•STOCKHOLM SYNDROME• [obx3]

Chapter 29: Takes two to play

'Shi-', Rafes eyes flicker to Liam, he stops himself mid-curse. He completely forgot about the sausages. Wasting no time, he gently places Nat in her arms.

'Just ... be careful with her okay?'

Rafe doesn't notice Kie rolling her eyes, hes already spun around and launched into a jog. The wind resistance blows like ice against the fabric of his wet shirt.

When he comes to a stop in front of the barbeque, his teeth clatter. He tugs an arm across his body for warmth while his spare hand switches off the gas. He eyes the sausages. Shit. They're not that bad. He attempts to reassure himself. Yeah, they're not that bad.

Rafe picks at them with a pair of tongs, he flips one over.

'Fuckkkk', he groans, rubbing the back of his neck. They're burnt. A strip of black lines them like coal. But he stacks them up on the oval plate. Stacks them in a way that hides the burns.

Another gust of wind blows at him, goosebumps form along his arm. Rafe shivers, droplets from the front strands of his hair run down his face. Each time leaving his cheeks vulnerable to the chilling breeze. His hand combs through his hair, slicking it back. Fuck I'm going to kill that bitch.

Rafes gaze shifts from the sausages to the garden. He spots a chili bush. A smile creeps upon his lips. Maybe this bitch will finally learn not to fuck with me.

Once hes done burying discrete chunks of chilli into one of the sausages, he puts the piece of meat he cut out back into place. His lips press together in approval. Not bad.

He takes the plate and balances a bag of bread, holding the rim between two fingers like a cigarette. With his spare hand he picks up the two sauce bottles. Then makes his way back over to them.

'Lunch is ready'

Kie raises her sunnies, she rests them like a headband on her scalp. She peers at the sausages with her teeth clenched together.

'Yeah... I can't eat that Rafe'

'What- what do you mean you can't eat it?'

'I'm vegan'

He smashes the plate onto the ground. 'Son of a mother f-trucker!'

A fearful expression comes across Liams features.

'Oops, I aaaah... I had an accident'

The bag of bread slips from his gasp, landing ontop of the broken plate. His hand brushes through his hair.

'The plate just slipped out of my hand you know'

Luckily for him, Liam looks convinced. 'Thats okay Rafeeeeee' he chimes 'everyone has accidents'

Rafe plants a fake look of disappointment over his features, at least until Liam takes leave back to the pool. Then Rafe stares at Kies with great raging intensity.

'Why didn't you fucking tell me you were vegan?', he scolds in a low voice.

'Rafe don't swear in front of the baby', Kie shakes her head at him mockingly, covering Nats ears. 'And you never asked'

'Oh I'm sorry', He says sarcastically 'Yeah its my fault', he pecks his hand at his chest 'Its always my fault isn't it. Yeah. I should've asked for your dietary requirements right? I mean what do I look like to you Kie? Do you think I'm here to serve you or something?'

'Looks like you burnt them', Kie says, ignoring him. She makes a show of eyeing the sausages then meets his eyes, smiling coyly.

'No shi- way Kie, if it wasn't for your little stunt they would've been cooked fine'

'Well its not my fault you're a bit... thick in the head. I didn't know you'll actually fall for it-'

Rafe cuts Kie off, squirting the bottle of tomato sauce right in her face.

Kie swipes her finger over her face with a scoff. 'Ewww Rafe', she sets Nat down and climbs to her feet. While Rafes too busy chuckling, she leaps forward and grabs the other sauce bottle. The next thing Rafe knows is that hes got mustard running down his right cheek.

Kie steals his cap and docks it backwards over her own head with a sassy grin. Rafes quick to clean the mustard away with a swipe of his wrist. He shoots her again, painting a line over her face in a vibrant red. She looks kinda cute when shes mad. 

Before she strikes back, Rafe lifts Nat into his hands. He raises her like some sort of shield.

'Thats unfair you can't do that'

'Alright', Rafe says in surrender, 'I'm putting her down', he says in a defeated voice that suggests she should hold fire. 'I'm putting her down'

When he turns back to her, shes unscrewed the bottle, dumping the entire remains over his head. Rafe slicks the drooling mustard from his face upwards into his hair like it's hair gell.

'Oh, you're going down'

He scoops her up like he's carrying a koala. Kie bawls her fists and knocks on his shoulder, wiggling her legs.

'Let me go', she whines

'Sure thing', He says as he shoves her from him.

But as Kie falls backwards, she latches onto his arm, dragging him down with her. They break the surface of the pool. Its strange, cause when he arises he doesn't consider drowning her as he would anyone else. Instead his eyes fall upon her lips. But he stops himself. What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? She's a pogue. Yeah. Just a dirty, worthless pogue.

'Let's go', Rafe says turning away. He won't let himself feel like this, not again and definitely not with her.

'Sorry', Kie boldly pops the word on her mouth 'Where are we going?'

Rafe pulls himself out of the pool with ease. 'To get food or would you rather stave to death'

'I thought kooks order food'

'Its complicated okay? Lets go', Without realising what hes done. He stares at his lowered hand, outreached at her. Shit. What am I doing? He cringes internally but keeps his hand there, it's too late to withdraw it now.

Kie gives him a look but takes it.