This is Me Trying ⭑ Rafe Cameron

thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
[13]
song: headlights by pvris

When Rafe brought his car to a slow outside of her house, Cassie got that familiarly anxious feeling as she wondered what would be the appropriate way to say goodbye.

She swallowed and grabbed her phone off the charger as Rafe put the car in park. Taking a breath, she turned and looked at him, smiling faintly.

"I'll text you later?" She shrugs slightly.

Rafe kept one hand on the wheel, but nodded. "Okay."

She smiled again, then unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car. She sent him a slight wave as she shut the door behind her, and as she walked off she heard him speak again.

"Hey Cas," he yells through the now open window of the passenger door. Cassie spins back around to face him, about to head up the steps to her front porch. "Thanks for your help. Look— I know we didn't get off on the right foot. But—" he rubs his upper lip with his index finger, "—we wouldn't have found that map without you."

Cassie's chest fluttered with what felt like a sense of pride. She nodded, "You're welcome."

Rafe smiled at her from the car, letting his eyes linger on her for a few seconds. "Alright." He scoffed slightly, turning his focus back to the road as he put the car into drive again. "I'll see you later."

And Cassie stood in that spot until he was gone, down the road and out of sight, and then she buried her face in her hands, letting out a squeal made up of embarrassment and excitement.

Looking up with the lingering effects, she let out a small laugh as she brushed her tangled hair behind her ears, and turned back towards the steps to head inside.

She only got up one step when she heard a thud come from around the house.

Cassie took the step back down, peering around the side of the house. "Grandma?" She spoke, casually walking over to wear it came from.

But coming out from behind the trash can, hunkered down with his hands up like he was saying 'don't attack me', was her father.

She froze in place, eyes widening as she struggled to process if that was really him standing right in front of her.

"Cassie, just hold on a second." He spoke cautiously. She assumed her face looked more panicked than she realized, as he approached her with such hesitation.

"What are you doing out here?!" She asks, looking around confusedly. Luke put a finger to his lips, urging her to lower his voice as he gestured to the window above him. When she realized that he was hiding, she lowered her voice too. "What's going on?"

Luke took a breath, straightening his back and glancing around. "I need you to take me the house, do you have your keys?" He asks.

Cassie glanced down at his bloody, bruised knuckles, her head instinctively beginning to shake. "No— I— how are you here right now?"

He must've seen her staring, so he shook his hands like it was nothing. "Just— got into a fight, I need—"

"Did you break out?!" Cassie asks frantically.