The Least Favorite Cameron

Chapter 23

Before we leave I head inside and take a quick shower hoping it will wash away the events of last night. I hesitate before getting under the stream of the water. I didn't want to be like those girls in the movies who can't even function because of their PTSD but a part of me worried I'd freak out the second I was under the water.

When I get out, panic attack free, I quickly get dressed in a pair of soft olive green shorts and a black rip curl shirt that belonged to John B. I'll have to actually get my own clothes soon. When we get into the Twinkie to head over to the nursing home, Pope and Kiara are sitting on opposite sides of the van and won't even make eye contact. The tension between them is so thick you could choke on it. JJ sits in the back awkwardly with them and I have to stop myself from laughing at his face as he looks between the two of them very confused. When I turn around and face the front of the van I notice John B is staring at me from the driver's seat.

"What's up?" I ask, smiling at him.

"Are you okay? You haven't really talked about last night," He says in a quiet voice and the smile I had moments ago disappears.

"Not really something I wanna talk about," I say hoping he'll just drop it.

"You know that's twice now your brother almost killed you. I know you think he needs help, but some people are beyond help, Gracie," He says as he steers the van down the road.

"Well thanks for keeping tally of that for me. I don't regret any of the decisions that have brought us to this spot John B. and that includes going there last night to try and get Wheezie's help to clear your name. My brother thinks I betrayed him for you which of course isn't true but in his mind it is. So I won't apologize for thinking if he gets help, something our father would never provide for him, he could be better," Just as I finish talking we pull up outside the nursing home. John B. looks at me and I can see the wheels turning in his head trying to figure me out. Trying to understand how I could have any sympathy for my brother and I didn't understand it myself. Some part of me felt the same for my father but it wasn't equal. What he did was out of malice and evil, what Rafe did was out of desperation and something broken within him.

"I told you, I didn't want to talk about it," I said as I got out of the Twinkie and shut the door before John B. could respond. I saw the look of regret on his face for even starting the conversation. I slide open the back door of the Twinkie so the others can get out and the tension between Pope and Kiara is still present.

"Want me to go with you?" Kiara asks Pope.

"No thanks. I can do this on my own, I don't need your help," He says and heads off toward the nursing home.

"Well aren't we just one big and happy family," JJ says. Kiara rolls her eyes and stalks off in the direction of the shops across the street. I decided to go with her rather than with John B. and JJ, clearly there was something going on.

"Kie, what's going on?" I ask when I find her getting a slushie in the convenience store.

"I told Pope, I wanted to go back to being just friends. When we got together, it wasn't like I imagined it. It should have been amazing with the fire and stars on the beach but it was...awkward I think. I just don't think he and I are right for each other," She says and I can tell this is something that has really been bothering her.

"Hey I get it, but he's Pope, he'll come around eventually. You've just gotta give him time to be weird," I say, grabbing an empty cup and getting a slushie for myself. I pull the lever on the cherry machine and watch the icy red liquid fill my cup halfway and then I do the same with the blue raspberry side.

"What was going on with you and John B?" She asks and I pause not realizing the others were listening to John B. and I in the van.

"You'd think having hope my brother wasn't a complete psychopath was the worst thing in the world. I'm not stupid or naive I know he's fucked up and that he deserves to pay for what he's done but he's my brother. Two of the most important people in my life, I don't even recognize anymore, I just don't need to be reminded of it every five minutes," I say as we pay for the drinks and walk back out onto the sidewalk. JJ and John B. are leaning against the hood of the Twinkie looking at us.

"They're definitely talking about us," Kiara says, trying not to pay attention to them as we look at the different clothing items and other things for sale outside the one shop.

"Ugh let them," I roll my eyes as I look over at them and wave. They both shyly wave back like they know they were just caught.

We've been sitting in the Twinkie for about 30 minutes waiting for Pope to come back. Meanwhile I have been texting Sarah who has been free to use her phone since our dad has been distracted with the search warrants and the police at the house. Topper is at the house with her now, as the police search through the house sending our father into a rage.

"Guys!" Pope shouts as he gets to the door.

"It's true. It's all true, there's a cross, and this key goes to it!" He says out of breath as he settles into his seat.

"So that means?" John B. starts to say.

"I'm related to Denmark Tanney," Pope finishes.

It was about 4 o'clock now when I looked at my phone and saw an unknown number calling me.

"Hello?" I asked as I stepped away from the group.

"Gracie, don't hang up okay? It's me. I just needed to tell you I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry for everything I've done. I know you hate me, but I just needed to tell you that before all of this." My brother's voice echoed through my head as I heard him cry out each word with pain and chaos in his voice.

"Before what, Rafe? What's going on?" I asked him, as the others gathered around me at the mention of Rafe's name.

"What the hell is going on?" JJ asked and I put my finger to my lips to silence him.

"I just needed you to know that I was sorry," He said and before I could respond the line went dead.