All Of You// JJ Maybank

14. you kinda owe me

It's not until rafe reaches the house that anyone speaks. "I don't care what's going on between you two but you need to come home" John b says calmly.

"Why?" I ask. John b and jj exchange looks that tell me jjs the reason they're here. "We need you home. You know that" jj speaks up. "John b made it real clear-" "can you stop being so immature?" John b interrupts me.

I take a deep breath. I really don't want to fight again. "I just want an apology and a thank you and I'll come back" I sigh. "I'm sorry your too selfish to put anyone before yourself" John b barks.

It had felt like a stab in the gut. To be called selfish after dropping over a grand to catch them up on bills and put food on there plate, after a lie John b told costed my job and fiance.

"I'm not coming home" I shake my head. "Bella please-" "you heard her" John b scoffed at jj. "Do you want to tell her?" Jj scolds John b. "Tell me what?"

"It's not a big deal" John b rolled his eyes. "Can't anything just be easy with you John b?" I huff. "I spent the money" he gives in "what?"

"Last week when you left, I knew we wernt going to be able to make up for the other half so I spent it on beer. But then you gave us the other half and it's not enough" he talks to the ground as if he's ashamed.

All I can do is stare at him in disbelief. "We cleaned up the house and the yard, i figured we could earn the money back from you" John b fidget with his pockets.

I take a deep breath. "John b that was my last 75 dollars. I don't have anything to give you." I say as calmly as I can. "What about your last paycheck?" "That was the last of it, I haven't worked in the last 2 weeks. Ive been getting your lives together" I shake my head.

"What are we going to do? They'll do another investigation if sheriff finds out the powers out" John b looks worried. My mind is spinning at a hundred miles a minute.

So much has happened in the last 5 minutes. Rafe kissing me with no warning, jj witnessing it and not having time to explain, John b telling me he spent my last money on alcohol, and now having to worry about sherif Peterkin up my ass.

I must have been zoned out cause jj asks if I'm okay. "I don't know what to do" I say, staring at there feet. I can feel the tears claw there way up my throat.

"Can't you ask your boyfriend for money?" John b sounds sincere but it only drives the knife deeper. "Rafes not my boyfriend. Can't you ask Sarah?" I motion to her standing right there.

"I don't have access to our money like rafe does" she speaks for him. "I'm sure he'll give it to you, he likes you alot" Sarah nods.

"I can't- I'm already asking so much to be able to stay here and work on the boat" I shake my head. "This is the only thing I've ever asked for, you sorta owe me" John b looks almost as if he's begging.

I stare at him for a moment. Not thinking about the offer but more trying to figure out if he's serious. Still upset about everything's that's gone down, the last thing I want Is an investigation.

"How long to we have to pay before they shut the power off?" I sigh. "Few more days, almost a week" jj says quickly. "Did you know he spent the money?" I stare jj in the eyes.

"Not until I found the second half and told him about it" he shakes his head. I hold eye contact for alittle longer before giving in. "I can ask rafe but I'm not promising anything" I sigh, wiping the few tears that managed to leak.

"As soon as possible" John b says as if I didn't know already. "Yeah, I got it" I nod as I start to walk away. "Maybe ask for alittle extra, for groceries" John b calls after me.

Still, no thank you.

I treck my way to my room slowly. Tears fall from my face. My anxiety levels tip toe into panic attack level. I fall into my bed and burrow my self under the covers.

I don't want to even look at rafe right now and how I have to ask him for money? I can't.

I send ward a text asking when the soonest I could get my paycheck was. No sooner than next week, great.

~~~
When I wake up it's dark out. I don't remember falling asleep. I check my phone: dead.

A peice of paper sits on my floor. It looks like it had been slid under my door. All it says is:

I can give you the money, come find me and I'll buy you dinner

-rafe
~~~~

I question how he knew about the money but overall I'm releaved I don't have to ask. I shower first though, something I didn't do before taking my nap. Now my bed smells like lake.

Once I'm clean and in comfy sweats I make my way to rafes room. His door is cracked. Before I could tap a second time on his door he tells me to come in.

"Sarah asked me about the money" "I'm sorry, john bs head is so far up his ass and-" "Bella it's fine" he says in such a definitive way that I don't argue.

"Are you coming to get food in that?" He looks at my outfit. Sweatpants and a cropped tank top. "Is it a problem?" "I'll let it slide this time" he walks over to me.

"This time?" "Well if your going to live like a kook you gotta stop dressing like a pouge" he smiles like he's joking.

"What are we getting?" I change the subject. "What ever you want" he kisses my check. The kiss is short enough I don't have time to push him away.

"Rafe look. I like you but not lik-" I sigh but am interrupted by what he says next. "You sort of owe me, for the money" he whispers in my ear. "Im not a hooker" I step back.

"I don't want to sleep with you" he looks confused, as if I was accusing him. "Okay well- I do but that's not what I ment. I mean you owe me a date." He smiles.

"Oh" I laugh it off. My heart is panicking. I didn't know this was part the terms "Is that what this is? A date?" I ask

"No no, I want to take you on a much better date. This is just me wanting to make sure you ate" he tucks a hair behind my ear. It doesnt comfort me as much as he probably thinks It does.