lips as she pointed to her brain. "But I on the other hand have it all." She dropped back on the couch while she giggled.

               Derek snapped back to reality and extended his hand at her. She dropped the keys on his hands and walked away with her head up high. At least she has some pride? Pride of the icky people.

               He looked like he was about to blow up. I walked towards him after I knew Vicky was gone and I wrapped my arms around his chest. I bet he was stressed. With Vicky and football and school. I'm just lucky to have nothing to worry about except my sexuality.

               "You'll be okay." I told him.

               "No I won't. She's going to keep at it until I explode." He sighed. "Would be better if we just dated out in public."

               "I know it would." I murmured into his back. I tugged at his shirt to make him turn around and then I hugged his chest. "You're so soft."

               "You want me to be hard?" He smirked.

               "Oh my God, I'm still here!" Nicole shouted. "I can hear and see everything."

               "You pervert!" I shot at him.

               "I prefer to call it love."

               Nicole made disgusted noises and gagged on her finger. I returned the looks. Just another day in America. I was enjoying myself though. Much more entertaining. By a lot. Everything is just so dramatic and serious that I love it!

               "Are you hungry? Want me to cook you something? I'm not a chef or Italian but I'm sure I can cook a few things." Derek told me.

               "I burn water." Nicole casually said with the funniest most bored tone ever.

               "No thanks." I patted his chest and walked away. I headed to the back porch. "I'm going out in the rain."

               I opened the doors and quickly ran out, not caring that I was getting wet. I just wanted to feel the rain pouring at me, washing away everything bad from my soul. I closed my eyes and let the water droplets cloak my body.

               The crashing sounds of the rain made everything feel so relaxing and alive. I walked farther away from the house and stared at the pool. I the water reflect the rain in tiny explosions. It smelled so fresh too, like flowers suddenly blossoming; releasing that vibe of beauty.

               I turned around to move away from the pool just in case I fall in, knowing me I probably would, and I saw Derek already standing right there, examining my moves. I stared at him, with water dripping from my eyelids. He better not kiss me in the rain. It's just too...much for me.

              It's weird to think that I'd be more comfortable kissing a girl in the rain than kissing a guy in the rain. I guess I'm stuck in what society says, the bad things. It's not my fault though, I was raised one way and it's hard to come out of that shell that keeps you locked inside. I'm trying every living second to be there for Derek though. And for myself, so I can push myself out of this insecurity and be proud of what I am.

               "You're going to catch a cold." He yelled, the rain was really deafening.

               "Then why are you out here?" I answered, not so loudly.

               "Because if you catch a cold, I want to catch one too."

               Oh fudge you society.

               I ran to him and crashed my lips against his. He responded late but kissed me back. My heart, it was beating too loudly that it blinded my ears from the rain and I only heard our hearts beating. At least imaginatively. 

               Derek lifted me up from the ground, my arms locked around his neck. Water, the rain, made kissing so much smoother and easy. His tongue was so demanding for entrance, each time our mouth opened he tried to slid it in.

               I grinned as we kissed and let his tongue explore my mouth. I devoured him, each and every part of him was as sweet as himself. The rain and Derek were somehow washing away my insecurities. Slowly but gracefully, I was becoming a better human being.

               I don't think anything can ruin our surreptitious relationship.

               Oops, jinxed it.