ALWAYS || RAFE CAMERON

9

i woke up to Rafe shaking me gently.

"we gotta go, Juno." he said, his voice soft from the morning.

"why?" i rubbed my eyes.

"Top wants us over, says it's important."

i got up, grumbling all the way.

i picked out a white dress, bag and sunglasses.

we got into my car, Rafe insisting he drove.

luckily, Topper didn't live too far from my house, roughly a ten minute drive away.

when we reached the Thornton's place, the Sheriff's car was outside.

"shit," Rafe cursed. "what's the idiot done now?"

we headed inside, letting ourselves in, and found Kelce sat in the informal living room.

"what's going on?" i asked, sitting next to him.

"he found his boat submerged in the marina this morning. said he didn't do it, but Mrs T doesn't believe him." Kelce sighed.

we sat in silence on the couch, listening to the muffled voices next door.

a minute later, Top appeared, followed by his mom and the Sheriff.

"ah, Juno, Rafe, good to see you." he nodded at us, then left.

"we'll talk about this later, Topper. i'm so ashamed of you." Mrs Thornton shook her head at her son.

"i told you it wasn't me! i know how to look after a boat, mom." he rolled his eyes at his mother's back as she left.

we went up onto Top's balcony, sitting on the wicker chairs.

"so?" i looked at my friend.

"i went to the marina this morning and found my boat submerged. mom thinks it was me who sunk it. the cops are gonna find the CCTV footage and try figure out who it was." he sighed.

"that sucks, man. how much to get her fixed?" Rafe frowned.

"25K at least." Top looked glum.

"what can we do to cheer you up? golf? lunch at the club?" i offered.

"that's all we fucking do!"

"i know—we'll go surfing. take My Druthers up to the island and have a day surfing!" i clapped my hands.

"why surfing?"

"Rafe owes me."

the island was mine—technically.

it was a little plane of land three miles long, covered in sand and palm trees, and a little beach house.

it had been my dad's, but he never visited, so a few years ago i asked for it and he gave it to me.

we managed to moor the large yacht on the little dock and walked up to the house.

when we got inside, it was just as we'd last left it.

covered in beer bottles.

"i missed this place," Rafe sighed, running his hand along the dusty kitchen worktop.

we tidied the bottles away, then the boys went to hunt down the boards while i changed into my swimsuit and found rash-vests for everyone.

"got them, Juno." Top called.

"alright, i'll be out in a minute!"

when i emerged from my room, the boys were waiting by the door, each held a surf board and my white and blue one had been propped against the door frame.