ALWAYS || RAFE CAMERON

5

Rafe and i sat on the sofa in My Druthers, listening to John B get fired.

"serves him right, dirty fucking pogue." Rafe snarled.

i took his hand and laid back on the sofa.

"hey aren't we meant to be at that beach clear up thing with Sarah?" i sat up.

"forgot," Rafe said, with a shrug that told me he did not, in fact, forget.

i dragged him up, walking back to the house and waving to Ward.

"you two okay?" he called out.

"fine, thanks. we're on our way to a beach clear up." i yelled back.

"oh right, good on you. have fun!"

we went in my black Mercedes GLE, a present for my seventeenth.

we drove ten minutes to the beach, just in time to see Topper and Sarah arrive in Top's new boat.

"nice boat, dude!" Rafe called, helping me out of the car.

"tell me about it," Top smirked back. "gift from the parents."

we walked over to Kelce with them.

"try some of this," he handed Rafe a water bottle full of what looked like orange juice.

Rafe took a long sip and half laughed, half coughed, passing it to me.

i looked at it and raised an eyebrow, but took a sip anyway.

"what is this!" i spluttered.

"orange juice and Crystal Light." Kelce told me as i passed the bottle to Topper.

an attendant walked past and Kelce shoved the bottle back in the cooler.

i watched as Sarah picked up a plastic bag and began filling it with litter from the sand.

this was not my vibe at all.

"Juno i can't be asked with this, i'm going to the golf club. coming?" Rafe whispered.

"we only just got here—it'll make us look bad."

"are you coming?"

"it's my car you'd have to go in, do i have a choice?" i walked off with him.

"what do you think is going on between Top, Sarah and John B?" i asked.

"i already told you, i don't know." he took my hand.

"she won't go off with him will she?"

"i don't know, Juno. she better not."

my engine started with its usual loud roar, and we sped across Figure Eight to the Country Club.

when we got there, we hired a set of clubs because Rafe didn't want to drive home to get his, and mine were always in the boot.

we played a few holes, Rafe beating me every time, so much so that i stormed off inside and got a drink.

Rafe came in a while later, looking for me.

"come on, Juno, it's no fun playing by myself!" he whined.

"well maybe you should let me win for once." i sipped my ice-tea.

"i try to, you're just a shit golfer." Rafe sank down beside me.

i scoffed.

"give me some of that." he reached for my drink.

"no, get your own." i rolled my eyes.

"didn't bring my wallet."

i stared at him, a slight frown on my face.

he raised his eyebrows.

i sighed and handed him a ten dollar bill.

"bring me change!" i called after him.

"yes, mom!" he trilled.

he returned holding another glass of iced-tea, handing me three dollars back.

"i think seven dollars for some cold tea is daylight robbery." he huffed.

"do you now?" i grabbed my money.

"i do." he sat back down beside me. 

"seven dollars would get like, one strand of my hair done at the salon."

"no wonder it looks so good,"

"i've trained you well, Cameron." i grinned, sipping my tea.

we stared out at the Course, watching an old man swing weakly.

"he's gonna have a heart attack if he swings that club again." Rafe drawled.

i snickered as his phone rang.

"hello?" he said.

an angry voice rang out on the other side of the line.

"shit." Rafe said when he hung up.

"what?"

"dad found out i spent the generator money on that new bike." he got up, draining his drink. "he wants me back home, right now."

Sarah and Wheezie were in the bathroom.

Rafe sent me off when we arrived at his house, and i couldn't hear what was being said downstairs.

i passed the bathroom on the way to Rafe's room and hearing voices, paused at the door.

"what have we learned?" Sarah asked Wheezie, holding her hair back as she vomited into the toilet.

"not to mix orange juice and Crystal Light," Wheezie heaved again.

i gagged and left, heading to Rafe's room.

i sat on his bed for a while, then laid out, stretching over the luxurious four poster.

i waited five minutes, then grew bored.

i jumped up, searching through his drawers for a blunt.

i reached under his dresser, my fingers brushing over a box.

i pulled it out.

summer 16

it said on top, in Rafe's scribbly handwriting.

inside was a diary, photos and shells.

after looking at the photos, and reading the diary, i soon came to realise that it was a memory box.

memories of the summer Rafe was 16, and Ward, Rose, Sarah, Wheezie, Mom, Dad, Hector, Rafe and i were staying at the Cameron's beach house in the Bahamas...