CHANGE

CHAPTER 7: FIRST FIGHT BACK

I turned around and looked at him with a confused expression, although I don't think he could see because it was so dark.

"What? Then how'd it burn down, did they pay to get it removed or something?"

"No Ash," he told me with a sharp tone.

I didn't like how he was acting so I raised my voice and said, "okay then, you wanna tell me what happened?"

He looked down at his feet and mumbled something, I was starting to get frustrated with him not telling me and told him to speak up.

"I burned it down." We both fell silent.

I couldn't believe it, who was he. Why, why would he burn down the bell tower. There's no way he would ever do that, this was our favorite place to come whenever we had nothing to do. Why would he ever burn it down.

I said with a tone, "you, what?"

"Yeah, I didn't really mean to."

"How do you accidently burn down THE bell tower Rafe." I was now yelling at him because what on earth was he even doing, I know he's not stupid enough to do something like that on accident.

He looked up at me with a blank expression, almost like he didn't care and said nothing. I walked up to him because I wanted to know why he burned it down.

"Rafe, how the fuck did you burn down the bell tower."

His sarcastic tone came out and said, "with fire."

I looked at him and pushed him, and when I pushed him I could feel water starting to fill my eyes but I knew it was probably too dark for him to see so I didn't really care. Right after I pushed him I yelled, "what happened to the bell tower Rafe."

He looked back down at the floor and still said nothing.

"Answer me."

He looked up at me and looked me dead in the eye and said, "I was trying to burn my sister and John B out of the tower so they could get arrested."

I felt chills go down my spine, "no you're lying."

He stepped closer to me and said, "no, I'm not."

I pushed him back again and yelled at the top of my lungs with anger and sadness, "what the hell is wrong with you Rafe, I left for a year and you've gone fucking ballistic."

He was looking at me and at this point it was starting to get a little light out, but the sun wasn't up yet so I could kinda see him. I could see he was mad and sad at the same time. He was turning around to walk away so I yelled out to him and walked up to him to grab him and said, "hey you can't walk away after you just told me that."

He turned around so quick and yelled, "why Ash, why can't I walk away when that's what you did."

"No no no Rafe, that's not fair you can't hold that against me."

He kept on stepping closer and closer with every word which made me back up with every word, "yes it is fair. Ash you left me with nothing, you left me with nothing but questions that I'm pretty sure I'll never get answers to."

At this point I could see tears in Rafe's eyes, but could only hear pure anger in his voice.

"Ash, I was left with no one to tell me I'll be okay when I was going through cocaine withdrawals, with no one to hold me after my dad made me feel like I can't do anything and like I was worthless, with no one to care for me when my coke addiction became too much, with no one to tell me that I'm better than what I think. You left me with nothing but memories. You couldn't have even said goodbye, you couldn't even have tried."

"Rafe it's not that I didn't want to try, you don't get it. You're still so stubborn, don't you get it I couldn't still be connected to the Outer Banks."

He went quite again and was looking down at the floor again, I really felt like crying again so I picked up my keys from the floor and started walking towards my car. I made it to the door of my car when I saw him push his hand on the door when I tried to open it.

"Rafe stop okay, I'm gonna go to Kiara's." 

"No."

I turned around and he was face to face to me and I said, "why not."

"Why couldn't you be connected to the Outer Banks."

"Oh seriously Rafe, stop okay I want to leave." I turned back around trying to avoid the question and tried to move his hand. He move his hand and grabbed my by my waist and turned me around and held me down by my shoulders.

"Just answer the question please." I couldn't tell anymore if he was mad or upset. I just looked down at the floor and was hoping he would just let go and leave.

"Ash, after leaving me with all the questions you did you seriously can't answer this one."

I yelled back, "fine, it's because I couldn't hear about you or talk to you or about you without wanting to come back. I knew if I stayed connected to here I would leave everything I had going on over there just to come back and be with you. And honestly Rafe I wish I never left, I wish I stayed here and maybe things would be different. I left for a better life but none of what I have over there matters anymore. Sarah is gone, what you and I had was gone, you're a whole different person, and I regret ever leaving the Outer Banks. I would have rather stayed here with you and everyone here and lived the life Barry and I did before I left than going out and perusing music." 

I felt his arm weaken on my shoulders so I pushed him back and at this point I started crying again. 

While crying I said, "I hope that's what you wanted to hear Rafe. I regret leaving the Outer Banks for something that isn't worth having without you."

Author's Note:

Ooo, another suspenseful ending. I know what I'm going to do for the next chapter, I'm actually going to write it right now so It'll be ready to come out this weekend. Anyway, make sure to let me know how you guys are liking it. So far the story has over 100 reads so I hope the numbers keep growing, thanks so much for the support thus far. Next chapter coming soon !