RIPTIDE | Rafe Cameron

23. 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦

I barely slept last night. I spent the entire night tossing and turning, worrying about what might happen today. Rafe slept like a baby beside me the entire night, his arm wrapped around my waist, as it is every night.

Today is the first day back at school, and I'm terrified, and I feel so alone. I would rather stay in the Outer Banks, not finish getting an education and run the surf shop for the rest of my life. But I can't be that person, because my parents want me to be successful and their idea of success is a future that consists of a well paying job up on the mainland.

I look at myself in the school bathroom mirror and I don't recognise the person who is looking back at me. The girl who started her summer, hoping to spend every moment smiling with her friends is gone. The girl who has to do lines of cocaine in the bathroom just to get through the day, has taken her place.

I've been hiding in the school bathroom since I got to school about fifteen minutes ago. I walked, even though Rafe had offered to drive me, I told him that I'd appreciate the fresh air. At this point he probably thinks I'm fine and I'm finding comfort in nature or something stupid like that.

I can't quite face going to my first class, as much as I love history, I just don't want to face Pope, Kiara and JJ. Yesterday's incident at the country club set me back considerably, even though the progress I've made so far has been drug induced, I thought I was doing okay.

Last night I kept wondering if JJ would've told Pope and Kiara what happened, and I hope he didn't say anything. When I came out of the bathroom at the country club, I quickly found out that JJ had been fired, and I couldn't help but feel like I was to blame.

"Excuse me," I look up from where I've been staring at my reflection in the mirror to see one of the teachers who I've never had before, "You should be in class."

"Yeah," I nod, picking up my bag, "Just had really bad period cramps."

"Do you have a hall pass?" She asks as I leave the bathroom.

"No, I came straight to the bathroom when I got to school." I explain.

"Alright," She sighs, buying into the lie, "Just get to class."

"Okay," I nod in agreement, heading down the corridor towards my classroom for history.

I get to the classroom door, which has been propped open, Mr Sunn is deep in some sort of explanation. He looks up at me with a disappointed sigh, "Miss Monroe, nice of you to join us."

I smile awkwardly, weaving through the classroom to the only spare desk, which is behind Pope. I do my best not to make eye contact with anyone, placing my bag on the floor and taking a seat as I pull out my books, turning to the page displayed on the blackboard.

"So as I was explaining, the diocletian splits the vast Roman Empire into four separate kingdoms," Mr Sunn explains as I begin copying notes into my notebook.

Several phones buzz simultaneously, and I glance up to see where the sound is coming from, noticing Pope, JJ and Kiara checking their phones.

"Who's phone was that?" Mr Sunn asks the class, everyone staring back at him blankly, "Nobody?"
"You will be tested on this, so let's recap." He continues.

I zone out from whatever Mr Sunn is talking about as JJ moves to crouch in between Pope and Kiara. My heart pounds as I see what the message was, and there's no way, surely there's no way.

John B and Sarah are alive.

The hope that has been burning inside me since they went missing was right, they survived the storm, they're okay, maybe they're safe too.