Bet On It

Chapter 1

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Cassidy,

Happy Birthday to you!

I slowly opened my eyes where I was lying in my bed, and sighed when I realized it had all just been a dream.

Like my dad would ever sing me Happy Birthday on my birthday...

I stood up and made my way to my bathroom. I took a look in the full lenght mirror that was placed next to the sink as I smiled small to myself.

"Happy 18th birthday Cassidy." I said to myself in a whisper, before I stepped out of my PJ's and into the shower.

- - - - - -

"Daddy?" I called while walking downstairs, my body wrapped in a towel.

No reply.

"David?" I called, in hope that he maybe would reply if I called him by his name.

No reply.

I frowned and walked back upstairs again.

- - - - - -

I sat by the dinner table in the dining hall, and typed in my dad's number on my iPhone.

1 signal.

2 signals.

3 signals.

4 signals.

"Please leave a message after the beep."

I rolled my eyes, how typical.

*BEEP*

"Uhm hi dad, it's Cassidy. Your daughter, that happens to  turn 18 today. I don't know where you are, and you won't answer my calls."

I looked around in the dining hall.

"Just call me back and let me know where you are."

I let go of my phone and put it on the dinner table, as I stood up and made my way over to the kitchen. I filled a glass with water and sat down on one of the bar stools.

Why would something like this always happen? Why was my dad always working, why didn't he give a single fuck about his own daughter? He knew that he was all I had left. Yet, he treated me like a stranger. He wasn't at home when his own daughter, his only daughter, finally was going to turn 18.

I emptied the glass, before putting it in the sink. I took a look at the clock that was sat up on the white kitchen wall.

3:45pm

It was actually starting to get late, and I wasn't ready to celebrate my 18th birthday all by myself in this huge house. Well, I was used to being alone most times, but I didn't prepare to be alone on my birthday. I didn't expect my dad to even remember my birthday, but maybe, just maybe, he would be at home.

My thoughts were interrupted when I could hear footsteps in the hallway. I moved my gaze from the wall over to the kitchen vault.

"Dad?"

I could hear the front door slam and then footsteps again.

"Dad, is that yo-"

"Honey!"

My dad walked over to me with his arms open and a huge smile on his face. To my surprise he hugged me, he even placed a kiss on my forehead.

"Wow." He said, letting go of me, stepping back just to take a look at me. "My eighteen year old."

I smiled a half smile, and simply shook my shoulders.

"Your eighteen year old that you don't really care about." I thought to myself.

"Are you ready to open your presents? I have plenty, let's go to-"

"Dad." I interrupted. "I don't want anything, I told you."

He sighed and brought a hand up to his hair.

"It took me a lot of energy to fix this for you, it'd mean a lot if you could at least open it. If you don't want it you can just give it to one of your friends."

Which one dad, which one?

"Yeah fine, whatever."

"Hold on." my dad said, before taking off to his bedroom on the second floor. I crossed my arms over my chest before pulling my blonde curls back. Half a minute later I could hear my dad coming downstairs again.

His hands were behind his back and a smirk was plastered on his face.

"Happy Birthday, sweetheart."

And with that, he handed me a piece of paper. My first thought that he was going to give me money, but then I remembered what he had said.

"It took me a lot of energy to fix this for you."

Money was the last thing he'd ever have to work hard for...

"Come on, read it!" he demanded, pushing me.

"I am, don't interrupt my reading!"

"Come on, come on, come o-"

"DAD!" I laughed, making him stop.

I breathed out and started reading the text that was put down on the tiny piece of paper.

It took me about ten seconds to read it.

It took me about thirty seconds to realize what I had just read.

I put a hand over my mouth in slight shock.

"WHAT?!"