So basically this is a story about Cassie Scott, Dan and Karen's daughter. This is only going to be a 3-4 chapter story. I might write more stories in this world depending on feedback and if readers want me too. So just read and tell me what you think!

-TREE HILL ELEMENTARY-

Cassie was walking down the hallway with her friend, Megan. "Ugh, Ms. Ryland was so boring!" Cassie complained.

"Yeah, like how she kept going on and on about stupid bugs" Megan agreed.

"That was so dumb. Why do we need to know that a beetles and caterpillars, and larvae" She said, shaking a little; making her brown curls go into her face "That stuff creeps me out and this whole year we have to learn about it, Ugh!" she stopped, brushing her hair out of her face. "My hair is just horrible today. I wish it wasn't curly."

"What! I think it looks fine and I like your curls. I wish I had them" Megan complimented.

Cassie scowled, "Well you can have them." She had inherited her Mom's dark curly hair. Most days she liked it, but sometimes it would just be so unmanageable that Cassie hated it. She had inherited a lot of things from her mom. Her hair, her face shape, her smile. Her Uncle Keith said that she was her Mom's spitting image. So she definitely looked like her mom, well except her eye color. She had bright blue eyes and unfortunately she had gotten those from her dad. Ugh, don't even get her started on him!

They both continued strolling down the hallway until they reach the main board, the board that had all the new events going on in school. Glancing up, Cassie saw that the school had a big event coming up, the Tree Hill Elementary Father Daughter Dance.

Cassie sighed. She hated it when there was anything that a dad was supposed to be in. Mainly she just hated her father, Dan Scott. She didn't know why out of all the dad out there that she had to get stuck with Dan.

But at least she wasn't alone in her suffering. She had her older brother Lucas, whom she loved to death, by the way; didn't like him either. Cassie had to smile when she thought of her brother. Lucas was the best brother in the whole wide world to the ten-year-old. He would take her to the river court all the time, and his friends were nice to her. And of course Cassie was friends with Haley, and she looked to her like a big sister.

But she also knew that she had another brother, Nathan. She had never met Nathan before though. He had a different mom, the one that Dan was married too. Cassie didn't understand the whole situation because her mom didn't tell her, but she could guess.

"Are you going to the dance?" Cassie asked Megan. But she knew the answer to that question, she knew Megan's father and he was the nicest dad out there. If only she had that…

"Yeah" Megan replied, "Are you?"

Cassie stepped back and looked at her friend like she was crazy. "What! Of course not" she scoffed, "You know all about Dan"

"Oh sorry" she apologized. The two girls stood in silence for a few moments until Megan started to smile. "Hey, you know what? Maybe your Uncle Keith can take you?"

"No" Cassie shook her head quickly, "I don't think so" She loved the idea of her Uncle Keith taking her because he was basically the only dad in her life, but she didn't think he'd want too. She couldn't imagine even asking him that. 'Oh hey, I know I'm your niece but could you take me to the dance like I'm a charity case puppy without a dad.' Yeah that would sound great!

"Hey losers!"

Both Cassie and Megan turned and saw Ashley Braedon walking up to them. Cassie grimaced. She definitely had a history with Ashley. They had never gotten along, not even when they were five and in kindergarten. Ashley was always making fun of her and she was seriously stuck up.

"Why are you looking at this, charity case?" Ashley asked smugly. She looked up at the board. "This dance is for people who have a dad; a dad who actually wanted them."

"Shut up, Ashley. I can look at whatever I want!" Cassie stated hotly, her fists clenching in anger. Ashley just made her so angry!

Ashley ignored her, and kept pressing the issue. "My dad's taking me. I wonder what it's like to be a foster kid."

Fire flared in Cassandra's eyes. "I'm not a foster kid! I have a mom and brother!"

"Please" Ashley laughed, "That petty little café your mom runs."

"Ashley, leave Cassie alone" Megan defended, looking at her friend. She knew that Cassie was about to explode. But Ashley wouldn't let up, "You have a dad who didn't want you because, well, obviously you're you. You even have a brother who doesn't want you."

"Ashley. Shut. Up." Cassie growled out.

Ashley smiled, "Make me"

Cassie couldn't take it anymore. She felt her temper rising, and couldn't help it; the years of Ashley's comments had finally got at her. "Fine!" she shouted, pulling back her arm. Using all her strength, she punched Ashley right in the eye. Lucas's friend Skills had taught her how to punch.

