The text message lit up my phone screen, “Party at the boneyard 10pm.” – John B
. A sigh escaped my lips. Parties weren’t always my scene, but when John B was involved, they always turned into an adventure. He was, after all, my boyfriend, and he had a knack for making even the most mundane moments feel special. Pope usually walked with me to these gatherings since I lived closer to him, but tonight, he was already with John B, leaving me to head out solo.
Quickly, I replied, “Ok I’ll be there! Love you.” A heart emoji and “Love you” bounced back almost instantly. This boy truly held my heart captive. Grabbing my bag, packed with a change of clothes and a few essentials for an overnight stay at John B’s, I stepped out the front door. The sound of shuffling behind me made me pause.
“Y/n.”
The voice sent a shiver down my spine. Rafe Cameron. My ex. Rolling my eyes, I turned to face him. Dealing with Rafe was never on my list of enjoyable activities. “What the fuck are you doing? Couldn’t you have waited on the steps like a normal person?” I questioned, descending the porch steps.
“Nah, that’d uh be too easy,” he smirked, grabbing my arm and roughly pushing me against my car parked in the driveway.
“What do you want, Rafe?” I asked, a familiar knot of fear tightening in my stomach. The memories of past encounters, the bruises I’d hidden, flashed through my mind. We had dated for two years. The first year and a half had been incredible, but then his jealousy and anger had surfaced, coinciding with his descent into drug use with Barry. I hated the drugs, but I hated the aftermath even more – the punches, the hits, and the lies I had to tell my friends, my pogue friends. He despised my friendships with them. I wasn’t strictly a pogue or a kook; I lived on the cut, but my house was well-maintained, a testament to my mom’s financial comfort, although Figure 8 held no appeal for her. Plus, the animosity between my dad and Ward Cameron kept us firmly planted on our side of the island.
“I want you back, Y/n! Come back to me. We can be happy again, I swear I’ll stop the drugs,” he pleaded, his grip tightening on my arm.
Another eye roll. “No, Rafe, it’s not happening. I’m with John B now, you know that. So just leave. I’m not going back to you,” I stated, my voice wavering despite my attempt at firmness. The fear of another bruise, another lie to John B and JJ, was palpable. Secrets weren’t an option among pogues.
Rafe simply laughed, a chilling sound. “Sorry, I wasn’t clear. I wasn’t asking.” His teeth clenched, his demeanor shifting from pleading to menacing. He yanked me away from the car, towards his truck. I fought back with every ounce of strength, kicking his shins, stomping on his feet, even attempting to hit his face, but my efforts were futile against his size and rage.
“Rafe, let me go!” I screamed, panic rising in my throat. My parents were away, and nobody knew I was leaving for the party yet. No one was expecting me, no one would know I was in trouble. “Rafe, stop, you’re hurting me!” I yelled as he dragged me, his grip vise-like, towards his truck door.
“Hey boy, what are you doing!?” A booming voice cut through the night. Rafe froze, and I twisted my neck to see Pope’s dad, Hayward, striding towards us.
“Nothing, sir, we’re just leaving,” Rafe stammered, attempting to feign nonchalance.
“Y/n?” Hayward’s voice was firm as he stopped a few feet away. I shook my head, my eyes pleading for help.
“Let her go!” Hayward commanded.
Rafe let out a harsh laugh, releasing my arm abruptly. He seemed poised to confront Pope’s dad. “I’m sorry, old man, were you trying to tell me what to do?” Rafe’s voice escalated with each word, fueled by anger and frustration.
“Don’t make me call the police, Rafe Cameron. Get out of the cut and leave her alone. I’ve got 911 waiting for me to hit call,” Hayward retorted, glancing back at his house where Pope’s mom stood on the porch, phone illuminated, ready to dial.
Rafe hesitated, then spun around, shooting a venomous glare at me before storming to his truck and speeding off. Relief washed over me, followed by a wave of sobs as he disappeared.
“Hey Y/n, come on. Let’s go inside,” Hayward said gently, pulling me into a comforting hug. The party was the furthest thing from my mind now.
“Come on, honey,” Pope’s mom soothed, guiding me inside as tears streamed down my face.
“I’m gonna call Pope, get his friends over here,” Hayward said to his wife, his voice laced with concern.
I sank onto the couch, knees drawn to my chest, tears still flowing. A throbbing bruise was already forming on my arm, a painful reminder of Rafe’s aggression.
“Hon,” Pope’s mom said softly, sitting beside me and placing a reassuring hand on my knee. “What was Rafe doing at your house?” she asked gently.
Sniffles wracked my body as I tried to speak. “He… he…” The words caught in my throat, choked by sobs. She simply wrapped her arms around me, offering the solace of a mother’s embrace. With my parents often away for work or travel, Pope’s parents had become my de facto guardians, their hugs a familiar comfort in times of distress.
“Rafe, he and I used to… um… date. He hurt me… badly and he wanted me back,” I managed to choke out, the words tumbling out in a rush. I felt her arms tighten around me, a silent promise of support.
“Y/n!” A familiar yell from outside, followed by the pounding of footsteps. John B.
“Baby.” He sighed in relief, rushing towards me. I pulled away from Pope’s mom and John B enveloped me in a tight hug, my sobs intensifying as I buried my face in his chest.
“What happened?” JJ asked, his voice laced with fury as they all stood a few feet away, watching their best friend comfort his distraught girlfriend.
“Rafe Cameron came to her house. Tried to take her,” Pope’s mom explained sadly.
“What!” JJ exploded, his anger palpable.
“JJ, stop. We’ll deal with him later. Right now, we need to get Y/n back to John B’s,” Kie interjected, her voice firm but gentle.
“Come on, baby,” John B murmured, pulling back slightly to look at me, his eyes filled with concern.
I looked up at him, tears still streaming down my face. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I ruined your guys’ night,” I mumbled, glancing at everyone.
“Don’t you ever apologize for that, alright? You’re way more important than any party,” John B said firmly, cupping my face before kissing me softly.
After expressing our gratitude to Pope’s parents, John B led us back to his place, dropping Kie off at her house while Pope stayed behind. JJ was staying with John B and me. I lay in John B’s bed, clutching his pillow, having changed into his shirt. I waited for him to join me, the events of the evening still replaying in my mind.
“Night, JJ,” I heard John B say as he entered the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He lay down beside me, pulling me close to his bare chest.
“I love you,” he whispered, his voice soft.
“I love you too. Thank you,” I replied, burying my face in his neck as he kissed my head.
“I’m gonna kill Rafe Cameron,” he mumbled, his anger simmering beneath the surface.
“Don’t worry about him right now, okay? Just focus on the fact that we’re together right now,” I said softly, gazing into his eyes before letting my gaze drift to his lips. He leaned in, kissing me gently, his kisses trailing down my neck. A soft “I love you” escaped his lips, and I smiled, feeling safe and loved in Outer Banks John B’s arms.
