sweet lies | rafe cameron

25

"Where's all the money Julienne?!" grunts my father as he goes through my stuff. I stand in the living room without moving a muscle trying to fingers out what to say. "Where is it?!" he throws my wallet across the room almost hitting me. "I- I...it's at Kiara's" I say, "what did ya say?" he tries to act calm and approaches me. "I was out...partying-" "get to the point" he spat and I nodded, "I didn't want to risk losing it..." "so you gave it to the Kook" he groaned and I shook my head in defense, "It's temporary" "then bring that money back here!" he screamed and I stepped away but he grabbed me by my hoodie and pulled me closer. "Go get it" "that's...I can't right now" "you can't right now?! I need it right now!" he spat and slapped my face. "I know what you did" he the whispered and I shook my head, "no-" "you already spent it all, on drugs and alcohol huh?" "no I swear" technically yes I did.

"Then where is the money?" he sounds calm now, "it's- I'll bring some soon" "I don't care! I wanna know where's the money you've been working for these past days!" he screamed and pushed me roughly against the wall. I fell down and he stepped closer. "Who's going to pay for all the shit here?!" he exclaimed and kicked me with his foot. "Dad I'm sorry!" I cried out in pain as I felt blood pouring from my nose. "Are you crying right now?!" he asked and pulled me back up by my hoodie. "I-" he slapped me again, "don't you cry" he mumbled and I wiped my tears quickly. "I'm the one that should be crying here Jules, my kids can't even bring home a few money" he grunts grabbing another beer in the fridge. "Now get out!" he then yelled as I was still standing all bloody in the middle of the room. "Get out of my face!" He screamed and I ran out of the house in tears.

"Fuck!" I yelled across the street as I walked away of our house. I sobbed and more tears came out of my eyes as I realized I left my bag there with my cigarettes. I kicked my bike that was laying on the grass by the road and pulled my phone from my back pocket.

"Jules?" says Kiara from the other side of the line as soon as I call her number.
"Kie, you free right now?" I ask trying to hide my sobbing. "Sorry, it's a really bad time. I have to work at the Wreck the whole day" "shit, what about the others. Where's Jayj?" I scratch my head hoping for a good answer.
"Pope is out of town with his dad, he's helping him out with work. John B is at summer school-" "I thought he was not going?" "he is today, I don't know. And Jj is working today too isn't he ?" shit she's right, he was supposed to be cleaning boats today. That means I have absolutely nowhere to go.
"Fuck, yeah...right" "are you gonna be okay- Shit my mum is calling me, I have to go. See ya" "Uh- see you-" she hang up fast and I found myslef alone again. I was miserable. The blood was now all dry and sticky, the sun was so intensely burning my back and my hair was all sticky from the sweat.

I looked back down at my phone and texted Barry.

J: can I come over?

B: u have to?

J: yeah, whatever idc i'm coming.

I rolled my eyes, if he thinks spending my summer evenings at the local drug dealers crusty smelly trailer is my dream night he's wrong. But it's the only place I can crash before Jj arrives back home. I don't even take my bike, I just walk to his trailer and notice a few bikes and an old car parked by his place. I arrive closer and notice a bunch of men sitting outside of Barry's home by the fire.

"Maybank! So you did come" Barry groaned from his deck chair. "I had to" I smile sarcastically, "who's this hot chick?" asks a man sitting next to him, he was obviously very high and old just like my father. Gross.

"Man that's Luke's daughter" explains Barry and the three other men look at me. "You're Luke's daughter?" they ask and I nod. "Not something I'm very proud of..." I hummed and one chuckles as he heard me.
"Well make yourself comfortable Jules" then says Barry as he sniffs a life. "Thanks man" I roll my eyes walking in his trailer. I hear other masculine voices from his room. It's insufferably smelly in here. The mix of weed, cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, sweat and pizza is exactly how I would explain the smell to a person who never came here.

I open the fridge and grab a beer, then I open the one of money pizza boxes and find one slice of margarita pizza. This looks safe, I think to myself and take a bite.