better than I even understand myself. For loving me more than anyone ever has. For knowing that even when I run, it’s never from you but from my own fears and insecurities. But most of all, for coming after me time and time again. I hope one day I’ll stop being so afraid before you get tired and stop coming after me. I love you, Zack, so very much.”
She turns her head and places a lingering kiss on my lips. It’s tender and sweet, just like her.
“I might get tired of chasing you, but I’ll never stop because I’ll never be tired of you. Making friends with you was the smartest thing I ever did.”
She laughs and turns around, straddling me. “I’m pretty sure Rylee was the one to make friends first. You just happened to be there.”
I’ve never told her this story, but maybe now is as good of a time as any.
“Actually,” I say, lying down as I pull her with me, “I sent Rylee to your door to see if you could come out and play.”
“Seriously? Why didn’t you ever say anything before now?” I love the way her nose crinkles up when she’s curious about something. She’s cute when she’s animated.
“I wasn’t ready to tell you before but now that the past… is really that, I guess it’s okay for me to tell you.”
“Tell me what, Zack? Why do I feel like this is going to be a big deal?”
“Relax, Cassidy, it isn’t bad. Maybe back then it was but, baby, it doesn’t matter now.” Releasing a sigh, I brace myself, suddenly realizing this is not a good idea after all.
“The day before Rylee went to your door, I saw you… actually heard you, first.” Anger floods through me even remembering that day. “Your dad was beating you with the belt in the back of the car and you were screaming. I didn’t realize what was going on back then but I knew it wasn’t good and I wanted to help you. Your dad was so big and scary back then, I thought he might have been a real life ogre.”
A gasp falls from her perfect little mouth. “You saw that? That was the first time he ever did that,” she whispers. “It didn’t start until we moved into the house, but you know that.”
“Yeah, I know. I was pretty far away. Like I said, I heard you but I could see him going in for each strike. It was confusing but I knew it wasn’t right, and when you got out of the car, you were so sad. To me, the worst part of it all was your mom just standing there watching. I’ll never understand why she hasn’t protected you all of these years.” Her mom disgusts me almost more than her dad does.
“She’s just afraid of him,” Cassidy says, making another one of her endless excuses for her.
“Fuck that, Cassidy! She should be protecting you at all costs. You are her child, her responsibility. Your needs and wellbeing should always come above hers.” I know I’m being an ass but I can’t listen to her defend her mother anymore.
Taking a deep breath, I count to five and let it out slowly. I pull her close to me and place a soft kiss on her lips and wipe away her silent tears. “I’m sorry. It just frustrates me to no end knowing the people who brought you into this world have made you suffer so much. No matter how strong you act, I know it hurts you, too.”
“It did, Zack, but you and Nick saved me from ever having to go through that again. They just completely ignore me now and let me do what I want. It might not be the perfect situation, but it’s the best I’ve had since before we moved here. In a few months, when we go away to school, I won’t even have to see them anymore. Everything good happening is because of you. I just…” Her voice trails off and she bites down on her lower lip to keep herself from saying anything else.
“You just what? There’s nothing you can’t say to me. Not now, not ever.”
“I just don’t want you to feel obligated to stay with me.”
That has got to be the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.
Placing my hand behind her head, I gently roll her over
She turns her head and places a lingering kiss on my lips. It’s tender and sweet, just like her.
“I might get tired of chasing you, but I’ll never stop because I’ll never be tired of you. Making friends with you was the smartest thing I ever did.”
She laughs and turns around, straddling me. “I’m pretty sure Rylee was the one to make friends first. You just happened to be there.”
I’ve never told her this story, but maybe now is as good of a time as any.
“Actually,” I say, lying down as I pull her with me, “I sent Rylee to your door to see if you could come out and play.”
“Seriously? Why didn’t you ever say anything before now?” I love the way her nose crinkles up when she’s curious about something. She’s cute when she’s animated.
“I wasn’t ready to tell you before but now that the past… is really that, I guess it’s okay for me to tell you.”
“Tell me what, Zack? Why do I feel like this is going to be a big deal?”
“Relax, Cassidy, it isn’t bad. Maybe back then it was but, baby, it doesn’t matter now.” Releasing a sigh, I brace myself, suddenly realizing this is not a good idea after all.
“The day before Rylee went to your door, I saw you… actually heard you, first.” Anger floods through me even remembering that day. “Your dad was beating you with the belt in the back of the car and you were screaming. I didn’t realize what was going on back then but I knew it wasn’t good and I wanted to help you. Your dad was so big and scary back then, I thought he might have been a real life ogre.”
A gasp falls from her perfect little mouth. “You saw that? That was the first time he ever did that,” she whispers. “It didn’t start until we moved into the house, but you know that.”
“Yeah, I know. I was pretty far away. Like I said, I heard you but I could see him going in for each strike. It was confusing but I knew it wasn’t right, and when you got out of the car, you were so sad. To me, the worst part of it all was your mom just standing there watching. I’ll never understand why she hasn’t protected you all of these years.” Her mom disgusts me almost more than her dad does.
“She’s just afraid of him,” Cassidy says, making another one of her endless excuses for her.
“Fuck that, Cassidy! She should be protecting you at all costs. You are her child, her responsibility. Your needs and wellbeing should always come above hers.” I know I’m being an ass but I can’t listen to her defend her mother anymore.
Taking a deep breath, I count to five and let it out slowly. I pull her close to me and place a soft kiss on her lips and wipe away her silent tears. “I’m sorry. It just frustrates me to no end knowing the people who brought you into this world have made you suffer so much. No matter how strong you act, I know it hurts you, too.”
“It did, Zack, but you and Nick saved me from ever having to go through that again. They just completely ignore me now and let me do what I want. It might not be the perfect situation, but it’s the best I’ve had since before we moved here. In a few months, when we go away to school, I won’t even have to see them anymore. Everything good happening is because of you. I just…” Her voice trails off and she bites down on her lower lip to keep herself from saying anything else.
“You just what? There’s nothing you can’t say to me. Not now, not ever.”
“I just don’t want you to feel obligated to stay with me.”
That has got to be the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.
Placing my hand behind her head, I gently roll her over
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