Author note: start the song.
As soon as I shut the door open, I stare at Cassie and Topper who are sitting on the floor, very close to each other. He looks perfectly fine though I'm not sure about her. She's clearly not feeling well, I could see that from her face. I can't help it but feel extreme anger building up in me. The fuck is he even doing here with her? And why are they sitting on the floor of some bathroom in a fucking bar. And why was the door locked. Is it even possible that they could be doing something here. No. I refuse to believe it. She couldn't have done that. Never.
I stood there completely frozen for a literal second while million thoughts came upon my head. As I try to get the stupid thoughts out of my head I notice how they both stare at me. As soon as Topper saw me, he distanced himself from her and got up. She looked at me as if she was relieved and thankful that I got here on time. Fucking Topper, I hope you didn't do what I think you did. I realise my hand is held in a fist, as I slowly get closer to them. You're not getting out of here alive Topper. Whatever you did, you seem to have fucked it up for yourself.
"Hey man." he looks at me and raises his hands. He looks as if he's about to piss himself.
"What the fuck?!" I shout at Topper as I get closer to him. I grab him by his collar and raise him towards the wall. "If you don't tell me what's going on here, I swear you'll be dead within the next few seconds." My heart is beating so rapidly, I feel like it's gonna explode any second. I turn to look at Sarah who's running over here to help Cassie.
"I-uh..we j-just-"
"Did you swallow your fucking tongue Topper? HUH?" I shout right at his face and punch him with all my force. I shake my hand slowly and clench my fingers together. Blood is already drenching from his mouth. Fucking asshole.
"Rafe, stop!" Sarah shouts looking up at me. Her voice is trembling as if she's gonna cry right now. I can sense how all of this is scary to her.
"Stay out of this Sarah. Get Cassie and go to my car. I'll meet you there." I say in a mad loud voice as I shift my eyes back to Topper. I can't even look at Cassie. Seeing her this way shatters my soul. He's gonna pay for this.
"Don't do something you'll regret." she gives me a solid look as she helps Cassie to get up and holds her tight as they're both headed out of the bathroom. As soon as they're gone, I let go off of Topper, and close the door of the bathroom. I broke it when I was entering, so I couldn't lock it. Instead I move the small table for tissues towards the door, making it impossible for anyone to open it from the other side. As I'm finally done, I turn my face to Topper to continue beating the living shit out of him, but as soon as I turn my face, he hits me with a tissue dispenser. Yeah now he's definitely asking for it. I look down as I wipe the blood off my nose and look back at him.
"You're trying to get yourself killed or what?" I say with a small grin on my face. I am in absolute agony and this fucker is bout to pay it off. I run towards him and push him to the wall. I punch him hard and then again, and then again, until he falls down. His whole face is covered in blood but he doesn't make a sound. What is he trying to prove. While I look at my bleeding knuckles, I hear him laugh like a fucking psychopath.
"Whats up man? You mad cause I fucked your girlfriend?" He says as he chuckles, while spitting blood on the floor.
"The fuck you just said?" I shout at him. I feel as if I just got struck by lightning.
"Yeah..she was really good at it. She must've had a good practice-" he can't finish his sentence before I kick him with my foot. My breath is shortening and I can't function properly. All I want right now is to kill him. I get on top of him and punch him him on his face. I grab his hair and raise his head and push it back to the floor a few times. His face is completely unrecognised now. As I keep beating him, I feel my phone buzzing a few times. Its Sarah. "Rafe someone just got up from their chair, and I think they're headed towards the bathroom. You better get the hell out of there now."
Topper is half unconscious now but he can still hear me. I hang up the phone without saying anything. "You're lucky I don't kill you tonight. You stay the fuck away from all of us, alright? Sarah included. If I see you in the came place as Cassie ever again, I swear I'll kill you. And if you say a word to anyone about what happened here, I'll shoot you dead you understand me, you piece of shit?" I shout at him. Thought he can't move, all he does is nod. He would be too scared to tell anyone anyways. Pathetic asshole. He's lucky I didn't kill him. Not today at least. I open the window of the bathroom and jump right out, leaving Topper drenching in his own blood. He deserved it, though I still can't wrap my mind around it. As I walk towards the parking lot, a thousand thoughts fill up my head. Could he actually be telling the truth? Did they actually do it? No.. I refuse to believe it.
"She couldn't have gotten over me so fast, could she?" I say to myself as I shake my head. My whole body is shaking. "FUCK!"
As I approach my car, I see Sarah coming towards me. "What happened to you Rafe? Please don't tell me you kill-" Her voice is shaking and she's crying.
