Chapter Thirty Seven- Fight After Fight

"This is so NOT fair Cassie!" Dan said through the phone.

We were all out in the front yard playing around with Callie and stuff like that. Clay was in the house though, some excuse like he didn't want skin cancer for being in the sun too much. (Cue the mentally rolling eyes) Dad had some business to attend to with one of the neighbors, so he would be gone the whole afternoon basically.

"It's not my fault, she tagged along" I told him watching all of them playing. Tom seemed to be having more fun, which was defiantly a good sign.

"It's like your having a party without me, and I'm stuck here with this stupid dog and I-"

"You did not just call Timber stupid" I growled.

I could almost see his eyes roll. "Cassie I'm just saying next time any of you go anywhere...I'm going!!"

I laughed a little. Poor Dan feeling left out. "Okay Dan I promise you can come with us"

A car parked on the dirt road, and a figure stepped out.

"Dan I have to go" I said not taking my eyes off his movements, as he smoothly walked towards us.

"Cassie-" He was about to say but I pressed the 'end' button cutting him off.

The rest of the group hadn't noticed him yet. They were too engrossed in their game. But to me, painful memories kept flooding my brain.

After all he did to me. After all the pain he made me face, both mental and physical he still had the nerve to step foot on my property.

But I wasn't going to stand for his shit any longer. He was not going to come here. And manipulate me. He wasn't allowed to anymore.

I started walking towards him fuming. His smirk grew bigger once he noticed that I had noticed him. He could do anything he wanted to me, my dad wasn't here, he didn't have to put up a charade. He could hurt me, but that didn't stop me.

Once I was close enough I shoved him. "What the hell do you think you're doing" I spat. He stumbled back shocked, looking down at his chest. Then smirked up at me.

"Looks like Cassie got feisty" His smirk grew more as he looked down at me. "I always liked that in a girl, too bad you never had any...you were always too" He thought about it for a minute then looked at me his eyes dancing happily. "Shy"

"Leave" I spat. Not moving an inch, because I knew that if I did, I would punch him, and that wouldn't be a good idea.

"Oh but Cassie, were would the fun be in that?" he patted my head. How dare he even touch me.

Then I heard feet pounding towards me. Will looked up behind me and smiled more. "Oh if it isn't the actor"

I shot my head behind me to see Tom coming to stand right next to me. I wanted to deal with Will myself, not have Tom get hurt.

Will leaned in closer and whispered "Personally I heard actors were weak"

Tom charged, but I pushed him back. Will's eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Go" I told Tom, continuing to push him back.

"No" he argued.

"Go I can handle this" I pushed him once more. He glared but started walking away.

"Have you got her to spread her legs yet?" Will taunted.

Faster than my mind could process, Tom had turned around and practically pounced on Will, starting a fight to erupt.

Tom would punch Will, causing Will to punch harder. Blood was thrown around, but I really couldn't tell who was winning, but I didn't care.

"Stop it!" I shouted trying but failing to pull them apart, until Carson pulled me back and took my place. It was horrible. It was like wild cats fighting...to the death.

I started crying. Just the mere glance of the thought that Tom could be dead, tore me apart.

I ran to Clay, who was leaning against the pole on the porch watching the fight, as if it was something on TV entertaining him.

"Clay!" Shouted through my tears looking up at him, I didn't bother climbing up the stairs. He looked down at me his eyes not softening.

"What?" He asked almost nonchalantly.

"Stop them...please." I croaked tears still flooding my face.

"Nah I think I'll let them play it over a little" he said not moving.

"Clay!" I shouted "Please! Please Clay!" I plead, I was one step away from attaching myself to his leg begging.

He sighed rolling his eyes, but gracefully leapt off the porch and walked over towards the fight, that had not died down at all.

I fell onto the steps sobbing. Emma sat next to me rubbing my back and whispering encouraging words. Of course she had no idea what was going on.

From what I could see through my bleary eyes. Clay had captured Will's ear pulling him harshly back to his truck, throwing him inside, Carson following after him. And they drove off.

When Tom started walking back slowly. I ran up to him crying, seeing his bloody features. I flung my arms around his neck, hugging him to me greedily. His arms wrapped round me weakly.

"I'm fine Cassie, really" He whispered stroking my hair.

"Why would you do that you stupid lunatic?" I whispered through the tears.

He laughed, hugging me closer. "I love you too"

I laughed at the way he was taking the situation, and stepped back looking over the cuts and bruises worriedly. Tom smiled "I'm fine, I promise"

There were few questions at dinner as to why Tom had new bruises. Which Carson had answers to. 'Dad we were just pretending to fight earlier and it got a little out of hand' he had said. Which to dad meant, we beat him up for fun. Dad seemed pleased, which pissed me off. He didn't give Tom a chance he was still biased because of that pig!

Right after dinner Tom went to bed. He was tired, which really nobody could blame him about. Emma and Clay surprisingly started up a conversation, which was a first.

And I? I went out on the porch to find Dad, sitting on the couch swing. He patted the space next to him upon seeing me. Knowing that I couldn't disobey him I sat down hesitantly. We hadn't really been alone without it being awkward since before mum died. We were never the same after that, drifted far apart. Somewhere deep down I think he blames me, and that's hard to accept even if it isn't true.

"You know William is coming back to work Monday, maybe you should stay until then" He spoke, breaking the silence.

"How could you?" I asked shocked "Even after I told you what he did how could you still like him better than the boyfriend I have now? HUH?!" I shouted.

He didn't flinch, like he expected me to start yelling. "He called me this morning and we had a nice long chat. He apologized over and over again. He said he even apologized to you" Yeah right nice one. "He said that he only did those things because he was under the influence, he has been sober for a year now" Oh I'm sure "I think you should give him another chance"

"Dad, I would never in my life give that son of a bitch another chance"

"Cassandra!"

"No! Tom is wonderful, incredible, sweet, he has never hit me, he has never cheated on me and he loves me for me! Why can't you even give him a chance a nice fair chance?" I vented

"I have given him a chance-" he started

"No you haven't...I...I think he might be the one dad" I told him hesitantly.

"Don't talk like that Cassandra, if your mother heard you speaking like that-"

"She would be happy for me! Because I'm happy!" I shouted standing up, then sighed "I can't bring her back dad, no one can. She's not here, and I am... and I know that you wish I was the one who had died. So I'm leaving tomorrow, and I'm going to live my own life without you...and if you can't except that then you can just..." I tried to think of a bad enough term "You can just suck it" I started walking away.

"CASSANDRA! YOU DO NOT TALK TO YOUR FATHER LIKE THAT!"

I turned back around "If you want me to go back to that abusive creep than you are not my father" and I walked off.