No one sees you the way I do.

Ty's POV

We walk back downstairs to the group and I see Blake and Evan struggling to light the cake.

Cam walks on over to the girls who were across the table, waiting to take photos. That big bright smile appearing on her face. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I turn to see Kaydon looking over there as well.

"Cake time!" Evan says, seeing Cam and giving her a hug.

Kaydon nudges me slightly, eyeing the girls.

"Did you give it to her?"

I nod with a smile growing on my face. He starts laughing quietly and I look at him confused. He shakes his head.

"You haven't smiled this much at all, Ty. I'm just really happy that you're happy."

I take his words in. You would think Kaydon and I would be kind of tough on each other because of football and our history with football, but he's like my older brother. He knows what I'm thinking and he cares.

"Thanks man," I reply, head down. I can see him walk over to Blake, telling him that I told C. Blake gives me a wink and I grin. I feel a presence next to me and I look down to see a smiling Cameron.

"Hey," I say.

"Come on, I want you by me for cake!" she drags me on over and I stand by her left while Blake is on the left. The girls are in front ready to to take photos.

Evan turns off the lights and it was just the dim candle lights that shine. It glows onto her face and her smile just grows even more, the light reflecting her eyes. Her hair slowly falls down, almost touching the frosting and I pull it back, tying it badly with her hair tie on my wrist into a ponytail.

When we were about to sing the song, her phone blares. We all groan and she looks at us sheepishly, taking her phone out to see. The minute I saw her face drop makes my stomach turn and my fists clench.

"Who is it?" I ask almost immediately and she shakes her head, setting her phone down for us to see.

Gasps go around the room and Parker runs to turn on the light. I can see slight tears forming in her eyes and Blake hugs her. Kaydon and I look at each other and he gives me the nod to pick up the call from Harry.

"Please, Ty." I hear her voice break and I turn to see her looking at me while hiding in Blake's arms. Blake has a look of anger on his face while staring at the phone.

"Please answer it."

I immediately go to the phone and press the accept button. Everyone is quiet, everyone looks at me and the phone, waiting for an answer. I put it on speaker.

"Hello, hello? Cam!" I hear his venomous voice coming through the phone.

"Do you need something?" I reply. He starts chuckling.

"Well, why isn't Ty. How are you doing son?" his tone  is fake, he is fake, he's a fraud in everything he does.

"I was doing fine until you decided to call Cameron," I say, my tone stern and annoyed. "Now answer my fucking question, what do you want."

I hear him sigh and a loud commotion in the background, probably a show on the TV. I can see Cameron covering her ears and I just nearly lose it. She's in panic and distraught. Harry has ruined her birthdays before I could tell and it's traumatizing for her to even hear right now.

I start grabbing my keys and Sierra is signaling me not to go. Kaydon is slipping on his shoes, ready to go with me wherever.

"I was just going to see if she loved herself finally that's all." he says. That's all he fucking said. No happy birthday, no questions about his kids, nothing.

I look at them both. Blake is telling C things in her ear to feel better while she fights the tears. I start storming out the door to my car and Kaydon tags along, slipping into the front seat. He holds the phone for le while I drive.

"So you aren't going to say something about today that's actually nice?" Kaydon suddenly asks him.

"What's today?"

Kaydon immediately presses hang up and sets down the phone in frustration. I drive fast to Harry's house, anticipating a punch from my hand to his fucking face.

"Don't let him get to you," Kaydon comments, knowing what I'm probably thinking right now.

"How could he forget his daughter's birthday?" I tell him, my heart aching for Cam. "He's been a dick to her every birthday. Now he doesn't even remember."

Kaydon sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He's a terrible father." I nod slowly, my left leg bouncing in anger.

I turn into the large neighborhood and I can immediately see his house. I'm surprised he could still afford it, he's had it for years. I check my phone and I see tons of texts from the group chat which I don't have the time to answer right now but Kaydon does.

