Golden Hearts | Rafe Cameron

35

July 2

The Cameron family left the beach house a few hours after Ward talked to us. My mom still hadn't returned, and neither had Nathan. I'm starting to worry that they left me here.

I'm sitting on the couch in the small kitchen while the rain pours outside. Thunder is also heard, and I just wished Rafe was with me right now. The sky is dark outside, and the waves are big. The wind is strong and violent.

The sound of a door opening makes me quickly look in that direction when I realize it's my mom and Nathan coming into the small house. They both look sad when they meet my gaze. My mom doesn't hesitate before rushing to me and giving me a hug. Nathan sits on the couch next to my mom.

"Oh Addie," she says.

"Where's dad?" I ask.

"The police took him," my mom's voice is shaky.

"Is he not coming back?" I ask.

"The trial is in a week. The cops are holding him until then. So we don't know yet," Nathan says as my mom is too upset to talk. She releases the hug and looks at me.

"Ward talked to you about you and Rafe, right?" she asks. I nod.

"I'm sorry, but it's for the best," my mom says.

---
July 3

We decided to stay because of the storm, and the ferries couldn't run. Early in the morning, we came home. The first thing I did was take a hot shower before lying down in my bed and reading my book.

Now it's shortly after lunch, and all I've done is read. I skipped lunch as my appetite disappeared. I'm worried about my dad. What will happen to him? I'm worried about Rafe. What if we can't meet? What if he's fooling around with lots of girls now that it'll be official that we're not dating?

Everything was starting to get better again. When I finally started accepting myself and Rafe. When we finally tried. Everything was about to become just the way I wanted. Why?

The anxiety is taking over too much in my brain, so not even my book helps me anymore. I put the book down and instead go out onto the balcony where the warm sun shines brightly on me. My mom has been crying all morning, and I haven't seen Nathan since we got home.

I guess no one in my family is taking it particularly well. We're all probably equally surprised. The Cameron family hasn't contacted us either. Not Rafe or Sarah either. No one has said anything. That's why I've decided to spend the rest of the day in my room. I don't want to run into anyone I shouldn't.

To try to distract myself, I put on my headphones and play my playlist with happier songs to lift my mood. Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter starts playing.

I don't get much further before a weird sound is heard from below my balcony, which makes me look down. There I see Rafe standing. I look seriously at him. "What are you doing here? They can see you!" I snap at him so he understands he can't stand right in front of my balcony in broad daylight.

"Come down!" Rafe says, completely ignoring my comment. I roll my eyes and sigh. "You know what your dad said. Isn't it best we do as he says?"

"Stop being so boring, come down," Rafe says, looking around, "before someone else comes out."

"2 minutes," I say before closing the door to my balcony and walking through my house because I don't feel like climbing down my balcony in daylight. It will only make people passing by wonder. Especially my mom if she were to see.

I'm greeted by my mom sitting on the couch. She quickly wipes her eyes when she sees me and smiles. I know she's been crying because I've heard her, but she's trying to pretend she hasn't. It's actually pitiful.

"I'm going to Kie's," I say and smile at my mom who nods.

"Good, it's good for you to get away from this area a bit," my mom says and smiles gently. "Make sure not to stay out too late so I have at least one less person to worry about."

"I promise, I'll be back in a few hours," I say, smiling before hurrying out of the house. I don't see Rafe outside. Not until I start walking out onto the street. There he is, smiling when I see him.

"So you're going to be so disobedient as to take me somewhere even though neither of us is allowed?" I say, taking Rafe's hand as he offers it.

"That might accidentally be the case," he says, smiling before we start walking. "Trust me, no one will care. No one knows anything yet."

"Good," I say, exhaling a bit. "Where are we going?"

"That's a secret," Rafe says while smiling.

We continue walking for about 25 minutes before we arrive at a small cafe just before the cut. It looks very cozy, and I can't help but be a little surprised that someone like Rafe has taken me to a small cozy cafe.

"Before you say anything. It was Sarah who said I should take you here," Rafe says as he holds the door open for me. "But it was my idea to take you out somewhere," he quickly adds when he sees that I'm a little disappointed that it wasn't him who chose to come here. But what can you expect when it comes to Rafe?

There aren't many people inside the small café, so there's not a long line at the counter. I choose a chocolate cake, and Rafe takes some kind of cake that I know I'll end up tasting even if he doesn't want to.

After we've ordered and gotten our stuff, we choose a table with a nice view of the water, which just feels so amazing. It's really a mysterious place to be. Outer Banks is a nice place for tourists, and they just have to love the place. I agree. It's nice. But if you've lived here your whole life and basically know everyone and are used to all the drama all the time, it's not so cozy.

"Tastes good?" Rafe asks, pointing to my chocolate cake, which I nod to.

"Do you want to try?" I ask, holding out my spoon to him, which he accepts.

"Sure," he says before tasting. "Mhm, this is really good," he says, smiling. "Try mine."

I take a bite of his cake, and it tastes really fantastic. I definitely want to visit this café several times in the future. Hopefully with Rafe but also with Sarah and maybe Kiara.

"So how are we going to keep hanging out if we're not allowed?" I ask.

"That's a good question," Rafe says. "But I guess we'll just have to sneak around and hope no one notices."

I nod as I take a sip from my ice-cold Fanta. "You're probably right. It's probably the only thing we can do. But Sarah is on our side, right? I mean, we can see each other in secret, she won't say anything, right?"

"No, she doesn't really care much," Rafe says.

"We'll have to hang out only at the cut. None of our parents will be there," I laugh.

"Mhm, very fun," Rafe says, rolling his eyes. "It's good that you listened to me about the Pogues. They're not good for you."

"I know, I probably didn't realize it myself until now," I say, sighing. However, I've had a lot of fun with them, and I will actually miss the moments I've had with them. But I guess it's also important to do as Rafe says so that we don't argue again.

"How does it feel, I mean, with everything about your dad? Do they know anything else?" Rafe asks.

"They don't know anything except that he'll have a trial in a week, so I guess we'll just have to wait. My mom has taken it pretty hard, crying all the time. I haven't seen much of Nathan, I guess he's trying to escape from reality. I don't know myself. It's just so much," I say, sighing sadly as I look up at Rafe.

"I'm sorry, but maybe this is the chance to tell about him abusing you?" he says seriously, placing his hand over mine on the table.

I freeze "I don't think so. I don't want to make things worse than they are. Besides, my dad still has a lot of power so no one will probably believe him. I don't want to worry my mom more. She's really not doing well right now," I say, holding onto Rafe's hand.

"Okay, I understand, but promise me to tell if it happens again. If he gets released, I mean," Rafe says.

I nod and smile at him. I'm glad I at least have Rafe.