When I lived in OBX, I was too young to go to the annual movie nights. We always heard stories about how something crazy always went down. Now that I am back in town, I finally get to live out my childhood dream. I'm officially old enough to gather at the oval, in the centre of town for the annual movie night.
JJ and John B are both carrying esky's that are full of booze. Kiara and Pope are carrying the chairs. Sarah is carrying the cosy blankets. I am carrying the most important of them all ... the snacks.
"Did you end up finding out what film they're going to play?" I ask Kiara who was going to look into it when we discussed it hours ago.
"A horror film." JJ answers my question with a devilish grin on his face, knowing full well that I am not a fan of horror films. My life at home was horrific enough. My father was the real-life villain and unlike in the films, he wasn't captured or killed.
"I heard it was 50 Shades." Sarah adds.
Almost giving himself whiplash, John B quickly turns his head around so that he is looking at Sarah. "No honey, that's what's going to happen later."
"Please kill me." Pope mutters under his breath.
"I know someone who can do that for you. Scarlett will give you his number." Kiara grins vividly at me.
*
We set up our chairs in the middle half of the sports field. The huge projector screen is set up approximately 20 metres away from us. The atmosphere is incredible. Before the film started, everyone chose their spots and set up. 3/4 of our snacks had been demolished even before the film began so JJ and Pope sprinted up to the store to get some more before it closed for the evening.
Grown Ups 2 is playing on the big screen. I was extremely pleased with the film choice because Grown Ups is one of my all-time favourite comedies. I have never seen a bad Adam Sandler film.
"This is my favourite part." I hear JJ say, followed by munching of some sort. I lean forwards and see that he has opened another bag of cookies. I reach over and hold my hand out in front of him. He doesn't notice because his eyes are glued to the projector screen.
It's the scene where the fit guy is flexing his muscles in the water park and when he approaches the mother's, he has a high pitch voice. I hit JJ's arm and he hands me a handful of the small cookies. His eyes never leave the screen.
Kiara steals one from my hand while I am carefully moving my hand closer to my body. Ironically, she is sitting beside JJ. She is sharing a blanket with me, but I know that she would rather be cuddling with a different Maybank.
My phone vibrates on my lap. I pop a cookie into my mouth before lifting up the blanket that is wrapped over my body to take a look at my phone.
Rafe: You look good tonight Maybank.
Rafe is here tonight? I haven't seen or heard from him in a few days. Each time I passed the Cameron residence when I was on the way to work, I didn't see his car parked on the driveway where it usually is.
My phone goes off again.
Rafe: This movie is boring. Come take a walk with me.
It continuously goes off, receiving text, after text, after text.
Rafe: I like your hair like that.
Rafe: I can see you looking down at your phone. Don't ignore me.
Rafe: Was that a smile I seen?
I press my lips together to fight the urge to smile again. Judging from these flirtatious messages, I am 99% sure that Rafe is intoxicated. I turn my head, trying to look around the area for his familiar face. If he was standing up, he would be easy to spot because he is so much taller than everyone. But if he is sitting, he could be hidden anywhere because there are hundreds of people gathered here tonight.
Rafe: I know you're looking for me. I told you to come take a walk with me. I'll be by the toilet block.
I drop the blanket and go back to eating my cookies and watching the projector screen. But Rafe isn't giving up that easily. My phone continues vibrating against the top of my thigh.
"Is someone calling you?" Kie whispers to me, seeming able to hear my phone vibrating because she is right beside me.
"Let me check if it's Miranda." I say, lifting up the blanket to have another look even though I know that it will be Rafe. "I'll be back."
"You going to take a call?" She asks me as I place my half of the blanket on her and get up from my chair.
"I need to go to the bathroom."
"Want me to come with you?"
"No, it's okay."
I bend down so that I am not blocking the view from those behind me and quickly walk through the row of people. When I reach the end, I place my hand on my back and stand up straight. Man, that was really bad for my back. My posture is already horrible as it is.
