Drowning » Rafe Cameron & JJ Maybank

039

(chapter thirty nine)

School, what a joke! Topper thought to himself. His hands were over the wheel of his car as he stared at the empty street.

His mother had been patient with him over the last weeks but was still making the boy go to school. Maybe because she wanted him to keep his mind working, to be distracted from the reality on the island at the moment, but everywhere he looked he could see people laughing, smiling like nothing happened.

And his last drop was when he heard Scarlett talking like she was just so sure that Clara had run away with Rafe, Sarah, and the pogues not too far behind, but not connecting the two.

Topper knew better, or at least he thought he do. It was no surprise the two girls had disappeared at the same time, which is also weird that Clara's phone was back in her house, along with her keys in the park close by.

He knew Clara. He had known for a while how her eyes would fog over and with everything that happened, he could see her grabbing her things and leaving them behind.

But she wasn't like that, not without a warning to anyone. Not without any of her things, her book or her camera, with no clothes nor wallet.

And he liked to think that he knew Sarah as well.

Topper did get into the car with his uniform, but he never planned to actually get into school. He never planned to go anywhere, actually, just wanted to drive around with no destination in mind, until he found himself parked in front of his best friend's house.

Yes, Clara was his best friend. Because even with all the bickering and teasing, it wasn't Kelce, Rafe, or even Grace he found himself looking for to talk with.

His blue eyes were on the front door, and he jumped when it opened. Richard stepped out of the house for the first time in three weeks. Shoupe had announced that the place was under police interest, as they has an ongoing investigation as to how and why her things were still there. They had no lead, however.

So now the police tapes were taken down, the case cold, and Richard was so fucking mad.

The man was holding the papers in a grip as he closed the front door with force, eyes searching bewildered as he could feel the stares at him.

Topper didn't know if he should do something, or say anything, he just stared, his mouth a little open as he watched Richard look back at the door and bang his fist on it in anger.

When the man looked back up his eyes connect immediately with Topper, and the teenage boy never wanted more than to become invisible at that moment.

Richard cleared his throat, looking back at the house then walked up to the teenage boy. "Topper, hey. How're you doing?"

Topper closed his fist, opened the car door, and forced out a smile.

"Hey, Mr Campbell. I'm okay, I mean, as okay I can be with all, you know..." he cleared his throat, scratching the side of his head.

It was awkward, anyone could tell. Richard hadn't known that Clara had become such good friends with Topper until he saw the worried expression on the boy's face but also didn't know that his own daughter was dating Rafe, either.

"Yeah, it's definitely been... some harsh couple of days," Richard fidgeted with the papers in his hand, and Topper glanced down, seeing the police warning.

"I'm sorry to ask, but did they find anything?"

Richard bit his lip, looking up from the papers as he shook his head. "No, nothing. The case has gone cold and no one knows anything. I just received the police report that they are archiving
the case. For them, Rose decided she was going to start over, and since Rafe, Sarah, and Wheezie are on her legal guard, she brought them along. And Clara would have agreed to go with Rafe, the same with John B and Sarah."