I get right out of the car, Kaydon behind me and I bang on the door. The tension in the air is thick and strong. Once the door opens, I see him standing there in a messed up dress shirt and pants, hair all over the place, and a beer bottle in hand.

He's drunk.

I can see the faint lipstick stains on his neck and cheeks. When he sees us, his eyes widen and he grins.

"Boys! I'm so glad you could be here," he about slurs, leaning on the door.

"How could you?" I tell him, standing close to him. I can smell the beer on him and the light scent of perfume. I'm pretty sure there's a woman in there waiting for him so I'm sure to take my time.

"You're drunk and got fucking hooked on your daughter's birthday. What kind of father does that?"

He chuckles and takes a swig of the bottle once again. I hear Kaydon coming right up, snatching the bottle and throwing it across his yard. The glass shatters and the liquid splattered across the grass. I can see the anger fueling in Harry as he cracks his knuckles.

"What do you mean, Shruder?" he turns to look at me again. I nearly laugh from disbelief.

"You know, all she needed was one fucking happy birthday from you. All she ever wanted was for you to acknowledge that she us enough for you, and she loves herself." I say. He just rolls his eyes and pushes my shoulder weakly.

I shake his shoulder roughly and push him back against the wall hard. I can hear Kaydon's muffles of not getting into violence but I sure am about to punch a guy till he drops unconscious.

"You son of a bitch, say something!" I shout, blood boiling.

"She doesn't love herself," Harry smiles psychotically. "No one does and she doesn't either."

"I love her," I but in. "I love her, she loves herself, Blake loves her, Kaydon loves her, Sierra and Parker loves her. She is loved."

"You aren't loved, Harry. You are cruel, a joke, and a liar. Everything you did for us was to hurt us. We learned that the hard way," I take a look at Kaydon and he's giving me a proud look. "All Blake and Cam wanted was for you to just appreciate them, love them, and be their fucking normal dad."

"Is that so hard?" I ask harshly. Harry doesn't answer and Kaydon pats me on the back, telling me to just leave the guy.

I can't just let Cameron have a terrible father like this. Or Blake.

"You are a sick piece of shit. I hope you know that," I say quietly to him, my voice almost breaking. "You are a horrible human being. You don't deserve your kids. They deserve more."

I shove him again before walking away to the car. Kaydon follows me and hops in. It was quiet, only the quiet hum of the car as we drive back home.

"I'm proud of you man," Kaydon suddenly says. I look at him, he's staring out at the window.

"You've grown to stand up for yourself to him Ty, I'm proud of you."

I don't know why but hearing that just makes everything so much easier for me. When we were young I couldn't even force a yell out of me to people. When I get degraded, I just let it happen.

No one is there for you, no one cares about you, and no one will love you if you disrespect someone older than you, was what I learned at camp when I was 9.

What I learned now is that, I shouldn't give a single flying fuck. People are shit, people don't care, and you just need to stick up for yourself whenever you can. Love yourself, care for yourself, and defend yourself.

"Thanks Kay," I say softly. "Thanks for teaching me to do all of that."

I see him smile and we just sit there with the sound of music in the air as we drive home. I meant every word I said to Harry. He is a piece of shit, a horrible human, and just a liar.

He won't bother us again, I'm hoping. If he lays a single fucking hand on Cameron, I'll be making sure he doesn't have his fucking hands at all.

Too harsh?

Nah, I think that was a bit too generous.

**

a/n

UNEDITED

HELLO HUMANS!! ANOTHER CHAPTER FOR YOUU!!

one more chapter then the epilogue before we finish book 1!! thank u guys so much for supporting this book and back to you, i can you not.

ON TO SOME NEWS...

BACK TO YOU IS ELIGIBLE FOR THE 2022 WATTYS!! AAAAAAAH IM LITERALLY SCREAMING THIS IS SUCH A DREAM OF MINE. im still contemplating if i want to enter it, but i just want to thank you guys mostly for supporting me and loving my writing even though it isnt perfect. you guys pushed me to become better and i think i have.

once again, another chapter is coming soon a dn thank you again. <3

-s