This is Me Trying ⭑ Rafe Cameron

two

CHAPTER TWO
[2]
song: found me by men i trust

JJ already had a job lined up for Cassie for when she returned. Her counselors said it'd be best to keep her in a routine she was used to, which was a better way of saying: it'd be best to keep her distracted.

He told her it was good money, low stress. The clientele weren't ideal but it rarely was on the island. She could at least eat good discounted food on her breaks here, be somewhat near the beach, and watch over her brother at the same time.

She'd worked two shifts at The Island Club since her return. On the first day, she followed another waitress around and she showed her how it all worked. She went home that night with a menu to study and memorize; to know when the specials were and what that all included, to know what ingredients were in what, because they would ask. And Cassie had to get it right.

On the second day, she was twenty minutes late because her grandma's car wasn't starting, and she had to wake her up to ask what was wrong with it. It took her grandma a good chunk of time to get up and out of bed, and come check out what was wrong with the engine.

Her boss said that it was 'not a good look for her second day' , and it was hard for Cassie not to think about anything else for the rest of her shift.

Today was her third day. She'd woken up early, showered, did her hair, did her makeup, left enough time to eat breakfast, and got to work half an hour early.

The morning was slow, she was still not fully confident enough to wait tables on her own, so she just stopped by tables every once in a while and asked 'does anyone need more water?' or 'can I take your plate?'

JJ worked in the kitchen, every once in a while, when things got slow for him too, he came back out to the front and asked her how she was doing.

"Yeah, it's not too bad." She'd respond.

If not too bad was having to listen to Kooks whisper and gossip about John B, about Sheriff Peterkin, about how he 'kidnapped Sarah' and was the reason she was dead too, about how devastated the Cameron's were, then yes, it's not too bad.

When a group of kids from Kildare Prep came to the hostess stand for lunch, JJ came out from the kitchen, and told Cassie to just go take her break now.

"Just get Emerson to cover for you for a second." JJ says, glancing back behind him as he spoke.

Cassie looked at the group, all of them she recognized. From parties, at least. Topper Thornton glanced in her direction and she returned her eyes to JJ. "Emerson's off today." She spoke. "Why? Are they—"

"Cassie." Her boss peaked his head around the corner and snapped his fingers at her to get her attention, before gesturing to the tables she was hired to attend to.

She spared JJ one last glance of worry, before turning to do exactly that.

The group sat in her section. Two guys; Topper Thornton, who, according to JJ's letters, was now Sarah Cameron's ex-boyfriend. Kelce Andrews, who she'd seen hanging around both Topper and Rafe Cameron constantly before she left. And two girls, one being Millie Singh, the other being Isabella, whose last name Cassie didn't know.