(chapter eighteen)

tw: suicidal thoughts

THIS WAS A LITTLE different then before. She felt a little less happy, but a lot more sleepy. Her eyes locked on the pill bottle. Her wounds weren't hurting, but why wasn't she happy?

She hated that.

Taking the bread out of the oven, she smiled to herself when the amazing smell hit her nose. Mr Heyward was talking to someone on the other side of the door, and she pushed the door open with her back while her hands held the hot pan.

"There she is!" Her boss exclaimed as she turned around, meeting the blue eyes of her father. "We were just talking about you."

Richard's jaw hang open at the bad bruises on her face, his hands dropping the food that were on his hands on the counter. "Clara, what happened?"

"Dad, please, not now." She avoided his eyes as she picked the bread from the pan and put then on showcase.

"No, we're talking about this now." Richard demanded to his daughter, and he stared at his good friend fow a second. "Bobby, would you mind if I steal her fow a few minutes?"

"I'll call you when the timer goes off again," the man told Clara as Richard clenched his own jaw, crossing his arms again as he waited the girl to come out of behind the counter. "You can go to my office, if you want."

"Thank you," Richard said, as he followed the girl to the room, closing the door as he stopped in front of her. "You're gonna tell me what happened now."

"No-"

"It's not a question, Clara!" His angry voice made her flinch, her eyes diverging from her father as tears made their way to her eyes. She was so fucking tired of crying. "Who did this to you?!"

"Who do you fucking think?!" She snapped back, the rage built up from inside her exploding at his pushing, the man took a hard intake of air. "Tell me, who do you think?! Who would be the person to do this to me more than fucking once?!"

Richard stood still in his place as he stared at his daughter. He could barely think, he was just in shock.

"She- she left me bleeding on the road! I was alone-"

"You could've called me, dammit, Clara, you should've called me!" He stressed as the girl wipped the tears angrily away from her eyes.

"And what would you do?! What would YOU do?" She said it back, her body shaking. "Take me in? You made it damn sure I didn't fit in on your perfect little family!"

"You're my daughter-"

"And that matter so much, right?! Pretend that you care, that I'm not a fucking burden to you?! That you prefer I didn't exist?!" Her lip quivered and her voice broke as she asked that, desperately needing his answers but too scared that it would come true.

"Did your mother told you that-"

"She's not my mother!" She screamed, giving up in trying to clean her tears as they kept falling. "And it was your bitch of an wife."

Richard closed his eyes, lowering his head with a shake of his head, while Clara hugged herself. Then the man looked at her again, walking up to her and pulling her into a hug.

His hand going to the back of her head and the other around her shoulders, as the girl shook her head, resisting for a half a second before giving up, her sobs muffled by the grey shirt Richard was wearing. His right hand on her hair kept petting it down as he tried to keep his own tears at bay at seeing Clara like this.

"Listen to me, kiddo." He started, pulling back and holding the girl's head on his hands. "You're my daughter, no matter what. I never said anything about you and you're not a burden, you're my light, okay? Cecilia is jealous, and she tried to act like everything is okay, when it's not. And it'll not be as long as she keeps treating you this way. I'll take care of it."

Her eyes kept going back and forth between her father's, as she was trying to find a lie on his words, and the man's blue — red with tears — stared at her back, a soft smile, as he tried to convince her and himself that everything would be okay.

"And about your- about Susan, she had no right in even lay a hand on you. She's acting irrational, but I never thought she would do something like this. It was my mistake to think she would change, but I just wanted a better life for you, my love. I'm so sorry."

"I wish I wasn't alive, dad." She choked out and she watched her father's face fall. "If I wasn't all of this wouldn't have happened, and all of you would be happy and-"

"There's no world where I would be happy with you not in it, Clara." Richard interrupted her, shaking his head with a crease of his forehead. "And it's my fault, I'll try to be a better father to you, and I'm sorry it took this to happen for me to realize you were not happy."

"I tried-"

"I know, I know." He nodded, pulling her into another hug, as her hand was gripping his shirt. "I love you, Clara, and I'm sorry."

"Please don't give up on me again."

"Never."

And after that, he kissed her forehead a couple times, squeezing her before letting go. Richard was going to get the groceries back to the house, and he would be returning after Clara's shift ended.

The older Campbell was completely angry at Susan and his wife. Their relationship wasn't what Clara thought it was, and in fact they were holding on by a thin line, the only thing keeping him with the woman being the little boys as he didn't want them to go through the same as Clara did.

It was selfish, but he wanted them to be a little older and able to understand who Clara was. How sweet, caring and an amazing person she was.

