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

SEVEN.

Bexley woke up the next morning feeling pure despair.

For weeks, she let the thought of JJ bring her warmth and excitement. But he was a bad guy. Just like she was warned.

He was a pogue.

Is that really what they were all like? Had Bexley been so out of touch with her own kind, she failed to learn how they survived in this pogue versus kook world?

A gun. He had a gun on him that whole time. When he picked her up, and held him in the water he had one in his bag, just sitting in the beach. When he kissed her, it might have been pointed towards her. She felt sick.

She covered her face with her hands. She spent extra time in bed, before eventually getting up. She hissed in pain as her feet hit the floor. The bottom of her feet were scraped from her running barefoot the night before. She looked at her thigh to see that the cut on her inner thigh began scabbing.

She winced in pain as she slowly went to take a shower, before getting dressed. The water beneath her turned brown for a moment because of how much dirt was on her lower body. Normally, she went easy on the warm water. She didn't that morning, turning it on hot.

She cringed as she put her shoes and socks on. She had to wear the sneakers Wheezie gave her until she went and bought new sandals. She left her other ones behind at the boneyard. Maybe she should try finding them at the beach later that day.

Fear shot through her as she imagined going back there. The sound of gunshots echoed in her head.

Bexley swallowed deeply, leaving her house, saying goodbye to her very concerned mother. She set off for work. She got to the dive shop, only to see that it was closed again due to weather. She sighed. This was not good. She'd go to the Cameron house to clean, and while there, she'd beg him to let her do paperwork for a few hours. She need some money.

She got to the Cameron's house, ringing the doorbell. Rose answered the door.

"Hello, Mrs. Cameron," she said, weakly. She had no spirit that morning. "I came a little early again, since the shop's closed. Is that alright?"

Rose seemed hesitant. "Yeah, come on in."

Bexley stepped inside.

"Wheezie!" she called upstairs. "Bexley's here!" Turning to her, Rose said, "She was really mad Ward sent you home yesterday."

Loud footsteps were heard coming down the stairs.

"Finally!" Wheezie breathed. "Sarah says you were at the beach last night? I have a million questions."

Rose's face turned to one of concern. "I heard there was a problem down there last night," she said. "Someone brought a gun? Are you alright?"

Not just someone. JJ. JJ brought a gun.

Bexley kissed JJ, and then he fired that gun moments later.

"I'm okay," Bexley said, her eyes darting away. She told Wheezie. "I'll start the laundry first. Um, then we can talk."

Wheezie dropped onto the couch. "I can wait."

"I'll be in the garden," Rose said. She hesitated, turning to Wheezie and saying, "You know what to do when Rafe gets back."

"Yeah, yeah," the girl sighed.

When Rose had left outside, Bexley asked, "What does Rafe have to do?"

"Rose thinks he's gonna kill you," Wheezie said, like it was nothing. "So he's not allowed to talk to you anymore."

Bexley had been walking to the laundry room, but stopped completely. She turned back immediately.