Drowning » Rafe Cameron & JJ Maybank

022

(chapter twenty two)

One thing Clara noticed that changed about Rafe is that he always wanted to feel clean. When he was washing his hands he was brushing it with so much force that they turned red. His eyes watered as he let out a frustreated huff, then he started to sniff.

The brown haired girl reached out to turn off the water of the sink, wrapping her arms around his waist as the boy pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes, letting out a sob.

She just rested her head on his shoulders as she let the boy truly breakdown before her, hugging him as tight as she could, only leaving his side when he calmed down.

And now there they were again, resting on his bed after they had fallen asleep. Clara felt strong arms pulling her to his chest and a couple of kisses being planted on her exposed shoulder and neck and she smiled, turning her head as the fingers found their way to her sides once more.

Clara looked at the electric blue eyes of Rafe, her hand cupping his cheek as he smiled softly at her. "Hey, you."

"Hey, pretty girl," he said it back, leaning a little on her hand as she caressed his cheek with her thumb. "How're you feeling?"

Her brown eyes moved between his, letting them fall to his lips for a second. "A little confused... Guilty even?"

And Rafe nodded slightly, his lips turning into a frown. "Yeah, me too."

"What is this all about, anyway?" She asked, letting her head rest on the pillow as she looked at the ceiling. "What is this warzone between them?"

"John B thinks my dad killed his," Rafe confessed, licking his lips.

"Did he?" Clara could see the storm of doubt behind Rafe's eyes as his head shook a little.

"I don't know," he said it, eyes never leaving hers. "I don't want to believe he did, you know? But what if he did? It would explain why the... why she was going to shot him. Why he's so admant on blaming him."

Clara stared at Rafe, but it wasn't in a judging way, she was so understanding, so kind. His heart melted everytime she gave him that look.

"Whatever it was, John B discovered. But I don't know what is was..." Rafe left the wirds hang in the air as his own eyes seemed to glaze over, and then they went back to hers, his own hand brushing back her hair.

Rafe never saw someone so selfless in his life, and it was becoming almost instinct the need to protect her. He wanted to distance himself after what happened, but he couldn't find himself to do it.

Clara loved with her whole heart, and that was scary for him. All her little touches, the kisses and hugs were intoxicating, and everytime he looked at her it was like he fell on her enchantment all over again.

"You don't know what you're doing to me, Clara," he said it lowly, eyes tracing every single detail of her face, his finger brushing the scar on the top of her head.

Clara brought her lower lip between her teeth. The moment so peaceful that she didn't want to ruin it.

"What's on your mind, beautiful?"

And she pondered a second, the question playing in her tongue. "They brought me into interrogation about you."

His brows raised in surprise. "What did they ask you?"

"My timeline of that day. If I knew about..." she let the words around as he nodded a little. "I didn't tell them anything."

"Why?"