SACRIFICE // currently editing!

six, the fire theory

CHAPTER SIX ━━ THE FIRE THEORY
Sacrifice!          0106

A WEEK LATER, SARAH PICKED Jules up so they could hang out with the rest of the Pogues. Rafe was already off playing golf with his friends so Jules didn't have to deal with his glare that always came up at the mere mention of her friends.

When they arrived at the Château, the two girls went inside to find everyone already there, sitting around and talking, beer cans in hand. JJ popped up and grabbed Jules by the waist, tugging her down on top of him from the pull-out bed. The group of friends laughed, but Jules's was more than forced, because she knew how Rafe would react if he knew what had just transpired.

Eventually, JJ let go of Jules, but he kept an arm around her shoulders. Jules kept shrugging his limb off of her, though it always seemed to find its way back to her body somehow. She was growing increasingly more uncomfortable with JJ's persistence, but she didn't want to be rude or cause a scene.

Conversation was beginning to dwindle after a long time. They sat in companionable silence for just as long. JJ's arm was loosely slung around Jules's shoulder, and the feel of his skin against hers felt like fire, but not in a good way. It was a scorching but flimsy kind of flame that Jules was comfortable with but not actively seek out like she did Rafe. Rafe was like an uncontrollable forest fire, deadly and strong. Somehow, one of those was much preferred over the other, no matter the lethality or danger.

An intense feeling of coming clean suddenly overtook her. Why, she had no idea. But wanting her friends to know about her and Rafe was taking over her senses and overall functions. But they're friends; they should deserve to know who she is dating, even if none of them are fond of that person.

Jules kept fighting against that feeling. She knew her friends wouldn't react well. She didn't want to start something that could be prevented. But in the end, she lost the battle.

"Guys, I have to tell you something."

The silence amongst the friends persisted at Jules's words, but was suddenly charged with an electricity of apprehension and wonder. She felt like she was choking on her tongue from the several pairs of eyes now focused on her.

"I'm dating Rafe," Jules admits. She catches Sarah's eye for a split moment before staring down at her fingers in her lap.

"You're kidding," Kie muttered, a furious undertone to her words.

"Nope. I . . . I'm dating him."

Jules could feel Sarah's eyes on her from a few feet away. The weight of her gaze was intense and stifling from the power behind what Jules just admitted. Everyone else sat quietly, desperately trying to digest what Jules had just admitted. Everyone but JJ remained sitting. He shot up from the bed and began to pace. He was mumbling under his breath before he stormed out of the Château, the door swinging wildly behind him. Pope made to go after him but Jules stopped him. With a tight jaw, she hesitantly followed after the blond.

She found him under the large tree out front. He was sat with his legs bent against his chest and his elbows resting on his knees as he stared out at the marsh. Jules sat down next to him without a word, crossing her legs. She kept them in strained silence as she searched for the right words before speaking.

"JJ, I understand you're upset, but I—"

"Y'know, I've had a crush on you for two years now," he said, cutting her off. Jules could hear the tears through his words. "Two fucking years down the drain. All because of Rafe." He sniffled. "He doesn't deserve you, man. He will never deserve you. You're too good for him. He's a stuck up asshole that can't get sober to realize he's ruining his own life."

"He's better than that," Jules whispered.

JJ swiveled his head to look at her, tears fleeing down his bright red cheeks. "Yeah? Well, one day, you're gonna realize he's a twisted fucking bastard who kills everything he touches."

"That's not true," Jules insisted, though her vocal chords were so stiff that she was unsure if JJ had heard her.

Her friend scoffed. He looked away from her, his blue eyes trained back on the marsh. "How long have you been together, anyway?"

"Four months."

"God . . ."

"JJ." Jules reached forward for his hand. "We're still friends no matter what. You mean too much to me for this to go south anytime soon, okay? You're stuck with me, whether you like it or not."

The boy licked his lips. Then he turned to her, something besides tears shining in his eyes. It looked as if he was about to say something when a familiar truck appeared in the dirt driveway.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me." JJ looked back to Jules with a steely glint in his eyes. "Your steed awaits, m'lady."

Jules dropped her head. When she looked up, JJ was looking back at the marsh, no sign of tears. She bit her lip before hastily pressing a soft kiss to his cheekbone. He seemed to stop breathing, but said nothing as she got up and slowly approached the truck.

Rafe was leaning against the driver side door, a stony expression written across his face. He didn't go towards her despite how much every drop of blood inside of him and the throbbing of his heart combined was screaming at him to do so.

"Lose the scowl, Rafe," Jules snapped. "I told them. You don't have to pretend anymore."

And that's all Rafe needed to hear.

Rafe took a large stride and grabbed Jules by the waist and kissed her fiercely, knowing JJ and or the others could see. As much as she wanted to pull away and slap the smirk off his stupidly handsome face, she melted into the kiss like always, instinctively coiling her arms around his neck. She didn't have to sneak around anymore or lie to her friends. Relief rippled through her bloodstream.

Rafe finally pulled back. His blue eyes were radiant and sparkling as he stared down at her.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me," he murmured.

Jules bit back her smile. She loved seeing Rafe genuinely happy and smiling, even if she would have to explain how the admission had come about. Either way, his happiness was everything to her.

"Does that mean I can give you as many hickeys as I want now, wherever I want?" he asked.

The girl buried her face in his chest, groaning as she breathed in his cologne. She shook her head, saying, "Jesus fuck, Rafe. Where are your manners?"

"Left 'em at home."

"Yeah, I can tell."

The two climbed into the truck without Jules saying bye to her friends. Instead, she reveled in the deadly flames at her side, blatantly ignoring the sinking feeling in her guts.