The van pulled up to Cassidy's house and immediately she could tell that something was off. Her house had never been in the best shape but it seemed like a tornado had ripped through the entire house. Most of the windows facing the street had been smashed in and broken glass was scattered on the ground. The front door was ajar and Cassidy felt a lump grow in her throat as she slowly exited the van and walked up to the front porch. She could feel JJ and Pope's questioning eyes on the back of her head, but she stayed silent and inched her way closer to the front door, fearful of what she might come face to face with.
Cassidy stepped onto the front porch and without giving it a second thought, pushed the door open further and peered into her home. It seemed as if every item in their house was either on the floor or broken, and the stench of alcohol flooded Cassidy's nostrils. She moved further into the house, stepping over broken memories scattered across the floor. She expected to find her mother asleep, but instead found her sitting on the ground with what seemed to be a mostly drunken bottle of whiskey. Cassidy looked back at her two friends with shame and then turned her attention back to her mother who in her state, had just noticed Cassidy was standing there. The bags under her mother, Aria's, eyes had deepened and become more prominent than from when Cassidy had seen her just a few days ago. The frail state her mother was in scared Cassidy deeply and she went to go grab the bottle of booze from her mother but before she got the chance her mother stood up, stumbling.
"You know.... you're father came by earlier," Aria informed the girl, slurring her words and waving a finger at her. That explains the mess Cassidy thought, her mother had always been messy, but never to this extent.
"Mom I-" Cassidy tried to explain but was immediately cut off by her mother.
"He came back looking for you. Why would he want you?" she asked scoffing before continuing, "Doesn't he know you're just a useless piece of shit. You just bring around more trouble than you're worth. Look at me. I've given you all of this and you repay me by bringing him back," she rambles, waving her arms around, swaying and not being able to keep her balance. JJ looks at Pope concerned, not knowing whether he should step in or not.
"Mom I didn't know he was coming," Cassidy whispered, letting out a muffled sob as she looked at her broken mother.
"Oh I'm sure you did. I'm sure you've known for a long time. He did always like you more than he liked me. Maybe it was because you were younger. And perkier. Or happier. I don't know. Either way, you stole him from me and now he's come back to ruin me," Aria stated, taking another swig from the bottle.
"He was my dad. You were supposed to protect me," Cassidy let out a sob as all the memories of her mother standing by just flooded back in. Pope looked at JJ shocked, never even guessing that the girl who had been their freind for some long had been keeping this from them.
"No! You did this to yourself!" Aria yelled out and sent the bottle that was in her hand, flying towards the girl but she missed it exploded against the wall behind her. Cassidy flinched back and found herself walking back into JJ's chest. "I want you out of this house. Now," Aria stated finally after looking over the sobbing girl in front of her.
Without a word, Cassidy left her mother and ran up the stairs to her bedroom, hearing the boys run up after her. She quickly grabbed the biggest back she could find in her closet and shoved any clothes she could get her hands on into the bag, barely looking at anything she was packing as the tears blurred her vision. All she knew was that she needed to get out of that house. Cassidy desperately tried to pull the zipper on the duffel bag to close it, but her hands were shaking so badly that it wouldn't budge. Being able to tell that she was getting frustrated, JJ placed a gentle hand on top of hers. breaking out of her trance, she let herself be held in his embrace, clutching at his shirt as she sobbed. Seeing the girl's anguish, Pope walked over to the couple and embraced them both. The three stood like that, holding onto each other, for what seemed like forever. cassidy let out a shaky breath and separated herself before quickly packing up the rest of her necessities and walking down the stairs. Without looking back at her mother, she quickly made her way out of the house and to the van, with JJ and Pope hot on her trail.
The three friends just sat in the car in silence, none of them knowing what was the right thing to say. Pope sat in the drivers seat while JJ had decided to stay with Cassidy in the back seat, gripping onto her hand as if he would never let it go. Cassidy's mind raced with thoughts of where she would go now and what she was going to do now that she had been left all alone in the world. She felt too embarrassed to even look at the other two boys in the car. Finally, she decided to speak up.
"Please don't tell anyone," she whispered quietly, but the boys both turned to look at the girl with wide eyes.
"Of course we won't tell anyone. But cassie, you know that none of us would judge you right? Or think of you any different," Pope says, shocked that the girl would be scared of judgment from the group.
"Yeah, you're still the same old bossy Cassidy," JJ said sarcastically as he ruffled the girl's hair.
"Thank you," Cassidy said, looking down at her hands which she was fidgeting with. Her gaze finally lifted to look at the two boys who were staring at her with such awe at her strength and love for her. She gave each of the boys a thankful smile and took a deep breath in, finally realizing that these boys were her family and they were all that she would ever need.
"Alright, well, I guess I'll be staying at the chateau from now on," Cassidy said, letting out a breathless laugh.
"Well, I guess I'll have to join you then."
AN: Sorry I haven't updated in a couple of days, I've been feeling super overwhelmed with assignments and exams and have been feeling super unmotivated. I know this chapter was pretty dark, but I think it's important to delve a bit more into Cassidy's story outside of the show's plot. I hope you guys enjoyed and please let me know what you would like in the future! Stay healthy and happy:)
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Anchor // JJ Maybank
Fanfiction"Shit Cass, you're like my anchor." Cassidy had moved to the outer banks in an attempt to outrun her past. But maybe, her past had followed her anyways. What happens when what was supposed to be the best summer of their lives turns into a treasure...
