Dirty Money - Rafe Cameron

03

Bella couldn't remember much of her childhood, atleast she tried to remember the good times, the worst moment always were first in her thoughts. She still remembered how her dad would always catch her outside next to the white chipped mail box. Every day always in the same spot, with the same red scratched up sunglasses she wore to beat the heat and the chalk she would color on the sidewalk. Sometimes her dad would have to physically remove her from the spot afraid she would get heat stroke. Her mom's daily letters she wrote was the one of the only things Bella truly looked forward to. Excited to hear of her new adventures on the beach, her vivid descriptions of her toes in the sand and the pina coladas she would drink. Her dad told her that mom went away to "find herself" which at the time Bella didn't fully understand what that meant, but her dad would always sugar coat things when it came to her mom. He was a fool for her, Bella knew it and her mother knew it. At the time she didn't know why her mom left on a random Sunday night, her dad told her she was just visiting grandpa and would come back soon. He made sure to always add how much she missed them and would be back in a few weeks. Bella truly believed that her one month vacation would end, and she will realize she missed Bella and Dad and would come back.

But a month turned to six. And the letters completely stopped. then the divorce of her parents was finalized, and then her heartbroken father won custody, then again it's not like her mom put up a fight. Then heartbreak turned to addiction ,and Bella had to move in with her grandma who was old and retired. Having no contact with the two most important people of her life was a struggle, at a young age Bella needed counseling. For a couple years she was alone with every emotion, the only person to cling on was her old grandma.

But that was until she met the Cameron's at the age of 9 and her life changed. She never really had much friends growing up, everyone always found her weird, but she still remembers the day she met Rafe Cameron who was playing at her normal spot at the sandbox. she offered him her shovel, in hopes to find treasure underneath, at first he was hesitant but she smiled nudging the shovel until he accepted. That day they spent the whole afternoon looking for "treasure" but of course they never found anything but a sticky band aid or a crushed Cheeto, until the next day Rafe found a purple shiny rock, and handed it for Bella to have. It was the start of there pirate treasure hunting game, finding small things to give away or dig in the ground. They had became such good friends always meeting at the park or play dates running off to the swings while her grandma and rose talked. They grew so close, Bella even spoke about her mom leaving to him, and him sharing that his mom left him too, and they were now stuck with Rose. It was the best few weeks and Bella finally had something to look forward too, Then Sara came in the picture, with her pink bow, showing up with her littlest pet shop toys and candy gummies, Bella thought she was the coolest person she met. Sara knew from the beginning she wanted Bella to be her best friend, and when sarah wanted something she was the type to go after it. Rafe was completely against Sara joining there treasure hunting, but Sara always persisted it wasn't long before Bella and Sara grew close, but in the process Rafe grew cold and angry. Who she once thought was her friend began to distant himself from her, and randomly began to ignore her. "He's going through puberty, he will come back around" is what Sara said repeating Roses words when Rafe acted up.

She would cry sometimes until the feelings grew mutual, three became two. then suddenly a couple years later she was still at the same place with him. His hatred had grown worse and even to this day she never understood why.