the middle ≫ jj maybank

xiv. the faceoff

Slater had never been in a men's restroom before, and she hoped she'd never have to go inside one again. Despite it being in one of the most prestigious country clubs in the state of North Carolina, the smell of pee and urinal cakes hit Slater's nose like a truck.

She slowly pushed open the door, her ear pressed to the crack as she tried to hear what was going on. Concerned club-goers passed her with confused expressions on her face, but she simply offered them a polite smile and a shrug, as if she had no explanation for what she was doing, either.

"What are you doing here, pogue?" She heard Rafe sneer in the bathroom. There was the sound of a fist connecting with a face, and then a grunt that had most definitely come from JJ.

Slater pushed open the door, letting it slam against the wall. The boys looked up in surprise, Rafe's eyes narrowing on Slater in anger, and JJ's in surprise.

"Slater, get out of here," JJ hissed as he swiped a fist at Rafe.

"Yeah, Slater. Listen to your little pogue friend," Rafe said, pushing JJ to the ground as one of his friends kicked the boy in the stomach.

"Rafe, stop it," Slater said, taking a step forward as she grabbed onto the Cameron boy's arm.

"You're defending him? When he's trespassing on our territory?" Rafe said.

"It's not your territory. And JJ was just leaving," Slater said, moving to help JJ up.

Rafe grabbed Slater's arm, pulling her backward. "Not so fast, Cambry."

"Rafe, let me go," Slater said, her heart lurching to her throat as she nervously looked down at JJ, who was holding a hand to his bloodied nose.

"Hands off of her, Cameron," JJ said, his blue eyes a storm cloud as he glared at Rafe.

Rafe smirked down at him, and he tightened his grip on Slater. He looked to his friends, not saying a word as he nodded at them.

Topper, having understood Rafe's non-verbal instruction, pulled JJ to his feet and punched him again, splitting his lip. JJ's wounds from his father still hadn't healed, and here he was, being beat up again.

"Topper, stop it," Slater protested as she attempted to wriggle free from Rafe's grasp, but he was too strong.

"He knows he's not supposed to be here, Slater. We're just teaching him a lesson," Rafe replied.

"He was just leaving," Slater said between gritted teeth. "As was I." She turned to look at Rafe, her eyes wide and pleading in an attempt to appeal to whatever affection he'd had for her last summer. "Please, Rafe."

Rafe rolled his eyes and dropped his grip on her arms and she pulled away. Topper landed one last kick into JJ's abdomen before the boys backed off and vacated the bathroom.

"Have fun with the pogues, Cambry," Rafe said, smirking as he shut the door behind him.

"Oh my god, JJ," Slater said, kneeling next to the Maybank boy. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," he replied, wiping at the blood on his lip as he glared towards the doorway. He turned to Slater, his eyes softening. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she insisted. "Rafe Cameron doesn't scare me."

She got him some paper towel for his cuts, and he looked her up and down, smiling. "Blue looks good on you."

Slater rolled her eyes, a smile teasing on her lips. "Thanks. Now come on, let's get you out of here before someone else notices," she said, helping him up from the floor.