I see the small toilet block at the end of the oval and walk towards it. I say hi to a few people I know on my way. Emphasis on a few. I don't know many people.
There's a small line outside of the toilets and I wander around the back, unsure where Rafe is. I stop walking and take a look around, waiting for him to appear out of nowhere.
Suddenly I feel a presence behind me and the fresh vanilla-like scent gives it away who it is. I turn around and tilt my head upwards because this man is ridiculously tall. He is wearing all black. Black jeans, black boots and a black button-up tee. He has the buttons done all the way up, but he would look even hotter if the first four buttons were undone.
"Rafe." I say, raising my eyebrows at him and waiting for him to tell me why he wanted me to meet him here.
"I like your hair like that." He says, reaching forwards and pulling my hair over my shoulders so that the front pieces fall around my face. "You should wear it down more."
"How much have you had to drink Rafe?"
Rafe tosses his can of beer on the floor, disregarding it as though it was never in his hand to begin with. "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm completely sober." He crosses his arms over his chest to convince me.
"Kie is going to kill you for littering."
He shrugs his shoulders. "I don't care."
"Well I do." I bend down and pick up the can and place it against Rafe's chest. "The trash is right there." I point to the aluminium trash can which is approximately five steps away.
Rafe lets out a mocking laugh. "Just because you're pretty, doesn't mean I'll let you boss me around." He drops the can on the floor once again.
"Then I don't want to talk to you." I turn around and pretend to walk off, knowing full well that he is going to stop me. As predicted, Rafe grabs onto my arm to stop me from walking away.
"Wait, don't go." He tugs me backwards and I slowly turn around to face him. I lean to the side and stare down at the can on the floor without saying a word. I continue staring at it until Rafe does something about it.
He lets out an annoyed sigh. "Oh for fucks sake." He turns around and picks up the can. He walks over to the bin, hating every step he takes. When he places the can inside the bin, I applaud him. I wish I would have captured this moment on video.
"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"
"It was the worst experience of my life." He places his hand on my back and nods his head forwards. "Walk with me." We begin walking away from the toilet block and to the opposite end of the field from where the tv screen is. "You want a beer?"
I shake my head. "No."
"I'm going to grab one for the road."
"Rafe, you can't drink and drive."
He laughs at me. "It's just a phrase, Scar. Relax. It means I'm grabbing one for the road - as in, while we walk."
"Oh."
He continues laughing at me. "You're too uptight. Do you ever feel like you worry about too much and it'll make your head explode?"
"No."
Rafe lets out a small laugh while we continue walking. We pass his group of friends who are sitting in the back row. They're not even paying attention to the film, they're playing drinking games and hooking up. I guess Rafe decided not to grab a beer for the road.
"I haven't seen you around in a few days."
"Did you miss me?" He says amusingly, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Did you go out of town?"
"I went on a business trip."
I look up at him with a raised brow. "What kind of business trip?"
Rafe turns his head and stares down at me. "Why do you ask so many questions?"
I look away from him and choose not to respond to his question. We approach the beach and Rafe leads the way towards the sand. We take off our shoes and walk along the sandy beach with the cool sea breeze blowing my hair back. It's a little cold close to the water.
"So that's it, you're not going to talk to me now?"
"I can't ask you questions so I'd rather save my breath."
He rolls his eyes while shaking his head at me. "What do you want to ask?" He asks in an annoyed tone.
"Have you done more research on where the cure could be? Any relations to Mariam's death?"
He shakes his head.
"So what's next?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?" I slightly raise my voice. "What do you mean nothing?"
Rafe holds his hand out in front of him, getting annoyed with my attitude. "I'm done with it, Scarlett. I have enough going on right now. The stupid cure probably doesn't exist anyway. That's not important to me anymore."
"So what, you're just going to give up on it?" He is the one who asked me for help. He brought me into this mystery and I want to solve it. I don't know about Rafe, but I don't give up on things easily.
"Yes Scarlett, would you just drop it?"
"Does this business trip that you went on have anything to do with Ward?"
