LOVEBOMB, Rafe Cameron

09. blame it on the alcohol.

❝ If he's a serial killer, then what's the worst
That could happen to a girl who's already hurt?
I'm already hurt
If he's as bad as they say, then I guess I'm cursed
Looking into his eyes, I think he's already hurt ❞
-ᴴᵃᵖᵖⁱⁿᵉˢˢ ᴵˢ ᴬ ᴮᵘᵗᵗᵉʳᶠˡʸ ⁻ ᴸᵃⁿᵃ ᴰᵉˡ ᴿᵉʸ

09. 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐥.

11:40 am.

    That morning, after being woken up by the sun hitting her face throughout a window, Blair slowly sat down on the bed she had slept in, disoriented. Because of all the alcohol consumed the night before, a pounding headache and a feeling of dizziness hit her as she straightened up, causing the young woman to have to look around her for quite a long instant to understand where she was.

     She could hear the noises of families and teenagers on the beach, the waves rolling onto the shore, the sharp whistle of a lifeguard at the nearest tower even though so much of the island was restricted beach access after the hurricane.

    Inside all that mental fog and disorientation, the realisation finally hit her. She held her breath and glanced at the spot next to her to confirm her thoughts— only to find a young man laying there. He was laying on his stomach, sleeping, the thin white sheets covering him but also revealing his bare upper body. And just by the sight of the back of his dark blonde head, she recognised him.

Rafe Cameron.

    Rafe.

    Cameron.

With widened eyes, she looked at him, then looked at herself. She wasn't wearing any clothes either. As she rubbed her eyes, the memories of the night before flashed in her mind.

She remembered quickly putting her clothes back on after seeing Sarah rushing out of the party with tears in her eyes. Then joining her outside and walking her home while the she told her about her heated argument with Topper. When she started up the long, steep path to the Cameron's house, her legs felt wobbly, her back and chest just as tired and sore as they were every time she would come out of the ocean.

She remembered sneaking into Ward Cameron's wine cellar with Sarah to steal a bottle before walking up the stairs to her room. The two girls didn't even use glasses to drink it's countenance, they took turns and passed it to each other while rambling about nonsenses.

She remembered taking her phone out of her purse after Sarah fell asleep. Jenna had texted her back a few hours before, saying everything was good, Zoe was sleeping. When she saw the time on her screen, she widened her eyes and silently got out of her friend's room.

"Blair?" A loud whisper from across the corridor called for her name as she stumbled out of the room.

"Hi." She mumbled as she got closer to him. When she slightly tripped, he caught her but didn't let go of her waist afterwards and held her tight.

   "What are you doing here?" He asked with his head tilted. "I saw you leaving."

   "Sarah and Topper fought so I walked her home."

   "Oh." He simply nodded, biting his lower lip. "Yeah— they always do."

     He looked down at her. She repressed a comment she had been saving up about the shape of his mouth, how perfect it was, because she wanted to say something else. "You smell good." She laughed, her voice slurred from the alcohol.