SACRIFICE // currently editing!

twelve, fucking happy

CHAPTER TWELVE ━━ FUCKING HAPPY
Sacrifice! 0112

     IT HAD TAKEN A LOT of convincing from the Pogues to get Jules to attend the party at the Boneyard. Really, it was just JJ pleading her to go for at least five minutes, just to see if it was worth staying. It wasn't. But that didn't stop her from enjoying the beach and partying with her friends.

She danced around in the beautiful, colorful rays of the sunset with a red cup of putrid beer in hand. To be honest, Jules Carson hates beer; she hates alcohol as a whole, but she's been holding on to it to appease John B. Sarah was by her side, a cup of beer in her grasp, dancing and hopping around with her best friend for life.

When her legs were beginning to ache from galavanting around with Sarah, Jules flopped down on the sand in front of JJ who was sat on some driftwood. She nestled herself in between his legs and he responded by lacing his fingers through her hair as he drank his own beer. Heinous, intrusive thoughts bubbled to the surface of her brain as JJ's fingers slipped through her dark brunette waves. These thoughts were unfortunately of the night she was corrupted, completely and entirely, by Rafe Cameron.

God, she was so stupid. How could she have not seen it from the start? Rafe asking her out and giving her that dumb necklace was just the bait for her, the oblivious fish. And he reeled her in nice and slow before filleting her, her guts spilling out everywhere.

Those intrusive thoughts were muted slightly when she felt JJ kiss the top of her head. Its warmth bled down her skull and her entire body, heating her like the golden sun.

But that didn't last long.

She saw Topper first. Then Kelce. Then Rafe. She shifted uncomfortably against JJ's legs. He must have noticed them as well because he gripped her head gently not even a second later, massaging her scalp with the tips of his fingers.

Pure, unadulterated adrenaline began to rush through her veins, her pulse speeding up. She didn't think twice before standing up and stomping towards Rafe. He looked at her as she approached him, his eyes widening a bit at the blatantly explicit anger on her face. Neither of them acknowledged JJ and Pope running after her, the two boys calling her name.

"Jules?" Rafe's voice was soft as he continued staring at her.

The aforementioned girl paused a few feet in front of the Cameron. His friends backed away the same moment JJ and Pope stopped behind her, urging her to forget whatever had infiltrated her brain, and have them take her home.

"Why'd you do it?"

Rafe's jaw tightened at Jules's question. He rubbed his chin for a moment, avoiding her gaze.

"Why'd do you it?" she repeated. "Why'd you actually accept that stupid bet in the first place?"

"I knew I could do it," Rafe murmured.

"So you did it just to stroke your own fucking ego?" Jules's voice was rising, catching other people's attention.

"No, I—"

"No? You sure? You used me, Rafe! You used my feelings for you against me!" She herself was surprised at how loud her voice was getting. "God, was everything fucking meaningless to you then?"

"No."

"Then what was? My feelings for you? The things we did together? The sex? 'Cause I bet you enjoyed taking the one thing I can't take back." Jules choked out a bitter laugh. "I wanted to believe that Rafe Cameron was different than what people said. I wanted to believe there was at least an ounce of good in you. But you proved me wrong. Even after being friends for years — when I thought I knew you better than anyone — you proved you really are heartless and a toxic bastard."

She could feel JJ step forward and reach for her hand, but she pulled her arm away.

"I trusted you with every fibre of my entire being," she seethed, tears begging to fall. "I can't believe I never listened to everyone constantly warning me about you. You kill everything you touch. I hope you got what you wanted from me. I hope you're fucking happy."

She spun on her heel and stormed past JJ and Pope, and all the other people who had gathered to witness the sweet, quiet Jules Carson screaming and yelling at the cocky, mindless Rafe Cameron. It was useless to do the same to them all. She was tired and her throat ached; she needed to go to bed.

Jules stormed off the beach, ignoring Pope yelling at her to stop but she didn't bother listening to him. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't. She couldn't admit her friends were right about Rafe to their faces. It would just prove her ignorance.

Tears seeped out of her eyes as she just kept walking, not acknowledging the darkening scenery around her. She sobbed as loudly as her throat would allow as she trekked along the road through the shadowy trees.

She prayed and hoped her friends would come find her. But she also wished with everything she had that no one would find her like this. She had just screamed and cursed and bitched at her ex-boyfriend — of course she didn't want to be seen by anyone despite the loneliness creeping up her back like a spider.

So she pushed on. Her feet were begging for her to stop walking, but she was almost at her destination. She was almost to the place she never saw herself going to. The address was burned into the back of her skull a very long time ago, but actually going was weird to say the least. And once the small blue house appeared through the skinny trees, she knew there was no going back.

At the front door, Jules stalled for a long time before she finally gave in and rang the doorbell. Footsteps echoed beyond the door before it swung open. The man before her had a concoction of different emotions cross his face when his eyes landed on her — confusion, surprise, happiness.

"Jules?" He carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. "J, what's wrong?"

Jules couldn't respond except by falling into her brother's chest. His arms instantly wrapped around her without hesitation. She sobbed and sniffled against him loudly.

"Hey. Shh, it's okay," Riley whispered, rubbing his little sister's back. "I've got you. You're safe."

All she could do was continue to shake violently and cry into the fabric of his shirt. Something in her brother's tone told her he was being genuine, and that soothed the deep wound in her soul. She could already feel it beginning to heal and stitch itself back together.

But the other wound, the fresher, much bloodier one that stung like a bitch . . . It throbbed and pulsed so horrifically, she mistook it for her own erratic heartbeat. It would be a long time before it could heal and scab over. The process would be painful and strenuous, but one she knew would be worth it in the end. It was a sacrifice she was willing to make.

ACT ONE ━━ COMPLETE