Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

28

The movie started and it was going well, until I had to pee.

"Shit. Guys, y'all stay here. I've got to pee." Kie nodded, waving me off, the other two had a slight breakdown.

"No, can't you hold it?" Pope asked

"You shouldn't go alone." JJ spoke up.

"Guys, I'll be fine. But I won't be if I don't go." I gave them a look then bolted. I stayed low. Crouching to avoid getting in people's way, and fast enough that you had to be paying attention to us to see where I went.

Once I cleared the crowd I stood upright, sparing the Douche-platoon in the back a glance. I sighed in relief when I saw none of them had moved and were staring straight ahead, however, after a quick count, I realized that what I had thought was the third was actually just an empty chair.

"Oh fuck." I turned, sprinting to reach the bathroom, my heart pounding as made it inside the opened door and went into a stall.

I took a moment to gather myself.

"Wait? What the hell." I whispered as I wrapped up my business. Why am I worried. We're fine. It's a public space. Freaking Pope and JJ were rubbing off on me.

I laughed slightly looking into the mirror as I washed my hands. My heart rate had slowed back to normal as I dried my hands and left the bathroom. I passed a mother and daughter and gave them a smile as I turned the corner only to undershoot and run into the wall.

"Ow, damn." I groaned looking up as I held my head, my eyes widening as I stared at the wall. Or what I had thought to be a wall. And really, really wish was a wall.

"Hi." His smile was too wide, too happy. His arms uncrossing as I took a step back.

"Um. Hi. You, uh, enjoying the movie?" I asked slowly moving around him, taking a bigger arch.

He hummed, watching me like a predator. Earlier I had failed to mention that not only would he do nothing, but I also couldn't do anything.

I jumped at the sound of gunshots coming from the loud speaker. The movie still going on.

"You're real jumpy tonight, Tallen. You were so confident earlier today." He pushed off the wall as I kept eye contact with him and continued to move backwards.

"Well, as much as I'd love to entertain, I've got a movie to go back to." I didn't dare take my eyes off him for a second.

"Wait, hold on." I moved my hand as I watched him reach for it. My eyes scanning the area as I debated making a run for it. He had me cut off from the crowd, "you know, you're one tricky person to figure out, Xena." He stepped closer, my gut winning as I stayed still. "One minute, we're fine, the next you're coloring my car, then you're wearing my hoodie before getting into a fist fight with me leaving us both bloodied and bruised."

My face scrunched as he took another step closer. Arms reach.

"What are you trying to get at, Rafe?" He hummed smirking.

"Now you're asking the right question. You see, this is still my island. I don't care what you and your little Pogue friends think." I clenched my fists as he spat the word out, "you play by my rules and no one gets hurt." I scoffed.

"Really, you think I'm gonna listen to that bogus? I was literally pummeling your face in last night. Did I hit you hard enough you forgot?" In the moonlight I caught movement of his tongue as he licked his bottom lip where I had split it.

"Don't worry, Xena, I don't think I could ever forget." I stepped back, his low tone too much.

"You're high, or drunk, somehow you're intoxicated Rafe. You should probably go back to your little friends." He hummed, not answering as we stood there in the dark. The movie still playing.

"You should too."

"Is that a threat?" He smirked.

"Darling, if it was you'd know. But no," he stepped up, toe to toe and leaned towards my ear, his hands ghosting my waist trapping me, "it's a warning." Sandalwood. Mahogony. Ocean. Too close. He was too close.

I fought the urge to pull away from him as his voice sent a chill down my spine. Annoyed and done with Rafe, I pushed past him, grunting slightly as I felt my ribs tingle. My painkillers had to be wearing off now.

"Great chatting with you." I flipped him the bird, not caring if he couldn't see it in the dark. My feet guiding me back to the group where I stared wide-eyed at the two empty chairs.

"Kie, where are the boys?" I whispered kneeling down to stay out of people's views.

"They had to pee, went off around the screen. What's going on, Xena?" She asked as I looked behind us, three empty chairs sending me to a panic.

"I promise I'll get them to tell you, but I need to go check on them."

"While they're peeing?"

I didn't answer her, already moving through the crowd the opposite direction I had come. I ran behind the screen, hoping I wasn't too late. Or that they weren't still peeing, because that is an image I wouldn't be able to get out of my head.

I shook the thought from my mind as I ran behind the screen.

"Not so tough without a gun now, are you?" I turned seeing my friends backed up to the screen, the Kooks pinning them there.

"Take one more step," I cut JJ's threat off as I steadily made my way over.

"Real brave of you boys. Two against three." I caught their attention, hoping JJ and Pope would move towards me as I kept walking.

"Ahh, just the woman we had hoped would join us." Rafe taunted as I made it to stand in front of JJ and Pope.

"Well I'm here. Now what?" I looked Kelce in the eye first, his expression hesitant as he refused to make eye contact. Topper didn't even bother looking at me, his eyes set on Pope.

Rafe however, wouldn't stop.

"I'd suggest y'all leave." I gave them one last chance. Once someone threw a punch, it was game over.

"Hey, Pope, do you feel good about yourself, stealing shit?" Topper spoke up, him and Pope standing closer now. "Is your mom proud of you? Is your dad?"

My eyes widen as I watch Pope rear his head backwards before shooting forward. The hard impact of skulls filled the air as we watched the first blow being dealt.