Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

98

I inhaled deeply. My body shoots straight up. My eyes blurringly focused on the wall in front of me. The arms around my waist fell as my chest rose and crashed. My air was fleeting while I tried to fill my lungs.

"Xena?" I turned to the groggy voice. The soft rays of morning lighting up the tired face of the male in my dream. His eyes pinched together not matching the lustful inferno from my vision. The waves of grey lapping against the blue versus the storming sea. "What's wrong?"

He looked so innocent.

"Just startled." I looked away, deciding on whether to get out of the warm covers and brave the day. Or if I was going to wait and actually speak with Rafe.

"Did I do something?"

Did he really just...

"No. Just a dream." I felt his eyes lock onto the side of my face as I stared at the door in front of us. My hands picking at the comforter in my lap.

"Do you want-"

"Why'd you do it?" I blurted out, my hands now my point of focus.

"Why'd I do what?" Say it.

"Why'd you shoot Peterkin?" He took a sharp inhale of breath. The world stilling as I felt his gaze burn into my skin. All of a sudden the room felt too small. The covers too hot. These clothes too tight.

It was a similar feeling I got when my claustrophobia kicked in. Trapped.

"Was that what your dream was about? Me shooting Peterkin? She was going to shoot my dad. Kill him. You were in the truck, you heard me explain." His voice grew stronger. His rage rising. "I had to shoot her. I-I had to protect him. I had to." He stuttered for a moment. His anger faltering as he processed whatever was crossing his mind.

The drop of his voice and the hesitation in his words made me curious. Curious to know what he was thinking. But as I turned to see, he was moving.

"Of course you wouldn't understand. You wouldn't. You couldn't." His feet turned to rest on the ground as he stood from the bed. Fleeing his room to escape to the bathroom while I watched in silence.

I sighed, rising from the bed. My feet leading me to the closed bathroom door. The wood cold against my forehead as I let the words leave my lips. Consequences be damned.

"I'm not going to apologize for bringing it up. But-I am leaving." Even though I still had more questions. More thoughts, more words. I had to get John B and my parents out of here before I'd confront him.

A loud crash came from the room as I left. My back tensing as I kept moving.

I'd need to reach the other Pogues and let them know too.

_______•*•*•*•_______

I was in the guest bedroom brushing my teeth and getting ready when I heard the front door slam shut. I spit out my toothpaste and rinsed my mouth. Leaving the bathroom, my eyes widening as I looked out the window to see Rafe standing by his dirt bike. His hands raking through his hair as he fiddled with his helmet.

My head cocked as I watched him throw the same helmet on the ground. Distress controlling his actions. His clothes were still the same from last night as we regretfully passed out before we could change.

What was he doing that he couldn't take two minutes to change clothes?

I was unlatching the window as Rafe yanked his helmet from the ground and slapped it on. My hands freezing as I watched him jump onto his bike and take off.

An unsettling feeling growing in my stomach.

Getting dressed took me no time at all as I yanked on a short sleeve workout top and my cargo pants. My hands fumbling to tie up my shoe laces as I sprinted out of the guest room. My backpack and I fighting as I ran down the stairs. My feet echoing loudly as I didn't care to be silent.

"Xena?" My head whipped around to see Wheezie sitting at the island with a bowl of cereal.

"Hey. Good morning." I stepped backwards away from the foyer. "How has summer school been going? You haven't needed me for a while so I'm assuming it's good."

"Oh, yeah. I'm almost finished with my second section. A lot of it was just reglossing over the first section." She took a sip of water.

"That's awesome! Well, I need to get going now."

"Why are you in my house? Uh- not to be rude at all." I lagged for a moment, trying to come up with something better than what I did.

"I was with your brother last night." Her nose scrunched, revolted as I quickly backtracked. "Ew that sounded bad. No, I hung out with your brother. I stayed in the guest bedroom."

"Oh! So you're the one who was using the shower. And seriously? Why were you hanging out with him?" If only I could tell her. But she'd be conflicted. And Ward would know.

"Uh, um. It's a long story. But we don't necessarily dislike one another as much as we act like it." I fumbled out Wheezie's eyes widening as if she remembered something important.

"You're the girl he said he's been secretly dating? Low blow, Xena." I made a noise of disbelief in the back of my throat as Wheezie returned back to eating her cereal. Her curiosity satisfied.

"Um, well. Surprise!" I used that as my closer. The conversation ending as I took off through the foyer and out the front doors. My feet beelining to the truck, which thankfully was unlocked, to grab my helmet before slapping it on and straddling my bike.

My bike and body in motion within seconds from me lifting the kick stand. My route mapped out in my head as I left the Cameron Residence.

Light eyes watch me from the balcony without my knowledge as I sped away from the soft chime of a text.

A text sent in preparation. A text that had the capability of destroying me.