AFRAID {a.i.}

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Song of the Chapter: For The Love Of A Daughter - Demi Lovato.

Note: Ashton's point of view is in italics.

I knew mine and Ashton's little 'argument' was just banter but it was truthful. He and I were okay now, after the past week or so of not really talking, but after our agreement of taking it slow was broken, we decided to keep distance until the next date. Today, I was going back to grans house to look through everything and decide what I wanted to do with the place. It would be nice if Ashton could be there with me, but I knew it wasn't right for me to ask.

I grabbed my phone and ran down the stairs. I only wore a pair of jogging trousers and a vest top. My hair was in a messy bun and it was pulled back with a cute bandana. I didn't bother to make an effort with how I looked, since I was going to mourn over my gran. That's not an event you dress up for. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, I noticed Ana and Brad on the sofa watching TV. Brad turned and looked at me.

"Hey, you sure you want to do this alone?" Brad stood up and I nodded. Ana came over to me and hugged me.

"She'll be fine, plus as soon as she gets back, we have Cassie's party and that will take her mind off of it. Am I right?" Ana pulled away and smiled. I had no idea about this party, but I knew that I probably won't go. It's going to be a long day.

"You are very accurate, Ana." I chuckled. I took a jacket from the coats section. It looked a bit windy outside. "Right you two, don't do anything I wouldn't do." I opened the door and they laughed.

"Yeah, wouldn't want you to hear what we did the other morning." Ana smirked and with that comment, I walked out. Heat ran up to my cheek. How embarrassing can my life be.

It wasn't long before I arrived at my grans house. I stepped into the driveway and walked slowly. It looked the same but didn't come close to feeling the same. I tried to speed up my walking but I couldn't. Once I reached the house, the door was open. I ignored it, probably the nurses forgetting to lock it. In an instant, I walked straight to my grans room. It was empty, no bed, no cabinet, no gran. I sighed and stepped towards the box I left. I knelt down and opened it. The first thing I noticed was a note.

Brooklyn,
Hello sweetie. I miss you, and I hope you are doing okay down there without me. It's hard to know we had such little time together before i left. But I want you to know something. Ashton... He's special. He's more than anyone knows. He's full of pain, but he still looks at you like you are every solution to his problems. You are lucky to have him, Brooke, and I hope for you both nothing happens to mess it up. The other thing I need to tell you, is your father. He's dangerous sweetie, and I need you to stay away from him. Just please stay away from him, he did something. Something you need to know about

There was a a piece missing at the bottom of the page. I quickly rummaged through the box. What did I need to know? My hands shook as I picked up each item shaking it to find that last piece of paper.

"Looking for something?" His voice slurred. I stood up in shock and stepped back, dropping the note info the box. There my father stood with a lighter and a piece of paper. He was drunk, I could smell it.

"Give me that." I tried to take it away from him. But he stepped backwards. The lighter lit up and he hovered it over the paper. He dropped the paper into the bin and smirked.

"I couldn't let her get her own way. She was going to tell you my little secret." My father stepped closer to me. I stepped away, he was frightening me.

"Dad, what are you talking about?" I stuttered and he laughed, loudly. I could feel his anger in the room. It was more than scaring me.

"You have a little sister Brookie. A beautiful little sister." His words hit me. I swear my breathing stopped.

"You're lying." I yelled. He grabbed my arm. I flinched and he laughed once more.

"Your mother lied to you. Brooke, your little sister, she was taken away and your mother didn't even care." He spat.

"More like you didn't care. You've never cared for anyone other than yourself. When your own mother died you didn't even visit her, and that's because you don't have a heart." I shouted in his face and he stilled. I made him stop. I did that.

"Your brother knew as well." Or not. My eyes widened. Brad knew and didn't tell me.

"You're just stirring things. You get a buzz from hurting others." I said back. My face jolted to the side.

He hit me.

My own father hit me.

I held my cheek and winced in pain. His nails dragged across my cheek, causing a scratch to form. I removed my hand and noticed blood.

"If you shut your mouth, I wouldn't have had to do that." My dad sniggered. I felt tears form. He hit me. "You know maybe you should stop trying to convince everyone you're so perfect. You're not. You know you're not. You're just a broken little girl who knows nothing about life."

"That broken little girl is broken because of you. And you can't deny that, dad. You're still the same man you were 5 years ago. You still hurt everyone you past. And I never will forgive you. Now grans gone, you have no one that could possibly give you another chance. And you know that." I grabbed the box, which was pretty heavy, and walked out. But before I closed the door, I turned, "That daughter of yours, stay away from her. I wouldn't want her to go through the shit you put me through." I slammed the door and ran. It was hard to be quick but I did everything I could to get home as soon as possible.

When I reached the house, no one was there. I was thankful for that because I was in a state. I dropped the box in my room and wiped my face. As I looked myself in the mirror, I noticed the cut along my face, as well as the mark. I knew he was dangerous but I never thought he would hit me like that. I needed to get away. I needed Ashton. But we were both too stubborn to get to each other right now. I knew that. He knew that. I sighed and walked to my closet, changing into a bodycon dress which stopped at mid thigh. I was going to Cassie's party. I didn't care. I needed to get drunk. I needed a release.

--
I washed down my truck as a way to take my mind off of Brooke. It was hard keeping distance when all I wanted was to kiss her, hold her, talk to her. I needed her, and she needed me. I washed away the last bit of dirt on my old truck and groaned. I needed a new car, something fancy. Something more me. This old thing barely got anywhere anymore. When my phone started ringing, I jumped. My heart pounded in my chest. Hopefully, it was Brooke. Hopefully, she was done with this agreement. Hopefully, me and her can just go back to being Brooke and Ashton. 'Me and you'. My face fell when the caller ID appeared to be Luke. I sighed and answered it.

"I told you I'm not coming to Cassie's party." I exclaimed and I heard screaming and music through the phone.

"No, Ashton. You need to get here now." Luke yelled. I raised my eyebrows.

"Why, what's going on?" I laughed and he groaned.

"Brooke, she's here-"

"And? We are keeping our distance, you know that man." Apart of me wanted to get in my truck right this second and drive straight to Cassie's, just so I could see her. But that was against our agreement.

"No, she's drunk."

"Luke, let her enjoy herself, you're probably drunk yourself." I chuckled and he sighed.

"No I mean she's drunk, like really drunk. She's crying, but laughing. She's had way too much Ashton, and something's happened. She keeps saying to Calum, that someone hit her." My blood thickened throughout my body. My fists clenched. I grabbed the truck keys and unlocked the door, getting in.

"Who, who hit her?" I yelled and Luke hummed, nervously.

"She won't tell anyone, Ashton, I'm really worried for her. Ashton, just fucking get here before something bad happens to her." Luke ordered and I hung up. I started the engine and drove as fast as I could.