song for this chapter: sideways by illenium
RAFE
Avery grips my hand hard as I pull her through the dark trees. Our breathing is shallow as we outrun the blue and red strobe lights. The sirens pierce my ears, and have been for the last ten minutes. It reminds me of my alarm going off for school. I wish I could tell my younger self, there are much worse things than that.
"Rafe, Avery stop now!"
I know Avery is looking at me with wide eyes. Those big blue eyes that have held such an innocence, now taken away from her.
"Do not let go." I tell her, picking up my pace even more than I thought was possible. Maybe the gym is paying off. Well, I am getting my cardio in other ways too... Rafe, snap out of it.
Street lights come into view and I know we are close to the other side of figure eight. The Patricks' house is literally a block away from where we are now, but it's not safe for us to go there anymore. After the party I threw, Shoupe will ask around and anybody in their right mind would tell them where it was, giving it away that is where I've been staying.
C'mon, think.
Then it hits me. Barry. He's always been a good friend to me, right? For the most part. Kinda? Whatever, he won't rat me out because then he goes down too. Ah, that means I'll get more coke.
"Rafe, where... are we... going? I can't feel my legs." Avery asks me breathlessly. I know she is tired, but she wanted to be in this, so we're going all the way.
I hook a quick left onto the sidewalk. "Just a few more minutes. Then we'll be safe where no one will find us."
Sometimes I wonder how the police in OBX stay alive. Why aren't they blocking the streets off right now, waiting for us to come out of the woods. I am being arrested for murder, you know. Oh well, more time for me to make an escape. Well, we. Still haven't gotten used to having a sidekick. Just as the thought crosses my mind, an array of police cars turn down the main road towards the country club.
"Shit." I curse, pulling Avery down to her knees.
"Ow, what are you doing?!" She yells and I quickly place my hand over her mouth. The two of us crouch behind a large weeping willow, the branches swing back and forth under the moonlight enough to cover us for a few minutes.
My eyes focus on the six cars that approach us quickly with each breath I take. I look down at the dirt filled ground and think of something from a happier time, but nothing comes to mind except for the girl next to me. Her dark brown hair is matted and greasy as sweat slides down her tan skin. She is so beautiful. An image of her laying across my lap laughing flashes through my mind. I don't remember what she was laughing so hard at because of how much I loved seeing her so happy. It has become an image that I will have in my brain forever.
The sounds of the sirens get softer and I snap my head up. The cars speed down the other side of the street and head towards the cut. It won't be long till they're knocking on every door looking for us.
My phone vibrates in my pocket and I look around for Shoupe or any passerby's. I slowly pull it out and look down at the screen.
Dad, 10 Missed Calls
Topper, 3 Missed Calls
Shit.
Dad, 10 Minutes Ago
Don't come home. Police are searching everywhere for you.
Thank you, dad I had no idea.
"What does it say?" Avery asks, her breathing finally slowing down.
I turn my phone to show her and she nods slowly, trying to wrap her head around it all. "So, now what? What's your plan?"
"Barry's is the only place I know that is safe. He's a drug dealer, if we go down so does he. No one knows we associate besides the two of us anyway." I tell her like it's the easiest, most thought out plan in the world.
Avery stands and rubs her knees free of dirt while I do the same. I hold out my hand and she clasps hers in my own. This time not due to us running. It gives me some sort of peace knowing that she is here next to me.
"Does it though? " My thoughts taunt me. "Get out." I fire back to my sadistic subconscious.
"Weren't you just using her to get what you wanted in the first place? This would all be over if you just shot her in the head the night on the boat." I grab a piece of my hair with my free hand and pull hard to stop my mind from shouting at me. Every time something remotely good happens in my life, here come my thoughts to fuck it up. Not that this specific situation is good, but having her here is.
"Shut up." I growl, causing Avery to look over at me in concern, "I didn't say anything?"
My thoughts literally laugh at me. "I wasn't talking to you."
"Let's just hurry and get to Barry's before anyone sees us out here. My dad is already losing his shit, I have twenty missed calls from him. A missing persons report is probably next." She says with frustration in her voice. If she's so worried about that why is she here?
"Fuck it up. Ruin it." My thoughts taunt me once more, each phrase growing louder and louder.
"Leave me alone. Please." I shout back silently. I feel Avery's eyes on me but I keep my own towards the path leading to the cut.
I take a few deep breaths in through my nose and out my mouth, causing my subconscious to back off slightly. I don't know why it helps, but it does. That, and being disgustingly fucked up. My mouth waters at the thought of a line. Barry better hook me up, I've had quite the day.
The two of us remain quiet the rest of the way to the old trailer Barry lives in. An assortment of old, beat up bikes litter what is supposed to be a front yard, while a fire burns in a pit on the other side. Barry comes into view, counting money per usual.
"Hey, Mr. and Mrs. Country Club! What a nice surprise."
