Until It Doesn't Hurt | Rafe Cameron

08

The following afternoon, Eleanor lay in her backyard suntanning. She heard the sound of Ward's truck coming up her driveway. She propped herself up on her elbows and watched as Rafe jumped out of the truck and stomped over to her.

He was sporting a massive burn on his arm. "What the fuck happened?" she asked him.

"Look, El," Rafe began, "I'm in some pretty big trouble."

"What happened?" Eleanor asked again, "What did you do?"

"Can we go inside?" Rafe asked, "I'll tell you everything.

Eleanor nodded and led the way inside the Westbrook house. The pair ascended the staircase and walked into Eleanor's bedroom. She shut the door behind them and sat down on her bed. It's clear to her that Rafe is extremely unsettled about something. He paced around her room with his hands on his head. Something had him freaked out.

"What's going on?" Eleanor asked, "What happened to your arm?"

"I'm going to tell you the truth and I need you to listen to me all the way and not go all 'Mom mode' on me, okay? I really need your help."

"Okay," Eleanor said, wearily, "I promise to keep my cool."

"My dealer did this to me," Rafe admits, holding out his burned arm.

"Your dealer?" Eleanor couldn't help but spit out. She pressed her lips together to avoid going 'Mom mode' as Rafe put it.

"I owe him a lot of money, like way more than I have, and he's decided he's taking my bike. I've got three days to pay him back or God only knows what he's going to do to me." Rafe continued rambling about how much trouble he was in and how badly he screwed up.

"Are you clean?" Eleanor asked.

"What?"

"Are. You. Clean?" She repeated. "And don't lie to me."

"No," Rafe sighed.

Eleanor huffed, "Rafe."

"I know, baby. I know," he said, "I'm trying, I swear."

"I just-"

This was difficult for Eleanor. Her sister died doing the very same drugs Rafe was doing. She might not have been able to save Elizabeth, but she has a chance with Rafe. She can help him. She will help him.

"How much do you owe him?" Eleanor asked. Rafe told her and she was shocked. "O-Okay. We can work with that."

"What do I do, El?"

"Take the rest of today to gather as much money as you can," Eleanor suggested, "I'm talking like coat pockets, couch cushions, the whole nine yards."

"I'm not going to find that kind of money in a coat pocket," Rafe deadpanned.

"I wasn't done," Eleanor said, holding her hand up to him, "I will pay the rest. I have my trust fund and my graduation money from my grandparents. I think I can cover the difference."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, Rafe," Eleanor spoke, "Let me help you, please."

She was going to help him in a way she couldn't help her sister, by getting him out of this mess.

***

"Baby?" A whispered voice woke Eleanor. She made out the figure before her.

"Rafe?" she asked.

"Hey," he smiled at her.

"What are you doing here?" she questioned.

"Ward caught me," Rafe explained, "He paid off my debt, but he kicked me out. He said some pretty fucked up things. I-I can't go back to Tannyhill."

"Okay," Eleanor whispered. She lifted her covers for Rafe to slide under, her invitation for him to stay with her.

"I learned my lesson, I swear," Rafe told her, "I'm done with all that shit. For good."

And she believed him.

a filler chapter, I'm sorry <3