HAPPIER THAN EVER - RAFE CAMERON

Chapter 36 : Betrayal

To Brooke's dismay, the two of them slept over at Barrys on his uncomfortable, filthy couch. The couch was barely big enough to fit the two of them and Brooke had been hanging off of the side all night. However, Rafe had kept his arms hooked around her waist forcefull, pulling her as close as she could be to him.

She had hoped when she woke up that it was all a dream— but when the voice of Barry sounded throughout the small home, the girl realized just how wrong she was.

"Good morning, Country Club. Mrs. Country Club. How you sleep?" He asked.

"Nothing like waking up to the sweet sound of your voice, Barry," the girl groaned as she loosened herself from Rafe's grip and sat up. Rafe, who had just gotten a notification on his phone, sat up as well. When she noticed the look on his face, Brooke leaned over and read the text from his father, warning them to not come home. The cops were at his house.

"You straight?" Barry asked.

Rafe glanced over to Brooke, "Shit!" He yelled, tossing his phone on the floor as if he was violently skipping rocks.

"Goddamn, what's going on, bro?" Barry questioned.

"Just give me a sec, all right?" The boy stood up and walked out the door.

"Brooke, what the fuck is going on?" Barry turned to her.

Brooke shook her head as she began to follow him, "nothing good." She rushed out the door, watching as the boy paced back and forth. "Rafe, we need a plan."

"I don't have one," he said.

"What if we leave now?" She asked. "We can go somewhere. Anywhere."

Rafe shook his head, "I don't have any cash. They'll track my cards."

"There has to be something we can do," she ran her hand through her hair as she stared down towards the grass.

"There's not!" He screamed at her, like he never had before. Brooke turned to him with wide eyes and as soon as hers met his, he softened. "The cops are gonna get me. They know what I did," his voice began to get louder.

"We really shouldn't be talking about this out here," said Brooke. "Who knows who is around."

Barry opened the door, "y'all gotta come inside before you get the cops called on us."

"C'mon," Brooke said, ushering the boy back into the home. She was pissed off at him, citing how she hated being yelled at. But she tried to understand the pressure he was facing.

Rafe sat back on the couch as he yet again breathed heavily, leaning back as horrible thoughts rushed through his head. He nearly regretted saving his father. Barry and Brooke shared a look but they didn't say anything.

A sudden knock on the door startled them. "Rafe. We need to talk," Rafe's father suddenly appeared.

"They got me, right?" Rafe asked. "We heard it on the news. I'm done."

"Not yet," Ward said.

"Not yet?" Rafe repeated.

"No," said Ward, as he entered the home.

Barry chuckled, "yeah, listen to your daddy, Rafe. Ain't shit over til it's over, ain't that right?"

Ward whipped around to glare at the boy, "Can we have a moment, please?"

"Of course, bro!" Barry exclaimed. "What was I thinking? Shit, it's my house. Y'all take as many minutes as y'all need."

Ward turned to look at Brooke, who had been sitting at Rafe's side. He raised his eyebrows towards her, almost as if he wanted her to leave, too.