Barry grins at us while Avery's face remains flat. I want to laugh but decide to get straight into it.
"Can we crash here tonight? Got some shit going on that I don't want to deal with right now."
Barry scratches his head and looks around. "Uh, I mean I don't see why not. What'd you do this time, Rafe? Scratch daddy's Range Rover?"
His smile falters when he notices my somber expression. "There's no getting out of this one, bro."
"What happened?"
Avery groans from beside me. "Can't you see he doesn't want to talk about it? Holy shit."
A smirk forms on my face, as well as Barry's who breaks out into a fit of laughter. "She's feisty, Country Club. I like it."
The short brunette rolls her eyes and looks around at our spot for the night. She must be exhausted, I know I am, but I have a dinner date with cocaine. That'll keep me up long enough to plan my next move. Whether it's with Avery or not. Sure, she's been a big help in this but do I want to bring her down with me? That answer is still debatable, I don't have that many feelings yet. I'm not a changed man. Charming and manipulative are my best qualities, but she makes those parts of me a little bit better. Just a little bit, though.
"Is there somewhere I can charge my phone?" Avery asks. She's lying, thinking of any excuse to not be near Barry. He points to the living room area and she nods blankly, heading inside.
I sit down in the lawn chair across from the dark headed guy and sigh. It felt good to let that out.
"Alright, Rafe. What is it?" I open my eyes and Barry is staring at me with a look that is a mixture of concern and excitement. Man really needs to get out more.
I set my head in my hands. "The fucking pogues, bro. They turned me in for shooting Peterkin."
Barry widens his eyes. "You killed her?"
"Yes, well, no. I don't remember doing it, so yeah I guess I did."
"Rafe, man. That's heavy. I didn't know all that. What are you gonna do?"
I shrug genuinely not having an answer for him. "I want to say my dad can get me out, but I don't know about this one. They have the gun, my fingerprints were on it."
Barry nods slowly and sits back in the lawn chair. I look towards the inside of the trailer and notice Avery looking down at her phone. Her nose is scrunched, typing quickly. I feel myself smiling just watching her.
"You really like her?"
I am taken out of my thoughts to see Barry staring at me. I shake my head and wipe under my nose. "Uh, she's cool."
He laughs, "I've never seen Rafe Cameron practically drool over a girl."
I snicker and fall into silence, scanning my eyes over to Avery every so often. She doesn't know it but I've been staring at her like this every day since I've known her. So beautiful, yet so untouchable. Seeing her walk around with the pogues, so confident and collected. Little did I know there are so many thoughts and feelings behind those big blue eyes and I would get to experience them. I would get her all to myself, just like I had always wanted. To get to touch the untouchable, that was something, but to really experience her, that was the real prize.
The sound of sirens snaps me out of my thoughts and I look over at Barry.
"What did you do?"
He throws his hands up in defense, "you and your family fucked with me one too many times, Country Club. It's time you got a taste of your own medicine."
"Fuck you, Barry."
"Avery!" I yell, running towards the screen door. She snaps her head up from the couch and rushes over to me.
Barry steps in front of the door and puts his arms over the window. "Not so fast, darling. You're staying with me while we watch pretty boy go down once and for all."
The sirens grow louder and my head feels fuzzy. My foot finds Barry's dick and presses hard against it. He falls to the ground with a groan and I kick him out of the way to get to Avery. Just as our hands brush, Barry's arm pulls on my leg, causing me to fall next to him. The air is knocked from my lungs and I struggle to catch a breath. Barry climbs on top of me and strikes my face with his fist. Red takes over my eyes as the taste of metal fills my mouth.
Red and blue lights fill my vision and Shoupe steps out of the cop car. I hadn't realized the sun was coming up until this moment.
"Time's up, Rafe!"
I scramble to get up but three other police officers reach me first and pin me down. I struggle against their grip and my wrists tighten against my back due to the handcuffs.
"Rafe!" Avery screams, muffled. I whip my head around to see Barry holding her mouth shut. The sight only makes me fight harder, and for a moment I feel myself break out of Shoupe's grip, but a large officer grabs me again and pushes me into the back of the car. My eyes stay focused on the blue ones peering at me through the window.
Avery throws her head back in laughter as she rests across my lap. The two of us had tried watching a movie she begged for, but it was so bad I couldn't handle it. I had been doing bad impressions of the main character for the last five minutes. I could have stopped by now, but I just like seeing her happy.
"When you first met me what did you think of me?"
I shrug, "a pogue."
She slaps my arm, "I'm being serious."
"I don't know, uh, innocent?"
Avery purses her lips together and cocks her head to the side, "how come?"
I run my fingers through her long hair. "You didn't seem like the type of girl I know you as now."
Oh, Avery I wish it could have stayed that way. Keeping you innocent and far away from this cruel, fucked up life. If it weren't for that stupid bet none of this would have happened. Why did I have to go after her? And most importantly, why did she fuck up my heart?