HEARTLESS─── RAFE CAMERON [1]

chapter twelve

After leaving Tannyhill and making a pit stop at my home, I decided to drive down to the Chateau. I left Rafe, because I figured that I'd see him tomorrow for our weekly Sunday morning meet-ups. And also, because I had many other things to do— for example, meeting with the Pogues. In the back of my mind, I prayed that Sarah and John B wouldn't be there, and that it would only be the rest of the crew. JJ, Kie, and Pope. I missed them.

Also because I didn't have the energy to fight with Sarah or John B again. Especially for something they knew I was in the right for addressing. They were just too stubborn to do the right thing.

My shoes beat on the grassy backyard of the Chateau while the blazing sun beat down on my back, adding a layer of sweat between my skin and tank top. To my surprise, the three exact people I had been looking for were all slumped on various parts of the porch, all looking equally dull and depressed.

Pope stared into space, the sound of my body moving across the grass not fazing him. Kie rolled her head back as she sipped on a White Claw. JJ looked equally depressed, even while smoking a cigarette and hanging mid-air on a hammock. Throughout all this, there was no sign of neither John B nor Sarah. A large part of my chest felt like a huge weight had been lifted off it.

My brows crinkled. When I was close enough to the house, I waved my hand over to them, locking eyes with JJ. Strangely, his eyes didn't lit up or twinkle like they usually do when they see me.

"What's going on, guys?" I finally said as I made my way up the stairs and settled onto the floor, raising my knees and resting my arms on them. "Why do you guys all look like Pope when he gets a C?"

That makes all three look at me, but none of them even crack a smile.

"If you're trying to make us laugh or smile, you know, it's not gonna work," Kie says.

"Why? Did I...do something?" Worry sets itself in my chest.

"No," JJ waves off. "No. You didn't do shit. It's John B. You won't even believe what he's done. Three guesses. If I had enough, I'd bet a million dollars that you wouldn't be able to guess."

However, a part of me felt like I knew exactly what JJ was talking about. "Sarah Cameron," I say. "That's what he's done now." I furrow my brows. "Or rather, that's who he's done now."

Surprisingly, JJ snorts, but then his face goes back to it's Pope-got-a-bad-grade face. "How'd you know? You weren't even there when he told us."

I huff out a laugh. "You're lucky you found out by him telling you."

"So then, how did you find out?" Pope finally says. But the moment the words leave his lips, he raises his eyebrows. "You saw them."

"Bingo!" I exclaim, now feeling as glum as the rest of the party. "And when I tried to tell them that it wasn't right, fucking a Pogue while going behind Topper's back like this, they kicked me out."

Kie scoffs. "What assholes," she says. "This is all that bitch Cameron's doing."

"Okay—" Pope interjects. "How about we let out our anger without calling people bitches?"

Kie's voice is like a firecracker when she speaks, or at least— begins to. "Are you—"

"Okay!" I say quickly. It's now my turn to interject. "You know what would make you all feel better? How about a boat ride through the marsh?"

***

We all were sat on the HMS Pogue as JJ sped it down the marsh. I sat on the edge of the boat, bare legs and feet dangling down the exterior of the boat, toes skimming the cool and dewy water of the marsh. Seeing that it was extremely hot, I'd stripped down to nothing but my blue bikini, leaving only my sunglasses to adorn my head.