Fish Tale
And hey sweetie
Well I need you here tonight
And I know that you don't want to be leaving me
Yeah you want it but I can't help it
I just feel complete when you're by my side
-A Day To Remember
(If It Means A lot To You)
"Zach," she breathed, reaching her hand out and trying to touch his cheek. But he recoiled, taking a step back.
"Catherine," he greeted her, refusing to call this monster his mother. Her face fell, obviously unhappy with her son's cold demeanor. He knew she had been hoping he'd changed his mind and wanted them back in his life. "This isn't a social visit. I'm not coming home either."
"No," she said, and he realized that her eyes seemed dead, the features of her face lifeless. "I don't suppose you are."
And for a moment a memory of his mother flashed before him and he swore he saw her in the now crazy woman he was looking at. But his old mother had been sweet and caring, and her soul had been decayed by his father's dark essence.
His mom had never been the rotten one, she just been corrupted by the man she'd married.
But for the moment he'd thought he'd seen the previous mother he'd had, and the next second she was gone, calling out for his father. "Bradley!"
Zach saw his father, the big man he was, come trooping down the stairs, come straight and look at Zach, his eyes hard.
"Zachary."
"Bradley."
Their voices were practically identical. "You're girlfriend sent us quite the goose chase. We were trooping around Italy for days."
Zach was annoyed at the tone his father used. It was sarcastic and slow, deliberately casual enough to drive him crazy.
Zach ignored his comment, staring his father in the eyes.
"What are you doing here Zach?" his mother asked.
"Just came to see if you were actually here," he said. "I've got something for you. I'll bring it by tomorrow."
"What is it?" Bradley asked in a hard voice.
Zach's face gave nothing away. "I'll be back tomorrow," he said instead of answering the question. "See you then."
His parent's seemed to understand the exchange.
"Bye Zach," his mom called, but he was already walking away, his pace fast as he went down the pathway to his car.
He didn't reply to her parting words instead getting in his car and driving away.
:*:*:*:
Zach considered it true that it was always darkest just before the dawn. The sun had completely set and was long gone, lighting a different place in the world. And that's what it was now as Zach sat in his car in the abandoned woods, staring directly at the horizon. It was pitch black and silent, not even the birds were awake yet. He wasn't sure of the time, but he knew that in a short time the sun's rays would creep into the sky, marking a new day. Today was the day his parents were going back to where they belonged: prison. Zach hadn't been able to sleep so he drove deep into the woods trying to find some solitude in the dark silence.
But all he found were questions running around and crashing in his head, trying to find their own answers. He knew what he had to do, but it didn't make it easier. He was throwing his parents in jail.
That isn't something every kid would say.
He was staring into the darkness, only the glow of the radio's screen and the speedometer creating a dull light. And as he kept staring, listening to the empty silence his phone buzzed and began to ring. It startled him and he jumped before pulling his phone out of the cup holder. Who would be calling him so late? Or rather, so early?
He glanced at the screen. It was Cammie.
He pressed the call button, putting the phone to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Zach," she said, and he heard relief in her voice. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he said, as if it were no big deal that she worried about him at whatever time it was. "I'm fine."
"Where are you?"
"Will's."
"Liar," she said, her voice was accusing. "Will called and told me you never came home."
Zach sighed. "I'm in my car."
"Where?"
"In the woods, I couldn't sleep. Speaking of which, why are you awake?"
He heard her laugh.
"It's almost five in the morning and I have insomnia Zach," she said softly. "I sleep about as often as Will is sober."
"He's gotten better," Zach said in Will's defense.
"He has," she agreed. "But we aren't talking about him. What's wrong?"
Zach ran his fingers around the steering wheel. "I'm having my parents arrested today, that's what's wrong."
"Do you want me to come find you?" she asked.
"No."
"I want to help Zach." He knew she did, but he wasn't in the mood for company right now.
"I'm fine," he repeated.
"You shouldn't have to deal with this alone," she spoke quietly.
"I've been alone for a long time Legs, one night won't kill me."
He heard her breath deeply. He knew it would hurt her if she wanted to help and he wouldn't let her.
"I'll be fine," he promised. "I love you."
"I don't feel comfortable with you out there all alone," she said.
He didn't say anything.
"Zach I only want to help."
"Cammie," he said, his voice gentle. "I'm being serious right now. I am fine. But this thing with my parents is something I've got to do by myself. I love you but this is something I just need to do alone."
"I just want to help."
"You will, if you let me be. I'll see you tomorrow?"
She sighed again. "Yeah," she relented. "I love you."
He smiled. "Bye Legs."
:*:*:*:
"Jace," Cassie said, her voice sounding scared. "There's something I need to tell you."
He looked at her; she had spoken the words randomly. He didn't understand the fear in her voice. He squeezed the hand that he'd kept round hers as they'd sat on the picnic table in the courtyard.
"What's wrong?" he wondered, brushing hair out of her eyes.
"You know those first couple nights, when you found me?"
"Yes. . ."
"My parents are getting a divorce," she said sadly, her face looking broken and beautifully devastated. "And they yell, and things get thrown and people get hurt."
