PARADISE LOST | JJ Maybank VS Rafe Cameron

NINE

N I N E

WHEEZIE WAS THROWING UP ON THE TOILET WITH SARAH HOLDING HER HAIR. Juliette nearly gagged at the smell, breathing through her mouth as the youngest Cameron continued to barf whatever alcohol was left in her system.

     Sarah made a face, sharing a look with Juliette. "Oh, God."

     "Here," Juliette said, using one of the rubber bands on her wrist to tie Wheezie's hair into a ponytail.

     "So," Sarah flushed the toilet, "what have we learned?"

     "Never mix vodka with Crystal Light," Wheezie managed to say before retching once more.

     "Atta, girl." Juliette patted her on the back. "Better out than in."

     Sarah grinned at her best friend. "Okay, Shrek." Juliette flashed her the finger.

     Wheezie glanced up weakly at the two older girls. "Please don't tell Dad."

     Juliette opened her mouth to say she's not a snitch, but Sarah had beaten her to it with a bribe. "I won't." She had a smirk playing on her lips. "On one condition."

     "What's that?" Wheezie said with a sigh.

     "You cover for me sneaking out with Topper tonight." A pause. "Please."

     All Wheezie seemed to be doing in the past few minutes aside from throwing up was sighing. "Fine," she gave in.

     "You promise?"

     "I promise," Wheezie said, raising her pinky up to hook around Sarah's. She turned to Juliette and said, "Do you need me to cover for you too? Are you going out with Rafe or something?"

     "Nah, I'm good," Juliette said, waving a hand dismissively until a thought flashed across her mind. "Actually, you know what — I do need you to do something for me."

     Wheezie eyed the girl warily for a second. "Which is?"

     Juliette hesitated, eyes flickering to Sarah who looked just as curious as Wheezie did. Before she could change her mind, Juliette breathed out, "I need you to lie to Rafe about where I am tonight and whom I'll be meeting."

     Because if Rafe found out she'd be meeting up with JJ Maybank with just the two of them alone — he might actually kill someone.

𓆉

     His father was disappointed at him again. It was something Rafe was starting to get used to no matter how hard he tried to make him proud. Maybe sometimes he'd screw shit up, but it's not like he did it all the time. Even when he actually did something responsible from time to time, Ward would never see that. He wasn't the golden child — he'd never receive the love Ward had for Sarah. And Rafe hated her for that.

     "I just don't feel like you care!" Ward was yelling at him — it seemed to be the only volume he ever heard his father speak to him with.

     "I said I do," Rafe repeated for the billionth time since they've started this conversation. They were sitting outside on the patio, his father on the chair across of him with Conrad Starling leaning against a column. Conrad hated putting his nose in their business whenever Rafe got reprimanded by his father, he tended to stay as silent as he could — so silent you would forget he was even there.

     "Yeah, you said," Ward sassed as he threw Conrad a look. "Do you see what I've been trying to tell you about my son?"

     Conrad ducked his head and lowered his cap to cover his face as he pretended not to exist.