Rush | Rafe Cameron

T H I R T Y - F I V E

The room remained silent and the minutes were starting to feel like hours as I listened to Rafe pace the floor, I could only catch every couple words of what he was saying but none of it was making sense.

My mind flashed to Emily and I felt the urge to puke. I needed to know who it was, more importantly I needed to know it wasn't her.

I felt all eyes in the room on me, their stares felt like hot liquid seeping through my skin. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to scream at them, tell them to move on and worry about something or someone else. But I knew they just cared about me, maybe more than I cared about myself some days.

Rafe's voice hushed even more as he spoke, I wouldn't have even known he was out there if it wasn't for his fingers tapping on the little table by the door, a nervous habit he has picked up since stopping the drugs.

"Are you okay?" Topper whispered to me, making sure he was quiet enough so that Rafe wouldn't hear.

"Top, I'd stop now while you're ahead if I were you" John B's voice low, his hand lingering lightly on the Thornton boys shoulder, almost as if he was going to leave it there until Topper put some distance between the two of us.

"I'll be fine guys" I whisper back, turning my gaze away from the door.

I pretended I wasn't listening anymore but as the room settled I was starting to hear everything he was saying again. I would be fine is what I was promising myself. Though I also made a promise to get to the bottom of it this time,  I wasn't allowing myself to wonder and worry anymore. I needed to know who he was talking to and why and I was going to find out just as soon as he came back.

The whispers stopped and Rafe's foot steps started again. Louder and louder until he was pushing the door back open with his left hand, shoving his phone back into his pocket with his right.

His eyes glance up, looking to each of us with a goofy grin on his face before sliding back onto the couch next to me, arm tossed around my shoulders like always.

"What did I miss?" He jokes, motioning his free hand towards the flat screen.

All of us sharing a quick look, before Sarah finally responded.

"We paused it, as you can tell" she mocks, throwing her hand slowly towards the screen as well.

"What's wrong with you guys?" His voice changing ever so slightly, a hint of worry now laced within the words he spoke.

"Nothing man, just waiting on you" John B wasn't making eye contact with Rafe anymore at this point. Just a blank stare at the paused screen directly in front of him.

"At least I know you'll talk to me" Rafe coos, pulling me in to his side.

A sloppy kiss is placed to my temple but I don't turn to face him, his body tensing at my reaction.

"Give her your phone" Sarah states, pointing towards Rafe's pocket.

"What?" He stutters, staring at me in disbelief.

Though I wasn't the one to say it I could tell he knew this is what I wanted.

He swallowed,
HARD might I add before he reaches into his pocket and slides the phone into my now open hand.

I never was this girl I promise, I didn't believe in checking phones. But I was tired of making myself sick over who or what Rafe Cameron could be doing behind my back. He did it with me so why wouldn't he do it to me.

Just as the phone settled into my hand, he took his arm away from me. A cold breeze hitting the once warm spot his arm has been placed.

I missed his touch already.