Obsessive / Rafe Cameron COMPLETED

Chapter Twenty Seven

"Hey, dad."

He sticks his hand to the glass, and I do the same. It's the closest thing I have to being near him. Why can't I hate him? Why can't I be strong like Sarah and remove him from my life completely?

"Rafe, you need to listen to me. I have a plan to get out." His voice is quiet, whispering into the phone so the guards can't hear him. I press it closer to my ear, waiting for his response. "Robert Poole. You need to say it was him. He had a gun too, that he killed Gavin with. If there is a way to somehow switch the guns around, maybe the imbeciles in this jail will let me out."

As soon as Avery's dads name comes through the phone it's like my hearing has gone out. All I hear is static and my vision is clouded. I feel like I am going to pass out and be sick all at the same time.

Words come out of my mouth but I don't hear them, all I see is my dad's face drop and get angry.

"What do you mean, no?"

Oh, so that's what I said.

"I said no. He didn't do anything to put you here. You did all on your own." His face contorts, expressing even more anger that I didn't think was possible. The look makes me laugh. A real laugh that has me hunched over onto the table, tears streaming down my face. This is my breaking point and I have finally hit it.

My dad's eyes stare into mine, looking like he wants to crash through the glass and strangle me. "If this is about that girl, Rafe please. You think that is actually going to last? She'll get tired of you after a few years and leave, just like everyone always does."

He is trying to break me. He wants to see me suffer. "Goodbye, dad." I move to put the phone down, but pause, wanting to add one more thing.

"It's my birthday, by the way."

The cheap plastic slams into the holder, a few pieces flying out as it does. My father's hands slam against the glass, begging me to come back. He shouts my name over and over again, but no sound comes out. I look at him once more before turning on my heel and walking out the door. A freeing feeling washes over my whole body. What was once a heavy weight on my chest, is now gone. The hot summer sun blares down on me but I could care less. It's my twenty first birthday and the day has started off on the right foot. It can really only go up from here, let's see what the others have in store.

I dial Topper's number and he picks up almost immediately. "Hey, birthday boy!"

"What are we trying to get into today?"

He laughs, sounding drunk already. Something about The Fourth of July makes people do that. "Whatever you want, you're legal now so you get to pick. No more fake ID."

Oh, now this could be fun. "I'll be over to yours in ten. Let's pick up Kelce and start at Grey Lady."

"I'll prepare my liver. See you soon."

I hop in my car and head over to Topper's. The roads are more packed than usual today, everyone getting a head start to the beaches before they get too crowded. Outer Banks and Fourth of July go hand in hand. It's a match made in Heaven, and I think these tourists need a little taste of Hell on their vacation.

An old, beat up Volkswagen bus zooms by, cutting me off. I lay on the horn, nearly running into the back of it. The mass of stickers gives the driver away and the sense of doom I had before walking into the jail returns. I know she and the pogues are planning something for today. Whether it be the beach, or something else, I need to make sure seeing Avery is the last thing I do. She knows it's my birthday, it was one of the first things she asked about me. I'm not expecting a celebratory text, though.