Chapter Thirty- Breakdown

"When you guys asked if I wanted to hang out today, this wasn't exactly what I had thought" Dan whined sitting down in a chair in the corner of the dress section.

"Stop complaining" Emma said opening the dressing room door twirling in a dark blue dress in front of a bored Dan "How about this one?" she asked.

"Pretty" Dan said with no emotion.

"That's what you said about the last four" she complained.

"Now I get why Tom bailed" Dan sighed.

"Hey I bet you Tom's not happy either, he had to go visit his brother" I said searching through a rack for something to catch my eye.

"Well it still would have been better than this" Dan said.

Em rolled her eyes "Could you just tell me if you like it or not?"

"Isn't that the one you tried on a minute ago?" Dan asked confused.

Emma screamed in frustration as she fled back into the dressing room.

I giggled as my fingers flew over hangers, not really liking any of the choices.

"I will never understand girls" Dan mumbled.

"I don't think you're really suppose to" I commented.

Dan shrugged. I saw a light faded pink color and walked towards it. It was pink and white and the bottom was spiraled out like flower petals. I grabbed it walking into a dressing room.

I quickly changed into it, and walked back out to look at it in the mirror.

I twirled around getting the look of it from many angles.

"I actually like that one" Dan piped up.

I smiled "I like it too"

"You should get it" Em said peeking over the door.

I twirled once more "I think I will"

I changed back into my clothes and bought it while Em was still trying on dresses.

"Come on just pick one!" Dan shouted.

"I can't decide between two...Cassie!" She hollered even though I could hear her before.

"Yes my darling" I sighed as I walked to were Dan was slouching.

"Which one?" she asked holding up two dresses. One was red and strapless, the other was a midnight blue color that was halter.

"Hmmm I say the blue one?" I asked hoping I chose the one she wanted me to.

"That's the one I like best" she giggled as she grabbed her bag and skipped to the cashier.

I nudge Dan who had fallen asleep.

"What?" he groaned trying to get more comfortable in the small chair.

"Were leaving" I said.

"Thank god" he said rushing out the door. I laughed and followed behind him.

I think I will take this time to catch you up on what is going on. Okay so there are a total of four days before the premiere. So I'm totally excited right? I mean it's going to be amazing!!!! Anyway as you might have caught on, Em and I just bought our dresses and are driving home as we speak, Bonnie couldn't come because well, I actually don't know the reason Emma talked to her.

And now that Tom and I have gone what I like to say public...if that makes sense at all....Whatever, point is we don't have to hide kissing or holding hands or all of that stuff anymore. Em thinks it's cute; Dan's getting sick of it.

'Candyman' by Christina Aguilera started playing. I rolled my eyes. Tom's idea to change the ringtone.

"Hey" I answered.

"Hey can I talk to Dan?" he asked.

Huh? "Um...you do know that this is your girlfriend right?" I asked.

I heard him sigh "Yes and I love you but can I talk to Dan?"

"Why didn't you just call Dan?" I asked still confused.

"Because, his phone is sitting right in front of me" he sounded frustrated, good. I wasn't too fond of the way he was talking to me right now.

"Um okay..." I said a little too slow for Tom's liking.

"God damn it Cassie just let me talk to Dan!" he shouted.

I pulled the phone away from my ear, contemplating whether I should hang up on him or hand the phone to Dan.

My hand shakily handed the phone to Dan who was driving. He looked at me suspiciously.

I shrugged back into my seat. I hated when he yelled at me like that. It was harsh and cold. Fierce and terrifying.

I brought my knees up to my chest, looking out the window...it was raining lightly but the clouds showed that there would be a much bigger storm in store today.

"Cassie..." Emma whispered looking at me concerned.

"What?" I mumbled.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded my head, not noticing that my eyes had gone a little blurry and a single tear was running down my face. I quickly whipped it away.

Silent tears kept flowing all the way home. Dan's conversation was long over, as he pulled up into the drive way where Tom's car sat in place. I scolded at it hoping it would burst into flames, but such a thing would be impossible.

"You coming Cas?" Em asked her hand was on the handle, about to turn it.

"I...I think I'll stay in here a little while" I whispered softly, so that my voice wouldn't crack.

She solemnly nodded her head and opened the door, stepping out into the rain and following behind Dan.

The rain started getting harder as the sunlight dimmed. I moved so that I was lying down curled in a ball on my side, hearing yelling in the house, with the background of thunder, made the sobbing start.

I shut my eyes tight, listening to the rain and the thunder, shaking softly. I thought about how this looked so familiar.

-Flashback-

"Cassie stop changing the music" My mum laughed, her voice a beautiful melody.

I laughed "Is it giving you a headache yet?"

"I already know that trick Cas, Clay used it three years ago" She rolled her green eyes.

"But did it work?"

"No" she laughed "I just need to think, were close to home but this bloody storm won't pass over and it's hard to see the road"

"Okay I'll be quite" I zipped my lips and threw away the key.

The speed limit said 45. I looked at the speed odometer thing and it said 65.

"Mum slow down" I said staring widely at her.

"The brake...it won't work" Mum whispered trying to slam her foot on the break.

A roll of thunder startled her, causing her to swerve the wheel to the right.

It all happened so fast but, I could still feel the way the gravel changed to grass, under the tires, and then to nothing at all.

When I opened my eyes next. It was dark and still storming. Everything was disoriented though. Up was down. I looked to my right, padding down the air bags in the process to see my mum's head slumped over to the side with crimson liquid pouring out of a cut that was on her temple. I screamed, and started crying. "Mummy! Mummy wake up!" I shouted at her.

"MUM!" I sobbed shaking her slapping her slightly but nothing worked, her body was limp and when I got the courage to check her pulse, getting blood all over my palm, a new round of sobs broke out.

I unbuckled my seat belt and crawled over to her, sitting on her lap. Not noticing the shooting pain in my right arm.

I couldn't tell you if I was hugging her or if she was hugging me. The thunder continued to roll and the lightning kept flashing, and my sobs wouldn't stop before I started screaming.

"HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME! HELP! Help..." I shouted pointlessly.

I hugged my mum tighter and rocked myself back and forth, her body had turned cold.

I fell asleep like that, in my mum's cold dead arms. The pain had gone away with my consciousness. Dreaming as if everything was alright until I heard shouting.

"Cassie?! Mum!" I heard Clay yell.

"Clay?" I asked weakly my throat dry from crying and screaming.

A flashlight flashed in my eyes. Until it moved and I saw my fourteen year old brother staring at me, a few tears of his own. Which caused me to cry out a little more.

He pulled me out and hugged me closer to his chest.

"Mummy's ggggoone Clay" I whispered, he held me until daddy came. Not saying a word.

Daddy had officers behind him; he took one look at the car then came to me.

-End of Flashback-

"Cassie?" I heard someone whisper, over my sobbing.

I didn't care who it was, my Mum was gone never coming back.

"I'm sorry" the voice whispered before pulling me out of the car.

I looked up trying to shield away the rain, to see Tom carrying me inside the house. His face from what I could tell was emotionless.

"I...I'm sorry" I whispered when I heard the back door close.

"Shhh" he whispered holding me tighter.

"Cassie?" I heard another voice ask. It sounded like Emma's but I was too tired to raise my head up and look.

Tom said nothing to her, and walked up the stairs.

He placed me on my bed and left without a word.