ROCK BOTTOM ~ Rafe Cameron // OC // JJ Maybank

FIVE.

tw: violence

Bexley wiped her eyes, and finished unloading the laundry from the Cameron's dryer.

Things had been better for a while. And now they were back to being bad. To struggling. Her mother had spent all their extra money to buy cocaine from Barry, not just the money from JJ's bag. They started with nothing again.

It had been two days since that incident, and Bexley hadn't spoken to her mother since. She ignored her when she spoke, and she was only stayed home when it was necessary to sleep.

It hurt like hell to be mad at her. But acting like nothing happen, when she constantly betrayed her so often, felt so much worse.

Bexley wiped her face, the Cameron's basement hotter than the outside temperature. She folded all the laundry as she took it out. She tried to keep her thoughts professional, but she let out a harsh sigh whenever she found herself folding underwear. It felt so intrusive.

The dive shop ended up closing that morning because of bad weather reports. So Bexley, for the first time, visited the Cameron house in the morning. She's glad she landed the job as housekeeper. She wouldn't have been able to survive financially with the shop closing down, even for just a day. She finished folding the clothes and picked up the basket, heading outside the laundry room.

"Why don't you want to go?"

She hesitated when she caught the sound of an argument as she exited the basement and reentered the house. It sounded like Mr. Cameron.

"I don't like it! It's hot and boring! Can't you just take Wheezie?" That was definitely Sarah's voice.

"It's something we'll all do together. Can't you just-"

"I don't like it," Sarah huffed. "I'm not even gonna have anyone to talk to."

Bexley tried not to eavesdrop. She walked to the stairs, stepping away from the argument in the living room without being seen, and headed first to Wheezie's room. The younger girl was sitting on her bed, playing on her phone.

"Got some shirts for you," Bexley told her. She set the basket on the bed and pulled out Wheezie's items. "You want these in the drawer?"

"Yes, please," Wheezie's said, without looking up from her phone.

Bexley opened her drawer, and began packing the shirts in a neat row. She then hung one she was scared would get wrinkled.

She jumped when Mr. Cameron knocked loudly on the open door, gaining Wheezie's attention, and then saying to her, "You're not gonna throw a fit about going, are you?"

Wheezie's smiled at her father, mischievously. "No more than usual."

He rolled his eyes, leaving the room. She heard the arguing with Sarah continue.

"Where are you guys going today?" Bexley asked, curiously.

"Ugh," Wheezie huffed. "My dads making us go golfing."

"Oh, fun!" Bexley told her. "As a family?"

"As a punishment," she insisted. "I think he's pissed Sarah's always out with Topper now and not doing anything with us."

Bexley finished working on the clothes, standing up and grabbing the laundry basket. Balancing it on her hip, she smiled at Wheezie. "You're gonna home fun. I used to love golfing. When it isn't too hot, that is."

Wheezie snorted. "When did you golf?"

Bexley's smile faltered. "Um, back in middle school." Back before her world turned upside down.