Come Around

"Why didn't anyone wake me up?" Cassie demanded as she walked into her living room at nearly six thirty in the evening.

Jack, Alex and Zack's heads all snapped in her direction, while Rian and Angie ignored her, knowing there was no right answer to the question. Cassie was still in her pajamas, hair a mess and clearly still very tired.

"And why is he here?" she asked, shooting a death glare at Zack.

"I said it was okay for the guys to bring him along," Angie said, matching her friend's tone.

"Doesn't he have anything better to be doing? Lifting weights, drinking protein shakes, or maybe killing off more of his brain cells?" she sneered.

Angie turned to her friend, "You need to relax and at least try to be pleasant. I know it's difficult for you when you've just woken up."

Cassie opened her mouth to respond but Alex jumped up from his seat and caught her arm, dragging her into the back yard.

"Can you please calm down, Cassandra. Zack's just hanging out. He's not being disrespectful at all," Alex said.

"I don't want him here," she said, pulling her arm out of his grip, "And why didn't anyone wake me up?" she said, repeating her question from earlier.

"Because you needed to sleep."

"I needed to get a lot of work done today," she snapped.

Alex sighed, "No, you need to take a break from all the work you've been doing. You've been running yourself down and you're going to make yourself sick if you don't."

"I've been just fine."

"You keep saying that," Alex said, "Which leads me to believe that you're really not. What's bothering you, Cassandra?"

"The fact that everyone has been treating me like a baby lately is bothering me," she grumbled.

"You're acting like one."

"Fuck you, Alex," Cassie shouted.

"No, fuck you, Cassandra. I know something else is bothering you. Why won't you just fucking talk to me?" he shouted back.

She glared at him, "Why haven't you told Matt that we're together?"

"Is that what this is about? You're mad that I haven't told Matt? Why haven't you told him, if you want him to know so badly?" he asked.

"Because he's your friend!"

Alex laughed, "Really? You seemed awfully cozy with him the other day at the studio," he spat.

Her eyes rolled, "Aww, is wittle Awex jealous his girlfriend was talking to a boy?" she asked sarcastically.

"No, Cassie, I'm not jealous. I just don't see why it's such a big deal if Matt knows or doesn't know. And besides, you said we had to keep things professional and telling Matt about us doesn't seem very professional to me. So, make up your fucking mind. What do you want me to do to fix this? I will call him right now and tell him to come over and I'll show him that we're together, if that's what you want," Alex yelled.

"I want you to get out. Just get the fuck out, Alex. I don't want to look at you right now," she said angrily.

"No, bullshit. I'm not going anywhere. I fought too hard to get you and I'm not going to give up and wimp out now. I'm not leaving until we come to some kind of mutual understanding."

Cassie glared at him again, "I'm pretty sure we mutually understand that you're an asshole," she said.

With a sigh, Alex walked over to her. As soon as he was within her reach, her hand came flying toward his face. He caught it just before she struck him and quickly swept her off her feet. She kicked and squirmed, hitting his chest repeatedly.

"I'm going to drop you, and then you're going to get hurt," he said calmly.

"Go fuck yourself," she said, her open hand connecting with his cheek.

His face stung where she slapped him and he stopped when he reached the edge of the pool, just holding her.

"Are you finished?" he asked and she swung for his face again, her palm catching his cheekbone and he grunted quietly, "You need to cool off," he said.

Her eyes grew wide, "Don't you dare," she said, but he ignored her, launching her into the pool and walking back toward the house. She resurfaced just as he was pulling the door open, "Alexander William Gaskarth," she shouted, "I'm going to fucking slaughter you!"

Alex chuckled, turning around to look at her, "Bring it, baby," he said and walked into the house. "She's so pissed at me right now," he said to his friends with a laugh.

"Please tell me you didn't throw her in the pool," Angie said.

"Oh, I did," he said, "And you know what? She deserved it."

"How do you figure?" Angie asked.

"She slapped me twice," he said as he sat down, "I don't even know why she's so mad, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't know either. She's throwing a temper tantrum just like a child. So I tossed her in the pool so she can cool off."

Rian laughed, earning him a dirty look from Angie, "What?" he asked her, "She did kind of deserve it, you have to admit. But at the same time," he said, looking at Alex, "You know you just made things even worse, right?"

Alex shrugged, "I'm not worried," he said, "We're going to make up so hard later. I know it."

"Yeah!" Jack exclaimed, jumping from his seat and high fiving Alex.

"Dear God," Rian said, cringing, "I don't want to think about you boning my sister, Gaskarth."

"She's not technically your sister," Jack pointed out.

As the three boys argued back and forth on the subject, Zack quietly slipped out into the back yard. Cassie had gotten out of the pool and wrapped herself in a towel, and was sitting in the sun in an attempt to dry off. She glared when she saw Zack.

"What the fuck do you want?" she snarled.

Zack shifted uncomfortably, keeping a safe distance, "I, uh," he paused, "I actually came out here to see if you were okay," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "And to apologize, you know, for all those things I said to you. I was wrong and totally out of line."

"You're damn right you were out of line," she said.

Zack sighed, "I'm sorry," he said.

"If this is some game-"

"Cassie, it's not," he said, cutting her off, "I'm not expecting us to be friends or anything. I just thought, since we have to work together, that it would be nice if you didn't hate me anymore. And don't get me wrong, I really am sorry. I just didn't know how to say it to you because you could never stand being within like two miles of me, which I know I totally deserved and-"

Cassie laughed in spite of herself, "Okay, I get it Zack. You understand that you were a total jerk and you are genuinely sorry. Thank you. I appreciate that," she said.

"Truce?" he asked and she nodded. "Are you alright? Alex said he threw you in the pool," he said.

"I'm fine," she said and he nodded, turning to go back inside and as he opened the door, he heard Angie talking.

"Granted, I'm sure she is upset that you haven't told Matt, you know she's not actually mad at you. She's frustrated with work and she's really stressed out and she's just taking it out on you because you're clearly willing to take it. Rian and I have known her long enough to know that we need to let her know that we care, and we're here if she needs to talk, but to leave her alone otherwise. She'll get over it and be back to her old self soon enough."

"You know," Alex said, shaking his head, "When I first met her, she gave me this whole speech on how I was immature, but she's being exactly the same way right now."

"Maybe. This part of her doesn't come out often, though."

"Regardless, I still say she deserved what she got," Alex said.

Angie cracked a small smile, "I admit, she probably did. There was no reason for her to be hitting you. And I guess it's good that you're getting to see what kind of temper she has in the beginning of your relationship," she said.

Alex sighed, "Is she really upset that I chose not to tell Flyzik? I mean, seriously, is it that big of a deal?" he asked.

"Who knows," Angie said, shrugging, "Maybe because she's so stressed already, she feels like you're embarrassed of her. I can't say for sure because she hasn't mentioned it to me."

"Well we're about to find out if it is," he said, pulling his phone from his pocket and dialing a number, then putting the phone on speaker.

It rang twice before Matt answered, "Yo yo yo," he said.

"Flyzik, where you at, brotha?" he asked.

"I just got back to the house. Where are you guys?" he asked.

"At a friend's house," he said, "Take down this address and come hang."