𝑾𝑯𝑰𝑺𝑷𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑾𝑨𝑽𝑬𝑺 /𝑗𝑗 𝑚𝑎𝑦𝑏𝑎𝑛𝑘

𝟎𝟐𝟔.

___________________
𝑨𝑷𝑨𝑹𝑻 𝑶𝑭 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑭𝑨𝑴𝑰𝑳𝒀
𝑠𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑛𝑒，𝑒𝑝𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑑𝑒 𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑒．
𝟐𝟑:𝟑𝟐 — 𝟑𝟗:𝟐𝟏
___________________

SARAH AND I sat in the dimly lit room right outside Wheezie's, the silence hanging heavily in the air as we waited. I could hear Wheezie scuttling downstairs, to call her brother, Rafe, for assistance in closing her suitcase. A wave of amusement washed over me, and I couldn't help but chuckle softly when I overheard her plan. The sound apparently caught the sisters off guard, and they both shot me disapproving looks.

"Sorry, I, uh... I can't imagine Rafe Cameron helping his little sister close her suitcase." I mumbled, embarrassment creeping into my voice, even though I couldn't shake the image of it from my mind.

But wouldn't you know it? Here I was, eating my own words as I watched Rafe Cameron ascend the stairs, his posture erratic, the anger palpable as he made his way toward his sister.

Who would've thought that would happen?

I shivered slightly at the thought, already envisioning the incredulity on JJ's face when I relay the news. He wouldn't believe it for a second.

Rafe stepped inside Wheezie's room, and she quickly turned around, closing the door behind them. She cast a fleeting glance at Sarah and I, exchanging a silent nod that suggested both resolve and urgency before she fully shut the door.

"Come on!" Sarah interjected, grabbing my wrist and yanking me down the stairs, practically dragging me along as we hurried to the front door.

We reached the door and found it locked. The knob twisted under Sarah's grasp, but it refused to budge, and her eyes widened in fear. "What do we do?"

"Alright, calm down. Do you have any bobby pins?" I whispered, trying to keep her from panicking.

She shook her head, but then a light flickered in her eyes as if an idea formed. Without a word, she dashed into a room adjacent to Rafe's and emerged with a coat hanger that looked like it had seen better days, its metal slightly twisted and bent.

Taking it from her, I knelt before the door, inserting the hook into the lock. I twisted and turned it carefully, adrenaline fueling my movements as I sought to escape this grim situation. The satisfying click of the lock echoed in the silence, and I grinned up at Sarah, handing the hanger back to her.

"Where did you learn to do that so fast?" she asked, frowning in disbelief as I stood up.

"Oh, I just learned to escape my room years ago." I shrugged, casually waiting for her to step inside while she approached the nightstand, her expression focused and intense.

"Oh, I'm so—"

"It's fine, really! I got some life hacks." I smiled at her, trying to lighten the mood. But her face rapidly fell, her hands hovering above the nightstand, searching for the keys they needed.