I've been adopted by YouTubers?

Eighteen

Snatching a candle, James held it under his chin, facing Cassandra, trying his best to voice Captain Barbosa.

"Do you believe in ghost stories, Miss Webber?" James whispers, casting a frightening shadow under his eyes and nose from the Raspberry scented candle.

James and Cassandra have been going well since they started dating. James has been in awe over his rainbow clothed lover, as has Cassandra with her monochrome styled lover.

They were playfully talking in the dark of Cassandra's living room, lit by candlelight.

"No, sir... ghosts aren't visible to the naked eye, but their energy, I believe, is real..." Cassandra's eyes blazed from the very candle James held.

"Well, yer best start to believe in them, Miss Webber, cause yer in one!" Cassandra and James suddenly burst into fits of laughter.

"Ah, shit! This candles hot!" James thrusts the candle out of his hand, the glass clinking with the candle plate.

"Ah! No, don't let it tip over it'll catch the apartment on fire!" Cassandra giggles as she races to fix the trembling candle.

"I throw fire, ooga booga!" Cassandra snorts a giggle before scrunching face up with a small shake of her head.

"You're so silly," she waves James off with another small laugh.

"You like me though," he retorts as the lights flicker back on.

"Uh huh, who told you that?" Cassandra jokes.

"You did, anyway, want to watch Pirates of the Caribbean four?" Cassandra nods her head.

"More snacks and a pee break is in order," Cassandra replies.

"I'll get it set up," they smile at each other before Cass made her way to the bathroom.

(Cass pov)

Staring at my head, I raised my hand and gently grazed the stubble of my hair, slowly but surely it was growing.

"One day I'll have my hair back," while staring in the mirror, a soft knock pulled me away from my head.

"Are you ready to watch the movie?" James questioned through the door.

"Almost!" I call out.

"Okay, perfect!" Hearing his footsteps echo as he walks away, I sigh while turning the tap on and began washing my hands.

"One day..." I pushed my thoughts aside and left the bathroom. Walking into my living room I saw him smile at me.

"Ready?"

"Always!"

—

(Jake pov)

Tara and I were in my room, our voices got louder, the argument wouldn't end, it was getting to the point where my ears would ring.

Dissociation was kicking in.

Was Cassandra okay?

Did she eat today?

Was she lonely without me?

Why didn't I take her with us to England?

I lost so much focus on my main priorities that I lost her too... she was my priority...

What kind of monster was I for dropping her for everything and everyone else?

She's my child...

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING JAKE?!" My eyes blink as Tara's body rocked with her heavy breathing.

"I can't do this anymore, Tara... Cassandra is my main priority and I took my eye off the ball for you and the others for too long." Tara's eyes flashed with hatred.

"Cassandra doesn't even want you around anymore," her words twisted the venomous knives she's thrown at me all night.

"Cassandra is my daughter."

"Cassandra left you."

"When she's ready she will find me," my mouth twitches, nerves overwhelmed at all the fighting.

"You can't just throw us away because of a seventeen year old girl who left you."

"I LEFT HER BECAUSE I CARED AND CATERED TO OUR RELATIONSHIP MORE THAN MY OWN DAUGHTER!" My own shoulders were shaking with rage.

"ITS YOUR FAULT SHES GONE!"

"DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?!"

Silence.

"Don't you think I don't regret everything I did to her?" I whispered, "I hurt that poor girl more than anybody in her whole life... don't you see what I've become since she left?"

"Jake-"

"-LISTEN TO ME!"

Tara fell silent.

"I did this to her, I have to let her come back to me when she is ready, I can't force her... but for now, you need to leave me the fuck alone. Goodbye, Tara, I'll call you an Uber home."

"No."

I pulled my phone out as she started pleading that we could fix this between us.

"Jake, stop."

"It's on its way."

"We can fix this."

"Not this time. I need space."

"Jake."

"TARA I SAID NO!"

Tara wiped her tears and nodded, leaving the room, slamming the door behind her.

"Cassandra... I'm so sorry."

I wanted my little girl back.