I wake up uncomfortable in rafes car.
My body aches from falling asleep uncomfortably.
I groan as I say good morning to rafe and I can tell hes feeling the same way.
He pulls me in for a kiss but I quickly put my hand over my lips. "morning breath..it's bad."
"bitch does it look like I care." he says swatting my hand away.
"okay we should head back to the house." I say putting on my shorts.
"yeah.."
I put on rafes grey sweatshirt, shorts and I hand rafe his shirt which was under the seat.
After we get changed we both decide to take a shower since we both didn't yesterday.
Rafe holds my hand on the way back to the house, then we run into Sarah and John B.
"dont do anything stupid." I whisper to rafe.
"hey guys!" I say.
"hey Stella." John B and Sarah say.
Then rafe squeezes my hand making it clear he doesn't want to make conversation with them.
"we were just going to go upstairs but we'll see you later."
"sure of course!" Sarah says.
***
My dad and ward are in the kitchen talking and we walk upstairs to each others rooms to shower and get changed.
Outfit:
After getting changed I plop onto rafes bed and scroll through insta. When I look up he walks out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist.
"Take a picture it lasts longer." he says smirking.
I feeling my cheeks turning red.
"im going to go down to this restaurant and bar with topper and Kelce, want to come?
"I dont know.. are you sure..?" I say.
"I want you to come but its up to you."
"if you want me to go then ill go."
"alright its settled."
He walks into his closet to change and then soon walks out changed and ready to go. He also has a spare hemet for me. I guess we are taking his bike?
We walk outside and after unstrapping the bike from the back of the car we get on.
I secure my helmet and I wrap my arms around him.
I actually really like this bike I wouldnt feel safe if I went with anyone else. Motorcycle riding full of physical & emotional pleasure, anxiety, relaxation all at once. I understand why rafe loves it.
Once we get there I take my helmet off and we park the bike.
"yoo top its rafe and Stella." Kelce says to topper.
"what's up boys." rafe says.
After ordering a few drinks rafe tells the waiter to put it on his dads tab but I give her my card and tell her to send me the bill later.
Kelce is making fun of Sarah and John B and topper is not having it.
"im trying to get my mind off of it." he says.
"were just trying to make you feel better." rafe says.
"its not funny, how is it funny?" topper asks.
"jokes on her." rafe says.
"just drop it." I say.
Before anyone can reply I hear a vehicle pull up and I turnaround to see Barry shout "Rafe Cameron!"
"who's that?" topper says.
"oh great." I sigh. "rafe I thought you gave him the money."
"I did!"
"then why is he here?"
"I dont know."
"hey what are you doing man. you good?" rafe asks.
"No. I aint good man." Barry replies
"all right what-?" rafe starts.
"why's your family think im just some bitch they can shit on?" Barry asks. "first you dad kneecaps me in the house then-"
"you got your money." I say.
"that aint the point." Barry continues. "im asking you what am I? Am I just some little bitch? is that what your family looks me like?"
"no. no-" rafe laughs seriously.
"okay so why your sister and her little surf rats friends running around stealing 25k out of my house?" he asks.
"they did what?" I ask shocked then Barry says it again.
"my little sister robbed you?" rafe asks.
"yeah Sarah robbed me."
"she won't pick up a dollar off the street, what are you talking about?" rafe asks.
"do I look dumb? you think I dont understand what's going on here?" Barry asks. "you better sort this out with your sister or else I am"
"cause I want my money."
rafe starts hyperventilating "listen I dont know what your talking about. Sarah Cameron home invader?"
"yeah right." I say.
Rafe puts his hand on his shoulder but Barry but Barry grabs rafes wrist with this burn and twisted it. For some reason rafe winces and backs down a bit
"dont hurt him you fucking bitch" I say cracking my knuckles. Topper steps in before Barry can say anything or before I can do anything and I go over to rafe who is leaning against a fence.
"are you okay?" I ask.
"im fine." he winces as I touch the burn.
"where did this come from?"
"we will talk about this later."
"you bet we will." I say then I walk over to Barry smile at him then punch him straight in the nose.
"Fuck." He says backing down and blood starts dripping out of his nose. "Aren't you feisty."
then he pushes me hard against the fence and my face scraps against it.
"you did not just do that man." rafe says getting up and walking towards him. I get up and hold rafe back as he lunges at Barry.
"guys cmon let's chill out." Topper says as I still holding rafe who looks like he wants to kill Barry
"Fine." Rafe backs down and I let go and grab his hand and he intertwines his fingers with mine.
"look Barry I'm sorry for punching you but whatever is going on with you and the pouges has nothing to do with us." I feel very light headed and then I feel liquid running down my face.
"I don't care it's fine." Barry says getting into his car . "I'm just going to find your sister and her little shits."
I let go of rafes hand and I touch my forehead and it's full of blood. I run and get my helmet because I don't want to worry rafe now.
"what are you going to do?" topper asks rafe.
"nothing. its not my problem."
"thats Sarah your talking about." topper says.
"yeah rafe cmon its your sister." I say with my helmet on."
"alright cmon."
we go back onto the bike and topper rides his own.
Soon we find the Twinkie and rafe parks in front of their way.
"what the hell is wrong with you?" Sarah yells at rafe.
I smile at her softly and she smiles back quickly then goes back to yelling at rafe.
"there she is! little miss perfect." rafe says.
