Country Club Living - Rafe Cameron

Chapter Ten - The Library

Rafe pulled at his uncomfortable collar, he felt trapped in his clothes. Crashing from the night before he felt himself become very agitated and the idea of spending another dinner with someone whom he disliked as much as he did Ivy seemed like hell. He had no idea why their families were spending so much time together, they had always lived beside each other, their fathers were both in business together for years so why now did they decide to become so close. It was almost as if it were purposely to annoy the boy.

Stepping outside he fumbled in his shorts pocket for a beaten-up packet of Marlboro cigarettes that he seemed to only smoke after a heavy night. He fiddled with the lighter for a few seconds before sparking the flint and inhaling the toxic fumes into his lungs, after standing for a moment he couldn't tell if it was the high wearing off that made him feel so paranoid, but he could've sworn someone was staring at him.

In a swift movement, he exhaled the smoke and looked around, flicking his eyes up towards the balcony next door and finding the prying honey-coloured eyes he was looking for. Ivy quickly jumped away out of sight. Rafe clenched his jaw and dropped the cigarette butt to the ground, crushing it under his shoe before picking it up and launching it over the wall. He cracked his neck and sighed. Not only was she constantly around him she was constantly watching him too.

Rafe bit at his nails as he thought about the night before, he had been high as a kite, but he could remember everything, the way he made her squirm, and the way fear took over her as his body neared hers. He shook the thoughts from his head. She was over-reacting like she always did, he couldn't have scared her he thought.

Back inside the house, Rafe decided to shower and get ready for the evening, picking out a baby blue Ralph Lauren shirt and a pair of shorts. He twiddled his gold ring between his fingers before slipping it on and lay back onto his bed feeling his eyes begin to gently shut.

The Rutherford home was in an uproar. Alexis had lost her favourite necklace and was accusing Ivy of taking it all whilst trying to cook the evening meal. Leo was nowhere to be seen and their guests would be arriving in an hour.

"I didn't take it!" Ivy protested for the fifth time

Alexis brushed her hands on her apron and sighed "Well where is it then Ivy?"

"I don't know!" she exasperated "Do you need help with dinner?"

Her mother glared at her "Yes. But you're still under suspicion about my necklace, stir the sauce" she said heading over to chop some vegetables up. "Where is your father. He picks the worst times to go missing I swear"

Many things could be said about Alexis but the statement that she was a bad cook would be anything less than slander. She had always opted to cook the family meals despite having the option to hire in a chef and she always managed to turn a boring dish into a fantastic one. Ivy suspected it may be her trying to hold onto whatever family values she had left from her old life.

With the wooden spoon in hand, Ivy poked the bear once more and spoke up about her distant family "Was grandma a good cook?"

There was a silence for a moment before Alexis swallowed and spoke "Yes. The best"

The room was soon filled with an awkwardness "Do you miss her?" Ivy asked

"Yes" her mother said, barely even above a whisper

Ivy decided to stop there, not wanting to upset her mother too much. She just wished that she would stop being so stubborn and take the chance to visit the only family she had left while they were within walking distance of each other. Seeing her cousin had rattled her and she couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt.