ALWAYS || RAFE CAMERON

45

Bingo and Jinx barked loudly from my brother's bed.

"i wasn't asleep!" Hector opened his eyes quickly and grabbed the dogs muzzles to stop them from waking the house.

"sure," i opened his closet and took his bottle of vodka.

"you can't drink that." he rubbed his eyes.

"why the fuck not?"

"you're pregnant."

"i don't want a kid anymore."

Hector got up and took the bottle from me. "it's a baby, Juno, you can't just decide you don't want it one day."

"when did you get so wise?" i sighed and sat on his bed. "Rafe isn't ready to be a dad, and i just turned eighteen. i'm gonna end up as a single mother by the time i'm twenty-one."

"he loves you."

"he loves cocaine."

my brother didn't say anything.

"why did you want me to wait up?" he asked finally.

"i'm going away for a while."

"what? where?"

"i'm not sure." i admitted.

"you're not sure? who are you going with?"

"Rafe. you could come with us..."

"why would i want to do that?" he folded his arms and narrowed his eyes, classic Wills style.

i raised my eyebrow and grinned, classic Wills style. "Wheezie will be there."

"what about Mom and Dad? what are they going to say when they find us gone?"

"it wouldn't be the first time i disappeared for weeks on end." i pointed out.

"yeah, but last time you got shot." he rocked back in his gaming chair.

"do you wanna come or not?" i sighed.

"pros?"

"you can spend all day every day with Wheezie with no parents up your ass, i can get you drinks... anything else you might need." i wiggled my eyebrows.

"shut up!" he threw a dirty sock at me.

i swatted it away, laughing.

"and cons?"

i shrugged. "we'll be in a shit ton of trouble when we get back."

"but it'll be okay because i can come and stay at your new place." he stated.

"but it'll be okay because you can come and stay at my new place." i nodded.

"when do we leave?" he got up, grabbing his suitcase from under his bed.

"as soon as i'm packed."

"great. i want four full bottles of whatever alcohol you have, enough weed for ten blunts... oh and a full box of condoms."

"you dirty fuck," my jaw dropped and a laugh escaped.

——

Rafe had already begun packing whatever clothes were left in my closet.

"maybe we should stop round ours to get more of your clothes." he gestured at the few full cases.

"this should be fine. i'll go get my makeup and stuff."

i began stuffing cosmetics into a bag.

"it's cool if Hector comes, right?" i looked up to find him standing in the doorway.