LITTLE SECRET | RAFE CAMERON

24: 𝘕𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶

The gentle knock on her door made Alice sit up on her bed. It opened with a light creak, the light from the hallway falling in trough the gap as her mother entered her room.

„Sweetie, why are you home so early?"

It was just before midnight, she left that party after a maximum of an hour and that was far too early for her standards. She didn't go back to Jacob-of course not-but got one last drink and thought about whether she should confront Rafe or not, but he had already disappeared.

As if he had only been there briefly to provoke her and leave afterwards.

Completely exhausted by all the drama around her, she decided to just go home. Disappear into her room for the night, where she found the only small area of ​​peace lately.

„Yeah, I just...got tired" She explained stiffly.

She was indeed tired, but not the kind that she could compensate with some sleep. And Laurel didn't believe it either. „Did something happen?" She silently closed the door behind her.

Not everything they talked about was intended for the ears of the men of the house.

„No," Alice shook her head. „no, nothing happened, it was just a long day"

Her mother nodded silently and looked at her daughter intently. „You know we can always talk about anything, Ali" Her voice carried a hint of concern.

Maybe it was her maternal instinct that kicked in here. Alice knew that mothers usually sensed when something was wrong with their kids, but perhaps her concern was simply because she could see how exhausted Alice was.

And people dared to continue to say that love was such a beautiful thing, how ironic.

„I know, mom, but I'm okay" She assured as she faked a tiny smile.

„Okay..." Laurel nodded. „...if you say so" She sighed and came up to her and stroked her hair, leaning down and placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

A very small gesture that almost made Alice collapse in her emotions, but she swallowed the tight lump in her throat.

„Goodnight, sweetie"

„Goodnight." She returned as she watched her mother leave her room again. As soon as the door fell back into it's frame she exhaled deeply. Gradually all this shit was getting to her head. She felt like her problems were clinging to her skin and she wanted to tear them off, but she decided that a hot shower might wash away this oppressive feeling.

It only took her a few minutes to find herself in the shower again. The hot beads of water burned down her skin, leaving the entire bathroom covered in a misty haze that made her feel slightly dizzy. She closed her eyes and let the water run over her, her thoughts floating around in her head like all the mist in her bathroom.

But her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden ringing of her phone, which was still in her room.

It rang for some seconds, at least half a minute. Then it stopped, only for it to start ringing again a few seconds later. Alice washed all the shampoo off of herself and hurriedly turned off the water. She slipped into her pajamas as quickly as possible and wrapped her wet hair in a towel before leaving her bathroom and finding her phone on the bed.

A variety of messages appearing on the screen.

RAFE
*1 missed call*
Are you home?
*2 missed calls*
Why aren't you answering my calls?
Please call me back
*1 missed call*

Her brows furrowed as she scrolled through all his messages. A quick glance at the time showed her that it was already long after midnight. In no world did it make any sense that he tried to call her so late, or even thought that she would answer.

Especially after everything that had happened recently.

RAFE
Come on
Answer your phone

ALICE
What do you want?

RAFE
*incoming call*

She stared uncertainly at his name, which appeared large on her phone screen. With this boy she had literally committed herself to chaos and even though it took her a few seconds, she actually answered his call.

„I swear, if you're just calling me to-„ She snapped with a little anger, but was interrupted by him pretty quickly.

„Are you home?"

„What?"

„Alice, are you home?" He repeated in a more emphatic voice.

„Yes...yes I'm home, where else should I be?"

There was silence for a moment, so quiet that she heard a weird combination of noises around him which confused her. Car tires on hard asphalt-going extremely fast-with the constant appearance of other cars driving past him. She slowly noticed that something was wrong, especially from his heavy breathing, that she heard even through the phone.

„Rafe, where are you?" She asked, now with a bit of worry in her voice.

„Uhm-„ He hummed. „-in my car"

„In your...what do you mean in your car, you drank tonight, you shouldn't be driving"

„I know, I know" He said, his voice so frantic that she couldn't even imagine him sitting behind the wheel. „but can I come over?"

She lost all strength in her voice, not a single sound coming out of her as she sat down restlessly on the edge of her bed.

„Please, Ali" He pleaded, something she never expected from Rafe. „I need you"

He needed her.

Of all the people who were probably listed in his contacts, he called her and told her that he needed her. She was so done, trying to understand what was happening, what this whole thing was about or what was going on with him and his damn mind.

All she knew was that her heart was pounding in her chest like it was about to stop.

„Okay." She nodded, more for herself than for him. „Yeah, you can come but please drive slowly...alright?"

And with that an endless beeping ended the call. She silently lowered her phone, looked at it without saying a single word, no longer understanding the world. And even though she knew how wrong it was, all she could think about was him. And she would wait as long as it took for him to arrive.