Chapter Thirty Five- Will

"WHAT?!" I screeched, furiated.

"Will? Will?" Tom muttered thinking, "I've heard that name before"

I rolled my eyes at him. "What the hell is that bastard doing here?!" I nearly shouted in Clay's face.

"Geez Cas no need to cuss" Emma whispered, clearly not knowing what was going on here.

I glared deathly at her.

"Will! Isn't that the guy who cheated on you?" Tom asked me finally remembering.

"You haven't told him everything?" Clay said looking at me surprised.

"No, and I'd like to keep it that way...now would you kindly tell me why the hell he is here?!" I shouted the last part, patients leaving me entirely.

"He needed a job" Carson whispered.

My mouth hung open "He is working for Dad, as in Dad's paying him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I shouted.

"Well initially that's how a job works" Carson said sarcastically.

I glared at him and he flinched behind Emma, who looked content now.

"Hey I tried to get dad to call it off, but you know how much he loved Will" Clay explained.

"That son of a bitch" I muttered crossing my arms over my chest tense.

"You didn't really want us to tell Dad now did you?" Carson asked harshly.

"He's here now?" I sighed.

"Yeah, there out back fixing up....the old bench" Carson whispered the last part.

"MUMS OLD BENCH?!?!" I shouted.

Carson nodded, flinching at my tone of voice again.

That's it I don't care Will is going to die, and rot in hell. I stormed pass Clay, near where my mother's old bench lay crumpled up in a heap. On Saturday's Mum would take me out there and read story books. She would braid my hair, smiling her beautiful smile. It was our spot, no one was suppose to touch it. And dad's letting that mother fucker "fix" it? Oh hell no.

I started running, noticing Clay behind me as I ran through the woods, on the lane made so that I wouldn't get lost.

That's when I came up to them. Upon the leaves rustling signaling that I had arrived they looked up at me. Will smirking behind my father's back.

I glared at him. His brown eyes that I had once fallen for, looked back into mine, with excitement. He had blonde hair and I'm not going to lie he was hot. But he was also a Cocky, abusive, man whore, son of a bitch who I should never have to deal with.

My Dad seemed a little excited about my appearance, but went into chaperone mode as soon as he saw my glare.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" I shouted at Will.

"Your dad offered me the job" Will said innocently, as if he could ever be innocent.

"Why, why would you do that Daddy?" I asked heartbroken.

"Why wouldn't he" Will said.

I snapped. I could feel my since of mind retract. I lunched at him, but before I made contact. Clay had grabbed my waist and held me back.

"No! He deserves it! Let me at him!" I whined at Clay stuggiling in his hold.

"What do you mean Cassandra?" my dad asked suspiciously.

Will glared at me, as if not to say another word. Intimidating me as he once did before. Clay noticed and growled at him.

Dad quickly caught on to the mood.

"Will why don't you take the weekend off and go home?" he suggested trying to shoo him off.

Will grunted but turned and left.

Dad then turned and face me opening up his arms. I sighed, Clay's arms leaving me.

I hugged my dad missing his earthy smell, that filled my nostrils.

"Now what was that all about?" He asked releasing me.

I looked up into his big brown eyes. "Why would you hire him? I hate him." I spat out the last part.

"Cassandra Mary Dean you do not hate anyone! And he is a nice lad, you should've given him another chance."

My mouth hung open in the air. Clay growled viciously.

"You think I should give a cheater another chance?" I nearly shouted at him. His eyes turned into shock "Yeah Dad he cheated on me, more than once. And guess what? He also abused me! And you just want me to welcome him in with open arms!?" I shouted.

"Cassandra...I didn't..." Dad started speaking.

"No...save it" I sighed "Now come and meet Tom, and please be nice...he's really important to me"

"I make no promises" He said walking with me back down the path, Clay behind us.

"He is really nice Daddy, and sweet, I think you'll like him a lot if you get to know him, give him a chance"

He sighed.

"Please for me?" I ask sweetly pouting up at him, knowing he couldn't resist my innocent pleading look.

He sighed again. "Okay he gets one chance" he smiled down at me.

