Until It Doesn't Hurt | Rafe Cameron

09

Eleanor sat in a lounge chair at the Pelican Yacht Club, watching Rafe, Topper, and Kelce play cornhole. The vibes were off already. When Eleanor called Mai and invited her to hang out, she declined. Which wasn't out of the ordinary, except Mai avoided her at Midsummer. Something was up with Mai, and Eleanor had a feeling it had something to do with her boyfriend.

She watched as an expensive-looking car pulled up outside the gate, gathering the attention of the patrons of the club. The driver looked disheveled as he made his way through the gate. Eleanor happened to glance towards Rafe, who took off in the direction of the man, and Topper followed behind him.

This wasn't going to be good.

Eleanor got up from her chair and made her way over to the gate. "Who is that?" she asked Topper, who shrugged in response.

"...I don't know what you're talking about." Rafe was beginning to hyperventilate.

"You don't know?" the man echoed.

"Enlighten me," Rafe smartmouthed.

"Enlighten you?" the man echoed once again, "The Pogues are all around Outer Banks stealin' shit out of everybody's house... and you got no idea what I'm talkin' about? Your sister's involved in it."

Rafe presses his fingers to his temples, "Sarah Cameron, home invader?" He sets his arm, his burned arm, on the man's shoulder. "You know how stupid..."

The man grabbed ahold of Rafe's wrist, pressing into the burn. Rafe yelled out in pain as the man threw him to the ground.

"What the fuck!" Eleanor screamed, "What the fuck!" She lunged at the man, Topper grabbing her and holding her back before any damage, to her or him, could be done.

"Control your bitch, Rafe," the man called out, his gold tooth twinkling in the sunlight.

Rafe got up from the ground, groaning in pain. He corrals Eleanor behind him, standing in front of her as a sort of protector. "Barry, calm down," Rafe said, which only did more harm than good.

Barry laughed as he looked at Eleanor. "You look just like your sister," Barry drawled.

It clicked. She knew exactly who this man was. He was her sister's dealer and presumably Rafe's as well. He was the one who sold Elizabeth the drugs that ended her life.

"You killed my sister!" Eleanor screamed, drawing the attention of those around her. She lunged for Barry, Rafe grabbing ahold of her waist to keep her back.

"Lizzie came to me willingly," Barry egged on.

Eleanor screamed profanities at him, Rafe's grip around her waist tightening as she struggled against him. "You bastard!"

"Sort this shit out with your sister," Barry warned Rafe before retreating to his car, "Imma get my money. If not from you, then her. I'll see you Kooks around."

The expensive-looking car drove away, leaving a sobbing Eleanor, a pissed-off Rafe, and a confused Topper in its wake. Rafe let go of Eleanor, who sunk to the grass, her body filled with anger and shock.

"Hey, what the hell is goin' on?" Topper asked.

"I don't know man," Rafe said, "This guy's nuts."

"What are you gonna do?"

"Nothin'," Rafe admitted, "It's not my problem."

"That's Sarah you're talking about," Topper combatted.

"Give me a minute," Rafe said, crouching down to Eleanor. "Baby, are you alright?"

"I hate him, Rafe," Eleanor sobbed, "I hate what he did to Elizabeth and I hate what he's done to you."