The Sinner

13*

"Corrine?"

No. This isn't happening.

"Do we run?" Rafe whispers in my ear, my dark hair still entirely shielding my face, keeping our cover.

"No," I tell him. I swallow the lump in my throat as I slowly back away from Rafe. We needed to face this, this was obviously meant to happen.

All that I can tell, is that it's not Sarah. It was a mans voice. Which was good, anyone other than Sarah was good.

Rafe's warm hand slides off my hip, I feel my dress fall back into it's correct position. We slowly turn, the same 'oh fuck' look probably on both of our faces.

It was Topper.

"What the hell did I just walk in on?" He asks, his jaw is still on the floor. Rafe and I glance at each other, and then back at the blonde. "No like actually, when the fuck did this start?"

I push my lips out, not knowing how to respond. Technically, it started over a year ago. The first time we hooked up. But I don't think he needs to know that, not now anyway.

"Just last week," Rafe says, glancing down to make sure it was okay that he said this. "Look, dude, we're both drunk, it got too carried away."

Did it?

"Topper you can't tell anyone," I say with pleading eyes. "If Sarah finds out about this, she'd never forgive me."

"I bet you Sarah wouldn't even notice," He says while running a hand through his hair. "She's been avoiding me like the fucking plague."

I suddenly feel very guilty, knowing that I saw her with John B. I'm sure there's something going on between them, there has to be. He wouldn't have been holding her like that if there wasn't.

But I couldn't tell Top, as much as it hurts me to look at his sorrowful face. Sarah was my best friend, I'd do anything for her. Just as she'd do anything for me. I needed to keep this secret for her.

Topper was venting at this point, he had both hands weaved into his head of hair like he was stressed. He must've been very drunk too.

"Something fishy is going on, I can feel it," He explains as Rafe pushes him back into one of the chairs. He suddenly started to breathe like he had just ran a mile, his shoulders bouncing up and down rapidly. "Is it hot in here?"

"We're outside," Rafe says nonchalantly. I slowly walk over as Topper takes off the top jacket, fanning himself as he did so.

"Here," I tell him as I start to unloosen his tie. He takes a big breath in, laying his head back as he stared up at the ceiling. "You okay?"

"Does she even like me anymore?" He asks, his adam's apple bobbing up and down as if he was choking back something. "I can just feel her slowly falling out of love with me."

I feel my brows knit together as I stare down at the drunk boy. I'm starting to feel even more guilty, I can't stand seeing someone like this.

"You know her man," Rafe says and pats him once on the shoulder. "She does whatever the fuck she wants." Okay well that's not helping. He's shit at comforting people.

"She's just everything I've always wanted man," Topper continues while sighing. "And she's slipping away from me."

I let out a breath, just as Topper pinches the corner of his eyes with his thumb and pointer finger. Oh no, was he crying? I glance at Rafe, who's trying not to laugh right now.

He's such an ass.

"I'm gonna go get you some water Top." I pat his leg sympathetically. I think they needed to be alone right now.