𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒, 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴

𝐱𝐥𝐯𝐢. once bitten twice shy

Rafe took a breath, nodding his head slowly. "Yeah. I'm sorry too. For uh... calling you-"

"A skank?" Red finished. Rafe pursed his lips, nodding. "No worries. I've been called worse." Red sat down beside Rafe on the bed. "And... if it matters. Everything I said at Singh's place... I meant it. Every word."

"You did?" Rafe gave her a small smile, to which Red nodded her head. "Well, that's good."

"But... I was kind of hoping you could help me with something." Red as of course talking about the whole pogues thing. "You probably don't want to hear it... but do you know anything about why your sister has gone to South America and how she got there."

Rafe took a breath, nodding his head. "Yeah- yeah. Something about finding John B's dad. He was kidnapped or something."

"That's what he was trying to tell me at the party..."

"Yeah, I'm guessing."

"Then I need to get out of here like yesterday."

Rafe grabbed Red's arm before she could get up. "How? You can't get all the way to South America. Not without a plane." Red sighed, sitting back down beside Rafe. "I... I have a plane."

"You do?" Red asked, suddenly having her hopes up higher than the Empire State. Rafe nodded his head. "You're willing to help me?" Rafe nodded again, this time he seemed more unsure.

"Under one condition."

"Anything."

"You have to convince your friend's not to rat me out. And, you're not going alone. I'm coming with you."

"Deal." Red put her hand out for a shake, which Rafe gladly took. "Then let's go."

"Right now?"

"Yes!"

"We can't, my plane's under maintenance until tomorrow morning. That's the earliest." Rafe replied. Red nodded her head in understanding. "Until then, we have to stay here."

"Hey, do you wanna go get something to eat?" Red nudged Rafe gently, thinking of an idea of what they could do. "I know it's already like 8:00, but we can go get a bang bang."

"Everything's closed."

"You're such a negative Nancy. Plus, the dollar store isn't." Red chuckled. She loved going to the dollar store for snacks then eating them in a random place. Rafe nodded his head with a smile. "Great, let's go."

Red followed Rafe down the stairs and outside the house. Rafe hopped on his bike, waiting for Red to get on with him. Damn, did she have a type for boys with bikes or something? The last time she'd been on a bike was with JJ.

Red took a breath, climbing onto the back. "Go over the speed limit, and our deal's off, buddy." She joked, grabbing a hold of Rafe's waist.

Rafe revved the engine of the bike with a small chuckle. Red laughed lightly, the bike starting to cruise down the streets of The Outer Banks. Red liked the wind in her hair more than she remembered.

The two would soon arrive at the dollar store and buy a whole bunch of crap before they rushed over to the beachside and began eating them one at a time. They'd already been there for about an hour, just talking and laughing about random things. Red was actually having a good time with Rafe. A better time that she'd like to admit.

"So... Do you think Andie should have been with Duckie or Blane?" Red asked, continuing their controversial movie opinions topic.

"Honestly, Duckie."

"I know. Duckie was waiting for her the entire time, then Blane came along and Andie chose him? No. Absolutely not."

"What was that one movie that you tried to get me to watch? Beautiful life?" Rafe asked, recalling a movie Red urged Rafe to watch years ago but never did. But all Red could think about was how Zack had deceived her.