And Cecilia's words wouldn't be taken lightly. He looked at the woman deep in the eyes as he put the bags on the kitchen. A "We will talk on the weekend" as a warning.

And what Susan did, oh Richard could go to her house and drag her by the hair, but he would never think about touching a woman that way in his life, but she was sure testing him. But he had other thing in mind, and it wouldn't be lightly for Clara, but he was there every step of the way by her side.

When the girl with the Heywards shirt stepped out, her small purse by her side. She looked at the white truck with the man waving.

He tried to keep the conversation casual, talking about work and she would here and there give her imput, not noticing the path his father was driving to, until they parked outside the police station.

"Dad, what're we doing here?" She asked, a small shake being visible of her hand, as Richard reach out to hold it.

"I want you to press charges," he replied, a serious expression on his face.

Clara shook her head, her breath starting to rise. "No, no dad-"

"Clara, you need to understand I'll not let her do anything to you as long as you're with me, but I can't control what she'll do when I'm not around." He looked into the girl's eyes, trying to make her fuzzy anxious head straight. "We'll go inside and we tell Shoupe, or Peterkin if you feel more comfortable, and we'll ask for a restraining order."

"Dad-"

"Trust me, she'll never going to leave you alone if you don't take the matter into your own hands. I'm not going to risk it."

Clara shook her head, hiding her face in her hands, letting her forehead touch her knees as she tried to regulate her breath.

"C'mon now, kid. I need you to breathe, okay?" Richard tried, his hands brushing his daughter's back, as she tried to ground herself. "Count with me. One..."

And she did, Richard still petting her back as she could feel the air running back to her lungs. She stayed in the same position for a few more minutes.

"She'll be so mad at me, dad." Her breaking voice finally was heard as the man shrugged.

"Then let her. She needs to finally see that her actions have consequences. And I'll be there every step of the way," the man's voice was soft, as the girl nodded her head, wipping the tears away from her eyes. "Okay?"

"Okay," she agreed, holding her father's hand and he squeezed.

Richard got out of the car, going around him so he could open the door for Clara. With his arm wrapped around her shoulders, they walked inside the police station.

Shoupe looked up from the papers on his hand, his eyes locking on his friend and then to a beat up Clara. He cussed under his breath as he abandoned the papers on the table and walked to the two.

"What happened?" It was the first question the man asked them, and Clara let out a small sigh. She was starting to hate that question.

"Clara's pressing charges, and requires a restraining order," Richard explained, and Shoupe furrowed his eyebrows.

"Sure, to who?"

"Susan Hughes."

++++

Peterkin was sitting in front of the girl with papers scattered on the table between them, a pen in her hand. Richard and Shoupe stayed behind when they entered the room.

The police forensic, also a woman who Clara didn't know the name, entered after a few minutes, handing the girl wipe tissues. "It's procedure. You need to wipe the bruises."

Clara only nodded, passing the wet tissues on the bruise on the cheek, clenching her own jaw when it hurt by touch. She did the same to her nose and lip.

"There's anyone that can confirm your story?" Peterkin asked, as the girl looked at the clean tissue.

"There were cameras at the party, and the vallet saw me leaving with my- with Susan..." She gulped, fidgeting with the wipe. "And... JJ Maybank and Pope Heyward found me outside the bridge to the Cut."

"Why didn't they brought you to the hospital?"

"I didn't- I asked them not to," she mumbled. The events of the night still a little confused in her head.

"Why?"

"Because she would be the one to be called."

Peterkin hummed, writing down the information. "Is there any other bruises aside from the ones we can see?"

Clara nodded, going up to pull the green Heywards shop shirt off. "There's one in my leg-"

"We need you to take this one off as well, just for the picture evidence," The sheriff explained, and the girl nodded again, pulling the pants off. "How did the cut on your leg hapenned?"

"She stepped on my thigh using her heels..."

"Do you remember the color of the heels?" The woman's eyes were locked on the hole on her leg, as Clara said yes.

"Red. Pointy deep red." The forensic deputy frowned as she saw the gnarly bruise on her ribs. "JJ got me a change of clothes when we got to John B's house... maybe my dress is still there."

The sound of the pen on the paper made her anxious, just like she was standing only in her underwear at the closed intimidating four walls.

And after she cleaned the bruises and the cloth came out clean, the photographer walked closer, positioning the camera to her thigh and then her ribs, the cheek, lip, nose and black eye, while Peterkin gave the police information to called the two boys to the station for interrogation.

And she sat down again on the chair, pulling her pants up as the photographer gave her a sad smile, leaving the room.

"That was the first time she gave you physical bruises?" Clara hesitated but then shook her head. "What other ones?"

