Yay! 3rd chapter! I love this chapter and I sure hope you do to! Please R&R!

I had looked all night for Maria, but she had totally disappeared. At first, I was worried, but then I figured that Maria had probably gone back to Max and then went home. So that's what I decided to do. I dug in my jean pocket, pulled out a quarter, and inserted it into a payphone. I dialed the home number and listened to it ring annoyingly in my ear.

Finally, someone picked up. "Hello?" Carter answered.

"Carter, it's Cassidy. Can you pick me up now?"

"Why? It's only nine. I thought you were going to hang out at the-"

"Will you just come get me?" I snapped.

"Alright, alright, take a chill pill, Cass."

"Sorry, I just…I need to come home now," I said quietly.

"What happened?" he asked, concerned suddenly.

"I'll tell you in the car, okay?"

"Okay. Uh, it'll take about half an hour, Cass."

"That's fine."

"Okay, be looking for me."

"Bye, Carter."

He hung up then and I felt like crying. I don't know why, I guess it was just the sound of his voice. Sometimes, I got really emotional when it came to family. My mom died, remember? Then I remembered something important.

Where the hell were my dogs?

I checked all around the boardwalk, calling their names over and over again. Finally, I found them near a hot dog stand begging for scraps.

"Are these your dogs, miss?" asked the guy who worked there. He seemed nice and had a smile on his face.

"Oh, yes sir. I'm sorry if they've bothered you at all tonight," I replied.

"Oh, not at all! I fed them a few pieces if that's okay?"

"Of course! Thank you!"

He nodded his head. "You're welcome, miss."

I whistled to my dogs and we made our way over to the benches by the parking lot.

I sat for a few more minutes, people watching, until Carter pulled up. I opened the back of the truck and the dogs jumped up into the bed. I opened the door and hopped in.

"So tell me what's goin' on," he demanded the minute I sat down. I wasn't going to try to hide my face from him like most Mary Sue's, I told my brother everything.

"Maria's ex gave us a little trouble. I got smacked around a bit, but I did manage to break a guy's nose!" I tried to end with a positive note.

I timidly looked over and saw that Carter was glaring at the steering wheel, his dirty blonde hair peaking out underneath a John Deere hat. He looked up slowly, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Who was it?" he said slowly, looking directly at my injuries.

"Uh, I don't know his last name, but his first name's Grant."

"Grant Scoaly?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, maybe."

"I used to have calculus with that guy. He was a real ass."

"Tell me about it. His little bastards gave me a black eye and a bloodied nose," I growled.

"I can see. I'll get ya home and we'll get some ice for it."

I couldn't help but remember that's what David had said to me as well.

"Ugh! Shut up, Cassidy! He's just a guy!" screamed the little angel on my left shoulder.

"Yeah, a guy that saved your life! And he's gorgeous! That's a bonus!" snickered the little demon on my right shoulder.

If you don't know what that means, let me elaborate for you morons out there. It's my self-conscious arguing with itself.

"Yeah, ice would be great."

He pulled out of the lot then and drove home. The ride back was quiet and I stared out the window at the night stars. The moon was almost full tonight. Soon, we began to drive by the corn fields and I knew home wasn't too far away. We pulled up to a large plantation house that sat smack in the middle of a field. Surrounding it was, you guessed it! Corn fields. Yeah, my house was huge, but that's only because we inherited it. My family's lived on that farm probably since the dinosaurs roamed the freakin' Earth.

Carter stopped the car and got out. He opened my door then went around to the bed of the truck.

"Come on, rats, let's go," he growled, grabbing the dogs by their collars.

"They're not rats, Carter."

He grunted. Carter didn't like the dogs…at all. Not after they tore up his bedspread that our mother had quilted for him.

"Cass, call your dogs. They won't get out," he said, turning towards me.

"Winchester! Jess! Come on, get out!" I snapped my fingers and they jumped down from the bed.

"I don't know why they only obey you, Cass," Carter muttered, shaking his head.

"That's because I'm actually nice to them, Carter," I laughed. He shrugged and we headed towards the wrap around front porch. Our farmhand, Ben, sat in one of the many rocking chairs, listening to old country on the radio.

"Evenin'," he drawled.

"Evenin', Ben," I said cheerfully. The breeze picked up a bit and the wind chimes hanging on the top railings made a lovely melody. Ben's old chocolate lab, Bernie, snored quietly next to the chair. My dogs padded up next to him and proceeded to sniff at his ears and behind.

"Dogs!" I scolded. Bernie was old and needed his rest.

"Oh, they ain't doin' no harm, ma'am," he said respectfully. Ben always called me ma'am. He was just a good old country boy, that's all.

"Still, Bernie needs his rest. Come on, dogs," I commanded and opened the screen door. The main door was already wide open.

"Dad, I'm home!" I called. I walked through the main entrance hallway and into the kitchen, my boots sounding loudly throughout the house.

"Dad?"

On our kitchen table sat crates of empty jars.

"Hey, what's dad gonna do with these?" I asked as Carter came inside.

"Oh, fill 'em with honey and sell 'em at the market tomorrow," he replied.

Then, Dad walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, Cass! Did you have a good time?" he asked.

"Yeah, uh, can I sell the honey with you tomorrow?" Before my mother died, we were always the one selling the honey, not Dad.

"Sure you-" he cut off when he looked at my face.

"What the hell happened?" he asked, looking angrily at Carter. My brother put his hands up in surrender.

"I didn't do anything! I wasn't even with her, remember?"

"Cass, what happened?" Dad demanded.

"Nothing, okay! Don't freak out! I just got in a tussle with some guys on the boardwalk."

