Fragile Hearts | RAFE CAMERON

Twenty five | B U S T E D

— the next morning

I blinked, trying to fully wake up and make sense of the unfamiliar, yet comfortable, clothes I was in. Kie, bless her heart, had offered to go back to her house and grab them for me. I was glad that I was out of my wedding dress the night before. I glanced around the room, the remnants of last night's events still fuzzily imprinted in my mind.

The Pogues were all huddled in the chateau's screening room, a scene of worry etched on their faces. It was a scene I'd become accustomed to, it was all my fault, it always is.

"Kie, do you have your phone?" Sarah's voice was tight, a edge of panic in her tone. "Wheezie's the only other person who knows Rafe wasn't home that day."

"Wheezie?" JJ chimed in, his usual carefree demeanor replaced with a furrowed brow. "Scarlett was there, she can explain to the cops her story."

Kie, the ever so blunt one, let out a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, she can plead insanity. Because she actually was insane, not on her meds, little cuckoo in the head."

I rolled my eyes at that. It was true, I hadn't been taking my meds, but my actions were my own, not a consequence of some mental disorder. The court wouldn't see it that way.

"But how would we be sure that would work?" I asked, my voice laced with desperation. "I mean, I already told them John B did it because I really thought he was dead, thanks guys, by the way, for keeping that from me."

Pope interjected, "If she does that, she's going to jail for lying to the police just as much as Rafe. And she's the one who shot the gun first. Maybe they won't take it lightly enough for her to plead insanity."

"I have an idea," JJ announced, "We bust him out."

"That's crazy," Pope countered. "How exactly would we do that?"

"My cousin's an EMT," JJ explained, a smirk playing on his lips.

I nodded, a weak smile forming. "Right, he sold me weed once."

"No way you're agreeing to this," Kie said, her voice sharp with disapproval.

"Look, I'm the guilty one here," I said, standing up, "I'll do anything to get him out of jail. He doesn't deserve to be in there. I'll talk to Rafe first and demand that he turns himself in."

"Right, like Rafe would do that," Sarah said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"For me, he would," I insisted.

"I agree with Scarlett," JJ nodded, unwavering in his support. Everyone looked around, silent. "Fine, then we're going on our own," JJ left it that, spinning on his heel and heading out the door.

I followed and hopped onto JJ's bike, the wind whipping through my hair as we sped towards the Cameron house.

"He's not here," JJ said, disappointment present on his features.

"I think I know where he is," I nod, "Barry's house."

JJ, without a word, gunned the engine, and we sped off, leaving the house. My impulsive decision to help John B might have just gotten us all into a deeper mess, but in that moment, all I could focus on was getting him back.

Finally we arrive to Barry's house and I quickly got off the bike, putting my helmet in JJs hands, "Stay here, I'll go in on my own." JJ nodded at that and I went inside, "Rafe!" I called out.

"Oh shit! Scarlett!" Barry says.

Rafe comes into the screening room, shaking his head in disbelief. "Scarlett..." He walks up to me.