𝙶𝚘𝚕𝚍𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚘𝚢 - 𝚛𝚊𝚏𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚘𝚗

9

My heart pounds harder and harder in my chest and my mind fills with rage as i watch Sarah leave the pogues infamous brown volkswagen. How could she do this to me? I know we arent friends anymore but no decent person would do this to someone else. Rafe opens my side door, Mabel already planted in his arms, it looks so natural?
"Hey, rie. we dont have to do this you know. I can drive you back." He says, grabbing my attention once again.
"No.... i have to do this. It wont be bad." I look at him decidedly.
"Okay. But im coming with you, im not having you go alone." He says assertively.

The sand smooshes against my shoes as i walk down the beach, my mind wandering all over the place. Mabel is still hugging happily on to Rafe. She clearly likes him. He walks a bit in front of me, almost shielding me. His hair flops about lightly in the wind as Mabel plais with his skinny silver chain. He smiles at her all the time, it tives me such bad butterflies. We reach Sarah and she look over confused, scrunching her eyebrows as she tries to work it out.
"Rafe?" she looks at him. "What are you doing here?"
"I bought him," i say, stepping lightly towards her as she crosses her arms nervously.
"Why the fuck is the twinkie here?" i ask her, visibly pissed off but not confrontational.
"Its not- what?- why would you" Sarah splutters out.
"Dont bulshit me please, Sarah." I say softer. "Just tell me why theyre here."
"They told me to text you. To tell you to meet up. Jj has been really missing you guys and we just thought  i could be a help for him seeing you, both of you." She confesses, look at Mabel. I take a minute to
proses everything. Why the fuck would he want to see us?

We stand cold and shivering as Jj and the rest of the pogues come runninh down the beach.  This is the time that they said they would come and join Sarah at the beach for, So we waited.
"Hi" Jj says, aiming it at me , not even managing to make eye contact with me. I dont get up off the log im sitting on. I dont say 'hi' back. I dont smile. I just sit.
"Dont ignore him.." Kiara whispers under her breath, knowing full well i heard it.
"What are you doung here Jj?" i ask, honestly just defeated at this point. I want to go home.
"Am i not allowed to ser you, ever? Am i not allowed to see my own daughter?" He tries to be the good guy. Fuck off.
" You dont get the rights to call her that." i say mainly to myself but i pray so hard he hears.
"Come on stop being such a bitch, just leave him be." John B says casually. The blunt hatred inside me builds.  I scoff at him.
"wow..." I cant believe this. I grab Rafes arm, looking at him, practically begging to go home. We start to walk back, pushing past John b but Kiara grabs my wrist.
"Jeez, its not that deep, loosen up a bit.Its only fair he gets to see his kid" As she says that i burst. No. Fuck no. Im not baving it anymore.
"Dont you dare fucking lay a hand on me." i say, looking at her sternly. "Only fair? Yoh know what fuck you. You all have NO fucking clue what ive been through this past year. Leave me and MY daughter the fuck alone."  Rafe soothes me, his hand on my shoulder, Mabel still in his arms, looking bewildered.
"Why the fuck is that Cameron bitch holding my kid" Jj snaps, clearly not liking that he cant be controlling with our relationship anymore.
"At this point shes not your child anymore Maybank." He says calmly, but clearly getting annoyed at every word that comes out of his mouth.
"Nice! Getting your kook boyfriend to step in for you. Slut" He says louder this time. Rafe glares so hard. His muscles twitch and his hand fist, But Mabel grabs his chain once again, which calms him down.
"I have been looking after this child for the past 8 months," i look at him, tears brimmymy eyes. "-Fuck i was even pregnant for 9 months before that. ALL. ON. MY. OWN. I had no money. Nowhere to live. No friends to crash at, or to smoke pot at, or have house parties at. I HAD TO LOOK AFTER A FUCKING CHILD." Tears fall down my eyes and almost everyone is looking at the ground.
"AND DONT YOU DARE SAY ANYTHING ABOUT RAFE CARRYING MABEL. HE IS MY BEST FRIEND, AND QUITE FRANKLY,  A BETTER DAD THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN." JJ looks to the floor, this time not mustering up the courage for eye contact. I walk past Rafe just wanting to get my head down and leave. But, i dont realise he's not right behind untill i hear him speaking to Jj, in a VERY pissed off voice.
"Fucking go near her, or say shit about her EVER again and i will snap you in fucking two." I know i shouldnt be thinking this but jesus christ is he hot.
He walks away, waving Mabels hand goodbye just to rub it in. We get to the car and he puts Mabel in the backseat as i stand still, shocked from what just happened. He closes the door and immediately turns to me and hugs me. And in that moment i just sob, i sob so hard the pogues could probably hear it all the way down the beach.