ALWAYS || RAFE CAMERON

60

Tanny Hill was just as we had left it.

Rafe had been on the phone all afternoon, and also avoiding me.

with nothing else to do, i'd gone up to bed at 10.30, but now it was 2am and i was still wide awake.

the sound of Rafe's footsteps kept me from falling asleep.

i had no idea what he was doing, and i told myself i didn't care, but if that was the case then why couldn't i sleep?

i stomped downstairs to find him pacing in the study, a glass of whisky in his hand, the almost empty bottle on Ward's desk.

"what are you doing?"

"what does it look like?" he snapped.

"it looks like you're being a dick."

he looked me up and down as he swallowed a mouthful of whisky.

"go to bed, Juno."

"i was, but you're keeping me awake, walking about." i narrowed my eyes.

"not my problem."

"oh yeah?" i laughed.

he took another swig of whisky.

in a second i was in front of him.

i grabbed the glass out of his hand and threw it at the wall, sending the bottle crashing after it.

amber liquid pooled on the carpet and the glass glittered like diamonds.

"well that was unnecessary." he glared down at me.

"i told you, you're not allowed to drink."

he sniffed.

"you promised me, Rafe."

in response, he turned and walked over to the drinks tray.

i grabbed the back of his shirt in an attempt to stop him, but he pushed me into the wall without even turning around.

"are you kidding me?!" i yelled as a painting fell off the wall.

"leave me alone."

"no!"

i stepped around him and swept all the bottles off of the tray, watching them smash on the floor.

shards bounced back up and cut my legs, for i was only wearing one of Rafe's t-shirts.

i didn't flinch.

Rafe's stormy eyes cleared as he looked at the blood trickling down my legs.

"are you alright?" he reached out for me but i stepped back. "June, you-"

"don't talk to me." i snapped, heading for the door.

"where are you going?!" he called as i grabbed his car keys off the hook.

"i'm leaving you alone, like you want." i grabbed a pair of Wheezie's flip flops and opened the heavy front door.

"you know i didn't mean that!" he followed me out onto the driveway.

"just shut up, Rafe!" i got in his car and started the engine.

"oh, so you're stealing my car now?"

"no worse than anything you've done." i slammed the door.

he continued to yell at me as i pulled away, even though his voice was drowned out by the engine.