" What do you think you're doing?" A voice roared outside of her door. Cassandra huddled deeper into the shadows of her closet.
" Leave her alone!" A female voice shrieked, followed by a thump and the doorknob being rattled. Cassandra should never have locked it knowing that would only anger the volcano trying to get in. The door splintered as it was kicked down.
" Where are you, you little bitch! Come out here!" The monster raged around the room, breaking this and that, ripping paper and shattering glass. Finally its heavy footsteps stopped outside the closet door. It ripped open on its hinges to show a dark figure backed by a very bright light.
Cassandra was dragged out by her long brown hair. The face of the original monster twisted until it became one a little more familiar. I woke up with a gasp, jerking forward on the couch. I'd had that dream for the past week or so but I'd never seen the monster's face before I woke up.
" You okay?" John asked, pulling me back into the couch by the ends of my hair, lightly tugging.
" Fine."
" Are you sure? Because if the movie's getting to you, we could always do something else."
" No, I'm good." John smiled and pulled me closer. I tried to readjust to get a little more comfortable but he thought I was trying to leave and just tightened his hold.
" Hey Cassandra do you have the answers to the history homework?" I was jerked out of my contemplation by Rogue's cheery voice.
" Uh… yeah. It's in my room, I'll go get it."
" No that's okay. Listen I wanted to talk to you." I tugged self-consciously at my long sleeves.
" What about?"
" John."
" What about him?" I was gearing myself up for another conversation like the one I had had with Scott a few weeks ago.
" Is he treating you okay?" I was shocked at the concern in her voice as she stared into my eyes. I shifted my vision to the floor as I tried to think of an answer.
" Yes. Why?"
" I don't know, your wardrobe changed recently." Rogue's gloved hands fingered the long sleeves.
" It's nothing. I was just more comfortable in these, that's all." My gaze shifted once more to the table.
" If John were doing anything… you could tell me. I'd help, you know that, right?" I smiled at the offer.
" Thanks Rogue. John has been nothing but a gentleman to me."
Rogue smiled, moving to stand up. " But if he isn't, you have about half the mansion willing and ready to kick his butt." I couldn't help but to grin at that.
" I'll keep that in mind."
" Keep what in mind?" John's voice rang out behind me.
" Oh, nothing." I said, smiling back at him, twisting around in my chair. John leaned down and kissed my lips, a hand resting on my shoulder.
" Well, I have to be going. Can I stop by later and get the history homework?"
" Sure, just knock. I'll have it waiting for you." Rogue exited the library and John took her vacated seat, pulling mine closer to his.
" You shouldn't be so nice to everyone." I smiled, thinking quickly.
" But I like being nice to everyone. It makes everyone like me."
" It makes them think they have a claim on you. Like Rogue asking for your homework. She wouldn't have asked if she didn't think you'd give it to her."
" She would've forced me to give her the answers if she wasn't nice to me and vice versa. I've had plenty of people do the same before."
" Are you arguing with me?" John asked quietly, cupping his free hand under my chin.
" No, I'm just point out facts." His hand on my face squeezed tighter.
" That sounds like arguing."
" No, no it's not. John." I was pleading with my eyes, my brain registering that I had been in a similar position for years. What I still didn't know was how to get out of it.
" I'll be in your room before dinner. When Rogue comes I'll tell her tat you aren't supposed to be giving people the answers."
" I don't mind John, honest."
" But I do." 'It's my homework!'
" Okay." John's hand released me and I went to stand.
" Where are you going?" He asked, tugging me back into the chair.
" I left my math book in my room, I was just going to go get it."
" You can do other work right now, can't you? You can get your math book later."
" Okay." I whispered, sitting back into the chair and turning to do my science work.
" I don't understand. Cassandra said I could look over her history homework. I just have two questions I can't answer."
" So go ask Bobby." John demanded, trying to shut the door in her face.
" Let me talk to Cassandra."
" She's busy." I listened in painful silence, trying to work out the answer to problem fifty-two in my book.
" Just for a moment."
" What part of 'she's busy' don't you get?"
" The 'she's too busy for half a second of conversation with her friend.'" Rogue answered hotly. " Let me talk to her or I tell Scott you're beating her up." I stiffened at Rogue's threat. I hadn't told her anything, but John didn't know that. John turned and glared angrily at me, opening the door as he did.
