ROUTLEDGE | rafe cameron

- • THIRTY NINE • -

I smiled as we pulled up to the house early the next morning, Rafe held my hand the whole time he was driving home, he was so happy to be able to touch me once again. I climbed out of the truck, pulling my bag out as I saw a delivery truck stop at the end of the driveway. Rafe met the guy halfway, taking the padded envelope with a smile. "For you, babe." He mumbled, handing it to me, I furrowed my brows looking it over, I hadn't been expecting anything. I tore it open as Rafe slung his duffle bag over his shoulder. I opened the package, peeking inside it as we began walking towards the house, I reached inside and pulled out what felt like pictures, I held them in my hand, the first one made my skin crawl, Rafe didn't notice as he walked in the door, I continued following, not want to alarm him. I looked at the next one, and the next, and the next until the last one was a photo of Rafe and I checking into the hotel last night. I dropped them all to the floor with a gasp, my hands covering my eyes, Rafe whipped around at the sound. "Lizzie, what's wrong?" He came over, squatting and picking up the photos, his eyes went wide at the one of me from a few years ago, Landon had taken it, I had forgotten all about it. I was laid out naked on the bed, but the rest of them is what really terrified me, pictures of me in the grocery store for the past few weeks, setting up open houses, me picking up the flowers, and then the ones of Rafe and I. "Who sent these?" He snapped standing up, chucking them in the trash can, we were the only ones here, everyone was at school. "Landon." I whispered and Rafe nearly had smoke coming out of his ears, "why didn't you tell me?" He ran a hand through his hair, sighing as I bit my lip looking away. "I didn't want to worry you, I didn't think much of it, he texted me once when I was in the store and there was a picture but I blocked him and that was it!" I explained, feeling unsettled in my own home now, I couldn't stop from looking around constantly, "baby, you should have told me." Rafe sighed, walking over to me, "did you tell Peterkin?" He asked, cupping my chin in his hand, making me look towards him. "No." I admitted sheepishly, I should have. I still had the text on my phone, not being able to delete it, deep down knowing I should show the sheriff. Someone knocked on the door, both of us growing tense, I stayed in my spot, watching as Rafe walked over to it, opening the door slowly. "Hello?" He asked, and I heard someone else talking, no one familiar, which relieved me.

I walked over, curious to who it was, some salesman, Rafe shot him down pretty quickly, locking the door as soon as it shut, "screw this, you're going to Peterkin." He pulled the photos out of the top of the trash can. "We can't live like this." He muttered, putting the pictures back into the envelope, "come on." He grabbed my hand pulling me along, "wait." I let go of his hand, running over to the alarm, setting it quickly before rushing towards Rafe. Back to the truck we go.

***

"What can I do for you, Lizzie?" Peterkin was shocked when we walked into her office, she closed the file she was looking at and crossed her arms over it, leaning against the desk as we sat in front of her. "Landon Michaels is stalking me." I deadpanned, throwing the envelope down, pictures sliding out of it, I pulled up the message on my phone, showing it to her as well. "You have no proof that it's Landon." She spoke after looking at everything, "it's gotta be him, we're living in his uncles house, that's exactly what he said!" I couldn't help but raise my voice slightly, she raised her eyebrows at me, silently telling me to simmer down. I leaned back in the chair, an exhausted sigh falling from my lips. Rafe had stayed relatively silent, "she doesn't even feel safe in her own house, isn't there something you can do?" He begged, feeling bad that I was going through this. "I'll tell you what, I'll go to his last known address, and see if he's still in town, alright?" She offered to us, it was better than nothing, so I agreed.

She left right then and there, I demanded to wait for her to come back so here we are, sitting in her office. My leg bouncing uncontrollably, Rafe tapping on his thigh, "I still don't get why you didn't tell me." I was looking at the pictures again, I noticed one on the inside of the envelope, taped inside. I pulled it out, my stomach jumping as I looked at it, the night I told JJ I thought I was pregnant, and it was me crying in his arms before I took the test. Rafe took it from me, frowning as he looked at the state I was in, he wasn't jealous, he knew I'd never look at JJ like that, he thought I was crying because of him. "I have to tell you something too, about that picture." He had to no, I didn't want to keep it from him, "I was crying because I thought I was pregnant, I hadn't gotten my period, so I took a test, but it was negative." Rafe had every emotion across his face when I told him, he almost seemed happy when I talked about being pregnant, but his face fell when I said it was negative, and I knew he was remembering the time I told him I had miscarried. "Oh, Lizzie." He whispered, standing up and pulling me in for a hug, "I'm sorry I wasn't there." He added, I nodded against him. "I know, it's fine, I wouldn't have wanted to find out without you anyways." I assured him, still feeling guilt for the negative test, I've been so stressed, I still haven't gotten my period, but it was negative, so I pushed all the thoughts from my mind. "I still haven't gotten my period." I muttered, he was about to respond when Peterkin walked back in. "Landon Michaels was just found dead in his apartment." The room felt like it was spinning around me, "what?" I snapped, Rafe steadied me as I felt light headed. He sat me down in the chair, "self inflicted gun shot." Peterkin spoke calmly. I nodded, digesting this information, as horrible as it was to say, I wasn't really saddened by this news, more like shocked. "I've gotta go to the bathroom." I muttered standing up, feeling like I was going to empty my stomach right there, I didn't make it far though, falling from a head rush almost instantly. "Lizzie!" Rafe gasped, grabbing me, I gripped onto him, "sit down." He demanded, putting me back in the chair, Peterkin stepped out to go get me water while I sat sheepishly in the room. "Shit." Rafe whispered, slipping his black jacket off, I raised my eyebrows as he put it across my lap. "Well, uh, I think-uh-you got your period." He muttered face flushed. I squeezed my eyes shut, of course I did. "I want to go home." I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose as Peterkin walked in. "I think I'm gonna get her home, she needs to rest." Rafe spoke up, excusing us as I stood up, holding the jacket in front of me. I couldn't get out of there faster, "this is so embarrassing, I'm sorry." I spoke sheepishly, rushing to the bathroom after we stood up. He didn't have a chance to say anything as I ran into the bathroom, rummaging through my purse for a tampon.

"Baby, you've been so quiet, it's nothing to be embarrassed about." Rafe mumbled as I stared out the window as he drove, "I know, it's still awkward though." I groaned, looking over at him, he smiled at me, lacing our fingers together. I was more saddened by the fact that I was certainly not pregnant, than embarrassed by the fact that I got blood on my jeans. Rafe knew that too, but he didn't want to utter the words and make me feel worse. "Lizzie," he whispered, feeling me pull my hand away as I began to cry. He pulled onto the side of the road, taking his seat belt off as he leaned over the center console, pulling me into his neck as I cried. He kissed me up and down from my cheek to my shoulder as I sniffled against him. "It's gonna be okay, Lizzie, I promise."