|Cassie|

William was right, his father didn't need any real convincing. He thought that this will make us more of a believable couple if William was there for me while my life literally fell apart in front of my eyes. It would being in more prying eyes curious with the entire situation. It was Angie who took some real convincing. She thought this was a really bad idea, that it's just gonna cause more problems in my life, ruining my life entirely. Yet I didn't care, my dad needed his daughter right now and it wont work out when I'm miles away. After long hours of William trying to convince her she finally agreed. We worked out a deal, we'd spend a week in NorthBrooks without Bob, since I don't think Dad needs a body guard in his house during this time, but we aren't allowed outside my neighborhood. I'm not even aloud to go to school, nit like I wanted too. Just really wanted to drop in and tell Palmer everything going on right now.

"Don't draw any attention to yourself, you hear me?" Angie looked at William while saying this. "And don't do anything stupid."

"Yes ma'am." William pulled her into a hug before whispering thanks.

We were leaving the hotel around two in the morning and for the first time this week, New York wasn't full to the brink with cars and people. Almost like it was on purpose, then again. There was a giant snowstorm coming in in around two hours and no one wanted to be stuck in it.

Tyson Everest ordered a private jet for us since one of his buddies owned him big time. This was the first time I've ever really felt grateful for Tyson's kindness, then again it was gonna bring more eyes to William so he probably did it on purpose. Making William look like the caring boyfriend he is.

When we landed, Clarke was already waiting for us. She wasn't planning on going to school in the first place, so it wasn't a big deal in the first place.

I exited the plane first and she sprinted up to me, arms squeezed tightly against my neck that breathing became difficult.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." She whispered. "Dad never need us more than now. He's a complete emotional wreck at home. Haven't left his bed since the video been released." She explained.

"What family would we be if we weren't there for each other?" I asked with a forced smile.

"I just didn't want to take you away from William." She smiled.

"I wasn't." I looked up at the plane entrance and saw William looking at the view surrounding him.

"I feel like I should be freaking out right now," Clarke whispered looking up at him.

"Yeah well you'll have enough time after we help Dad okay?" I smile. "William."

He looked down when I said his name.

"This is my sister Clarke, you're biggest fan." I remind him.

"Right, Cassie told me so much about you." He held our his hand for a handshake.

I felt my cheeks blushed.

"Trust me, I'll me freaking out once my dad isn't an emotional wreck." She told him. "Now come on."

On the entire ride home we explained to Clarke that no one, and we mean no one, can know that William was staying at our house. She agreed since she wasn't ready for paparazzi finding out where we live.

"You have no idea what it's like at school. I've never heard anyone talk about you so much." Clarke explained. "Especially Marcus he's been going on how you'd never do anything like this unless you had too."

In the side mirror I saw William readjust himself. If I wasn't with him practically everyday for the last month I wouldn't of thought twice of it. But since I do know him, I know that's what he does when he's uncomfortable.

"I haven't even thought of Marcus since everything went down." I tell her.

"Well if I didn't know any better, I'd almost believe that you guys were dating. Based on how much he talks about you." She grinned.

"For purpose sakes, can someone explain who this Marcus kid is?" William asked from the backseat.

Clarke gave me a side eye before answering. "He's the quarterback at our school. Now let me tell you, he hates you more than Cassie does."

William looked over at me and I gave him a smile. "I don't hate you that much anymore."

"Yeah well Marcus does. In fact if you went to our school, he'd probably do everything he could to get Cassie off of you."

"So he's jealous of me?" He asked with a smug look.

Clarke scoffed, "something like that."

We pulled up to our house and Clarke got out of the car first before telling us it was all clear. We sprinted inside and locked the door behind us.

"He's in his room." Clarke told me.

I smiled before walking past both of them towards his bedroom. I opened the door slowly and saw him sitting on his bed, back turned to me. Looking down at some sort of scrapbook.

"Hey dad." I said softly.

It was almost like he came to life. He threw the book on the bed and raced towards me, wrapping his arms around me.

"Cassie!" He cried. "Wait, what are you doing here?"

"I thought it was best if I came home early this year." I smile slightly. Gulping back any sign of emotion I had inside me.

"But what about William and the dating thing?"

"Well he's sort of at our house." I thought it was best if I dropped it on him before he found out by the other mans voice in the house that wasn't his own.

"Well I better go introduce myself." He quickly brushes off himself.

"Wait!" He stopped and looked at me. "How you doing Dad?"

"Im fine." He smiled yet his eyes held a different story.

"Good." I smile before letting him run into the kitchen to introduce himself to the boy Clarke has never stopped talking about for the last year.

