Sunflower || JJ Maybank/Cassandra Routledge

16. Beginning Of War

The Forbidden Zone 3.05

His eyes may be her safe haven but she doesn't want to see the sympathy seeping out of them.

          As soon as Casey's eyes lock onto the two Kooks, fear completely takes over. Yes, she hates Topper because he's an asshole and because of the fight at the Boneyard, but he is not her worry right now. She can easily walk past him and he would barely bat an eye but Rafe? Rafe is the one that makes her stop in her tracks. She doesn't know what he is going to do, or say. Hell, she doesn't know if he remembers what he did, but it doesn't change the fear coursing through her. "Pope." She mumbles quietly, her eyes still glued to the two. "Maybe we should just go back and take the roads instead."

          "What?" Pope asks. It was her idea to cut through the golf course and now she wants to back track and go the long way? It will add at least another ten to fifteen minutes to their time. He turns to look at her and quickly realizes the normal, sarcastic Casey is no longer there. Her face is completely void of emotions, and her eyes are focused on something past him.

          As soon as Pope decides to turn to see what has Casey spooked, Rafe's focus on playing gold changes and he lifts his head, locking onto the two Pogues down the hill. Right as he sees them, his entire demeanor changes. Before, he was having fun, messing with the old group in front of them, but now, he's filled with mischief and anger. He didn't see what JJ did to Topper, but he has heard about it, and these two, they are in the same group, so time for some revenge. Casey and Pope watch him whisper something to Topper, and before they can continue walking, or simply turn around, Rafe heads in their direction, running down the hill. "Hey, what's up, guys?" He says in his normal asshole tone. Casey immediately starts to shake at his voice, but she hides it the best she can, choosing to step behind Pope ever so slightly, not drawing attention to herself at all. "Hey, how much for one of those beers?" He continues, using his golf club to lightly hit the box Pope is holding.

          Rafe, being the King of causing trouble, pushes the box with some force, making Pope step back into Casey. "They're not for sale." Pope replies, his voice cracking ever so slightly. Neither Kook picks up on it, but Casey does. She knows his voice fluctuates like this when he is nervous of something bad happening. Even though she wants to be as far away from Rafe as humanly possible right now, she sets down the bags she is holding and takes a deep breath in, reading herself for anything. She doesn't want to get into another fight with Topper, let alone one with Rafe, but she will be damned if she lets either Kook do anything to Pope without her trying to stop it.

          Pope, not knowing Casey is planning to stand her ground, starts to walk away, but Rafe holds his golf club up, stopping him. "Oh, wait, wait, wait." The Kook says, turning to Topper, now that he is finally down the hill and joining them. "You can just give us one, then, right?"

          "Rafe, stop." Casey demands as she grabs Pope's arm and pulls him back. She doesn't mean to put herself between the two, but Pope takes the opportunity of someone pulling him back to create some space between him and Rafe, inevitably putting Casey in the line of fire. Every bone in her body is telling her to take a step back, and go back to hiding behind Pope as he disappears from her peripheral vision, but something deep down is telling her not to give Rafe the satisfaction of intimidating her. If she can stand her ground right now, maybe, just maybe, she can deal with the trauma he has caused her. "Leave him alone."

          "Aw, would you look at that, Top. Little Pogue is trying to protect one of her boys." Rafe eggs on and steps toward her. Casey tense as he gets closer but she doesn't back down. She stares right in his eyes as he closes the space between them and stops less than a foot away from her. "You got some balls on you, Case."