When He Leaves - R. Cameron

7 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑠, 𝑚𝑎𝑦𝑏𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒

𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑠,
𝑚𝑎𝑦𝑏𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒

summer of '19

          Rory had stayed in the same place for nearly two hours, half-listening listening to the girls talk about so many things that it made her head hurt. That was until they all got up and left, most likely to leave. It was getting late, about one in the morning. The only girl she had got along with was a girl with dark blonde hair and pale skin— Lily. But she had disappeared awhile ago, and she had said no to going with her.

          She listened to the faint music that had been turned down overtime and the distant sound of voices in the other rooms. Her eyes were getting heavy and she should would go home but not being alone was more comforting, even if it was a party that smelled like beer and sweat. "Hey, do you need a ride home?" She looked up to see the familiar face of Lily, who was smiling softly at her.

          "No, that's alright. I drove here." She explained and watched her sit down beside her. "Are you leaving?"

          Lily nodded and covered a yawn with her hand. "Yeah, my parents will kill me if I get home any later than this. Are you leaving soon?" She looked over her shoulder for a minute and than returned her eyes to Rory's. She shrugged, twisting and untwisting the lid on her empty water bottle. "Maybe. Do you go to our high school? I've never seen you before."

          "Actually, I'm visiting family for the summer, but I was thinking about staying here for my senior year. It doesn't seem that friendly here though, especially with those girls earlier. People from Tennessee are a lot nicer." Lily laughed and she joined in, nodding in agreement.

          Rory glanced over when she felt the couch sink in on her other side. Rafe slung his arm on the back of the couch and looked down at her with a smirk. "Is this your boyfriend?" The girl beside her asked with a wide grin, looking between the two of them. Rory nearly scoffed. "No way."

           He spoke at the same time as her. "Yes." She glared at him and looked at Lily with an apologetic expression. "He's joking. It was nice meeting you, Lily. We'll have to hang out this summer." She smiled at the girl as she stood who agreed with a curious look. "Yeah, definitely. Bye."

          "Are you gonna stay and help me clean?" He asked, close to her ear. She could smell the alcohol on his breath and cringed. "Are you drunk?" She groaned and glared at him again, his eyes flickering unsteadily between hers. He shrugged and laid his head back against the couch.

           "I'm really not. I only had a few beers to hold me over." Rafe told her and sat back up, his thigh bumping hers. "But I really do need help cleaning. My dad, Wheezie, and stepmom are supposed to be here in the morning, change of plans." His eyes were really blue, she noticed.

           Rory looked over her shoulder at the mess, and the couple of people leaving through the front door— she frowned when she saw one of them drop a beer can the floor. "I guess I could help. Where's Sarah, by the way?" She asked, realizing she had not seen her at a party at the house she lived in.

          "Fuck." Rafe drawled out and threw his head back. He stood up and made his way toward the stairs, and she followed behind him. "Rafe, what's wrong?" She asked, grabbing his bicep.

          He looked over his shoulder at her. "Shh. Her and Topper are screwing around somewhere." He explained in a whisper and she continued to follow him up the stairs and down the hall. "How do you know?" She wondered aloud. He looked at her and seemed annoyed, but still answered her. "She hasn't came out of her room, and Topper disappeared awhile ago."