Crashing Into You

It was game night at Tree Hill High, the Ravens were playing the Pickerington Hicks. It was also the night Karen was due home from Italy. Cassie, Lucas and Keith had spent the entire day cleaning up around house, making a sign and even baking a cake to welcome Karen back. The cafe had been closed early as it always did on game night.

Cassie was warming up with the other cheerleaders, practicing the routines and stretching, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Startled, she jumped a little and quickly turned around. She came face to face with her grandparents. They had said they wanted to come see her cheer, but she hadn't actually figured they'd show.

"Grandma, Grandpa." Cassie exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Well we said we would come see you and Nathan tonight didn't we?" Mae asked hugging the young girl she was just beginning to know as her granddaughter.

Cassie nodded and pulled away. "Well I'm glad you guys could come." She smiled and then saw her Uncle glaring at his parents. "I wish I could say the same for certain other people."

Royal turned and saw Keith scoffing at them. He was obviously still angry for what happened the night before. He decided to ignore his son and turned his attention back to his granddaughter. "Were sorry for last night. You were not meant to hear some of the things you did."

Cassie shrugged. "Thats ok. It's not really any of my business anyways. What happened with Dan was a long time ago, truth be told I don't even really know him."

Royal and Mae were both relieved and a little surprised at how mature Cassie was. She was so different from Nathan. Nathan had always been troublesome, clever but troublesome. Cassie seemed to be very smart and responsible. Something they wish they could say about Nathan.

"So what about that brother of yours? And I don't mean Nathan...I mean Lucas." Royal said finally acknowledging Lucas as family. He had deep down always wanted to get to know his two other grandkids, but didn't have the guts to after what their father had done. But things could be different now. He actually had the chance he never thought he would have.

"He's around somewhere. I got a ride with him so I know he's here, probably just avoiding Nathan as usual." Cassie rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he wants to meet you, but I don't know if I would confront him right at this moment with the truth. Take your time, Lucas tends to take things a lot harder than other people and a direct confrontation is not the best approach with him...trust me."

Royal and Mae both nodded understandingly, although they both wanted to introduce themselves to him, now may not be the best time to do that. "Well sweetheart, have a good time cheering."

"Aren't you guys staying?" Cassie asked.

"We are, but we have to leave right after. Our plane leaves at 8 sharp." Royal explained.

Cassie nodded. "You guys leave, my mom comes home all in one night."

"Karen's coming home tonight?" Royal asked.

"Yep, but anyways cheer duty calls. It was really nice meeting you guys." Cassie again hugged them both and walked away.

Five minutes before the game started Cassie finally saw her brother emerge from the boys locker room. He walked over to his sister.

"Who was that you were talking too?" Lucas asked.

"You saw that?" Cassie asked and he nodded. "Well Luke, that was Royal and Mae Scott."

"You mean?"

"Our grandparents Luke." Cassie said.

"When did you meet them?" Lucas questioned her again.

"Last night when me and Uncle Keith went to Dan's for dinner. They were there and I met them." Cassie said and then saw the almost pained expression in her brother's eyes. "They really want to meet you to, but I told them directly approaching you with the news was not the best idea."

"Why would you even want to know them?" Lucas asked, but it was more of a statement then a question.

Cassie chose to ignore the cold tone in his voice and the distant look in his eyes. "Why wouldn't I? What happened with our so called father wasn't there fault."

"It had to be in some way. They raised him." Lucas spat.

"Yeah but they also raised Keith so they can't be all bad." Cassie said really getting annoyed with her brother.

Lucas took that into consideration and then just shrugged. "Whatever, I still don't want to know them. They've ignored us for the past 17 years so I will do the same to them, I suggest you do that too."

"Damn it Lucas." Cassie shouted causing some people to look in their direction. "Why do you always have to be so hard-headed. For one I don't need you to tell me who I can and can't see, I'm not a baby and I don't need protecting. And two I don't care what you say, I want to get to know them and if you don't well then that's just two damn bad."

Lucas looked startled. His sister had never taken that tone with him before. "Whatever Cass, just forget we ever had this conversation."

"How about I just forget were even talking." Cassie shouted at him as he walked away shaking his head.

The game started and ended with the Ravens winning 77-64. Royal and Mae had stayed for the whole game and then left soon afterwards. Cassie and Lucas spent the entire game ignoring one another and Keith wondered what had happened between them,

After the game Cassie, Lucas and Keith climbed into the jeep Keith drove. Cassie sat behind Lucas who was in the passenger seat. Both still weren't talking.

"Alright, are you two going to tell me what happenened?" Keith questioned.

Cassie just shrugged in the back seat as they started to drive and Lucas stared out the window.

"It's no big deal, Keith." Cassie said.

"It must have been something. Now I want you two to aplogize to one another before we pick your mom up at the airport. She doesn't need to come home, after a long flight to have her kids arguing with one another." Keith instructed.

Cassie and Lucas still said nothing. Keith stopped at a light.

"Alright somebody better start talking, before I take you both home and I go pick your mom up myself." Keith warned as the light changed and he turned not seeing the incoming car.

Cassie saw the bright lights and screamed, as did Lucas. Keith was to shocked to do anything as the car ploughed right into them and then into a pole.