"You remember when I got on the car accident. I told you she let go of the wheel and you did nothing." Clara's words were like venom dripping as the woman pursed her lips. "There were many others when I was younger..."

"What was the most recent one, before this?"

"She choked me against the wall," the girl answered, and the sheriff exhaled with a shake of her head. "It bruised for two weeks."

"Does anyone can testify for the bruises in you neck?"

Clara nodded again, her hand going to the necklace around her neck. "Rafe Cameron."

"Okay," Susan wrote it down, looking at the camera on the side of the room as she put the papers together. "I'm sorry your mother did this to you and we couldn't help you before that, but we will make you right this time."

She nodded her head again, before opening the door, pointing that Clara could step out. Richard that was still talking to Shoupe and smiled at his daughter, bringing her to a hug.

It was in fact kind of harder to get a hold of Rafe Cameron than of the the two pogues. The boy was at the beach while the two were just getting out of their boat.

The deputies also had found the camera survilence and it showed clearly Susan and the girl leaving midsummers. Just like the other recording before when the woman grabbed her arm.

JJ and Pope were scared, the two of them whispering in the backseat of the police car, as the man rolled his eyes at the teenagers. He parked outside the Chateau, which made the two look confused.

"We need the dress Clara Campbell was using at the Midsummers party," the man answered before their question as he unlocked the door for the two to get out with him.

"What? Is Clara okay?" JJ stumbled out to follow the man.

"You'll see eventually-"

"Bullshit, tell me if she's okay." JJ stood in front of the man, who just sighed, looking at Pope who was nodding his head to show he was with his friend.

"The girl is fine, she's with her father at the station." He explained, looking between the two again. "I can't explain, but I need the dress. She told she changed here."

"Yeah, yeah, okay." JJ furrowed his eyebrows, opening the door as Pope followed him inside.

The blonde boy moved some of the things around the room he was staying, and there it was, the red stained blood dress. The cop blinked but reach out the gloved hand and put the dress on a plastic bag.

"You two need to come with me to the station, we need your testimony of when you found Clara," he said only that, already walking to the car as he expected the two boys to follow.

++++

"Mr Cameron, you know why you were brought here?" Peterkin asked, and the boy shook his head, fingers flexing on his other hand.

"I mean, your guys just cornered me when I was sitting on the beach. Not much of a talker they are."

"You're here because Clara Campbell told me you were the only one aware of the bruises around her neck. Do you remember when that took place?"

"Yeah, uh, around a month and a half ago, or something," he answered as the woman wrote it down on the paper, Rafe starting to feel anxious. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine, and with her father." The sheriff replied, looking at the boy who nodded. "And you've known for how long the living situation she was going through?"

"I think we all knew what went inside that house, am I right, sheriff?" He dragged out, his eyes slightly narrowing. "I remember the times you all went to her house when I was younger."

"This has nothing to do with it, Mr Cameron."

"Oh, but I think it does. You all knew, but did nothing. Which outcome did you expect it would happen?" His question lingered around the room as the woman's grip around the pen tightened.

"Was she scared of her mother before this last incident?"

"She was always scared of her."

Peterkin let the boy go after this conversation, telling him to stay on the other room of the station. Her heart was heavy from his words and the knowledge she could've done something to avoid the situation at hand.

Deputy Plumb lead JJ inside next, and the boy was looking just as anxious. "Do you know why you're here?"

"Your guy say it has something to do with Clara and midsummers, so I can guess." JJ pushed his hair back, leaving the cap on the table, the rings of his fingers clicking on the metal.

"That's correct. I need you to tell me everything that happened that night."

JJ hummed, "I was at the hospital with Pope and Kiara since John B was there, but the nurses didn't let us see him, told us to go home. Left Kiara at her house and before we could cross the bridge, Pope and I saw Clara laying almost lifeless there."

"Was she conscious?"

"Yes, but looked a little out of it, like she was in shock or something..."

"Do you know how long was she there?"

"It had a pool of blood under her, so I would say she was there for a while." He watched as her pen was writing something down on the paper, blocking so he couldn't see.

"Why didn't you bring her to the hospital?"

"She didn't want to." Peterkin continued writing as the boy tried to peek up.

"So you brought her to the Routledges, got her a change of clothes and you and Pope helped clean her wounds?"

"Yes, that was what happened."

She nodded, gathering the papers and got up, opening the door so the boy could follow. Pope exchanging a look with him as Plumb directed the boy to inside the room and lead JJ to the waiting room.

As he step foot inside it, he wanted to leave. Rafe looked up immediately, his jaw clenching. "Plumb, c'mon."