" I'm sorry Rogue, I couldn't find my homework. I probably already turned it in." I lied, trying to apologize to John without saying anything.
" That's okay, I just wanted to ask about these two questions, Maybe you remember the answer or where to find it." She shoved the worksheet under my nose and I read what she had circled at the top. Does he hit you? I wrote 'no' next to it in a shaky hand.
" Those are the page numbers for the answers. Wish I could be more help."
" That's okay. I'll talk to you later. Thanks John." I knew Rogue didn't believe me but there wasn't anything she could do at the moment.
" Did you tell her I hit you?" He asked, shoving me back into the chair I was trying to get out of. I had to grab the table to stop from tipping over.
" No! I swear I didn't say anything!" The hand that smacked me across the face hit hard enough to tip me and the chair over, sending us crashing to the floor. " Please!"
" You little brat! You ungrateful wench! How dare you tell them I hit you!" John's fists continued to rain down as he spoke, voice never going above a quiet roar.
" Cassandra?" followed a knock at the door. John stopped his abuse long enough to pull me up from the ground. " Is everything all right?"
" Answer him." Was whispered into my ear, John's breath hot on my skin.
" Yeah, everything's fine."
" You sure? What fell?"
" Just the chair. I tipped over too far trying to pick up a pencil. It was really stupid of me."
" Are you sure you're fine?"
" Positive."
" Okay, see you at dinner." Scott's footsteps echoed down the hall. I was shoved into the bedpost, banging my head against the hard, darkened wood.
" You and Scoot have been getting real close lately, what's going on with you two?"
It was sort of true. Scott and I had been getting along better the past two weeks since he had apologized for his behavior. He had even been giving me extra lessons on car maintenance since I was failing.
" Nothing. I've just been getting some-some extra help with cars." I got help crawling onto the bed by John's fingers pulling the back of my pants up and yanking me forward. I tried not to yelp.
" How much extra 'help' have you been getting?"
" Just a lesson a week. I-I-I to-told you when it started."
" I want you to stop."
" But I need the help. I'll fail the class."
" So to get a good grade you're sleeping with him?" Pyro accused angrily. When he got mad, John was no longer my friend, but Pyro, someone I didn't know or like.
" No! I'm just getting lessons in the stuff I don't understand. Li-li-like how the engine fits together. The parts a-a-and stuff." Pyro climbed up onto the bed and straddled me.
" The lessons stop now or you'll be in more trouble with me." Pyro pinned my arms above my head before I forced myself to black out.
" What's wrong mom?" Cassandra walked in the front door to find her mom weeping on the floor. Cassandra stepped forward to touch her mother and the front door burst open. Her father walked in with a very scantily clad woman hanging off his arm.
" Get up you stupid woman." Mom simply scooted back into the bottom stair, sniffling the entire way. " Stop you sniveling. Take the brat upstairs." The woman grinned evilly and started toward Cassandra, grabbing her ear between her thumb and forefinger.
" Let me go!" The girl wailed, struggling against the two-bit hooker pulling her past her mother and up the stairs. Cassandra's ear was turning red fast.
" Cassandra." Her mother's tear-choked voice managed to reach her ears. " Go upstairs." The third grader instantly quieted and moved up the stairs at her mother's command. She blocked out the sounds of her mother's face connecting with her father's strong fist as the woman who had started the earlier tears continued to drag her into her room.
Not caring about the consequences, Cassandra grabbed the woman's arm and bit down, hard. The woman cried out and flung Cassandra's lithe form across the room, into the desk in the corner.
" You little whelp!" She cried, advancing on Cassandra as her arm dripped blood onto the throw rug. Cassandra glared daggers at the woman, bunching up and getting ready to defend herself. Just as the woman bent down to drag her up by the hair, Cassandra's feet shot out, knocking the hooker's feet from under her. Her chin connected with the desk's corner and she bit her tongue.
~~~~~
A/N: Thanks for reading. Also, a lot of people have asked me to mark, somehow, when Cassandra is having a dream. The reason I'm not, is that Cassandra herself doesn't know when she's dreaming until she wakes up. The way I've marked it is that it's in third person. Sorry that's the best I can do.
