i love you, i'm sorry ─ R. CAMERON

VII || DADDY'S BOY

RAFE

"Are you even listening to me Rafe?"

I turn my attention away from the waves to find my father, arms crossed against his chest, scowling down at me. What a sight.

"You're 19, Rafe. 19 with no job, no money of your own, and no fucking respect!" We're gathered on the backyard patio, me sitting and him standing, having one of our many "talks", which usually just consists of him yelling at me while I try my best to make it look like I'm paying attention.

"I've been out of work for barely a week, Dad. Besides, you're loaded. I'm sure Rose, Sarah and Wheezie haven't required all of your inheritance..." I'm sure he's about to yell at me for having an attitude. Usually that'd make me upset, but today my attention is directed towards something other than my father.

I saw Aspen this morning. She said she was gathering scuba gear for her cousin from our boat, since he was too weak to do it himself. Of course I don't believe that. Besides, I can tell when she's lying. I can still tell a lot about her.

I know when she's nervous, or angry. Or scared.

My dad is saying something that I have zero intentions of hearing. I roll my eyes slightly, running my hands through my hair.

I interrupt his speech. "I'm not doing this with you, Ward. There was a hurricane, a fuckin' hurricane. He fired everyone! As much as you like to single me out, it wasn't my fuckin' fault! You know why I'm not in college right now, Dad? Because you asked me not to go! Everything I do is for you. Your validation. Your love. Every fuckin' thing!" I stand up, waving my hands in the air. "I'm done."

Before I let him scold me again, I walk through the back door, into the house and grab my keys. Wheezie is standing at the bottom of the stairs as I do so, a worried look on her face. I know she listens in whenever Dad and I argue.

"It's okay Wheeze, go back to your room." I tell my sister as I touch her shoulder before walking out of the door. I know my family doesn't think much of me. I've noticed everything throughout the years, from my parents divorcing to my father remarrying. Although I know it may not seem like much, but I have always had a soft spot for Wheezie.

I open the door to my car, step in and close it back. I sit for a moment, letting the conversation replay in my head over and over until I realize I'm gripping the steering wheel so hard my knuckles turn white. My father's voice, laced with degradation, has been echoing in my head for as long as I can remember.

I'm not oblivious to the privileges that come with being Ward Cameron's son. I know I'm lucky. Trust me, I know. My father is looked up to by half of the island, having connections and ways to make more and more money everywhere.

I grab my phone out of the pocket, dial a number, and wait for it to ring. He answers, and I ask if he's busy.

"Never too busy for you, pretty boy."

I roll my eyes. "I have cash."

"I'm all out, Cameron. Everyone stocked up before the storm."

"I'll pay triple, Barry."

The line goes quiet for a moment. I already know the answer before he speaks. You mention money, Barry complies. "Creekside, thirty minutes."

ASPEN

"He's been down there a while....."

"Yeah...."

"You think he's okay?"

"....Um, yeah, he's probably just -" Kiara is interrupted by the gasping sound of John B coming up for air. I let out a breath of relief, watching as he swims back up to the boat.

"You guys are never going to guess what I saw!" He exclaims, rubbing the water out of his eyes.

"Water?"

"Fish?"

"An ancient underground city?" We turn our heads towards JJ, who looks at us weird. "What? It could totally happen. Ever heard of Atlantis?" He's totally serious.

John B shakes his head, ignoring his best friend and continues to speak. "There's a boat. A really fucking nice boat. Grady-White. Been down there a week tops."

"A week?" I ask, puzzled as to who's boat sunk and why we haven't heard of it yet. Nonetheless a Grady-White.

He nods, "I'm thinking the hurricane might've sunk it. But it's not like we're close to the bank, so my question is- where's the person who was steering it?"

"This is kinda scary guys, don't you think?" Kie asks after a minute. "What if there's a body down there?"

"Um- hello. There are tons of bodies down there, Kie. Everywhere you walk someone has died,- or should I say everywhere you swim."

"Shut up JJ."

"Actually he has a point, the percentage of people who shipwreck is pretty high-"

"Shut up Pope! Kie is right. I don't think I like this. I mean, yeah, I'm curious too but do we really wanna know if there's a dead person under there?" I state, crossing my arms. I like adventures, I do, but my friends can take it a little far sometimes.

"All in favor of continuing our search say I." John B says.

"I." All three boys say together.

"Sorry ladies, majority rules." JJ shrugs. "How are we gonna continue this, Cap?" He asks John B.

"With these." He holds up a pair of keys, yellow with smudged black writing on them. I can barely make out the numbers, but I recognize where they're from. There's a motel in town called Creekside, and I might've stayed there a few times before.

"Sweet! Let's go!" JJ starts the boat. He reminds me of a little boy, practically beaming with excitement. JJ is like ADHD in human form. He's also an adrenaline junkie, and always ready to go somewhere.