I Can Fix Him (no really I can) || Rafe Cameron

14. Set Sail For Trouble

The sound of my sneakers against the wooden floor of the boathouse is drowned out by my pounding heart. The faint hum of the water outside is the only thing that seems real right now, and every step feels like a decision I can't undo. I glance back over my shoulder, making sure no one's around, before reaching up to where the key hook hangs above the door. My fingers brush against the cool metal of the spare boat keys, cold to the touch.

I'm doing this. There's no turning back now. I can't.

I snatch the keys off the hook feeling their weight in my hand. It's a strange mix of excitement and dread coursing through my veins. I tuck them into my pocket quickly, making sure no one sees. I know what I'm about to do, and I know it's risky– but I don't care anymore.

I take a steadying breath and push open the kitchen door, stepping out into the warm night air. The boat is just a few steps away. This is the moment. The decision has been made.

The Pogues are waiting for me outside, their faces a mixture of anticipation and excitement, though I'm sure they didn't think this would actually happen. The moment I walk ip, I hold out the keys, my fingers wrapped around them tightly.

"Got 'em," I say, letting the keys dangle in front of me like a prize. They're my ticket out of this mess, and at this moment, it feels like everything.

JJ's eyes widen. "You're serious about this, huh?" His grin spreads across his face, and for a second, I almost want to take it back. But I don't.

"You know it," I reply, my voice stronger than I feel. I force the doubt down, shoving it away. There's no time to think about what this might cost me.

The others start gathering their things, checking to make sure they're prepared. It's happening. The plan's in motion. And I can't help but feel a little bit of pride. Despite everything, despite my father's constant expectations, I'm finally doing something for me.

The boats engine sputters to life with a low growl, the vibrations sending a jolt through my chest. I take the wheel, my hands gripping it tightly, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling in my stomach. The boat sways under us, but it feels steady. Secure. For once, I'm in control.

The Pogues climb aboard, JJ cracking jokes, Kiara looking excited, Pope worried, their laughter blending with the roar of the engine. I pull away from the dock, the shoreline shrinking behind us with every passing second.

I glance back at the others, feeling the thrill of freedom start to buzz in my veins. The water stretches out before us, dark and vast, the horizon endless. This is it– the beginning of something new. No more rules, no more expectations. Just us. Just the open sea.

I try not to think about how far this is from the truth. How this freedom comes at a cost.

As the night wears on, the boat cuts through the water smoothly, the soft sound of waves splashing against the hull. The city lights fade into the distance, and all I can see is the endless black ocean.

But I can't escape the feeling that something's missing. Something's wrong. I'm running from something, but I'm not sure what.

I pull out my phone, needing a distraction, and my heart sinks when I see a message waiting for me.

"Bring it back. This isn't a request. I won't tolerate this kind of behavior, Penelope. You may think you're acting independently, but that's theft, and no daughter of mine would disgrace our family like this. I'll have no choice but to alert the authorities."

It's like a punch to the gut. The words sting, more than I expected. I stand frozen for a second, the phone in my hands, the message glaring back at me. It's as if the weight of my decision finally catches up to me, and I'm not sure what to do with it. I'm not sure I even want to deal with it.

I swallow hard and stare at the screen, feeling a lump form in my throat.

Theft. Disgrace. Authorities.

That's how he sees me. Just a kid making stupid mistakes, a nuisance he'd rather be rid of.

I shove the phone back into my pocket, but it feels like it's still there, weighing me down.

The others don't notice, or at least, they don't say anything. Pope's talking to Kiara, JJ's leaning over the side, and I let the silence fill the space between us.

I glance up at the stars, my mind drifting. I think about how things used to be. The summers when my dad used to take me out on the water. The two of us, just drifting alone with no destination. It wasn't perfect, but it was something. Back then, it felt easy.

But now, it's just hard. Everything's harder.

"You good?" JJ's voice snaps me out of my thoughts. His tone's softer than usual, and for a second, I wonder if he can tell.

"Yeah," I lie, forcing a smile. "Just tired, that's all."

It's a lie, but I can't bring myself to tell him what's really going on. I can't let him see that, deep down, I'm already second guessing everything.

The boat sways beneath us as the wind picks up, and for a moment, I lose myself in the motion, pretending I'm still the person I was before all of this.

But the truth is, I'm not. And there's no going back.

I glance back at the horizon, the dark sea stretching out endlessly in front of me. I can feel my heart racing in my chest. Maybe I don't know what I'm running from, but it doesn't matter right now. All that matters is what's ahead.