𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐧; 𝐑𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧

•25•

Bianca Jade

"Dad still in jail?" I asked as I sat down at the dining room table.

"Yeah" he nodded shorty, kicking off his heavy boots, picking up a half drunken bear bottle and swigging the rest "So, what's wrong—well I know what's wrong but why come here, dove?"

Dove.

God, he hasn't called me that since grade 4. I still remember the exact moment he decided to call me that. It used to drive me up the wall because it symbolised that I was a soft little soul.

"JJ! Pass the ball. You're being a bad sport!" I whined, clapping my hands together as I watched JJ fumble the ball in his hands from the other side of the small oval.

"You're cheating!" He shouted, holding the ball tight in his grip "You were supposed to touch the ball to the ground and you didn't!"

"We're just playing. It's not a big deal! Now pass the ball or I'll tell the teacher!" Finally, he rolled his eyes and raised the ball in his hands. He dropped it onto his foot and kicked it high in the air.

The sun was bright and the ball was a light colour as it went higher, I lost sight of it until it came tumbling down and landed in a tree. I squinted my eyes so I could see better and realised it was at the very top.

"JJ!" I scolded as I ran towards the tree . As we got closer, we heard faint high pitched cries. We had no clue where it was coming from, we searched high and low until we spotted a birds nest at the other side of the stump "Oh my lord!"

I fell to my knees on the ground and cradled the injured bird in my lap. The ball must of hit the bird from its nest and onto the ground. The bird looked little, probably not even knowing how to fly yet.

"What? What is it?" JJ stood by my side, looking in my lap.

"It's a bird, JJ" I stroked my hand over its small growing white feathers. Some patches  were still skin and that's how I knew it was a baby "It's a little Dove"

"A dove? Like the birds they have at wedding sand magic tricks?" He rose an eye brow.

"Yes, JJ" I rolled my eyes and stood with the bird in my shirt.

"Ew don't pick it up!" JJ cringed "It looks sick and gross"

"It's only a baby JJ! It's fragile and probably upset" I frowned while looking at the small blonde boy.

"A lot like you then, aye?" He teased, I rolled my eyes and started to walk up the oval for teachers assistance.

"Where are you going, Dove?!" I heard his tournament in the distance.

And it was his new nick name for me ever since.

It was always "Good morning Dove" or "did you do the homework, Dove?" And even "Dove, can I borrow a few dollars for the cafeteria?" It used to drive me up the wall but I grew to like it.

But he hasn't called me it in so long, I almost forgot about it. 

I smiled, he probably didn't even realise he said it nor that it would affect me this much. It reminded me of when times were simple, when we weren't so worried about everything, about boys/girls, social status, money. Just living.

"It's um— its Rafe" I said, pulling my head down in my hands.

"He shot the sheriff and now John B is taking the heat. Son of a bitch" he spat.