𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿.

thirty five.

"Where is she, is she okay?"

The minute Topper opens the door I push past him, looking around the house. Topper sets a hand on my shoulder, "it's okay, breathe, she's through here."

I follow him to a bedroom where Sarah is sitting, a tray of breakfast on her lap. Her face falls at the sight of me, and I see the tears pool in her eyes, "L-Lia, it's Rafe."

I take a seat, wrapping my arms around her as she breaks down for what I'm guessing isn't the first time in the past 24 hours.

"What happened?"

She's a mess, "R-Rafe tried to drown- he tried to drown me."

My eyes widen, "Rafe?"

It shouldn't come as such a shock. He had already shot the girl. Still I think I had a tiny bit of faith that he wouldn't hurt his own family.

I sigh, "what else happened?"

* * *

"Thank you," I smile, "for taking care of Sarah and everything."

Topper nods, pulling me into a hug. It's weird, hugging Topper but I hug him back nonetheless. He's been pretty nice recently.

I pull away, Topper smiling, "I'll take you guys where ever you need me to."

Which is how we end up on his Malibu, the replacement for the one I had a hand in sinking, pulling towards the dock where I shit you not, John B sits.

Our friends stare at us in confusion which I completely understand. Sarah, however, seems to completely ignore it as she jumps out of the boat and wraps her arms around John B.

I help Topper tie up, feeling JJ's eyes burn into my back. I ignore it, turning with a grin as I take my turn hugging John B.

I hate to say it, because everytime I say it something goes wrong.

But it seems like we might have actually just gotten a win.

Sarah smiles, "what happened?"

John B still seems thrown off by the presence of Topper, "y-yeah they dropped the charges. I'm uh, a free man."

He clears his throat quickly changing his demeanor, "but um, listen Sarah they're coming after Rafe."

She nods, "good, he's completely unhinged. He jumped me last night, that's why I didn't come back."

Topper butts in, "yeah man, Rafe has lost his mind. Literally almost drowned his own sister. Thankfully I got there just in time."

I purse my lips, not a great choice of words.

John B sighs, "well I guess I owe you one, Topper, don't I?"

He scoffs, "it's all good, I mean somebody had to rescue your girlfriend."

John B chuckles and I know what's coming. Being the bigger man doesn't exist to my friends. When someone goes low, we can always go lower.

"That's funny because she's actually not my girlfriend, right Sarah?"

"What is she then?"

Sarah looks between the two, "I'm- I'm with him."

Topper laughs and my eyes go wide as I immediately drop my head to look down at my feet. There is definitely going to be a talk about that later.

"You're with him," Topper glances at us, "needed some clarity, you guys clear on that?"

JJ nods, "I think it's clear you gotta go now."