BREAKING | rafe cameron

TWO

Trudging into the country club was me least favorite thing about the summer, but I need the money. "Morning, Charli." Jake called from the kitchen, we weren't really close, but we were nice to each other, you know, you're typical coworker friendship. "Morning." I replied, giving him a small smile as I walked behind the bar, clocking in and throwing my bag under the counter. "Here we go." I spoke to myself, seeing the first surge of early morning golfers, rich guys have nothing better to do apparently.

After hours of taking the same kind of orders, it has been slow, just a couple of old lady's having mimosas, I could use one of those right about now. I wandered into the kitchen, having a casual conversation with Jake while we waited for someone to come in. My eyebrows shot up when I heard young guys walk in, laughing. Great. "Hi, what can I get for you?" I asked, ignoring the fact that it was Rafe and his friends, Topper and Kelce, also known as the rudest guys to walk the earth. "Well, pogue, I'll have a smoothie, strawberry banana." Kelce, spoke a smug smile on his face. Topper chuckled, "make it two." He muttered, walking away from the counter, situating himself and Kelce at an empty table. "Three.." Rafe said, getting ready to turn around and walk to join them, "please." He spoke so quietly, I almost didn't hear him, and clearly by the look on his face, he was hoping I hadn't, but by the way my face scrunched in shock he knew I had heard him. "Uh, sure." I mumbled, turning around to go help Jake make them. It is frowned upon for me to be in the kitchen, but I wasn't just going to stand there and let him make it by himself, I had nothing better to do. Those guys were the only people in here now.

I balanced the three heavy glasses on the tray, walking carefully to their table, of course they picked the one the furthest away. "Here you guys go, let me know if you need anything else." I put on my fake customer service voice, because boy do I need this job. They didn't speak, so I turned and started walking away, a sudden spunk in my step because I knew they were watching me. I may be a pogue but I know how to catch a boys attention, even a kook. My hips swayed just a little extra, my skinny black jeans hugging every curve. "Damn, pogues got moves." I heard Topper faintly, the other too humming in agreement. This is kind of fun, I have to admit, knowing I have some kind of control over Rafe. I winked at him when I caught him looking over here, he turned around instantly, knowing he had been caught. Mission accomplished.

***

"I hate that job." I sighed, flinging myself down onto the old couch in John B's living room. "So quit." JJ shrugged, offering me a hit of his blunt. Normally I wouldn't take it, not really much of a smoker, I'd rather drink if I was going to be reckless, but I felt like I had to unwind, so I took a long hit making JJ look at me confused. "Damn, you really do hate it." He chuckled, making me choke on the smoke as I was blowing it out. "Rafe Cameron and his goons came in today." I mumbled, instantly the guys tensed up, "what'd they do?" John B and JJ asked in unison, as Pope and Kie walked in. "Calm down, body guards. They weren't that bad, especially Rafe." I spoke, making everybody look at me like I was insane. "Rafe, being not a dick?" Kie questioned in disbelief. "At the party the other-" "Shut up, Pope." I cut him off instantly, no one had to know about that. They would hate me, I'm sure. It would never work anyways, he's a kook, he wouldn't be caught dead around me and my friends. Wait, why am I even thinking about this, it's not like I have a crush on him. My face heated up at the thought, shit.

"Charli, are you serious?" Kie gasped, noticing the pink rising on my cheeks. "No, what are you talking about?" I stood up, feeling small and judged sitting on the couch with everyone watching me. "You like him?!" JJ questioned loudly, I shot him a look, making him shut up. "He's a real piece of work." John B finally spoke up, now with a beer in hand, we could all use those right now. "Ok, first of all I didn't say anything, you're just throwing words at me. It's not liked I'd ever do anything with him, a girl can flirt with a hot boy if she wants." I rambled, crossing my arms, "hot? I think I'm gonna puke." JJ fake gagged, I rolled my eyes, suddenly finding my shoes very interesting. "Just leave her alone guys, she's right, she can do what she wants." Kie defending me, not really agreeing with the whole thing but she'll look out for me, she always has. "Thank you." I mumbled to her as I passed her wanting to just walk away from this situation, I know, real mature of me.

I silently walked into my home, praying that my lovely mother wasn't home, I hadn't been home for a few days so she was bound to be on an angry bender. "Charlotte!" She shouted, shit. "Hi." I mumbled as she stumbled out of the kitchen, a beer in hand, my eyes grew big as I saw the fresh needle mark on her arm. "You shot up?" I questioned, unsure of why it still surprised me, whats more shocking is that she's still alive. "Like you care, all you do is run off with your friends for days at a time, who knows how many of them you've hooked up with." She seethed, I took a deep breath, just ignore her, I thought, trying to walk past her and into my bedroom to grab clothes, if you could call it that, it was really just a mattress and pile of clothes behind a door. But I'll take what I can get. My mother grabbed my arm, stopping me dead in my tracks, "honey, do you have any cash?" She asked, suddenly acting like she was the sweetest person in the world, like she deserved my hard earned money. "No." I lied through my teeth, luckily she believed me and let me go, mumbling something about me being no help. "God knows how much money she owes Barry this time." I spoke to myself, turning the shower on, bracing myself for the impact of freezing cold water. It could be worse, at least that's what I tell myself.