"Ow!" Ashley yelled, holding her eye. "You little..." she didn't finish her sentence because instead she tackled Cassie to the ground.

Both girls were on the ground fighting, kicking and scratching each other.

"Cassie, come on stop" Megan begged, trying to pull her friend out of the fight. But it was to no avail.

"Hey!" One of the teachers called out. She quickly rushed to the girls along with another teacher. "Enough!" "Girls stop it!" they both commanded. The teachers managed to pull the girls apart.

"It was her fault!" Cassie pointed.

"Na-huh. She punched me!" Ashley pointed.

"Principal's office, now." The teacher commanded. Cassie's face lost all its color. Oh no, this was going to be a bad day.

Cassie was sitting in the chairs in the main office when she heard the main office doors open. Looking over, her heart beat quickened because she saw that it was her mother; and boy did she look pissed. Oh man, she was so dead!

Karen glanced over at her daughter while she was signing in at the desk. She had to say that she was surprised when she got the phone call that she had to come pick up her daughter from the principal's office because she had gotten in a fight. Karen liked to think that she had taught her children that under no circumstances that they were to fight. Her son Lucas had seemed to understand that, but apparently her ten-year-old daughter didn't get that memo. Obviously they were going to have a long talk today.

Shrinking up in the chair, Cassie wished that some majestic power would swallow her up in that chair…or better yet, make her mom go away.

Karen had started to walk towards her daughter when the principal came out of his office. "Ms. Roe" she started, "Please come in". Karen nodded and followed that woman back into her office. Cassie smiled and looked up. "Thank you" she whispered. She was safe, for now.

Fifteen minutes later Karen emerged from the office. She motioned for Cassie to follow her. So grabbing her backpack, Cassie followed her. Oh boy, this wasn't going to be good at all!

It was silent on their walk to the car. Cassie could tell that her mom was furious. The last time she'd seen her mom this furious was when Karen had found a cigarette in her older brother Luke's backpack. The then thirteen-year-old had been in so much trouble with their mom, and Cassie was sure that he'd never see the light of day again.

Cassie gulped, that was her fate now. Although Lucas had been in a ton of trouble with that incident, Cassie couldn't really remember him getting into more trouble. Lucas was the good kid, the easy-going go with the flow type. That was something she was not! She always had an opinion, a mouth and wasn't afraid to use it. She often disagreed with her mom and Cassie wasn't one that when she was told to do something, or told how to do something a certain way; she wanted to know why. Her Uncle Keith said she was inquisitive. Whatever that means anyways! But her brother was the great kid, and he had never been in a fight; that was more of her specialty.

The last time she had been in a fight was in second grade. She had fought with Ashley (Who else was there!) on the playground. It technically wasn't a fight though, Ashley had taken her Barbie doll and wouldn't give it back. So Cassie had gotten angry and eventually ended up pushing her down the slide. It wasn't the best move for her since Ashley ended up spraining her ankle.

So needless to say, her mom was upset with her. When they had gotten home that day, Karen made Cassie stand in the corner for what seemed like hours…and let's just say she had trouble sitting at the table that night. Cassie had never fought with Ashley, or anyone for that matter, again.

Cassie had that day in mind as she climbed into the front seat and shut the door. As she was putting on her seatbelt, she cautiously looked at her mom. "So I take it you're mad?"

"Why wouldn't I be, Cassandra?" Karen asked incredulously. Of course she was upset with her daughter. "You got in a fight." she stated.

"And here I thought you'd be happy" Cassie mumbled.

Karen's face deadpanned. "Enlighten me?"

Cassie took a deep breathe, knowing that she needed to explain herself and maybe get out of a punishment. "You always said that me and Lucas needed to stick up for ourselves and that we shouldn't let people be mean to us. And that's what I did!"

"Yes Cassandra, I taught you to stick up for yourself but that does not under any circumstances mean that you engage in a fight." Karen lectured, "You fight your battles with words, not fists"

"I did at first" she defended, then shrugged. "It didn't feel as satisfying that way"

"Oh, well then I hope your two weeks of being grounded is just as 'satisfying' for you" Karen countered, causing Cassie's mouth to drop in shock. "Mom!"

"Two weeks; I'm not budging on this, young lady" Karen said firmly. She took fighting very seriously.

Cassie wanted to yell. Her mom was so unfair! Ok yes, she fought with Ashley but Ashley deserved it. Cassie would be lying if she said that that punch didn't make her smile. Ashley was always teasing her and now she was finally sticking up for herself. "Moomm" she whined.