"I didn't Sarah, calm down." I say as I look at her; "I left him there and I left through the window. I'm clear." I hear a heavy breathe of relief from Sarah as she wipes away her tears.
"And what if he tells someone?"
"Don't worry, he won't tell a soul."
I run towards my car and see Cassie through the window, laying in the backseat as if she's almost unconscious. I open the door of the car and get in. My heart is pattering because I don't know whats going on with her. I cup her cheeks in my hand as I look at her in the eyes.
"Cassie, are you okay? I'm here." I look at her and try to see if she's hurt. She slowly raises her head and tries to sit up.
"Shh, slow there, it's okay." I say as I help her lift herself up. As she's seated now, she leans her head on my shoulder and I still can't figure out what happened. I try touch her hand and put it in mine. "What happened to you Cassie? Please talk to me, I'm worried." But she doesn't. In fact she doesn't say a single word to me. She keeps looking down as if she was ashamed or herself. Her hands are shaking and can't help but smell her. She reeks alcohol and I can smell something else too. Its Topper's cologne. Fucking piece of shit. I notice my hand making holding a fist again. I have to control myself. It's hard to sit here, when I could be in the bathroom, still beating him up. If I killed him, I don't know what would happen with me and Cassie. I'm scared she'd never wanna talk to me again. I don't want her to be scared of me, when I'm supposed to protect her. The main reason I didn't beat him to death is because of Cassie. I can't do that to her. I just can't.
We sit in silence, her head still on my shoulder and her small hand in mine. As much as I enjoy her silent company, I can't just sit here, doing absolutely nothing. I've got to do something about this and I clearly have to know what happened. Because if I keep guessing further, things might get worse for everyone.
"You're shaking Cass, please tell me if you're okay." I ask her with a trembling voice as I look at her. But as soon as I look at her, I realise she's asleep.
"Sarah come get into the car." I yell at her when I see her hang up her phone. She puts her bike to the back of the car and gets in the backseat as I switch to the driver's seat. I drive away immediately before Sarah says anything.
"We can't just leave him behind. We've got to do something, maybe call someone?" she says in a trembling voice as if she's about to sob right now.
"And what do you expect me to tell them, huh? We don't even know what happened out there."
"But we can't just-"
"Damn it, shut up Sarah!" I yell as I hit the steering wheel in anger.
I drive away from the place, hoping to never come back here again.
"I'm driving home." I say, trying to be calm even though it's nearly impossible.
"I'm not going there, and neither is she Rafe." Sarah says in a mad voice. "Just drop us of over John B's and we'll take care of her."
"She's staying with me for the night Sarah, and I don't care what you gotta say about it."
"You're seriously letting her next to Ward?"
"Him and Rose are out of town for a few days, the house is empty except for Wheezie."
"Rafe she doesn't want you. You cheated on her and now you want her to stay with you for the night?"
"I didn't fucking cheat on her." Sarah doesn't say anything, though I know she doesn't believe me.
I finally pull over the house and get out of the car. I take Cassie in my arms, and hold her tight. I ask Sarah to get the keys from my left pocket and soon she opens the door. I take her upstairs and into Sarah's room. I take her shoes off and put a blanket over her. Poor Cassie, whatever it is that has happened there, I'm sure she wasn't okay with it.
"Rafe, you can go now. I'm here with her."
"Did she say anything to you?"
"No, she was quiet the whole time. I don't know what she went through, but it wasn't good. She threw up as soon as we got outside. And it definitely wasn't food poisoning." I look at her as she speaks to me, shifting my eyes elsewhere because of how angry I am right now.
"Fucking Topper." I mumble to myself as I look down, not being able to control my anger.
"What?" Sarah asks me.
"I'll see you tomorrow." I say as I close their door and head to my room. I take my bloody clothes off and wash my hands and my face. I get into bed and try to fall asleep. But I can't. I keep turning from side to side, unable to fall asleep. I keep thinking about Toppers words. Imagining the two of them together already drives me crazy yet alone think of the thing he told me. I know he was just fucking with me. At least, that's what I think.
I feel disgusted by myself because I couldn't protect her. I couldn't be there for her when she needed me the most. First her dad, now this. I keep promising to protect her and I keep failing. What is wrong with me? She deserves someone who is always there with her and for her. This is it. She's not gonna go anywhere on her own anymore. It's just too risky. I really gotta keep her close to me so nothing happens to her, ever again.
She is mine and I've got to protect what belongs to me, at all costs.