Toxic: A Rafe Cameron Story

14

Warning. This chapter talks heavily about parental abandonment

"Rafe, I should probably go home, it's almost five." I say.

"Just a few more minutes." He says, leaning over the center console, planting his lips on my neck.

"Rafe." I chuckle as he starts sucking. "No more, my body is covered."

"It's my way of showing everybody that you're mine." He huffs and continues sucking.

"One more then you're driving me home." I say and he continues.

After a few minutes and about five hickeys later, I shove Rafe off me and make him start driving.

"My sleep schedule is fucked." I sigh and lean against the window. "I'm supposed to be out on boat in four hours."

"You'll survive." Rafe says, keeping his eyes on the road. I shut my eyes and almost fall asleep until Rafe pretends to swerve off the road.

"Jesus Rafe." I say and hold my hand against my forehead.

"I'm sorry." He chuckles. "Who's car is that?"

"I have no idea." I say. Rafe stops the truck in my driveway and we both get out.

"You don't have to come Rafe, I'll be fine." I say but he starts walking ahead of me to the house. I follow behind him.

"Somebody is in there." Rafe says as he peeps through the window.

"Let me see." I say and he moves to the side. It takes a second to get a clear picture through the window, two people are sleeping on the couch.

"Holy shit." I whisper.

"What?" Rafe asks.

"That's my fucking parents." I say and rip the front door open. It slams against the wall causing both of them to jump up.

"Cassie." My mom groans. My dad quickly gets off the couch and rubs his eyes.

I flick on the living room light and they stay quiet until their eyes adjust to the light.

"It is you, oh my goodness, Cassie." My mother says.

"What are you doing here?" I ask.

"We came to get you." Dad says and I furrow my eyebrows.

"Get me?" I question.

"Yes, we finally got the chance."

"Finally got the chance? Mom you two left me three years ago!" I shout.

"Cassie, relax." My dad says.

"No I will not relax." I say.

"Cassie let's not make a scene in front of your guest." Mom says and takes a hard look at Rafe.

"Rafe Cameron." My dad growls. "Cassie, why is he here?"

"Why does it matter dad." I sigh. My parents and Ward have never gotten along.

"Why are you just getting home anyway? It's five in the morning. And this! What the hell is this?" Mom says jabbing her finger onto my neck.

I yank her hand off me and step back.

"Rafe you can go." I say. He shakes his head. "Rafe I'll be fine I promise, I'll see you tomorrow okay."

"I don't want to Cassie." He says through gritted teeth.

"Rafe. I'm begging you, please go home." I say and he stares at my parents.

"I better see her tomorrow." He says and I push him to the door.

I walk us outside and shut the door behind me.

"Cassie I swear to god if they-"

"Rafe, I'm going to be okay. Just go home and I promise I'll see you tomorrow okay. Relax and don't do anything stupid because I am okay." I say and he runs his fingers through his hair.

"Call me as soon as you can, yeah?"

"I will, I promise." I say and he nods. I watch him get into his truck and drive away. I stay out on the bridge for a minute trying to process what is happening right now.

I go back inside and mom is pacing back and forth with her hand on her forehead.

"Why Cassie, why are you hanging around with them?" She asks.

"Mom, you don't have the right to tell me who I can and can't hang around, you left me three years ago like I was nothing! You can't come back here and try to tell me what to do!"

"Cassie don't speak to us like that." Dad says.

"Why would I speak to you any differently? It's funny that before you left you hated that I hung out with pogues, and now your angry because I'm with a kook?"

"He's not like the others Cassie. He's not good for you. Look at you, walking around with those on your neck, you're giving yourself a bad name." Mom says.

"You can't tell me what's good for me. Supportive parents would have been good for me, but that didn't work out did it?"

"We are sorry that we left Cassie. We didn't know what to do with you."

"Nothing! You didn't have to do anything, I've never done anything wrong to hurt you guys or put you in any trouble. All I ever wanted to do was hang out with my friends and not have to worry about you two getting upset about it. They are good people, they've stuck by my side ever since you left."

They stay quiet for a minute.

"We want you to come home Cassie." Dad says.

"No. This is my home and I'm not leaving."

"You can't live here by yourself." Mom sighs.

"I have been for the past three years, Kie is right here with me. I am completely fine without both of you."

"You don't mean that."

"I do. You don't want me for me, you want to change me. I don't want to be that person, I like who I am."

"We don't want to change you, we love you Cassie. I just don't want you to make the same mistakes I made." Mom says.

"Like what? Sleep with a pogue and get pregnant."

"Jesus Cassie no. This is not about your father and I."

"Yes it is! It's always been about you two, you don't care about what I want!"

"I can't do this tonight. Let's talk about this in the morning." My mom says, her hands flying in the air.

"My mind is not changing. Even if you drag me out of here, I will find my way back." I say and walk to my room.

I slam the door behind me and lock it. Thank god Kie is not home tonight, she probably would have fought along with me, because she knows exactly what I'm going through.

I can't believe they are actually here, I honestly never thought I'd see them again, and now they are in my living room begging me to go home with them.

I can't leave this place, this is my home. All the people I love are right here.