𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐅 || ʳᵃᶠᵉ ᶜᵃᵐᵉʳᵒⁿ

04 ☀︎︎|THE CLOCK TICKS|

𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐈𝐄, 𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐀 𝐅𝐀𝐂𝐓.

Thea was just so unfortunately unlucky that everyone seemed to leave a little too early.

So she sat, on the floor, in her bed, on the couch, anywhere she could find--for the next week.

She didn't leave the trailer, though it was probably a better idea than bed rotting for days on end. But how can you bring yourself to function when you have no one to strive for? No one to make you 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭.

But John B meant what he said when he mention she was 'just getting started.'

Thea Reef would not let this end her story, when it is still the very beginning.

Texting Sarah back is the easy part.

'Im fine, just busy. Yes-- midsummer's sounds fun, i should be able to clear my schedule.'

The schedule that is currently unoccupied, because she has nobody to busy her.

A part of her felt shitty-- The Pogues asked her at least a week ago to help them.. with-- something-- something that she couldn't really resist.

Not after they helped her-- but stealing equipment.. from 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧? ballsy, even for them.

Just when she thinks she might cry again--there's a noise, a loud one at that.

Banging. Over and over again on the front door. Someone screaming Barry's name, this has to be a dream-- a nightmare.

Thea doesn't know what to do. But you have to make rational decisions, and that so happens to be hiding in the pantry.

Whoever the hell was at the door, busted it open, and is now standing smack dab in the kitchen.

Her hand is clamped over her lips so hard it almost hurts, eyes squeezed shut so hard splotches are forming at the edges of her vision.

the person is still shouting, and the voice sounds familiar...

"BARRY! I KNOW YOUR IN HERE!"

Is that--?!

"DONT BULLSHIT ME DUDE! YOU OWE ME!"

He wouldn't-- does nobody know Barry died? did the Pogues really not tell 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞?

Thea creaks open the door, rafe would not hurt her, he wouldn't hurt anyone.

Hopefully.

"Rafe--?" she says, standing up from a crouch.

He jumps back, and starts toward her before he realizes she isn't Barry.

"Where is your brother?--he owes me big, and i know that you know 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 where he is and if you dont tell me--" he spits the words like venom, they are hushed and quiet but they carry some unspoken urgency that has some sort of--viscous edge to it like the most dangerous warning you can think of.

"Rafe-- what's going on? Barry isn't here, i can tell him you stopped by?"

Rafe cuts her off so abruptly she almost jumps, "BULLSHIT!" he explodes, stepping back a few feet to pace in a circle, running his hands through his hair, like he's insane, unhinged.

like a crackhead. She realizes.

Barry is a dealer-- 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞.

But rafe, a druggie? The fact that she isn't surprised makes her a little sad.

Only now does she realize he is drenched in sweat, his hair is greasy and he looks like he just ran a marathon.

"Rafe-- Barry uh--"

He sure 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 to interrupt doesn't he? Thea thinks to herself.

Rafe walks toward her slowly, and exhales a slow, shaky breath. He is mentally and physically unstable-- to say the least.

He gets up close, and she wishes he would back up just an inch. Rafe lowers himself to her level, his head dipping down to look at her.

He is 𝐧𝐨𝐭 okay, at all.

He has to be insane.

"Athena, i want you to tell me where he is, okay? can you do that for me?" He cuts her off, and she can smell alcohol heavy on his breath.

"Dead, Rafe." she mutters, looking down. "He died."

He freezes. And then pushes himself off the wall.

He blows out a breath, shaking his head. He 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐬.

"You're so full of 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐭.-- Thea, that you can't even make out one full sentence without spouting some crazy ass lies." he laughs again.

"You leave-- you come back unannounced-- and you-- you think you can do whatever the hell you want!"

"Rafe-- i wouldn't lie about that." she mutters, trying to stay calm.

He changed-- as kids, Rafe was always sweet to her. Now? This is a whole different person.

"What's going on with you?" she says, genuinely concerned.

"𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐓!" he yells, but drops his tone, almost whispering. "don't- don't do that.."

"Do what?- Im calling Sarah-- you're acting weird dude.."

"Shit-- Athena." He grabs the phone from her hand, throwing it across the room.

"Tell your brother-- he has 48 hours to give me my shit-- or this--" he motions to the house... the drugs-- everything 𝐢𝐧 it.

"its 𝐚𝐥𝐥 going down." he laughs a little. "can you do that for me?"

Silence, except for the sound of his shoes against the ground as we walks away, the door slamming shut-- or whats left of the door, and the revving of his motorcycle as he speeds off.

48 hours.

47 hours.

46 hours.

If Rafe wont believe her, there is nothing she can do.

But she cant stay in this trailer, with the drugs, all of the things that could fall on her if she gets caught here.

She has to get out.