Inconvenient Attachment

Chapter 28

I race towards the hushed yelling and scuffling, Sarah right behind me. It all comes into view. Topper and John B in the middle of a fight. Rafe is holding back Kie, Kelce and Reggie pinning down Pope and another one of my brothers friends holding JJ in a choke hold. I don't even think before running over and trying to grab my brothers friends arm and dragging it off JJ's neck. He violently swings back his elbow smashing it straight into my eye and knocking me to the floor. In shock and pain I hold my eye remaining sat on the floor.

"Ow" I shout out wincing from the pain with every movement my eyes makes.

"Oh my god, V!" Sarah shouts after me shocked.

Topper and John B stop fighting after realising what just happened. "What the fuck, Vanessa!" Topper yells at me his tone laced with irritation because of me getting in the middle of things.

"Yo, V! You good?" I hear JJ yell in the distance now the kook has let him go after realising who he just elbowed in the eye.

I keep my hand over my eye hoping pressure will press away the pain. I can barely focus on anything around me. I look around me using my good eye. I see Kie getting up off the floor. The guy who just elbowed me now being collared by... Rafe.

"What the fuck, man!" Rafe yells at his 'friend' furiously who remains in his grip.

The kook holds his hands up in surrender, sweating profusely, cracking under Rafe's glare. "I swear I didn't mean to, I didn't know who it was!" He cries pleadingly.

"Well don't you think you ought to check who it is you're elbowing in the face before fucking doing it!" He seethes savagely at the crumbling mess of a boy in his hands. I am embarrassed for the kid, even though he just elbowed me in the face on purpose, I feel bad for him.

"Rafe, leave it!" I manage to squeak out.

"You best fucking apologise or I swear to fucking god-"

The kid interrupts Rafe stammering out an apology at me. "Vanessa, I am s-so so sorry! I- I really didn't mean t-to. I d-didn't know i-it was y-you."

"It's fine." I sigh feeling a trace of guilt for being the reason behind this kids embarrassment.

"You got fucking lucky." Rafe growls before throwing the kid to the ground. He scampers off with tears in his eyes.

"Rafe! What the hell bro?" Topper questions Rafe's actions towards their 'friend' as if Rafe was the one out of line.

The fact that my brother doesn't give a shit that one of his supposed friends just elbowed me in the face with intent tells me he's hung up on the John B thing a lot more than I thought. I knew my brother was insecure but I never guessed how insecure he was.

I walk off regretting interrupting the kook vs pogue fight once again. I hear Rafe yell at my brother in the distance.

"Your little sister just got an elbow to the fucking face and you're questioning what I'm doing?" He scoffs at Toppers poor attempt of being a big brother.

"She obviously got in the way!" He defends his pathetic excuse of a friend over me once again. I can guarantee this is all down to me being friends with John B.

"Would you be saying that if it was Sarah who got in the way?" Rafe points out.

Topper chokes. He knows the answer but he can't say it. He knows Rafe knows the answer. I know the answer. "Step up, man." Rafe shakes his head at my brother before stalking off in the same direction as me.

I reach the block of toilets and turn the corner out of sight. I know Rafe has been following me but I didn't realise how close he was until I hear his footsteps.

"Ness?"

I don't stop walking instead I disappear into the toilets and stare at my already bruising eye in the mirror. I tap around feeling the area and which areas of my face where I can feel pain.

"Nessa?" Rafe appears behind me in the mirror. I spin around to face him. Our eyes attract like hungry magnets.

"Let me see." I don't fight him as he slides his hands onto my waist and lifts me effortlessly sitting me on the sink top. He reaches out, holding my chin between his thumb and finger gently turning my face to the side inspecting my quickly bruising eye. "That's gonna be a right black eye." His eyes focus back on mine. A mixture of adrenaline and romantic desperation, I feel every time I'm around Rafe, surging through my veins.

"You don't say." I giggle sarcastically. A grin appearing on my face which I know is always contagious to him because a grin creeps onto his face as soon as he sees mine.

"You just got an elbow to the face and you're laughing." He chuckles shaking his head at me.

I stare into his eyes sheepishly. "Sorry, I tend to laugh when I get nervous." I feel my face heating up as soon as I realised what just fell from my lips.

His grin turns into a typical Rafe smirk. "I make you nervous?"

I suddenly feel his hands on my thighs. I can feel my heart beating 1000 beats a second. I can't stop my face from blushing deeper than the colour scarlet. He slightly parts my legs stepping into the gap to get as close as he can to me. Even with myself perched on the sink top he still towers over me. I can't tear my eyes away from his as I look up into them captivatingly.

His alcohol breath fans over me and goosebumps raise across my entire body. I almost want to stop breathing, to live in this moment forever. But I have to be realistic. This is Rafe I'm talking about. He's probably just doing this to mess with my head.

I tear my eyes away from his using all the strength left in me. "Rafe."

But he doesn't stop looking down at me. He doesn't step away from me. He remains stood between my parted legs, frantically searching for my eyes to meet his once again.