Toxic: A Rafe Cameron Story

39.

I open my eyes to a bright light. I blink multiple times, trying to adjust my eyes.

When my vision clears, I can see that I'm in Rafe's room. My head pounds immediately after I turn my head to see that Rafe isn't beside me.

"Rafe!" I yell.

I hear footsteps coming down the hall quickly. I turn my head forward again and close my eyes.

"Cassie, how do you feel?" He says. He sits on the bed beside me and gently places his hand on my forehead.

"What happened?" I ask.

"You got into a fight last night, you don't remember?"

"Kinda. Why does my head hurt so much? Can you shut the blinds so I can open my eyes." I say.

"Yeah." He leans across the bed and pulls the curtain across. "Better?"

I open my eyes and the room is almost dark, just bright enough so Rafe and I can see each other.

"Susie must have hit you in the head or something. You were in the pool and you just passed out." He explains.

I think hard about last night. I do remember starting a fight with Susie, she pushed us in the pool and I think she kicked me in the head. Then I tried to drown her. Wait. I sit up straight and Rafe jumps.

"I tried to drown Susie?" I say.

"Um yeah." He says.

"She was floating. She didn't fight back. Is she okay? Did I kill her? Rafe did I kill Susie?" I ramble.

"No no no, Cassie. You didn't kill Susie. She's fine, I think she was just being a little dramatic."

"I choked her. I think I really was trying to hurt her. What is wrong with me?"

"Nothing. You just got a little worked up that's all."

"Yeah but everyone gets into fights, that doesn't mean they want to kill the person." I say.

My heart is thumping and I'm too freaked out to even notice the pain in my head getting worse.

"Relax Cassie. Susie is fine, nobody even cares, she's annoying anyway."

"Annoying doesn't mean she should die Rafe. I did something really bad to her, what if she tells people, I could go to jail."

"Okay you need to relax. I've done way worse stuff than that and I'm not in jail."

"That's because you have people to protect you. I'm nobody Rafe, cops are roaming around looking for pogues all the time."

"I will protect you. You are apart of me now, we are together, I won't let anything happen to you okay?"

I take a deep breath and wipe the sweat that's running down my forehead.

"What time is it?"

"Almost noon."

"Has anyone been talking about it, do you know?"

"Um not that I know of. Look, it's not the first time somebody tried to kill someone at a party and I promise it won't be a last. People will forget about this faster than you think." He says.

I sigh and lay back down.

"Would you like to get a bath?" Rafe asks.

"A bath? Um sure." I say.

I love baths and I honestly haven't had one in so long. Kie and I stick to showers to try and save on hot water.

"I'll pour you one, do you like bubbles?"