MERCEDES, jj maybank

33.

SKRONKING

Back over at Figure Eight, Rafe was with Topper and Kelce at the desk paying for everything with his Dad's account while nearby Tara, Lexi and Mitch were sitting around a small table drinking beers they had snuck in.

"So yeah, can you put this on Cameron, Ward? Cameron, W-A-R-D." Rafe hands the check back to the man. He takes it and does as requested.

"Hey, bro!" Kelce calls his friends over, "You think you-know-who, they're skronking yet?"

"Shut - yo!" Topper shouts at him. Mitch and Kelce laugh, imitating the noises.

"What's that sound? They're making that sound," Mitch goes up all in his face.

"You think I wanna hear this right now?" Topper shakes his head and gives them both a dirty look.

"Topper, come on, it's a joke," Lexi says sipping her beer.

But Topper still isn't satisfied. "I'm trying to get my mind off it but they're just being idiots!" He spits. Rafe just laughs which infuriates Topper more, "You think I wanna hear this right now, Rafe?"

"Calm down," Tara laughs and hands him a beer bottle, "Drink that!"

"Yeah, we're just trying to make you feel better," Kelce says.

"And it's funny," Mitch snickers.

"That's not funny! How is it funny to you?!"

Rafe pulls him away from Mitch, "Listen. The joke's on her because look at who she's with,"

Rafe had more to say but all his friends at once turned to look in a spot behind him, "Who's that?" Lexi asks.

Rafe looks over his shoulder and groans. The tires of a vehicle squeak as Barry comes to a stop and makes his way right by the gate, "Rafe Cameron!" He shouts at him. "Get over here!"

Rafe leaves his friends who are beyond confused and goes over to see what Barry wants. Topper follows to see what's going on. Rafe takes Barry by the arm and pulls him away, "Hey, what are you doing here, man? You good?"

"Nah I ain't good, man."

"Alright, what's--"

"Why's your family think I'm just some bitch they can shit on, man?" Barry snaps. "First I gotta deal with your Dad comin' in - breakin' in and kneecappin' me in my damn house."

"You got your money?"

"That ain't the point, man! I'm asking you, what am I? Am I just some little bitch? Is that what your family looks at me like?!"

"No. No--"

"No, no," Barry mocks, "Okay, so then why is your little sister and her little surf rat friends running around stealing twenty-five thousand out of my house?" Barry grits his teeth and the two boys are shocked.

"My little sister robbed you?" Rafe repeats, still in disbelief.

"Yeah, Sarah robbed me. That's why I'm here."

"Okay, she won't pick a dollar up off the street, man, what are you talking about?"

"You think I look dumb to you? You think I don't understand what's going on here? 'Cause I'm telling you right now you better sort this out with your sister, or else I am. 'Cause I want my money."

Rafe starts to panic and gets frustrated, "Listen, I don't know what you're talking about!"

"You don't know?"

"Enlighten me!" He pleads.

"Enlighten you? So the Pogues are all around Outer Banks stealin' shit out of everybody's house and you got no idea?"

Rafe still looks clueless, "What?"

And then Barry says something smart, which he knows will get Rafe to actually listen, "Trinity's involved in it!"

"Trinity Von Thorne, home invader?" He asks. "I know Trinity she would never, do you know how stupid--"

Barry grabs onto the burn mark he had created on Rafe's wrist, shooting immense pain all the way up his arm. "How many times I gotta deal with you? That's twenty-five thousand!"

Topper steps in and pulls Barry away from Rafe but also frightened for himself, "We're good,"

Barry squares up to him, shouting in his face, "What's up, Country Club?! We're good?" Barry goes over to Rafe. "Sort this shit out with your sister!"

"Alright!"

"And I'm gonna get my money,"

"Yes, of course."

"If it's not from you, it's from here. Remember that," Barry smirks before getting in his car. "I'll see you, boys, around."

Rafe exhales loudly and Topper is still stunned from everything that just went down, "Hey, what the hell is going on?" Topper asks him.

"I don't know, man."

"This guy's nuts. What are gonna do?"

Rafe tries to walk off back to their friends but Topper holds onto him, "Nothing! It's not my problem,"

"That's Sarah you're talking about. And Trin!" Topper tries to talk some sense into Rafe but he isn't focusing at all, "Hey! What are you gonna do?"

Rafe shakes his head and then looks at the two bikes, parked a few feet away from them. "Alright, fine, come on."

"Jesus, Rafe."

Topper and Rafe both get on each of their bikes and race off hoping to see the Pogues on their way.