team effort - rafe cameron 3

twenty

when i woke up the next day, i was on barry's couch, a blanket pulled over my body. i sat up quickly as the sun shined right into my eyes, causing me to squeeze them shut. i felt nauseous and wanted to throw up. i pushed myself up, pulling my clothes back on before slipping my shoes on my feet. i folded the blanket up, setting it on the couch before throwing away our beer cans from last night. i swiped my keys and locked the door before i stepped outside. i hurried to my car and got in. i pulled out of his yard and started back to my house as i rubbed my eyes.

when i got there, i parked my car and walked inside, seeing JJ at the counter. he looked over at me, letting him raise an eyebrow.

"where'd you sleep last night?"

"i never, ever want to speak about it." i shook my head, dropping my keys to the counter. "where's mom and kay?"

"restaurant. she said you can go in if you want, but she doesn't really need us. maggie's working and kayden's going to help out."

i nodded, "alright."

"you weren't at rafe's right?"

"no, i wasn't and never will be."

"topper's?"

"no."

"you smell like weed." he said, then gasped loudly. "oh my god, were you at barry's?"

i pinched my nose and sighed.

"yeah," i looked at him, dropping my hand.

"why?"

"i went over for weed and he didn't have any, i took molly and drank a beer and then i was kissing him." i said. "it was a lot and i really hate myself now."

"oh my god," he laughed.

"that doesn't get repeated to anyone though, got it?"

"yes ma'am." he soluted me.

"i'm going to shower." i pushed his face and hurried up the stairs. i took a quick shower, brushing my teeth and hair before getting dressed. i started walking back down the stairs and now saw JJ standing on the back with katie as they talked, though it looked kind of heated. JJ shook his head, turning and walked in as she followed. i stopped where i was, about halfway down the stairs.

"JJ! why are you avoiding me?" katie yelled. "why are you avoiding your friends?"

"because," he spun towards her. "you guys dropped ainsley so fast it made my head spin. then cami breaks her ass into this house, destroys lee's things and hurt mom, but you guys are so sure she's innocent."

"JJ," katie said softly. "that has nothing to do with you though. this all about ainsley."

"well she's my sister now, and i love her to death, katie. so if you want to take cami's side, by all means, but i'm taking ainsley's." he shrugged. "you should leave."

"JJ, are you seriously breaking up with me over this?"

"yeah, i guess i am." he nodded as she looked at him, hurt. she blinked a couple of times before hurrying past him, out the front door.

"fuck!" JJ yelled, hitting the wall. he turned, about to run up the stairs but stopped when he saw me. he sighed. "did you hear all that?"

"yeah," i nodded and walked down to him. "why did you do that? why'd you break up with katie?"

"because i can't do it anymore." he said. "i'm tired of pretending cami is some saint. yeah, sure, she's nice but it's not fair, that they all lead you on and then dump you as soon as cami comes back. you weren't her placeholder, you are your own person."

i smiled softly and hugged him.

"i'm really sorry," i said.

"no, i am." he pulled back. "we're going to prove it was her, we have to."

"okay, well the cops are checking for evidence and they should be trying to check for an alibi, we just have to wait to see what they've got." i said. "we need someone else though, someone who can help us prove it, someone from the inside."

"no way," he shook his head. "everyone is so far up cami's ass it's not even funny."

"ah!" i smiled. "but there's a sneaky little girl who lives in the cameron's house who loves me more."

"wheezie." he said.

"wheezie," i repeated.

"that could work." he nodded. "katie said cami, her dad and they baby are staying with them while they get their house bought."

"perfect," i nodded.

"so what's the game plan?"

"i need to get to wheezie without anyone else noticing me."

"this is going to sound creepy, but wheezie is taking riding lessons at the chambers' stables. she goes in the mornings from eight to nine."

"how do you know that?"

"katie," he rolled his eyes.

"you want to go and take a riding lesson tomorrow?"

"what?"

"you're going to pretend to get hurt or something and i'm going to talk to wheezie." i said. "i need your help."

"alright," he nodded.

"great," i smiled.

....

the next morning, JJ and i got up early and headed to the stables. we got there early and saw rose dropping wheezie off. she walked inside and rose pulled away.

"go time," i said and climbed out. JJ followed behind me as we walked in.

"JJ," misses chambers smiled as wheezie walked down the hall with mister chambers. "what are you doing here?"

"ainsley and i want a riding lesson." he said.

"okay," she nodded and looked at me. "oh your mom owns that cute little place we rented out, right?"

"yeah, she does." i nodded.

she smiled and got us to sign some waivers before we walked out to the stables with her. wheezie was with mister chambers as they talked, she was sat up on a horse. i was brushing my horse, glancing over at JJ. he looked at me and i nodded. he threw himself down on the ground, hitting his head on the side of the wall.

"ow!" he yelled as i hid my laugh behind my hand.

"JJ, honey are you alright?" misses chambers asked.

"the horse moved and scared me." she helped him up and i saw his head bleeding as i widened my eyes.

"oh my god, you're bleeding. david!" she yelled. mister chambers looked over. "JJ's hurt, come help me."

mister chambers helped wheezie off the horse, before running over and helping his wife and JJ into the building. i looked over at wheezie and hurried over. she saw me and smiled.

"ainsley," she said.

"hey," i smiled and hugged her.

"where have you been?" she asked me.

"it's a long story and i really, really hate to ask you this, but can you help me?"

"with what?"

"cami broke into my house and she destroyed my room and she hurt my mom. i need you to help me prove she did it." i said.

she nodded, "i'll help you."

"great," i smiled and grabbed her face. "just don't get yourself hurt, okay?"

"i promise," she said. "are you going to come back?"

"if cami leaves, then yeah, i'll come back for you." i told her. "i'll buy you all the ice cream in the world."

she smiled and hugged me as i held you, taking in a breath. i felt terrible, asking this fourteen year old girl to help me take down her brother's girlfriend, but i knew i wasn't crazy. even if the entire island thought i was, i knew i wasn't, and JJ knew that too.