"No, it's not nothing! Just look at your face, Cass!" Dad said angrily.

In truth, I was a little bit afraid to look in the mirror. I stalked over to the bathroom and wrenched the door open. I turned to face the reflective material and stopped dead in my tracks. Blood was smeared everywhere and still coming from my nose. My eye was puffy and beginning to form an ugly bruise.

"Great," I mumbled. I walked back into the kitchen and crossed my arms.

"Now, would you like to explain what the hell happened?" Dad asked.

"Like I said, it was just a tussle and not my fault, if I might add."

Dad sighed. "Cass, you agreed not to do this again. You broke a promise."

"Dad! It wasn't my fault! They came up to me!"

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Positive!" Why didn't he believe me?

He nodded, his scruffy black hair getting in his eyes. "Okay, Cass."

Carter cleared his throat to break the tension. "So, uh, I'm going out tomorrow night with some friends, so I can't take you to the boardwalk, Cassidy."

"I'll ride with Dad," I muttered.

"Have you eaten?" Dad asked, changing the subject.

"I'm not hungry," I said stiffly and stalked up the stairs to my bedroom.

"I'll wake you up at eight, Cass," Dad called up the stairs.

"Whatever," I mumbled, slamming my door shut.

000

The sun was close to setting and we had sold more than half of the honey filled jars. The market was located directly in the middle of the boardwalk so it could be easily accessed by all the tourists and locals. It hadn't been too hot that day and all the honey sells had given me some extra money in my pocket. I decided to ask my dad if we could keep the stall open longer like the rest of the people. He agreed, but said that he had to go help a friend a few miles down the road. He left the stall to me. Of course, I was thrilled.

I watched the sunset and brought my water bottle to my lips. The liquid ran down my throat and quickly washed away all thirst that had been bothering me. I put the bottle back down and checked the honey supplies. Twenty left.

"Not bad," I thought to myself.

"Cassidy?" I heard a surprised voice in front of me. I looked up to see Maria.

"Maria!" She ran behind the stall and hugged me tight.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry for leaving you! I-"

"No worries, dude. You did what I told you! Did he ever find you again?"

She shook her head. "No, thank god! I thought you were going to get killed!"

I scoffed. "Me? Let's be realistic here!"

She laughed and hugged me again. "And just look at your eye!" she cried.

"Is it really that bad?"

She was silent for a moment. "The truth?" she asked.

"The truth," I answered.

"It looks like a two tons boulder smacked you on the face!" she blurted and I wacked her arm.

"You could have said it nicer!"

"You asked for the truth!" she protested.

I sighed. "Do you have a mirror on you? I haven't checked all day."

She dug around in her purse.

"Yeah, here."

She handed me a small makeup mirror.

"Thanks."

I opened the lid up and looked at my eye. It was the definition of badass if I may say so myself. Black and blue covered my whole eye and it was a little more swollen than the other.

"It makes me look awesome, don't lie," I laughed.

"You're right. It totally makes you look like a scraper!" she laughed, high fiving me. She walked around the stall again and looked around the boardwalk.

"So what do you want to do tonight?" she asked, looking back at me.

"I can't seriously believe you wanna go back out again after what happened last night!"

"Hey, forget the past and move on, right?"

I shrugged. "Maybe."

"When do you close up shop?"

"Let me at least make ten more sales, okay?"

"Ugh! Fine, but I'll be back for you at nine. If you're not finished by then, I'll personally drag you away!"

I saluted her. "Yes, ma'am!"

She laughed. "I'll see you later, Cass."

"Bye."

000

It was ten minutes until nine and I had sold eighteen jars of honey.

"At least Maria won't have to drag me by my ear."

I reached down and picked up the green and yellow striped bag I had brought with me and started to put the two remaining honey jars inside it. The amber colored liquid smelled delicious and made my mouth water. That reminded me, I hadn't eaten since that morning. I sighed. Food could wait. I began to close up stall when suddenly I heard my name being called.

"Cassidy!"

I looked up and my stomach did a back flip.

"Grant."

And he had more boys with him. I tried to ignore him, but he kept screaming my name while the boys around him made cat calls.

"Come over here!" One shouted.

"Yeah, we're not finished with you yet!"

"Come on sweetheart!"

I growled and again ignored them.

Then he said something that officially set me off.

"Are you as easy as Maria was?"

My face darkened a shade and my hands clenched into fists. Nobody talked about my friends that way! Nobody!

I quickly unzipped my bag and pulled out a honey jar. I unscrewed the cap and put on the sweetest smile I had. I walked over to him and he looked surprised.

"Hi! You're name's Grant right?" I asked sweetly.

"Yeah, that's it. Are you going to answer my question?" he asked rudely, touching my arm.

I laughed a high pitched laugh. "Well, I'll answer it with another one. Do you know what I was selling today?"

"Uh….no?"

I held up the jar. "Honey, wanna try some?"

Then, I reached my hand into the jar, pulled out a glob of honey and smeared it right across his face. I watched it drip on his clothes and licked one finger.

"Hmmm… not as good as I remember. Maybe because I touched your face with it. I guess it's tainted now," I said innocently.

He wiped his hand across his face and opened his mouth to same something, but I left. I walked back to the stall, locked it up and stalked away. Then, I remembered something. I turned back towards Grant.

"Oh and by the way, next time you talk about my friends like that, you'll get more than honey in your face, you son of a bitch."

Then, I turned around, laughing out loud, only to come face to face with the four biker boys from the previous night.

"This is an interesting second meet, Cassidy," David said, smirking as he looked at Grant and back to me.

Oh shit.

Oh snap! Honey drama! Hey, hey what's up with Cassidy and her dad, hmm? Please R&R!