Cassandra had only lived a short eighteen years but there were already a handful of things she regretted; like that one night at Gabe's party she'd gotten drunk off her socks and ended up complicating all her relationships, agreeing to actually end things with Nigel since if she hadn't, then she wouldn't feel so alone and like the whole word had left her to her devices. Of course, more than all that she hated her own jinx of a mouth.

She had just turned eight and was a hot tempered little missy who never meant the things she said when raving at her parents. She wished that of all memories could be wiped clean but knew she'd be haunted by it for as long as she lived.

It was her temper, just her fucking temper. She never should have cursed out her mother. Maybe then she'd still be with her, they'd still be the loving family with her dad; cajoling her with late night stories in the blanket fort she preferred to her bed, binging Disney movies with her and taking her to the carnival or cinema every other week to get her dose of fun.

There would be no Dianne, no half-sister to compete with her on what should have been only hers and most of all, her father would never have turned his back on her.

Not if her mother was still alive.

So she regretted it. With every breath she took. Her harsh words, her even harsher stomping up the stairs. The next morning, she was gone and it hadn't taken even a year for her life to turn over and her father to become someone she no longer recognized.

It was her fault, wasn't it? Her mother was too happy, her life too perfect. There was no other reason she could have had to commit suicide but the words of her rebellious teenage daughter who inundated her parental skills and had succeeded in pushing her over the edge. Totally her fault.

Now, she was doomed. Doomed to a forced union with some pig she'd never even met and doomed to the wicked schemes of her stepmother. All week she'd been dragged around, shopping for 'proper' clothes and pulled into so many etiquette classes that her brain had slowly turned to mush as in Dianne's words she needed to befit the standards her husband-to-be's family had for her.

She'd been fed up of the whole thing and resented how after nearly a decade following her mom's passing, her dad had finally looked upon her with love and appreciation—the intense look you'd bestow upon the golden goose you'd carefully cultivated and could finally be of some use to you.

That's right. That's all she was, a fucking commodity to help him exchange for a better cooperation. And every forsaken hour of her life since the news of her impending marriage had been broken to her, she wished her mother was still around. The woman, for all of her gentle outlook on life, would flay any pig that dared to set their sight on her pretty flower.

The company she'd poured sweat into would only have flourished and there wouldn't have been a need for some marriage alliance she disdained. She'd still be that pretty flower, the only one that could get into her eyes. Now it was like all her lush petals had wilted and all that lingered was a crippled bud.

"Hey, pretty," the voice snapped her out of her blind musings and she gave a sidelong glane at the person to her right. "Can I buy you a drink?" Her nose immediately crinkled in disgust as she recalled where she was and that some bastard was making a pass at her.

She could barely hold down another shiver of disgust as she pulled the blue cocktail she'd been sipping on closer to herself and forced on a plastic smile. "I'm waiting for someone," she said, neatly avoiding his hand and raising her glass to her lips. She should just have stayed home.

She'd been staying at Hayley's for a while until her friend had left to spend time with her other family. Seeing no point in enduring loneliness, she'd returned home and would take that over being here right now. Her home was a death trap but it was at least much better for her than what she'd gotten herself into.

"Don't be like that, darling," he said and the widening of his lewd smile almost had her throwing up her dinner. "No one's joined you in the past half-hour. Come on, I'll be worth your while." This fucking creep.

"Don't fucking touch me," she ripped her arm out from where his grip had come to cajole, eyes blazing with venom as she splashed the rest of her drink in his face. His grubby, sausage link fingers left marks when they abruptly pulled off her skin so he could soothe the burn from his eyes.

"You fucking bitch—" he made another misguided lunge for her and Cassandra suddenly felt her self freeze up, every pore on her body clogging up until she was pulled into a warm, familiar embrace, owning to a cologne she could recognize even in her dreams.

"Sorry I'm late," Nigel's sudden smile was disarming and she immediately felt her heart that had been spiraling on a tangent coming back on track. Then he turned his attention to the man, his gaze hardening as they raked over the other in all of his greasy glory, the silver band he spotted on his digit making his lip curl in disdain. "She's with me."

The man stood still, glaring for all he was worth at Nigel who could not be more indifferent if he tried.

"There something you'd like to share?" he sneered, making good use with his nine inches over to look down at the stubby man whose lips immediately pursed as he took a stance back. His beer belly and staggering form barely able to stand in a spot looked hollowed out by alcohol. Nigel didn't think he'd need two punches before he had the man on his back. "Didn't think so."

Cassandra's eyes turned blurry when he turned to her, muttering a "come on, Cass," and pulling her along to wherever he'd been seated, his palm cool around her wrist. She let herself be tugged along gently since she couldn't even trust her shaky legs to go one foot in front of the other without collapsing on her, eyes fixated on his back.