"Sorry, kid, it's procedure." She closed the door, giving Rafe a look.

JJ combed his fingers through his hair and put the cap back on his head.

"Did the police finally catch you for doing your dirty pogue shit?" Rafe asked, a sarcastic eyebrow raising.

"Did they catch you dealing and snorting a line with your buddies?" JJ remarked, making Rafe tilt his head.

"You really want to be just like your daddy, huh?" The older boy jabbed again, and JJ glared.

"Better than having to depend on your daddy to clean your name." He looked back to the rings on his fingers.

"I'm here for my girlfriend, jackass." JJ head snapped back to him as he had a convinced smirk.

"Girlfriend? Who would willingly be with you?" The younger boy tried to pretend his heart didn't sink a little as he was hoping that he was wrong.

"Ah, you know, Clara..." he trailed out, still smirking and it was JJ's turn to clench his jaw. "I know you feel something for her... But I'm here to tell you now that it's just not going to work."

"I don't know what you're on about, but she might really need to check up on her head after all, because there's no way she would want to be with you."

"It wasn't what she said last night," Rafe replied, getting up so he could walk closer to the boy, JJ not wasting a second, feeling his blood boil as he got up too. "And I would be very careful of how you talk about her-"

"Boys." Plumb opened the door once more, behind her was Pope and she stared at the two, so close to each other. The woman wasn't stupid, she knew they were about to fight. "You're free to go."

Rafe send the two boys a sarcastic smile as he walked pass the deputy, his eyes moving around the station as he saw Clara sitting with a cup of water in her hands, Richard standing next to her with crossed arms as he talked to Shoupe.

Her brown eyes met his and he send her a warm smile, one she sent to him back. When JJ and Pope appeared from behind him she was hesitant in approaching, but she did anyway.

"I'm sorry for bringing you guys into this," she said to the pogues.

"I'm going to say, it was a little weird to have them scorting us around," Pope said, but he shrugged. "What was this all about, anyway?"

"My dad convinced me to ask for a restraining order for my mother," she explained, and the boy nodded. "They needed the testimony to put the timeline together as proof."

"How do you feel about that?" JJ asked, crossing his arms.

"If this is going to be the best way to avoid her coming for me again, then I guess I'll have to cope."

Her eyes trailed to Rafe, who was standing by the side watching their interaction, and she just gave them a small smile as she walked up to him. The older boy not wasting a second in pulling her into a hug, while his eyes were still on JJ.

The blonde boy felt his heart sank, only for Pope to drag him out of the station.

++++

Richard was now driving with Clara by his side, her fingers tapping on the screen as she watched videos. Shoupe had promised to call him when the order got approved, and it was not needed for them to stay at the station.

Richard made a turn on the street, parking the car as he turned to look at his teenage daughter, Clara looking up confused.

"I know that you're living at the Camerons..." he started, getting up slightly so he could grab something from his back pocket. "But I don't think it's a good idea if you continue staying there, this is not their problem."

Clara nodded, as she watched her father's closed fist as he was holding something. "That's why I asked a job for Mr Heyward, so I could save up, maybe rent-"

"You're not going to rent anything, you're seventeen," Richard cut her off, shaking his own head. "I'm responsible for you and I need to do something. So that's why..."

He opened his hand, facing downwards as three keys were dangling from his fingers, Clara looking at it as the man put them on her hand.

"That's grandma's house keys," he explained, then pointed it out to the small house of two floors by the park. "I used to live here for a bit after the divorce. There's two rooms upstairs, one bathroom, a kitchen and a small living room. It's not much but it's home."

She continued staring at him, tears burning the back of her eyes.

"It was my plan to give it to you anyway after you graduate," her father continued, pushing her hair back as he gave her a small smile. "It's empty for years. I came up here once or twice a month to keep it clean. And it's yours now."

"Dad, this is too much-"

"No, it's not because you deserve this, Clara. You're the best daughter any parent could ever ask for, you deserve it. This and so much more." His eyes were teary also as the girl sniffed and he kept his emotions in. "I told you I got you, didn't I?"

Clara bobbed her head, leaning fowards to hug her father once more. "Also, your mother is not going to receive a single dime from me anymore. It's going to go to you. Shoupe garanteed this to me. He is worried about you too, so anything you need he said you can call him."

"Okay," she mumbled, wiping her eyes as the man let her go.

"How about we go get your things then we can clean it up a bit?"

"It would be good," she smiled, seeing her father start the car again, going to the Cameron state.

The monsters gone... and your daddy's here.

I love the interaction she have with Richard. He does love Clara so much, and it's also hard for him.

And there was also the palpable tension between JJ and Rafe.

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