"Oh and Emma tagged along" I added.

"Emma?" Dad questioned with an eye brow raised.

"Oh forgot you didn't know that, Emma Watson she works with Tom, and well were really good friends"

"So she's an actor too?" Dad asked.

"Yep, she has a lot of character" yeah that's one way to explain Emma.

"Why did she come?" Clay spoke. I almost forgot he was there.

"She has a thing for Carson" I said.

Clay burst out laughing. Clutching his stomach as we emerged from the woods.

Carson was bouncing in front of Emma and Tom who were leaning against my car. Emma was entertained, Tom looked very annoyed, which I giggled to.

My laugh caught his attention, he stood up straight and elbowed Emma who followed suit.

When we got close enough, I introduced them.

"Daddy this is Tom and Emma" I gestured to them.

Tom took a step forward, and shook hands with my dad. "It's very nice to meet you sir"

Dad sighed "Likewise" I sighed "Why don't you two come in?" Dad asked turning.

"Give them the tour Cassandra" he called over his shoulder.

I smiled brightly as he opened the screen door and then went inside. I gave Tom the thumbs up. Dad had accepted him, that was a very good thing. It showed...progress.

"Come on" I said smiling lacing my fingers with Tom dragging him behind me. Emma could come if she wanted, I really couldn't care less about being hospitable to her.

I lead Tom and the others, through the house...showing him practically everything. We came to Carson's room.

His room hadn't changed much Black painted walls with posters of Harry Potter and some bands on them. Although clearly visible were his Gryffindor robes and a replica of a wand.

I loved watching Emma's jaw drop as she noticed what a full on geek Carson was. I laughed at her, and she hung her head a little shameful.

Clay just consequently happened to add "Tom this is where you'll be staying, Emma can bunk with Cassie" I rolled my eyes at Clay. If he only knew, if he only knew.

Clay left the room after that and Carson flopped on the top bunk of his bunk beds and started flipping through a comic book.

"let's go see Cassie's room!" Emma begged pulling on my hand.

I laughed "Okay, okay it's nothing really special" I said leading them down the hall way to the end.

I opened the door and they stepped inside, searching.

The room looked pretty plain now. The light blue walls, completely dry of my own posters that now hung in my apartment. The bed that dad had gotten new plain pink sheets for. The closet completely empty. My old teddy bear still sat in the rocking chair that was still in the corner.

"It's...um..." Em began.

"Boring, Old, Plain? Take into consideration that I haven't lived here in a long time" I answered for her

She rolled her eyes and left the room, bored with me.

Tom wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his head on my shoulder. "That wasn't that bad" He commented after a few minutes of swaying.

I sighed "Once we get past dinner, it will be fine"

He nodded, and brushed my hair back exposing my neck. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Mmmhmmm"

"What's the secret with Will?" he whispered lightly placing his lips on the exposed skin.

"Will? Oh um.....Coming Carson!" I shouted making an excuse. I was half way out the door when Tom's hand pulled me back.

"Liar" he whispered "Why can't you tell me?"

I sighed looking down, then into his bright blue eyes "it's a long story, I promise I'll tell you, just please let it be when I'm ready?" I asked he nodded sighing.

I smiled and kissed his cheek. "How about you go hang out with Clay?" I suggested.

"No offense but he kind of scares me" Tom admitted.

I laughed at his expression "He is really a big huge teddy bear, I promise"

"But what would we talk about?" Tom asked trying to make an excuse.

"His favorite character is Draco, open up with that" I answered.

He gave me a confused look.

"I told you he would like you if you weren't dating me" I laughed "Besides I had to start loving Harry Potter somewhere didn't I?"

"Your brother introduced you to it?" He asked curious.

"Yeah My mum got him the first book for his birthday and then he told me about it and on down the line it went...it's weird actually Clay and I share a lot of favorite stuff" I answered.

"Like what?" he asked

"Well for starter both of our favorite character is Draco" Tom smirked at that, in to which I rolled my eyes "We both share the same favorite scene..."

"What's the scene?"

I giggled a little bit before I answered "When Hermione punches Draco"

"Uh! I'm wounded" He grabbed his heart.

