His Choice - Rafe Cameron

41. Babysit

JJ and I have been working on my bike all morning. We put the kick stand on which allows it to stand up on its own now rather than us holding it while trying to work on it. 

Pope suddenly rocks up in his dads truck and has some sort of stack of papers in his hands. 

"Howdy Pope. You weren't joking when you said you were coming over to study." JJ says to him as Pope approaches us. 

"Hey Maybanks." 

I take a closer look at Pope's papers and don't recognise half of the words on the page. "What are you studying for?" 

"My exam coming up on Monday."

"So why are you studying here and not in your quiet bedroom at your place?"

Pope looks over at JJ and neither of them have to speak because I already know the answer. 

"JJ, please tell me you didn't ask Pope to come over and babysit me."

"I have to go to work and I don't want you to be here by yourself. Consider yourself lucky that I didn't ask John B and Sarah because then you would be a third wheel. Instead you get Pope and he won't annoy you because he will be busy studying."

"Pope, go home and study. Your exam is much more important than babysitting me."

Pope sends me a reassuring smile. "I don't mind, really."

"See, he doesn't care. Now I will be back just before midnight. But if your dad shows up, both of you call me immediately."

"Will do." Pope answers.

"JJ, this is stupid."

JJ ignores me and goes inside to change into his work uniform. 

*

Pope is sitting across from me in the front room with his head buried in his study notes. I was sketching in my art book until I got bored and needed some fresh air. When I close the screen door to the verandah, Pope looks up from his notes. 

"Where are you going?"

"I need some fresh air. I'm bored and I can't even turn the tv on because 1. you're studying and 2. because it got broken in the brawl last night."

"I have good service on my phone. You can watch something on that if you want."

"It's fine, I'm going to go for a walk."

Pope puts his paper down on the lounge beside him. "Alright, I'll come with you. I could use a break anyway."

I laugh at him. "Pope, I am just going down by the water. I will be fine. If I need help, I'll call out."

Pope picks up his papers and brings them outside. He sits on my grandmother's chair and continues reading the notes while I walk down to the jetty. I look up at Pope and he is too focused on his studying to notice that I am beginning to walk further away from the house. Eventually I keep walking and head into town. 

Once I reach the main street in town, I turn around and begin my walk back home. However, my nice peaceful stroll became interrupted by someone calling my name repeatedly. 

"Scarlett, you can't avoid me forever. It's a small town."

"Well I'm sure going to try."

Rafe jogs over to me and I continue walking so he continues jogging to keep up with me. His legs are much longer than mine but because I am walking quite quickly, he still has to run. 

"Has your dad paid you anymore visits?"

"Nope."

"I'm surprised Maybank has let you out of the house alone."