fade away youth// rafe cameron

21-I GUESS I GET THE MESSAGE

We head to the Wreck. It's the last place anyone is going to look for us right now. Everyone settles in for the night lying down in various booths.

I jolt up straight when I hear someone trying to open the door. I look around and see JJ slowly walking over towards the door. He looks out the window and sighs in relief.

"It's Rafe," JJ tells us.

I jump up from the booth and run over to the door. I swing the door open and see Rafe. "Hi. What are you..." Rafe wraps me in a tight hug. "I thought I'd never see you again." I pull away and take his face in my hands. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, are you?" Rafe asks. I kiss him. "You okay?"

I nod. "I am now." I look at Rafe confused. "What are you doing here? We went to Tannyhill, but you weren't there."

Rafe nods. "I saw Hunter shoot Peterkin and my dad did nothing to help her. I couldn't be in the same house as them. I was trying to clear my head. I found Sarah and John B..."

I cut him off, "Are they alright?"

"Yeah. They almost got pinched. They were at the old church. Hunter set the church on fire with them in it. I helped Sarah and John B get away," Rafe explains.

I pull him into a hug holding onto him like he might slip away any moment. "Thank you for helping John B."

"Your friends aren't my enemies anymore, Addie. John B needed help and there was no way I was gonna let him get hauled in for a murder he didn't commit," Rafe tells me. "Especially considering what he means to my sister."

Rafe leans in and kisses me sweetly. After a moment I pull away and rest my forehead on his.

I have a hard time sleeping. I can't get my mind off of John B. He's out there somewhere being hunted by the cops for something he didn't do. He just learned his dad is actually dead and now he's framed for murder. John B hasn't been able to catch a break all summer.

I sit in a booth next to Rafe. Cop cars have been going by all morning. Sirens have been blaring nonstop. I lean on Rafe and look at him slightly. "We follow this through to the end, but we have to be careful."

Rafe nods his head. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you."

"Everyone on this island is gunning for John B if they haven't already got him," I state.

Pope gets and walks over towards JJ who is standing in the doorway.

"He's pinched for sure, man," JJ states.

"No. They wouldn't still be patrolling if they caught him," Pope insists.

"Let's hope," JJ offers.

"You know, we were in that car. They're probably looking for us, too," Kie states.

"Well, if we're gonna be outlaws, we might as well help John B," Pope states.

"So, find him before they do?" I say. Pope grabs a set of keys from the table. "Pope?"

He starts to walk away. "I'm gonna get gas for the boat."

"Hey, you be careful. Okay?" Kie tells him.

Pope ignores her and turns to JJ. "Meet me at the dock at three. Don't be late."

He walks out the door and Kie follows after him. "Okay, what is your problem?"

"No problem, Officer. I'm just doing my job," Pope states as he gets on the motorbike.

"Look, I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings," Kie states.