This is Me Trying ⭑ Rafe Cameron

sixty five

CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE
[65]
song: pyramids by frank ocean

With the scarf hung low over her head, Cassie moved through the crowded streets of Essaouira. Despite the many shoves and pushes against her body as she tried to cut past street merchants, her mind was completely focused.

Eyes glued to Lightner and Dalia up ahead, she followed every step they took, letting them lead her to Groff. She could feel Rafe following shortly behind, watching over her but keeping his distance. If she got caught following him, he would still have a chance. It was her idea to stagger.

She could feel the weight of the knife in her pocket, heavy against the thin material of her pants. She didn't want to use it, she didn't want to have to even get it out. But a part of her was feeling so heavy and so angry, that she knew it was a strong possibility. At this point, Groff had done so much to her and her friends, that she'd take any means necessary to ensure he wouldn't mess with them again.

Cassie pushed back clothes hanging on a wire in the street, walking through the steam of freshly cooked vegetables someone was trying to sell. She was starving, and her throat was painfully dry, but she had to keep moving.

The dust in the air reflected through the sun rays far down the alley, creating golden halos of sunlight around each persons head. Her eyes wanted to travel around the scene, to take in what was such a different culture than her own, but she didn't have the time. Being here made Kildare feel so unimportant, like a whole different life. A whole different storyline. But something about being so far from home made her uneasy. She didn't have the comfort of going home at the end of the night, or even having the option to call Shoupe— though difficult— he was trained to handle certain situations. She was not. They were all on their own.

Lightner stopped, and so did Cassie. She stepped behind a rug hung up for sale, hiding herself slightly as she watched him speak to Dalia, then they separated.

She glanced behind her, Rafe had stopped too, and they exchanged the same small, knowing nod. Cassie continued on, picking up her pace as Dalia moved in the other direction.

Lightner disappeared into an alleyway, and she shoved past a man in her way, almost stumbling over her feet as she moved to quickly catch up with him. Stopping when she got to the spot where he and Dalia had gone separate ways.

Her eyes quickly glanced up and around the street, turning towards the alley that she'd just watched him disappear into.

"That's the hotel." Rafe spoke as he caught up with her.

Turning back around, she followed his gaze to the large building on the other side of the street. It was ornate, more grand than its neighbors . She could feel the air conditioning flowing out onto the street from the big open doors of the lobby.

"I think that's where the girl went." Cassie spoke, pulling the scarf back off her head. Her eyebrows were stitched together in what felt like permanent contemplation.

Rafe took a second to think, he opened his mouth to speak but Cassie interrupted. "I'll go this way." She nodded toward the alley. "You follow her, whoever finds Groff first..."

Her sentence trailed off, but there wasn't much discussion or planning needed. Rafe knew what he wanted with him, so did Cassie. They just had to get eyes on him first.