"People get hurt," he repeated his voice nothing but seriousness. "What does that mean?"
"It means," she started, before she couldn't find words, breaking off into tears. He pulled her into his arms, cradling her carefully. "It means. . ." he said her words, hoping it would give her strength to continue her sentence.
She pulled up the sleeve on her arm, showing him a fresh purple bruise, the pattern forming fingers.
He looked at it, the feeling something he was certain he'd never felt before. "Cassie," he said his tone a mix of tenderness and anger at whoever had done this.
"Who did this to you?" he said. "You're dad?"
She shook her head, "my mom."
His eyes were angry and she rushed to finish. "Not intentionally. She just grabbed me and she was so mad at my dad. . ."
"That shouldn't happen," Jace said in a low voice.
She shook her head. "It's not usually me who get hurts."
Jace disagreed; she thought that because she couldn't see the pain in her eyes. She didn't hear the breaking of her own voice. She was the only one who was getting hurt. He couldn't stand that. It was making his blood boil.
He placed his hands on either side of her face. "Cassie," he started. "You don't deserve that."
She shook her head and said nothing.
"If their getting a divorce, why are they still living together?" he asked.
She whipped at her eyes. "They're fighting over who gets the house. Neither will leave."
"Maybe you should," he suggested.
She laughed, but it was dry and humorless, "yeah. And where am I going to go?"
He shrugged. "If it makes you this upset . . . Maybe you could stay with a friend."
She shook her head. "I don't know anyone here well enough yet to ask them that kind of thing."
A thought popped into Jace's head. "You could stay with Cammie."
She looked at him like he was crazy.
"No."
"Why not?"
"I've never spoken to her in my life before."
Jace didn't see this as a problem. "She loves you."
"She's never met me."
"She lives vicariously through me," he laughed. "Cammie's awesome, she would do it in a heartbeat."
"Jace. No."
"I want to help," he said sincerely. "Cammie's the nicest girl I've ever met. She would treat you like royalty."
"I can't ask someone I don't even know to live with them Jace, it just doesn't happen."
"Then I guess you'll have to meet Cammie," he pulled her off the bench.
"Come on."
"Jace, no. This is ridiculous."
He looked at her again, making sure she met his eyes. "I want to help you."
"I know," she said softly. "And I love that you do, but Jace, I'll be okay with my parents."
His fingers danced over the bruises on her shoulder and she pulled her sleeve down and brushed his hand away.
"I don't want you to be hurting."
"I'll be okay."
He didn't look happy.
"It can't last that long anyway, their lawyers will sort it out," she promised.
He relented, it was her life, and he couldn't control her. "Fine, but I still want you to meet Cammie, and all my friends actually. They'll love you."
"I don't know Jace."
"I'm not throwing you to the sharks Cass," he laughed. "Here, you don't have to meet them all at once, then there's less pressure."
She agreed.
"Good," he smiled. His eyes turned serious again. "And if something happens at home again, I want you to at least call me."
She nodded. "Of course." She felt relieved at telling him, it was probably the worst part of her life right now and he still wanted her, even though she had a little baggage.
He was so sweet, she couldn't have asked for anyone better.
:*:*:*:
He didn't go to the police station till eight in the morning. It would give his parents enough time to be awake and waiting for him. For Zach the whole thing seemed like a dream— he couldn't even remember driving to the station. He barely remembered his conversation with a young female officer, and the next thing he knew he was in a cop car giving directions to his aunt and uncles house.
However, he did remember walking up the path to the house. His nerves were biting holes in his skin and he couldn't concentrate on anything but the front door of the house.
The officer noticed his distress. "Are you okay?" she asked.
Cammie had asked him that same question, but this wasn't Cammie, and he didn't know what to tell the police officer.
So instead he said, "Catherine and Bradley Goode. They're in there."
"The ones that escape from prison about two weeks ago?" the officer confirmed, even though he'd repeated it to her several times already.
"Yes."
"And you're their son."
"Yes."
"Alright," she said and lifted her had to knock. "Let's go."
Knock. Knock. Knock. Three little knocks and his parents would be returned to where they belonged. Three little knocks.
It was his father that opened the door, his mother peering over his shoulder.
They almost slammed the door in the officer's face but they had seen Zach then too. His mother's face only showed betrayal. His father had a face like his own: showing nothing.
"Zach," his voice was rough. "What have you done?"
"You're under arrest," The officer said before Zach had a chance to answer the question he didn't quite understand. "Both of you— hands behind your back."
Both complied, letting the officer cuff both of them. To Zach it seemed too easy, why had his parent given in so easily? There was only one cop, his father could have easily taken care of her, but he didn't.
Almost as if they expected it.
Zach watched as the officer made both of the duck in the car. They would be going to the local jail before the court decided whether to take them back to where they were before.
Certainly they would put them in a higher security prison. The one they'd been in before seemed like a joke.
The officer nodded at him before getting in the driver side, driving away.
It hadn't even been five minutes.
Zach sank on the steps, the door still widely ajar and he vaguely wondered where his Aunt and Uncle were. Maybe they'd moved. He didn't know. He knew the house behind him was vacant, left to nothing and to no one.
