All her stars | Rafe Cameron

C H A P T E R 23

PROTECTIVE BULLSHIT

Callie arrived home and laid on the sofa, watching tv. It had been a long and exhausting day so she really enjoyed having time for herself.

She watched Greys Anatomy for a little while and didn't get her eyes off the screen until she heard the front door suddenly opening.

She saw Rafe and Cooper bursting into the living-room and as they seemed pretty mad she lowered the tv volume. "Hum.. hi boys?"

"Oh Cal you're okay," her boyfriend spoke in relief, walking fast towards her.

He sat on the sofa and hugged her against him without even saying a word. He sighed and she hugged him back, not really knowing why he was all of sudden holding her but she wasn't complaining. "Hi Rafe, I missed you too my love"

Cooper kept standing and watched her as they pulled away. "Do you ever happen to think before you do something?!"

"What did I do?" she asked annoyed.

Cooper took his face in his hands and got closer from her. "Barry! He came to us! He told us what you and your Pogue friends did!"

She laughed playfully and looked at her upset brother. "Does he miss his pocket mirror?" she asked as she took it out of her shorts pocket and looked at her reflection in it.

"Cal it's not funny," Rafe took the mirror away from her hand and she rolled eyes, throwing her head back to rest it on the sofa. "It could've ended up really bad for you"

"Come on, I couldn't let him hurt us again. I had to do something! He literally pointed a gun at all of us and you expected me to stay there doing nothing?"

"Well yeah, you could have warned us, first," Rafe spoke and it drove her insane because she wasn't a kid they were babysitting and they seemed to forget it.

"Oh sorry, I forgot you two were controlling my fucking life"

"We're not controlling you're life okay?! We're just being mature and protecting you because you're not being responsible," Cooper yelled at her face, causing her eyes to fill up with tears.

"Can't you stop it with this protective bullshit? I don't need you. I'm a grown girl, and you guys.. well," she took a deep breath before going ahead "you created more problems in my life than solved"

Rafe looked at her, disappointment dripping from his eyes, because even though she was right, it wasn't nice from her to throw it at his face that way.

She understood she had been to harsh but she was sick of their shit, and she couldn't have any of them parenting her anymore.

"We're just doing it cause we love you, and we don't want you to be hurt," Rafe spoke, hurt but she didn't respond or moved, only a tear falling down her cheek betrayed her feelings.

"It's nice, but as I said, I don't need you to do that for me, at all," she concluded, trying to control her voice so that it wasn't trembling too much, and getting up.

"Well if you don't need us, then feel free to leave," Cooper commented, as she felt another tear falling down her cheek.

"That's exactly what I'm doing. Does it look like I'm playing soccer to you?" she talked back, upset and sad.

She went to her room and laid on her bed, under the covers. God she felt horrible for what she had just told Rafe but it was too late for regrets.

She saw the door opening and, talking about the devil, Rafe got in her room, locking the door behind him. She stayed quiet and looked at him.

"Can we talk?" he asked and she nodded for only answer, as he sat on the bed next to her.

"I'm sorry if what I told you hurt you," she apologised looking down. "And I didn't mean it, I was just upset"

He stroked the back of her head softly and nodded. "It did hurt me Cal"

"Look, I appreciate that you're concerned about me, and that you only want me to be safe, but I can't have you acting like you're my dad, it's kinda toxic."

He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. "I'm not acting like your dad, I just care about you, that's all. And it drives me crazy that you think it's toxic when I spend every single second of my life wondering if you're safe"

He took a deep breath before going ahead, more sincerely. "Remember last summer, after I found out about James abusing you? Remember I took you to a party on the next day? why do you think I did this?"

"To flirt with me?"

"No!" he laughed nervously again. "Because I wanted you anywhere but home, you weren't safe so I made sure you were. And then well.. maybe in the end you'd have been better at home, my plan kinda fucked up"

"Oh I.. didn't know, thank you"

He nodded slowly and she opened her arms so he got closer and hugged her. They stayed in each other's arms for a few minutes, and she kissed his cheek. "I love you"

"I love you more"

She kissed his lips passionately and smiled through the kiss, but a sudden knock on the front door of the house constrained them to pull away.

She waited for a few seconds, hoping Cooper would go to open it, but as it banged louder, she understood he wouldn't so she got up.

"Sorry, I'll be right back"

She walked to the entrance and opened the door. She discovered Pope and Kiara, waiting for her. "Oh hum.. hey"

"Hey Cal"

Pope scratched the back of his head and looked at her in her eyes. "Look, we came here to tell you and JJ that we're sorry and we didn't mean to be rude"

"Honestly, we had no idea you knew Barry and were far from imagining he ever hurt you, so we're sorry we reacted this way," Kiara added.

Callie nodded and smiled softly at both of them. "It's okay I'm not mad at you. JJ's not here though, I don't know where he's at"

"Home? maybe?"

"Ehh, I doubt he is, he might me at the chateau though," Pope spoke.

"Well, we'll go check up on him," Kie answered.

"Cal, wanna come with us?"

She thought of it for a few seconds and nodded, grabbing her bag and her phone, before closing the door behind her.