BREAKING | rafe cameron

SIXTEEN

It's been two day's since we lost Austin, two of the worst days of my life, it was the kind of heartbreak that I couldn't shake, it's all I thought about day and night, and on top of that, I couldn't take time off of work, so I was suffering well putting on a show for work. But thankfully I made it through another day, walking in the front door, happy to see Rafe was already home, "hi, baby girl." He grinned at me, oh no, he never calls me that unless somethings wrong. "Hi, Rafe." I said skeptically, allowing him to wrap his arms around me, he gave me a long kiss, he was procrastinating. "What happened?" I asked him, playing with the hair on the back of his head, "my dad called." I tensed at his words, "they're coming over for dinner on Sunday." He rushed his words, "they're what?" I snapped, releasing my grip on him. "That's my only day off, and now I have to cook for him and Rose? She's the pickiest eater in the world." I rambled, throwing my hands up in the air dramatically, it's Friday night, my whole weekend is ruined with this thought now. "I know, I'm sorry but he just wouldn't budge, you know how my dad is." Rafe apologized, rubbing circles on my back, "I love you." He pouted, I gently placed my hand on his cheek, "I love you too, but you stink so go shower." I patted his cheek, making him roll his eyes. But he listened nonetheless.

I was laying on the couch, looking through recipe after recipe, trying to figure out what to cook. "Salmon?" I questioned looking up at Rafe, my head in his lap as he watched some cop show on tv. "Oh, that's a good idea." He replied, not taking his eyes off the tv, "babe, I'm serious." I whined, he glanced down at me. "Salmon is good, they will eat that, and if they don't it's there loss because you're a great cook." He complimented me, squeezing my thigh, I sighed, giving him a small smile. I typed away on my phone making a grocery list, another thing to do on Sunday. "Come on, get off the phone." Rafe mumbled, "you're not giving me any attention." He pushed me to be sitting up, he was pouting like a little boy. "Hang on, I'm almost done." I laughed as he pulled me into his lap, trying to kiss my neck. "If you don't let me finish, you're definitely not getting any attention." I reprimanded him, "so bossy, I like it." He smirked against my skin but stopping his actions, resting his chin on my shoulder as I typed the last few things out. I locked the phone tossing it to the side, "now, where were we?"

***

It was early Sunday morning, I was getting ready to head to the store when my phone rang, "Hey, JJ." I answered holding the phone to my ear with my shoulder, "hey, can you come pick me up? My dads being a dick." He sighed through the phone, "of course, I'll be there in ten, you're going to go grocery shopping with me." I told him with a laugh, I could practically hear him roll his eyes, "yes, mom." He joked hanging up the phone. I walked back into the bedroom, giving Rafe a quick kiss, "I'll be back soon." I mumbled to his half asleep figure, "love you." He spoke into his pillow, "love you." I replied with a smile on my face, walking out the door.

"Hey, J." I sighed as he climbed into my car, I chose to not ask about his busted lip, it was fresh so I knew where it was from. "Hey." He gave me a quick hug over the center console. "Guess who were going shopping for?" I tried lightening the mood, "well I assumed it was for you and Rafe, but now I'm confused." He spoke staring out the window, "Rafe's family is coming over for dinner tonight." I answered, laughing as he snapped his head in my direction, "oh shit." He let out a deep laugh, I'm glad he finds this so funny, "you done?" I retorted after a while, he was still snickering. "Ward is gonna freak out, I'm calling it now, he's such an ass." I shot JJ a look, silently saying 'as if I didn't already know that.' He shrugged it off and turned the radio up as I continued driving, this kid I swear, but I dealt with his shenanigans because I loved him like a little brother. I blinked away some tears at the thought, before he could notice.

"JJ, you can pick one candy, not three." I sounded like a mother reprimanding her child, he gave me a look, "two and I'll unload all the groceries for you?" He bargained, holding up a bag of sour patch kids and a box of Reese's pieces. "Fine." I gave in, taking the candy and throwing it in the cart, he raised an eyebrow at me when I picked up a king size Hershey bar, I gave him a pointed look. "My money, my rules. Plus I'm super stressed." I mumbled the last bit, starting to walk away from the laughing boy. "If you don't keep up you get no candy and still have to bring in the groceries!" I called turning the aisle, I could hear an older woman laughing as JJ went running by to catch up with me. Ahh, good times.

"Hey babe." Rafe looked over from his video game when I walked in, the living room already being cleaned like I asked him too, he did a double take when he saw no groceries in my hands. JJ walked in behind me, bags hanging off of his arm, "he's cheap labor." I joked stepping aside, Rafe laughed at me and paused the game, going to grab the rest of the stuff as I started putting it away. "Oh, man, I love this game, got another controller?" JJ called from the living room, I rolled my eyes as Rafe looked at me for permission, "yes, but you have to give him a ride home, before your dad gets here." I couldn't shake the mom voice today, my nerves bringing it out of me. "Yes ma'am." He gave me a mock salute and went to play the video game with JJ, but it was a sight that made me happy. My best friend and my boyfriend getting along when only seven months ago they hated each other, it was heartwarming to say the least.

It's been a few hours, Rafe should be home any minute from dropping JJ off, he's cutting it close, they're supposed to be here at 6, and it's already 5:45. I was already dressed and ready for them to show up, my nerves eating me alive as I kept flipping over the asparagus in the pan. The doorbell rang, I froze, shit, they're early, I walked to the door nervously, swinging it open with a fake smile on my face, only to be relieved when I opened it and it was Rafe standing there with a bouquet of flowers. "Oh thank god, I thought you were your dad." I sighed pulling him inside, "that's the worst thing you've ever said to me." He grimaced, handing me the flowers, "they're so pretty." I gave him a quick kiss, "thanks baby." I smiled at him, I replaced the fake ones I had on the table with these, cheesy I know but I didn't want to spend money on real flowers every time they died. I made my way back to the kitchen, Rafe following, "smells good." He complimented, standing beside me, a hand on my hip. "I hope it tastes as good as it smells." I sighed in return, "it always does." He assured me as we heard the door open. "Hello, brother! Hello, might-as-well-be-my sister!" Sarah called as she let herself in, here we go. I came out of the kitchen, pulling Rafe along with me to greet them, Sarah and Wheezie both hugged me, Rose and Ward stayed away, not even shaking me or Rafe's hands. Rafe ignored it and hugged Wheezie tightly, mumbling an 'I missed you' to his youngest sister. I met Ward's eyes and I could just tell it was going to be the longest dinner in my life.