FORCE | topper thornton

TWENTY FOUR

It was Halloween, I was currently getting ready for a party, not a costume party, just a normal Rafe Cameron party, aka the drunkest we all ever get. I didn't really want to go, but Topper did so of course I agreed, and he assured me he'd behave himself tonight, we haven't had an incident like that in about a month, thankfully. I had started packing up my things slowly, I move in only two short weeks, right before thanksgiving, but Topper and I were going to be spending it with my dad of course, he was the only family I had left, and my dad welcomed Topper in like a son which I was grateful for. A whistle from my doorway shook me from my thoughts as I was tugging my skirt up, it was going to be a little chilly tonight, so I paired it with tights and an oversized sweater, ankle boots covering my feet. "Damn, I think cold weather Kenzie is my favorite look!" Topper smirked, stepping into my room, I raised an eyebrow as his hands landed dangerously low on my hips. "Oh really?" I teased, playing with the collar of his sweater, "oh yeah." He assured, kissing me to cover the squeak I let out as he squeezed my ass, I gently whacked his arm, "you perv, my dad could walk in any second." I scolded, a blush on my face as he checked me out as I walked over to my vanity, giving myself a once over before turning to him. "Ready?" I asked, shaking him from his thoughts, he hummed walking over to me and grabbing my hand, pulling me along with him. It felt good actually to be going to a party, I grinned like a little kid when the doorbell rang, it was just dark enough for the younger kids to start trick or treating. The party didn't start for a half hour, we could stay here for a bit. "I'll get it." I called out as I heard my dad making his way over, "could've said it sooner!" He replied, grumbling his way back to his recliner, I chuckled under my breath as I grabbed the bowl of candy, opening the door to reveal the Michaels, our neighbors of five years, and their daughter Lilly, I had done her birthday portraits a few months ago. "Well, aren't you just the most beautiful fairy." I spoke, carefully squatting down to her height, Topper stood behind me, watching as interacted with the girl. "Thank you." She whispered shyly, I held the bowl out, she looked at me in shock, "you get to pick what you get, only the best fairy's get to do that." Her mom smiled at my kindness, I returned the gesture, I loved kids, and Lilly was a great one. I stood to my full heights and gave them a wave as Lilly happily skipped off with her candy, I turned to Topper, placing the bowl down and laughing at his happy face. "What?" I questioned, he was looking at me so differently, "that was so cute." He admitted, pressing a kiss to my lips. "Aw." I couldn't help but let the word slip under my breath, he rolled his eyes and gave me one last kiss, "can we go now?"

I entered the packed Cameron home, hand in hand with Topper, I looked around and saw lots of familiar faces from school, I saw Sarah, I mentally sighed, I haven't seen her since John B and her broke up. I shot her a smile when she saw me, I'm not going to be rude, despite the fact that she once broke my boyfriends heart and now my childhood best friends, but that's besides the point. "Wheezie, what are you doing down here?" Topper spoke to the thirteen year old, he was more protective of her than Rafe typically, Topper felt like a big brother towards her, considering her actual one was always high or drunk. "It's a party, I'm partying." She deadpanned, making a laugh fall from my lips, Topper glared at me, "sorry." I muttered, still having a small smile playing on my face. "You're too young to be here." He quipped, giving the younger girl a pointed look. I nodded in agreement, gasping as she took a sip from a random cup, she was adventurous, "Wheezie!" I scolded, taking the cup from her, she grimaced as the alcohol burned her throat. She reached up running a hand through her hair, I noticed the shirt she was wearing fall off her shoulder a little bit, "what is that?" I asked, moving the fabric aside, not caring that her bra was in plain view of Topper's eyes. She had a bruise on her shoulder, Topper went wide eyed when he saw the discoloration to her skin, she yanked the shirt from my grip, covering herself back up. "Nothing." She rolled her eyes, but I could see the burning sensation in them, she was a tough girl, and she'd do anything to protect her family.. especially Rafe. I gave her a pressing look, shushing Topper as he tried to ask her again. "Fine, I caught Rafe buying from Barry again and I threatened to tell dad and he got angry, he didn't mean to, I swear. He didn't know how hard he was grabbing me, he was high." She rambled, of course trying to protect her brother, like I had just said. I sighed, pulling her into my arms, "I know you want to protect him, but he needs to know what he did to you." I mumbled into her hair, she pulled away and nodded, "yeah I think Topper's already working on that." She pointed in the direction of Rafe, Topper marching up to him, damn it. I grabbed her hand, forcing her to come along with me.

"Topper!" I called when he grabbed Rafe by the collar of his shirt, dragging him outside, where there was significantly less people, I muttered a string of curse words under my breath as I followed the two boys. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Topper snapped, angrily releasing Rafe, allowing him to stumble a bit. Rafe looked to me and Wheezie who was trying not to meet her brothers eyes. "Show him." I demanded her gently, Rafe's eyebrows knit together in confusion as Wheezie slid her shirt to the side, revealing her bruised shoulder. "Who did that?" Rage snapped becoming angry, did he really not remember, was he truly that drugged up. "You." We all spoke I'm unison, unplanned. Rafe stared at Wheezie, watching as she had to angrily wipe a tear from her eye, not wanting to cry in front of him. She was a tough girl, but she still had her moments. "I didn't-I didn't-no." Rafe refused to believe it, he was shaking his head viciously, he was spiraling, big time. I gasped when I actually saw him visibly crying, a sight I thought I'd never see. Wheezie didn't hesitate to wrap her arms around her brothers torso, her head leaning on his chest as he cried into her hair. My heart shattered at the sight, this was turning into some great party. "I didn't mean to, I swear I didn't, I would never, Wheezie! You gotta believe me." He sounded delirious as he rambled, pushing the girl back to look at her face, she was a better person than me and believed him without a second thought, that and she was trying to calm her brother as he unraveled in the middle of his backyard. "I know, Rafe." She muttered, she fixed her shirt, covering the bruise back up, giving me a sad look, I gave her a reassuring smile, she did the right thing. Topper and I shared a concerned look as Rafe looked delirious as he started speaking again, "I'm just trying to make dad happy, I'm trying to do all these things and-and-and I can't, I'm such a fuck up, what the hell is wrong with me?" Rafe angrily pulled at his hair, Topper was uncertain on what to do, Wheezie couldn't bare the sight any longer and turned to Topper who wrapped her up in his arms. I guess I had to take action, sometimes it just takes over I feel, I feel like I have to protect these boys.

"Rafe," I gently placed a hand on his shoulder snapping him from his mumbled thoughts, "hey." I smiled when he looked at me, he looked child like almost, despite the fact that he was clearly high, his eyes showed emotion. "You have to take it easy on yourself, alright? Your dad is being too hard on you, you're being to hard on you." I assured him, hesitating as he wrapped his arms around me, I looked to Topper who nodded. I wrapped my arms around the crying boy, "I'm not pushing, but maybe you should get some help, yeah?" I whispered so only us two would hear, he nodded against me, sniffling. "Yeah, I think, yeah." He couldn't even form a coherent sentence, I pulled myself from his hold, "calm down, you're scaring your sister." I whispered, stepping away from him as he wiped his face with the heels of his hands. "I'm sorry, Wheezie." He mumbled, becoming embarrassed by the scene that just played out, she nodded releasing herself from Toppers grip, "I know, let's just get you to bed." She sighed, grabbing his arm and leading him away. I turned to Topper who was shocked by what had just happened, "wow." He muttered, running a hand through his gelled back hair, "I agree." I laughed, pressing a kiss to his lips, "we could both use a drink after that." I added, pulling him inside, hoping I wouldn't regret giving him a drink.