ISSUES II outer banks

agreement

"Love shouldn't hurt."

❥

"You can tell me, Isabella." Ward's voice is soft. He's never been harsh to me. I realize there's no point in holding it back. They would tell him anyways so I take my hands out of my pockets and show him.

"Isabella didn't want to come here or even tell us, Ward. But we're her guardians now and you know how Harvey and Dana would react in that moment. I was only thinking about what they would do. He would come here and tell you. Kiara was brave enough to tell us the truth."

"Are you sure?" I know Ward since many years as he's a good friend and a client of my parents, especially of my dad, but I've never heard him talk so quietly. I've never seen him being shocked about something. "Rafe! Come now!", he shouts through the hall angrily.

"What, dad? That bimbo is wasting her time with Pogues now. She can wait", we heard Rafe's voice echoing from upstairs. "You're here in five seconds or I'll throw you out of this house in five minutes!" Realizing how Rafe was talking about me, he looks even angrier than before, if that is even possible.

"I'm ashamed of his behavior." "Bella, seriously, be with that pogue and-" Rafe shuts himself up as soon as he sees that Anna and Christian stand next to me. "Sorry, just joking", he tries to help himself instead. How is that a joke? He called me a bimbo and talked to me like that. Really funny.

❥

"Isabella, show him your wrists", Ward asks me softly but changes the tone of his voice when he turns to Rafe who can now see what he's done, "Do you know how that happened?" "I don't know maybe there were some games going on between the pogue and her", he still ‚jokes' about me. Is he high right now? His eyes definitely look like it. Again..

Before Ward can even yell at him, Kie embraces her opportunity to do so. "You fucking hurt her! She begged you to stop and you just grabbed her tighter! You're so disgusting!" "Kiara", Christian stops her stridently.

"Get away", Ward orders Rafe in such a serious way that he even does what his dad says for once. "I don't know what to say, I'm speechless. Let's sit down in the dining room."

My family and I made clear that we definitely don't want any money from Ward, not even an injury award. I didn't talk a lot so Christian and Anna wanted an agreement between our families. They reminded me of my parents and that they would want to have talked about it. I could also hear my dad tell me to avoid Rafe.

So I didn't stop them from making that compromise. I only asked them to make that agreement about my friends. Rafe shouldn't hurt John B, JJ, Kie or Pope. Ward agreed without even thinking about it. We've definitely shocked him today and he looked really apologizing. Whenever he sees Rafe around me, he has to make sure that Rafe won't hurt me. I don't think that he will be able to do that realistically, but that's what Anna and Christian wanted so I stayed quiet. At least they didn't demand an injunction. After all, it's been the Rafe who's been affected by coke, not the real him.

❥

I make the greatest use of the next day by inviting JJ over while Anna and Christian work and Kie spends the evening with Pope and John B. Christian offered me yesterday to invite Rafe thinking I would want to meet him but after yesterday it's pretty clear that we won't talk about this topic anymore. They even offered me to close the restaurant earlier and stay at home with me but I said that it's fine. It wouldn't change the situation if they stayed home. Seeing JJ makes me happy so inviting him over was the best I could do.

"Babe", JJ whispers lying next to me in my bed with his arms around my upper body and gives me a peck. "What do you want, JJ?", I giggle. The tone of his voice is suspicious. Sometimes he's just trying to be cute but more often, he wants me to do something. And I'm right. "Can you like go downstairs, take a pan and throw something in there gently?"

"You can just say that you want me to cook something for you." "Last time I did, you said I've got two healthy hands and can do it my own", he retorts. I remember that moment and nod softly. "You're right. I'll make it up to you later", I promise trying to use a seductive voice. "I know you will", he understands my intention and grins back.

As we stand up, I hear something and turn to JJ who's too happy about the fact that he got me to cook. I almost think that I didn't hear right but the sound is getting louder so there has to be someone. "JJ, did you hear that?" "What?"

"Bella!"

"Fuck, it's Rafe", I utter starting to feel uncomfortable and insecure, "What do I do?" "You'll do nothing. I'll go and kill him", JJ hisses but I stop him by holding his arm before he can leave my room. "Let's wait. Maybe he'll go away."

I'm quite naive you could say or how I would call it someone who believes in the good side of others. I turn off the lights so maybe he's starting to think that I'm asleep and will leave. Well, that wasn't smart enough.

Rafe calls for me even louder and starts to throw small stone against my window now. "I know that you're here and that he's with you, Isabella. I know it", Rafe shouts, "JJ's bike is in the driveway. Did you really think that I'm stupid?"

We didn't think about that. JJ left his motorbike in the driveway like he normally would. I'm feeling so insecure as if he would be able to see us right now in my room or to even read my mind. Instinctively, I place my hand over my mouth and glance at JJ with big eyes. He's got no idea either. But he holds me close and tries to calm me down by stroking my back. As much as he's trying to give me a good feeling, it doesn't make Rafe go away. Not even after five minutes. If I was standing outside and see no light, I would think that they would be assleep. Apparently, not everyone thinks like me.