Toxic: A Rafe Cameron Story

18.

We wake up the next morning to the birds chirping outside. Rafe rolls around angrily in the bed, he's not really a morning person.

"Get up, let's get breakfast." I say pushing his shoulders. He groans and I roll my eyes.

I get out of bed and go to the bathroom to take a shower to freshen up for the day. I decide to bring in one of the new outfits Rafe decided to buy me last night. It's a little different that what I'd normally wear, a little more kooky than I'd like but it's not that bad.

After my shower I brush through my hair and dry it with the provided hair dryer. I didn't bring any makeup, but I'm not too concerned over that anyway, I don't think Rafe even notices or cares.

"Good morning." Rafe says stumbling into the bathroom like a drunk person.

"Good morning." I smile.

In the reflection of the mirror I see him pull his boxers down and grab a towel from the closet behind us. I try to hide my smile as he steps into the shower. He turns it on and washes himself without saying a word.

"Can you get me some clothes from my bag?" He asks.

"Sure. Anything particular?"

"Nope."

I exit the bathroom and open his bag, digging around for a pair of boxers and socks to start. I take out khaki shorts and a blue short sleeve top.

"Here you go." I say and lay the clothes on the counter.

"Thank you." He says.

I nod and want to leave the bathroom, but my feet stay planted on the floor, eyes scanning over Rafe's back.

"Like what you see?" Rafe says.

"How do you even know I'm still here." I say, throwing my hands in the air.

"I just know." He says, now turning around. I huff and walk out of the bathroom leaving him chuckling to himself.

After he gets out of the shower, we decide to walk down the street to a cafe to get breakfast.

"This place is good." Rafe says when we sit down. "You'd like the pancakes."

"How do you know I like pancakes?" I ask.

"Do you know how many times Sarah has asked me to make pancakes for breakfast when you stayed over?" He says.

"And you made them? I thought you were mean to Sarah and Wheezie." I joke.

"I can be nice sometimes." He shrugs.

"I'm surprised you made them knowing I like them, since you hate me so much." I say.

"I don't hate you, now." He says.

"I still hate you." I say and he chuckles.

"No you don't." He says and I smile. Sometimes I truly do still hate Rafe but that's just because he has a shit attitude most of the time and it bothers me, but I guess he does have a good reason for it.

"Have your pogue friends tried to figure out where you are yet?" Rafe asks.

"I haven't even looked at my phone. I turned it off when we got here." I say.

"Sarah's been texting me but I haven't replied." He says.

"Why?"

"She don't need to know where I am." He says. 

"Kie is probably worried about me. They all probably are." I say.

"Don't worry about them. We will deal with them when we get home." He says.

I nod and stay quiet until the waiter comes by to take our order. I feel guilty about leaving outer banks without telling anybody but it's not like I'm gone forever, it's only until tomorrow.

*** SUNDAY MORNING ***

"I'm nervous." I say as we pass the Outer Banks sign.

"Don't be." Rafe says.

"They are going to freak."

"What are they going to do about it? You're acting like they are your parents."

"You don't get it, we protect each other, I'd be mad if Kie left us without telling anyone." I say and Rafe just shakes his head.

Rafe and I stay quiet until we reach my driveway. Kie and the rest are sitting outside on the deck. Kie and JJ jump up the second they see us pull in.

I sigh before opening the door and jumping out.

"Cass what the hell! Where were you?" JJ yells. Rafe and I stand side by side next to the rover.

"We went to Charleston." I reply.

"Why didn't you tell anybody! We thought you were dead or something." Kie says.

"Dead? Kie come on."

"It wouldn't surprise me, especially since you were with him." JJ says pointing a finger at Rafe.

I feel Rafe tense up.

"Stop it JJ. Let's not make a big deal about this okay, I'm back and alive so let's just drop it."

"You could have at least told us." Kie mumbled.

"Why? So you guys would have gave me a million reasons not to go? This is the reason we went, to get away from everybody."

"Cass." Kie says. I know exactly what she wants to say. She wants to tell me that Rafe isn't the guy for me, and I'm making a huge mistake. But I think she's wrong, Rafe is not a bad guy, they really don't know him like I do. He's different with me now, he treats me better.

JJ and Rafe stare intensely at each other, I almost want to laugh because of how childish they act toward each other but it's not a good time to start laughing.

"Rafe, I'll see you later okay?" I say and Rafe nods.

He turns to me and grabs my neck, pulling me in for a kiss.

"Hey!" JJ yells, causing Rafe to smirk into the kiss.

He pulls away and waves to the group before getting in the rover and driving off.

I stand there with blushed cheeks while everybody stares at me with blank faces.

"You can think or say what you want but I don't really care." I say as I walk past them. Sarah and John B stand up when I reach the deck.

"Cassie, I'm not sure this is a good idea." Sarah says.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"You don't know him Cassie."

"I think I know him better than you. There's nothing wrong with Rafe okay, if he was treated a little better by your family then he'd probably be alright." I say.

Sarah stays quiet, just as I hoped she would.

I walk in the house and throw my bag on the floor and sigh. I can't lose my friends because of Rafe but I don't want to lose Rafe either. They are all important to me, I wish there was a way I could get them to like each other.