Fragile Hearts | RAFE CAMERON

Fourteen | T H E D E A L E R

I walked into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and pushing through my hangover. Mom was already up and about, sipping her coffee at the counter. "Morning, sweetie," she said, setting her mug down to give me a hug. "How was Midsummer's last night?"

I poured myself a bowl of cereal, trying to play it cool. "It was good, Mom. Really good." I hesitated for a moment, not sure how she'd react to the next part. "Um, so... I have a boyfriend now."

Mom's eyes snapped up from her coffee, surprise written all over her face. "Who is it?" she asked, her tone a little sharper than necessary.

I took a deep breath before letting it out. "Rafe Cameron."

Mom's reaction was immediate. Her eyes narrowed, and her jaw tightened ever so slightly. She blinked at me a few times, like she was trying to process the information. "Rafe Cameron, hmm? Wards son." she repeated, her voice laced with a hint of disapproval.

I felt my defenses start to rise, my heart beating a little faster. "What's wrong, Mom?" I asked, trying to sound casual despite the unease.

Mom's expression turned serious, her eyes searching mine. "I've heard things about him, Scarlett. He's not exactly the best guy. I've heard he's gotten into some trouble, and... violent is a word that comes up a lot." Her tone was measured, but I could sense the concern beneath.

How could she judge Rafe without even meeting him? "That's not true, Mom," I said, my voice rising. "You don't know him. He's not like that at all... sometimes." I shook my head, my voice rising. "I'm not asking for your blessing or your permission, I'm just telling you. Can't you just be happy for me?"

Mom let out a heavy sigh, her expression unreadable. She turned back to her coffee, her silence speaking louder than any words. I scoffed, feeling a wave of frustration. I didn't even bother finishing my breakfast, shoveling my bowl into the sink and grabbing my keys. "Forget it, Mom. I'm going out."

"Wait honey." She stopped me. I turned around raising my brows.

"There's more you need to know about why I am looking for treasure." She says.

"What? Because I'm done looking for it, everything's a dead end and I'm not spying the Pogues anymore for you, you know what happened last time." I sighed.

"There's another treasure." She smiles, "Worth way more than the gold."

"Mom I'm done looking for it, like I said."

"I'm not finished." She paused before saying, "There's a shroud in an ancient cross that could heal me."

I furrow my brows, then let out a laugh, "A healing shroud? With magical powers." I scoff, "Give me a break."

I stormed out of the kitchen, not looking back as I headed out the door. I had better things to do than deal with my mom's drama. I was meeting Rafe at his house in twenty minutes, and I wasn't going to let my mom's disapproval ruin my day.

Today is the day I formally meet Ward and Rose. They said something along the lines of "inviting me into the family." Not sure what that means but it'll bring Rafe and I's relationship to the next level.

I pulled up to Rafe's house, my heart skipping a beat as I caught sight of him standing outside by his bike. He was leaning against the sleek red machine, his eyes fixed on something in his hand. I climbed out of my car and approached him, a smile spreading across my face.

But as I got closer, my smile wavered. Rafe's eyes were bloodshot, his pupils constricted, and his nose was pinched shut. He was snorting something, and my stomach dropped as I realized what it was.