"Everything is to do with him." Rafe whispers to himself but it's loud enough for me to hear. Rafe has stopped walking and is staring down at the sand beneath his feet.
I stop walking too and I place my hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"My head hurts so bad. There's just so much going on, so many things that my Dad is making me take care of and it's getting too much."
When I look up at him, I can see that all of these things are really effecting him. I know that if he was sober, he wouldn't be this open and honest with me. I'll let him vent. Hopefully it'll clear his head a little.
"Why don't you tell Ward no? It's not like he can come into town and kick your ass for saying no to him."
"He doesn't need to come to town to kick my ass. He will pay somebody else to do it for him. And have you met my father? He does not take no for an answer."
I gently nudge his side. "Sounds like someone else I know."
When we reach the dock, we turn around and head back in the direction we came from. I remain silent, letting him vent to me about his chaotic life.
"Not only do I have to deal with his incompetent clients with the business side of things, he also wanted me to look into the cure that Limbrey is searching for. I helped him with the gold and I got him the cross. I thought he would give me a break after that, but it's just never ending." He stops walking and turns to face me. "Do you think I'm weak? Worthless? Selfish?" He lets out a sarcastic laugh. "Those are the words that continuously fall from my father's lips."
"You can be selfish, but as for weak and worthless, no. I don't think you are. In fact, I think you're stronger than you even know. You've been through so much Rafe. Not just recently, but your whole life. I don't know half of what has been going on, but I remember that you didn't have it easy as a kid. After your Mother left, Ward brought a dozen different step mother's into your lives. Each one getting younger in age."
He nods his head in agreement. Sarah mentioned the name of his most recent wife. I forget what her name was. I know that she was named after a flower. Lily? Poppy?
"Ward is using you Rafe. I don't think it's fair how he is treating you."
"So what do I do about it?"
"Only you can make that decision."
He closes his eyes and shakes his head. "Please tell me what to do." He asks while looking down at the ground before slowly raising his head back to me. "What would you do?"
"I'm not the right person to ask when it comes to Daddy issues. I ran away from mine."
I watch as his eyes open and his eyebrows furrow together. He looks down at me with concern in his eyes. "What Daddy issues?"
I shrug my shoulders and continue walking, not wanting to talk about it. "We're talking about you now."
"I don't want to talk about me anymore."
I look up at the gorgeous dark blue sky which is filled with dark clouds and hundreds of stars. Rafe catches onto what has captured my attention and I see that he is now looking up at the sky too.
"Do you believe that another form of life exists out there?" He whispers softly to me.
"I do. I'm not sure of what, but I definitely believe it. I don't think we will find out in our lifetime though."
"Maybe in another life everything will be better."
I stare at him, trying to read his facial expression to gather what he means by this. I reach for his hand and he looks down at me when I do so. He focuses on my hand holding his, a look of uncertainty on his face.
"You still have this lifetime to make things better."
His eyes slowly make their way back up to mine. "No I don't. I've done too many bad things."
"You can be better Rafe."
He shakes his head in disagreement. "Come on Scar, you and I both know that I'm fucked."
"You have done horrible things, but Ward is to blame for that." I let go of his hand and place my hand against the left side of his chest. "I believe that there is something in there."
Rafe takes hold of my hand which is against his chest and gives it a gentle squeeze while his eyes remain on mine. He opens his mouth to say something, but refrains from doing so when something else captures his attention. Rafe focuses on something behind me, but when I turn my head, I don't see anyone or anything.
"What is it?" I ask while Rafe is gazing around the area.
"Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"It sounded like really fast footsteps. Almost like someone was running." Rafe walks up the beach and I follow behind him, afraid of being left alone on the beach when he thinks we have company. I start running so that I can keep up with his long legs and fast steps. "Is someone there?" Rafe calls out.
When he reaches the grass before the BBQ area, he stops in place and looks around. I can't see anything beyond 10 metres away. It is pitch black.
I grab onto his arm and try to pull him back towards the beach. "Come on. Let's walk back to the cinema."