I looked over at the scrap book he threw onto his bed. Picking it up gently, I turned to the page that was bookmarked.

A photo of us. All of us as one happy family. My mom was so young in this picture and you could tell the resemblance between us instantly. I wiped away the tear that escaped my tear duct.

What happened to that once perfect family?

◻◼◻◼◻◼◻

William was playing with Cress, who was such bigger than when I left, kept explaining to her that he's the reason she got a name. As if she would talk back. Clarke pulled me to the side and whispered.

"Whatever you did, this is the first time Dad even walked into the kitchen for food."

"It's because there's another man in his house." I tell her. She looked at me with a pleading look. "He'll get better. We all will." I said, placing my hand on hers.

She smiled. "I'm happy that you're home. It's been so empty without you." She looked over at William and smiled. "And thanks for bringing him too. It's like my dreams actually are coming true."

"Hey, remember we're technically dating." I joke.

"You got two more months. Once that's done, he's fair game." She smirked and I couldn't help but laugh as I watched her go sit next to him.

I walked over to the freezer and opened it up to see tub of fresh cookie dough just sitting there. "Anyone want cookies?"

"That sounds absolutely delicious." Dad forced a smile and I grinned.

If Clarke was right about Dad being an emotional wreck, I believed her. He's trying to act like nothing wrong, putting on a brave face, yet my senses are tingling and he's just a few steps away from falling apart.

William pressed his elbows onto the counter and watched while I put the ready cookie dough into the oven.

"You never told me you were a cook." He smiled.

"I have my secrets." I smirk. "Besides I didn't think it was important since other people sort of made our food."

"True." He sat down onto the barstool. "How's your dad?" He whispered.

I let out a silent sigh. "He's falling apart. He was looking at a photo from when I was ten with my mom. I'm afraid he's only a few steps away from the edge." I forced my voice not to break.

"Well lucky for him he has two amazing daughters willing to pull him back from the edge." His smile was soft.

"I just hope we're not too late." I admit.

◻◼◻◼◻◼◻

William looked like he's never had a chocolate chip cookie in his entire life. "These are amazing!"

"Is that your tenth one?" I asked with a laugh.

"Cassie definitely has a talent for baking," Dad explained.

Clarke yawned from the couch. "It's already that late?" She asked looking at her phone.

"Yup kid." Dad pats her on the back. "You have school in the morning."

Clarke walked over and shut off the movie.

"Goodnight." I said when she disappeared into hee bedroom.

"Goodnight!" She called back.

Dad stopped and looked at both of us. "Do you need another blanket kid?"

"I'll be fine. Sir." He smiled. Grabbing the blanket next to him.

"Alright, goodnight." Dad kissed me on the forehead before walking and shutting his bedroom door.

"Are you sure you don't want to sleep in my bed? It's a lot comfortable plus I'm small so I fit better." I suggest.

Cress meowed before pressing her body against Williams legs.

"Thanks but I made you take me with, I cant take your bed and let you sleep on the couch in your own home." He smiled up at me.

I started to walk to my room before turning around. "I don't take up that much room so if you, uh, wanna join me?"

I could see his cheeks start to turn red. "Are you sure."

I nodded yes. "It's not like we're gonna have sex."

I turned red in embarrassment. "Yeah this jet lag is definitely messing me up." I quickly try to cover up.

"Just two people sleeping in the same bed." He grins. "Who happen to be in a fake relationship."

"Exactly."

"Alright." He smirked.

Cress followed us into my bedroom. William lifted her up on my bed and she laid down right between us and got comfortable.

"Well there's no leaving now." William jokes, looking down at Cress.

"I guess not." My cheeks were burning I felt like I was turning into a tomato.

"Goodnight Cassie."

I paused. My words getting choked up in my throat. "Goodnight William."

I woke up in the middle of the night and looked over at my door who cracked up just slightly. In the silence I could hear tiny whimpers coming for Dad's room. I carefully rolled out of the bed, successfully avoiding disturbing Cress and waking William.

I tiptoed down the hallway and paused at the door. I could hear him crying silently talking to someone. My father wasn't very religious but something must of clicked in him.

"Please, if anyone's up there." He said in between cries. "Take care of my princess. She's everything I wanted and even if she isn't in our life together. Please just keep her safe." There was a long pause. "And please give Cassie the strength to keep going. She might look like everything fine but inside she's dying. Amen." His sobs grew heavy.

I wiped the tears away from my eye. Before saying a pray on my own and it went along the lines, please just make the suffering stop.