fade away youth// rafe cameron

23-I woke up on a Tuesday

I sit on the back dock with Rafe. It's been hard since we lost John B and Sarah. Rafe hasn't been home since. He either stays here with me or at the Château. I like having him around. My mom came home for three days before leaving me again. My sister called and offered to come stay with me for a while, but I told her no. I didn't want to make things even more strange than they are without John B and Sarah.

Since the storm and losing the gold, we haven't had much to be happy about. Even worse, Rafe's cousin Hunter is still in town. I guess since Rafe left home Ward needed someone else to do his dirty work. Hunter's been hanging around with Barry. A high Hunter is way worse than a sober one.

"You ready for school?" Rafe asks.

I shake my head. "I'm never ready for school." Rafe laughs lightly. "At least I have the crew to make it a little easier." I smile. "You sure you don't want to go back to high school?"

Rafe shakes his head. "As much as I love you. No." I pout my lips. Rafe laughs as he shakes his head. "Still a no."

I hear a dirt bike pulling up the driveway. I turn and see JJ park it before walking towards Rafe and I.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" I question.

"I kind of got fired," JJ tells me.

"Kind of?" Rafe asks.

I give him a look. "What happened?"

JJ sits down next to me forcing Rafe to move over. "Everyone was talking about John B. And... And Kelce was there with Topper and some girl, and they wouldn't stop talking about John B being a murderer. So, I told them to shut up."

"And what did you do after?" Rafe asks.

"Made a little announcement. Told everyone that Hunter did it. Kelce started so I poured water on him. Topper pulled us apart before I could hit Kelce," JJ explains.

"And I'm sure you left in a dignified manner," I tease.

"I ran over their flowerbed," JJ says.

I laugh as I shake my head. "Pogue style."

JJ looks between Rafe and me. "So, what are you two up to?"

"Just talking with my girlfriend before you squeezed your way in," Rafe tells him.

JJ nods before turning to me. "Any chance I could borrow some money for pizza?"

I make a face. "Really?"

"I'm a little strapped for cash," JJ tells me.

"Shouldn't have gotten fired," I reason.

"I couldn't just let everyone keep talking about John B like that," JJ argues.

I sigh. "I know."

JJ smiles slightly. "So pizza?"

I look at Rafe. He laughs lightly as he shakes his head.

"I guess you can stay, JJ," Rafe tells him.

JJ smiles as he wraps his arm around Rafe's shoulder. "Thanks bro." I shake my head. "Can we get pepperoni?"

School starts today. Kie drove all of us so we could get there together. Sticking together is the most important thing we can do right now. The crew are the only people who get what I'm going through right now.

JJ sips from his flask and I make a face. "Hey. Chill out."

"If I black out, just don't remind me," JJ tells me.

"That's not funny," I state.

Everyone starts to whisper as we walk by.

"It's them."