"What it's funny?!" I said in defense.

He smiled crookedly.

"Anyway, open with that and I promise you'll get somewhere" I said pushing him out the door, literally.

"Okay but if this doesn't work you owe me big time" he pointed his finger at me as I slammed the door in his face, to shut him up. Laughing to myself.

I think it went pretty well...well at least dinner seemed to pass with very few embarrassments. They were all kind of interviewing Tom. Asking questions like 'Where did you grow up' and 'What does your father do' and 'How many siblings do you have?" and 'Do you have any plans for the future?' and my all time favorite 'How many girlfriends have you had?'

So yeah few embarrassments over the course of the night. And just like when I lived here we had a bed time. Yes I'm not joking you have to get up at five in the morning so we have a bed time of nine thirty. Lame I know but you don't exactly question my dad, so we all scurried off into our rooms.

Emma stayed in my room, on the couch in the far corner. We made up her bed and went to sleep. Well at least I think she did, I was almost when my door peaked open.

"Cassie?" Tom whispered.

"What are you doing?" I almost shrieked as he climbed into my bed with me "if my dad finds you in here he'll freak!"

He seemed perfectly calm. "I want to know" he whispered, dead serious.

I sighed "It's late" I said resting back down.

"Stop making excuses" He said sharply. "This is something important"

I opened my mouth getting ready to object.

"No it is if it wasn't you would have already told me, now please just tell me" He said quickly before I could even breathe out.

I sat up and grabbed the small pillow, and through it at Emma making sure she was asleep, she didn't even move an inch. I sighed kind of hoping that she would wake up so that I would have another excuse.

I lied down on my back, getting comfortable before I began. "Will and I were what you could say high school sweet hearts. We were the couple everyone thought would get married and all of that. He lived down the road so we have known each other since we were seven, but didn't date until junior year. He was sweet, nice...his parents had raised him right, and we were happy I guess, but all of that changed our senior year." I flinched at the gate of memories I opened "He had changed over the summer, we hadn't spent a lot of time together because he practically lived with his older brother, and well he became addicted to alcohol. And the new Will was born. He became a jerk, a real jack ass, but I was stupid I thought it was just a faze, that he would get over it. But I was very very wrong. We were at his house, hanging out. His breath was intoxicated with alcohol, and we got into an argument...he ended up throwing me into his TV." Tom's eyes were wide, at this point. "I wasn't badly hurt, a few bruises I think I had two or three minor cuts...and he was sorry, not a fake kind of sorry but really sorry...he said he just lost control, so I forgave him..."

I squeezed my eyes shut. "It didn't stop there though, I'll spare you the gruesome details...let's just say these accidents kept happening, but he wasn't sorry anymore and if I stood up to him or tried to threaten him, he would only get more mad. He started cheating on me too, because I wouldn't do...that stuff. I tried breaking up with him, but again he would only get more mad. Almost everyone knew he was cheating on me too, wondering why I was still with him, to this day Taylor and Danielle still think that I stuck with him because I wanted the attention, I never told them the truth."

"Then how are you not-?" Tom asked.

"Shh I'm not finished. Clay started getting suspicious, how I kept coming home with new bruises or every time after Will left there would be something broken....Clay came to pick me up one night and saw what happened, he almost killed Will...beating him so much...and Will never got too close to me after that, but he knows everything, everything about me, my past. I mean he was the one who helped me get over my mum's death, he was always there for me, and then it was like he was a whole new person...a monster."

"Your Dad never found out?" Tom asked after a moment of silence.

"No...He always loved Will, and for some reason I didn't want him to know...he knows now because of my big mouth, and Carson knows...and now you know"

"Is that why you don't drink?" He asked again.

I nodded, hoping he could see in the darkness of the room. "Yes I know what that stuff is capable of, and I was just never interested in tasting it"

I expected Tom to have another question, but he was silent, not moving.

"Tom?" I asked moving closer to him.

"I want to snap his neck" he growled.

"Hopefully you won't ever have to meet him" I said trying to calm him down a little.

He sighed nodding and pulling me closer to him.