"Complain and it will be three" Karen threatened, shooting her daughter a stern look.

"Ugh!" Cassie seethed. "You're so unfair."

"Cassandra Elaine, enough!" Karen scolded. Cassie turned her head and angrily starred out the window. Whatever!"

"Excuse me?!" Karen was stopped at a red light, so she turned her head and narrowed her eyes at her delirious daughter. When did her ten-year-old suddenly turn into a teenager? "Do not 'whatever' me, young lady!"

Cassie's eyes widened slightly. Maybe that hadn't been the best thing to say to her angry mother. She should have mumbled an apology or said something, but her temper and stubborn pride kept her from doing so.

"You just earned yourself some dishwashing when we get to the café" Karen said. Cassie wisely didn't complain and remained silent on the way back to the café.

-Café-

Karen was busy wiping of the café counter when she heard the bells chime. She had just reopened the café for the day because she had to close it when she picked up Cassie. Karen smiled, seeing that it was Keith who had walked into the café.

"Hey Keith"

"Hey Karen" he smiled, walking up to the counter.

"Slow day at the shop?" she asked, grabbing a cup and putting it in front of him.

"Yeah" Keith nodded, "I finished the last car for the morning but I have another one coming tonight" he explained.

"Ok"

"Lunch rush over?" Keith asked, noting that there was no one in the café. Karen nodded, "No, I just reopened this morning"

Keith's face turned to confusion. "Why did you have to reopen?"

"Mom" A voice came from the kitchen. Karen shifted her eyes to the kitchen and then back at Keith; her face telling it all.

"Oh" He sighed, now knowing that Karen had closed the café because of Cassie. He wondered what the little spitfire had done.

"Mom!" Cassie called out, coming into view of the counter. She then noticed that her uncle was sitting at the counter. "Oh, uh, hi Uncle Keith"

"Cassie." He smiled, "Why aren't you at school?"

"Because of stupid Ashley" she muttered almost inaudibly before turning to her mom. "I finished the dishes" she said with attitude.

Karen nodded, "Good. So now you can clean the tables."

"What? Mommy!" she whined.

"Cassie this shouldn't be foreign to you. It's called chores" Karen said in her no nonsense tone. "Now get to it"

Cassie pouted, and crossed her arms. "Isn't that what you have employees for?" she mumbled, but quickly got moving when she saw her mom's face was not one to be messed with. As she was passing the counter, she yelped when she felt her mom give her a stinging swat to her bottom. Now was not the time to piss her mom off!

"So what'd she do?" Keith asked when Cassie left them. He'd been wondering what Cassie could have done that made Karen that furious.

Karen then proceeded over the next few minutes to fill him in on Cassandra's eventful morning. "Wow" Keith stuttered when she had finished. He didn't think that his little niece would dare get into a fight. Karen was pretty strict with Lucas and Cassie, and they knew the rules and what Karen expected out of them. He'd even argued with Karen, trying to get her to be more lenient with the kids but she refused. It was actually one of the things that Keith admired about her; how she was so loving and protective about her kids. "So what are you going to do?"

"I grounded her for two weeks" Karen replied.

Keith nodded, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Do you think it's too harsh?" Karen questioned.

"No, I think it's fair" he answered honestly.

So when Cassie had grabbed a tray out of the kitchen; she went to work cleaning tables. She got to the table in front of the window, and picked up a coffee mug to put on her tray, when she saw Dan Scott walking on the sidewalk. It was because on him that she had gotten in trouble today. She felt all that anger and hurt come to the surface. Her temper was in full swing, so she took the coffee mug in her hand, and threw it at the way

BANG!

The coffee mug hit the wall; shattering into millions of pieces. Karen and Keith froze.

"CASSANDRA ELAINE SCOTT!" Karen yelled.

"Cassie!" Keith exclaimed shocked.

Cassandra turned and looked at her mom, realizing what she had done. Her mom was furious, and her Uncle Keith wasn't far behind her. Damn it, she was so dead. An instinct in her kept saying 'Run. Run. Run'. Dropping the tray on the table, Cassie ran through the café, her main goal was getting to the stairs so she could go to the safety of the roof.

As she ran past the kitchen, she narrowly missed her mom's grasp. "Cassandra!" Karen fumed, trying to grab her; but Cassie was too quick. As if her life depended on it, Cassie ran up the stairs. So was in huge trouble.

I'll post the next part soon. More to be discovered about Cassie and what happened with Dan and Karen in the next part.