Her tears fell numbly because how good would it be if things could have worked out? This sense of security would have been made by him into a personal bubble. To be liked by someone like this, Hayley had hit the fucking jackpot.

"Would the both of you act your age?" Nigel asked, letting Cassandra slide into the inner seat of the booth first before springing apart the petty argument that had started up between his friends before it could peak.

Alfie huffed but turned his gaze to Cassandra. "Are you okay? What happened?" he asked, gaze dropping to her scratched arm that slowly got covered up with the jacket Nigel had draped around her shoulders. Well received as she was only wearing an armless deep purple piece with cutouts at the waist and neck.

Cassandra just shot him a watery smile, words failing her.

"Let's get a drink?" he asked and Nigel was sure he just wanted to get away from Aries. These two were so petty? He'd thought the issue would surely have scabbed over. He must have been insane for wanting to pull them together to hang out just so he could catch up on sleep.

"Alright," Cassandra said, shrugging her hands properly into the warm jacket around her and following Alfie back to the counter.

Nigel sipped on the drunk Alfie had bought him earlier, watching Aries follow their friends with his eyes. "You're really something," he remarked lightly, Aries' gaze returning to him.

"What?"

He shook his head andand continued sipping on his drink. He was at odds with Alfie and certainly wasn't on the best of terms with Cassandra. Did he have a knack for upsetting everyone or something?

Nigel could guess it'd still pan out fine since they could all still seat at the same table. He didn't think things would be so chill if he was the one Aries was at loggerheads with as they were both hotheads. Though he couldn't think of one thing off the top of his head that'd make them argue or fight.

"Are you okay then?" Nigel asked after a while. To his surprise, Aries hadn't really been sporting any bruises on his face, the bump he even had earlier on his forehead having faded completely. Though since he was bundled up in a turtleneck and a very thick jacket, he couldn't really say for the rest of his body.

"Yeah," but his gaze had turned to look outside the window on his side. "I'll be okay."

"You won't," Nigel said even though the words didn't come easily. "Does it have to be this way?"

"If not?" Aries fiddled with one of the cigarettes from the packet Alfie had left on the table but soon caught sight of Nigel's rigid expression and quietly put them away. "What do you want me to do? Call the cops on him? I already told you why I couldn't."

"You gave a stupid reason that isn't likely to work," Nigel frowned as he mulled over how badly his next words would go over but decided it needed to be said. "One that quite frankly could never hold water in any situation you find yourself in with him."

"It's not stupid," Aries' gaze was hard. "It matters to me. A lot."

Aries valued kinship. As did he. As did probably anyone else. But Nigel felt he could do without this particular one. His dad had turned violent, with or without the alcohol Aries now couldn't stomach a sip of without feeling nauseous and he didn't think there was any turning back from that. Maybe if his mother was still alive but that probability was even less when the man felt like he was the cause of the demise of his beloved wife.

"Okay." He only stopped at that much because his brain, begging for sleep, didn't have the drive to finish this conversation. He'd get back to it. Later. He continued drinking with intermittent sips while Aries carried on watching people stumble on the sidewalk on the other side of his glass.

They carried on like that for nearly an hour, or maybe it was more, and then Alfie and Cassandra were stumbling back, absolutely drunk off their socks and giggling like incontinent fools.

"I'll take her back," Aries said, helping her away from Alfie who was already struggling on his own two feet and letting her lean into his side.

Nigel watched them walk off first, knowing it'd be easier with them living on the same street before turning to Alfie who was making a beeline for the rest of the beer he hadn't been able to stomach with the ache that had become prominent in his ribs. He grabbed him and headed out, glancing at Aries who was still trying to call a cab for him and Cassandra.

"Will you be fine?" Aries asked when one finally drew to a stop at his side and he began stuffing Cassandra in the backseat like tuna in a wrap. "Should I call Saxon or something?"

"It's fine," he reassured. "I'm not that drunk." He was that drunk but Saxon would rip him a new one if he found out he'd been drinking on an empty stomach and he just knew he'd be bidding his snacks goodbye.

He waved down a cab after they'd left, stuffing Alfie in to and jotting down his address for the driver. When they too were gone, he started walking, first to clear his mind of the part haze alcohol had gotten his sleepy brain into before getting into a cab that took him the rest of the way.

The haze seemed to clear on the drive back, the lowered window letting cool breeze in that made him breathe a little easier. He felt somewhat itsy getting into the silent house but decided to make the most of the opportunity. It was Saturday and if Saxon was being held up at college then he'd still be a while more. So, he went straight for where his mom kept the bunch of spare keys, taking the one for Saxon's room and broke into it.

Well, he was his brother so it shouldn't count as breaking in, right? He began searching the room top to bottom, doing his best not to make a mess of it as he tried–and failed– to locate his beloved snacks.

In the end, he was slumping in his bed exhausted.

Where the hell had he hidden it?