JJ's biggest flaw was his recklessness, and his bad ideas. Honestly, that didn't seem that bad to Bexley.
Rafe's biggest flaw? Jealousy. Pure, uncontrolled jealousy.
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tw: mentions of death, slight violence
John B's backyard was familiar.
The hot tub in the yard even more so.
Bexley all the way to John B's house next to Rafe. The hot tub stuck out like a sore thumb, reminding her exactly what happened last time she was here.
She was comforting JJ. JJ was comforting her. She admitted that she wanted to break up with Rafe. And then...then she found her mom unconscious.
Bexley wondered, breifly, if she hadn't spent so much time with JJ, and if she hadn't stalled in going home, if maybe she would've found her mom before she passed out. Maybe she wouldn't found her mom before she used that night at all.
The 'what if's of her life drove her crazy.
Bexley was fixated on the back yard when Rafe reached out to grab her arm, wanting her attention. She looked over to where he was now pointing.
"There, see?"
She saw immediately what she meant. "Oh my god..."
At the bottom of the tree was five very clearly man made gashes. They each stretched at least three inches long.
"Thats it, yeah?"
Bexley smiled, kneeling down by it. "Yeah. Oh my god, Rafe."
Rafe pulled her back to her feet, overly excited, pointing upwards. "Look at the third branch."
She did.
"There's a rope, see it?"
He went to the tree trunk. There was a thick, yet flat rope that fell down the branch and into the water.
"Holy shit," she breathed. She looked at Rafe. "How did you find this?"
"I was looking," he told her, nodding and smiling.
"Yeah, but..." Bexley looked around. "What were you even doing here?"
Rafe's smile dropped as glanced at her for just a moment before looking away. "You gotta think the worst of me for everything, Bex? I found this for you."
Her face fell. "Yeah." She looked away. "You're right. Sorry."
Rafe nodded towards the water. "I think it is a safe, like you said. But it's heavy. I need your help pulling it lose, alright? Then once it lose, I can bring it to shore the rest of the way."
