Right Now | Rafe Cameron

21: here we go again.

TWENTY ONE

here we go again.

The brunch had ended abruptly when the manager came over and cut them off. Truman's voucher had been without limit, but they had emptied the restaurant's supply of champagne. After getting a dead stare when Percy asked if they could just run to the corner store and get some more, the group spilled out onto the street. Everyone was cheery, and had forgotten all the conversations that had taken place earlier that day, before all the alcohol. Well, everyone but Billie, whose gut bubbled with guilt and worry, and Rafe, who soberly glanced in Billie's direction every other minute. As they all said their goodbyes, Billie and Rafe's eyes met. What were they gonna do now?

But there was not much more to do because before they could speak to each other, Uma stumbled into Billie who caught her drunk friend midair.

"Let's go home," Billie said to Uma who protested sloppily. Billie waved for a taxi. She gave Rafe an apologetic look before she led Uma into the cab. Then she got in herself. Her head was spinning. She hadn't actually had that much to drink for once. Her words echoed in her head. Sarah's being dramatic. Rafe had been as shocked as she had been when she spoke. What was she compromising for him to not look bad to her friends? As long as they saw him as Rafe, Percy's handsome and nice college friend, and not Rafe, kook king, ex-addict, violent ex-criminal, Billie could ignore that everyone else in her life hated him. As long as her friends in New York liked him, she was allowed to too. The other things didn't exist here.

For the next few days, Billie didn't hear from Rafe, and she didn't contact him. She wouldn't dare to. The brunch had made it obvious that she couldn't be trusted around him. Walter Cruise had sent her information about the trip to Charleston. A car would pick her up tomorrow morning at seven thirty to take her to the airport. She hadn't dared to ask if Rafe would be coming in the same car. She didn't want to seem too eager. She wouldn't admit she cared even to herself.

***

Rafe sighed nervously through his mouth as the phone dialled.

"Hello," Billie answered on the other line. Laughter could be heard in the background. Rafe heard how Billie walked into another room and closed the door with a click.

"Did you get the travel details that Walter sent you?"

"Yeah, I did," she said, taken aback by his straight-forwardness. "I could get to the airport myself, you know."

"I know. But, officially, my company's flying you out," Rafe explained. "Walter's just following normal procedure."

"Okay," Billie paused. "Will you take the same car?" She bit at the skin on her pinky finger and weighed awkwardly on her heels.

"I'm already in Charleston," Rafe sighed.

"What?" Billie sat down on her bed. "The whole point is that I get an insight into the normal."

"I just came early for meetings. I haven't been at the building site, don't worry."

"Fine," Billie said, trying to hide her disappointment that she had to travel alone. "Was that all?" The other line went quiet for a second.

"What are you wearing?" he said finally. Billie gasped.

"Bye Rafe," she said. Rafe chuckled dryly on the other line. Billie threw her phone on her bed and bit her lip, suppressing a small smile.

"Everything okay?" Uma asked as Billie walked back into the kitchen. She nodded reassuringly and joined James and Erik by the dinner table.

***