NYCTOPHILIA

chapter ten • hurts so good

"For someone who's so dark and mysterious I thought you'd absolutely revel in the night sky" Scarlet teased, anchoring her head so it was directed upwards towards the immense scenery. "You have such a perfect view from your balcony too"

Yeah he did, but he absolutely loathed that fact, the only time he seats himself upon his terrace was in the day time where the skies were light so he wouldn't be reminded of that lonely night. He couldn't even bare to look up and acknowledge them, instead just sitting and watching Scarlet squinting in mesmerisation and pointing out the brightest ones she could find.

Rafe couldn't remember how long he had been alone in Tanneyhill since the remaining members of his family had left him, Ward and Rose even took Wheezie for a vacation- neglecting the eldest sibling to look after the mansion in disregard of his mental state. It was another blow to his dignity, another thing his farther didn't trust him with.

There was no doubt about it that the trip was strictly for business, his ears certainly picked up the minimal conversations he heard between his father and Rose on different occasions. But he couldn't be trusted and the male was certain that he had never actually ever been reliable in the eyes of the adults in his life, query supported by the way they looked at him even when he was trying his best.

No one trusted him, not even the girl whom sat next to him and granted Rafe with a second chance which he definitely didn't deserve. A week had passed since he had taken her out and acted upon his impulses, night after night after that moment the regret began to slowly seep in.

He was kidding himself if he believed he could stay this way for a long period of time, the male was bound to ruin Scarlet and it was only a matter of weeks until those words become the harsh reality.

Rafe wasn't a good person and deep down he was even worse, treasurable things don't come to him without a cost, the cost of the female was yet to be discovered and the dirty blonde was eager to find out what exactly it could be.

"Will you stop going all fucking silent on me, you're creeping me the fuck out" Scarlet protested, pulling his mind from the thoughts he had submerged into and acknowledging the troubled look written on his face. "What's on your mind?"

His hand stretched out to brush against his cheekbones and then slowly dragged his features down until he reached his jawline, sighing heavily before playing with the signet ring on his little finger. "A lot of things, there always is"

"Do you want to talk about it?" She replied in a softer tone, content that she was becoming closer to figuring out the male than she ever has been in the past month and a half.

"No" he was blunt and sharp, completely shutting down again like he usually would, instinctively making Scarlet's eyes roll in aggravation. Even his expression changed, blank and plain like a machine switching its power off.

Sometimes he could be so inhumane that the brunette questioned if he actually was from this earth, one thing was for certain though, Rafe wasn't or never had been okay. They had spent everyday together since last Sunday and there were little habits that she picked up which he would do, from his substance addiction to the way he nurses his head like there are people inside trying to talk to him.

But is anyone actually okay in this god forsaken world? Each individual comes with collateral damage no matter who you are, herself definitely included.

Fading away as her mind spirals with the drugs kicking into her system, Scarlet threw her head back and continued to gaze at the sky. Just soaking in the calmness that the atmosphere consisted of whilst the male battled the disarray that his thoughts had caused.

Just as the male began to reach for the cocaine that sat in his pocket, his phone began to ring out from the opposite side to where the substance was held. Pulling it out from the left side of his cargo shorts as the caller ID revealed the last person whom he wanted to talk to right now. "Fuck sake"