But something felt wrong so he got up and went in the house, and eerie sense of familiarity washing over him. He saw it when he got to the kitchen.
It was a letter, tucked between a bowl of fruit and a napkin dispenser. His name was written on it in his mother's curly neat writing.
Had they planned on leaving?
He picked up the envelope, flipping it over in his hands, running his hands down the edges. He couldn't open it. Not now, not like this.
So he tucked it into his back pocket and walked out of the house, closing the door firmly behind himself.
:*:*:*:
It was late by the time he showed up at her house. Not late enough for her parents to be asleep, but late enough for Matthew to wonder what his daughter's somewhat boyfriend was doing on their doorstep.
"Hi Mr. Morgan," he said, his voice sounding tired, stressed. "Is Cammie home?"
He nodded silently, but didn't move to let him in.
Zach sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know it's late but I really need to talk to her."
For some reason Matthew seemed to understand. Maybe it was the way Zach's posture and body looked absolutely exhausted, maybe it was the heavy defined bags resting underneath his eyes. Maybe it was the desperation in his face.
"Only for a little bit," he said, and stepped to the side. Zach walked in.
"She's upstairs," he said. "Leave the door open."
Zach nodded, and had the decency to look a little embarrassed at such a parental comment.
"Sure, thank you Mr. Morgan."
"No problem Zach," he said, and then went to resume whatever he'd been doing before Zach had knocked on the door.
He walked upstairs, taking his time walking to Cammie's room.
The door was open so he walked in, looking for her, but didn't see anything. He knocked on the door, and called her name.
She came out of the bathroom in shorts and a sweatshirt, a toothbrush stuck in her mouth. Her hair was in a ponytail, not a trace of makeup on her face. Her eyes went wide for a moment before she held up a finger, signaling to wait. So he took a seat on the edge of her bed as she finished cleaning her teeth.
"Zach," she said, coming out of the bathroom, tugging on her pony tail. "What happened?"
She sat next to him, and put a hand on his arm. "Are you okay?"
He just shook his head and didn't say anything. She brushed the hair off his forehead. And then she turned his head to her and kissed him softly. "I love you."
Even though he hadn't expected her to say that he realized it was exactly what he needed to hear. He needed to know there was one person he'd be able to count on.
"They're gone," he said. "In prison."
She rubbed the stubble on his cheek. "You look exhausted."
"It took less than five minutes," he said, shaking his head. "It still doesn't even feel real."
"It's real," she said. "They're gone."
The letter in Zach's jean pocket felt like it was on fire. He pulled it out, and ran his fingers around the edges. "This was in the house."
She looked at it. "Did you read it?"
He shook his head.
"Do you want to?"
"No."
She took the letter from him and set it on her bed. "Then we won't."
"I want to be done with them."
"You are done with them," she said. "You never have to see them again."
"I just feel like I'm doing something wrong, it shouldn't be like this."
"You're right," she agreed. "It shouldn't, but it is, but it isn't you fault it's this way Zach. Don't blame yourself."
"I don't want to blame them."
"Zach," she said softly, rubbing his arm. "If your parents love you they're feeling this too," she placed her hand on his heart. It was beating slowly, and he realized he was anxious about their arrest. he was just so tired. He was ready for it to be over. "They're going to be blaming themselves. They probably regret it."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I'm trying to say is however you feel they feel worse, Zach they don't want you to feel like this."
"They don't love me," he said. "They don't care."
"Fine," she said, dismissing it as though it'd never been said. "But I love you. I care. Zach, I don't want you to feel like this."
"I don't know how to make it go away."
"You need to forget."
"It's not that easy."
"I never said it would be," she took a deep breath. "You're going to have to deal with it. But I want you to know you don't have to deal with it alone, I'm here for you. I'm going to be here for you."
She said the words he needed to hear. He needed structure, a rock, something solid to hold on to. And Cammie obviously wasn't letting him go.
He turned his head and their lips brushed. "I love you."
The words brought a smile to her face. "You're going to be okay Zach," she said. "I promise."
He nodded along with her, kissing her softly.
"I better go before your dad comes up," he said. He stood up, pulling her with him.
"Yeah," she said, walking with him before she turned around and grabbed the letter. "Don't forget this."
He pushed it back towards her and shook his head.
"Keep it," he said. "When I'm ready you'll give it to me."
She smiled and tossed it back on the bed. "Okay," she reached for him and kissed him again, one last time long and slow.
"I'll call you tomorrow," he promised.
She nodded and let him go. "Ok."
:*:*:*:
So I know this chapter is kind of shorter than they usually are but this is the second to last chapter. Then next one is that last and it will be much longer. However it is more of an epilogue because it takes place six months in the future.
I hope you guys are looking forward to it :) I'll try to make it great.
PS Cassie isn't abuse guys (this is what most of you thought) her parents are just getting a divorce and she's going through a hard time
PPS. sorry I was way too lazy to do shoutouts. Hope you guys don't mind too much. I really appreciate all the reviews and hope you do the same for this chapter. :))