"hello? are you high?" Sarah asks.
"what? oh no."
"damn it. you could have been run over." Sarah yells.
"I just heard about you little home invasion."
"what are you talking about?"
"listen Sarah the man you robbed is a bad man."
"yeah im aware rafe!"
"listen he gave me this?" he says showing his wrist. "okay?"
"what..? I ask.
"he gave me this for being late on payment." rafe says ignoring me. "you stole from him? alright what do you think hes going to do to your pouge boyfriend.
"worry about your own shit." Sarah says.
"im taking care of my own shit, okay?" rafe yells. "and one day your going to wish you were nicer to me."
"you psycho. goodluck with his bs Stella, your officially his bitch." She says and I shift uncomfortably.
Topper is busy arguing with John B but then we ride off and rafe and I go home and say bye to topper.
I take off my helmet and I can feel blood all over my cheeks and forehead. It's not bleeding as much as it was before.. I think?
Rafe glances over at me. "Holy shit."
"Sorry I didn't want to stress you out even more before.. I think it was when Barry pushed me."
"Come with me." He takes my hand and we walk to the living room and he sits me down. "Stay here I'll be back."
He comes back with a first aid kit. Then he takes a wet paper towel with rubbing alcohol and cleans my face i wince when it goes I've true actual cut and squeeze his hand that he's not using at times.
After I'm cleaned up he puts a bandaid on it and kisses my forehead. I lie down on the couch and rest my head on his lap.
"Thanks for defending me, princess." He whispers gently. "I was like, that's my girl but I couldn't stand seeing you being slammed into the fence..are you going to tell you dad?"
"Anytime my love and no I don't think I will." I say. "Princess? That's new..I like it."
"You do..huh..?" He says smirking playing with my hair.
"Tell me what?" My dad says in the doorway.
"Rafe I'll talk to you after."
"K" he says walking out giving us privacy."
"What's going on?" Dad asks. "What happened to your head?"
"It's ok .. I fell off some friends and I hit my head on a fence and scraped it."
"Rafe cleaned my cut up."
"You could have asked me." He argues.
"I practically never see you enough to hang out let alone ask."
"Are you serious?" He says with gritted teeth.
"Yes. I hardly see you, talk to you about moms death or Julian's death, how can we move past what happened when you can't talk to me about what happened.. your also keeping Julian a secret and I'm done." I breath from all the talking. "I'm telling my boyfriend about my brother , I'm not risking my relationship with someone that cares about me more than anyone else in this house because you don't want to be reminded of the past. Well guess what they died this year and keeping your feelings bottled up won't do shit."
Then he starts sobbing.
"Dad.. I'm sorry."
"You went through the same thing as me I lost my son and wife. Your all I have left and I can't loose you too."
I hug him and ask "do you think Julian is alive?"
The cops believed julian died or else he would have came back also there's a lot of human trafficking in our area in the city.. the night he left there also were gunshots around the block. We live in a nice penthouse but it's still dangerous no matter where you go in the world.. somehow.
"I don't think so honey."
We both stay hugging eachother for another 10 minutes and I start crying.
"You should go tell rafe, honey."
"Mhm. I love you dad."
"Wait. I'm sorry. I will be there for you more."
I nod.
I find rafe sitting outside on the patio.
"if were going to have a relationship were going to have to be honest with eachother."
"are you talking about my burn..?"
" yeah that and something I havent been honest about." I sigh.
"what is it? you can trust me Stella."
"I know but lets go sit down." We walk upstairs and go to my room.
We sit down on my bed and I ask him about his burn touching it gently. I don't know how I didn't notice it.
"well umm you know about topper party?" He starts.
"yeah..?"
"and you know how I needed money, right?" He says anxiously.
"Oh my gosh just tell me." I say worried. What did he do? Besides drugs in the bathroom of course but still now I'm nervous.
"did you cheat on me? well it wouldn't be cheated since we weren't dating."
"no. don't get mad though I needed the money." he says.
"ok.."
"I sold cocaine.." he admits. "At the party to some kooks."
I sigh shaking my head. "I would have gave you the fucking money if you told me that you were going to do that."
"Please don't be mad, I would never take money from you."
"okay." I shake my head. "Don't do it again please."
"but I didn't finish."
"Okay go on."
"I decided to use the money on the backup generators.. instead of paying Barry back. Then Barry came to the house and burned my arm with the exhuast because I didn't pay him on time. " I know its kind of cringe but I kiss his burn gently.
"It will get better." I smile.
"So what did you need to tell me."
I go to photos on my phone and show him a photo of Julian
"Okay so this is Julian from back in New York." I sigh. "He's my-"
"What the fuck." He starts hyperventilating. "What are you? A player?"
I put my hand on his chest "calm down" and he pushes me off.
"cut the shit Stella." he shakes his head. "I cant believe you."
"Let me talk."
"Fine but you have 20 seconds before I go all psycho mode."
"He's my brother.. twin brother."
Rafes jaw drops. "No.."
"He died." I start. "Well we don't know for sure he ran away and never came back and the cops gave up the search and agreed that he died."
Tears start to fall and I try to wipe them away but they just keep coming.
"Don't cry stella." He says kissing my cheek.
Which does nothing.
Then he blows a raspberry on my neck and I giggle and wipe my tears away and I give him a hug and he wraps his arms around me.
2245 words.