(chapter twenty three)

Clara felt uncomfortable going to the sheriff Peterkin's funeral, mainly because her boyfriend was the one who killed her, and his father incriminated her friend. But she went anyway to show Shoupe and her father support.

What she didn't expect was to see the whole Cameron family there, under the watchful eyes of Shoupe and Agent Bratcher. And she could tell that Rafe was uncomfortable, as he kept his gaze on the lowering casket, his hands clenching by his sides.

And when it ended, Richard squeezed his daughter's shoulder. "I'm going to give my condolences to Vic, alright?"

The man saw her nod, leaving her by herself, yet her mind was telling her exactly where she needed to go. Passing a few people and giving them tight smiles, she rested her hand on Rafe's forearm, the boy diverging his eyes for the first time from where the casket stood to her.

"They are watching," she whispered, hand going to cup his bruised cheek as he licked his lips. "If you're going to play this part, you'll have to mask your guilty face, my love."

"I'm trying."

Clara sighed and she frowned, seeing from her peripheral vision that the SBI agent was still looking at them. "Hug me, pretend like you're consoling me."

She didn't need to say twice, as he rested his hand under her ribs, pulling her to him, his head finding place on top of hers as he closed his eyes, brushing her back up and down. While she was upset, he was the one who actually needed it.

"You'll be okay. I'm here with you," she whispered to him as his arms seemed to tightened around her.

And after they left Clara was alone at her house, putting the groceries correctly on the right places on the kitchen, but when a package fell on the floor was when her eyes caught something she hadn't noticed before.

There was a small square cut around the fridge, barely noticeable as it was hidden by it being a little foward. Clara bit her lip, forgetting about the food as she pulled the fridge from it's place, towards her until the whole square was free.

On the back of it there was a small handle, and a keyhole under it. Clara only smiled when she remembered she found a key when she was going through her grandmother's jewels, which the girl might've take it to herself a gold bracelet.

Grabbing the key and going back to the kitchen, she did a small cheer to herself when it opened. It was a small basement, but big enough for the shelves all around, filled with books, and two tables.

It was very dusty and the girl could swear she saw a few spiders and roaches, so she was quick to go back up with a squeak, closing the trapdoor and looking for the bug spray.

At least she knew what she was going to do before the first day of classes rolled around again.

++++

Pulling her hair on a half up style, and closing the blouse she heard the honk of the car, so she grabbed her backpack, running out of the door, not forgetting to close it, of course. Topper was brushing his hair out of his forehead as Clara opened the Jeep door, letting herself in.

"I don't believe they are making us go right after what happened," Topper complained as he started the car while the girl put on the seatbelt.

"Life doesn't stop, Top. Even if we want it so much to." She said more to herself then to the boy, who only scoffed.

"And we're gonna get another lecture about gun control and safety," he added, only for Clara to close her eyes with a groan. "That's what I'm saying!"

With that the boy took a turn, his expression going serious as he looked at his best friend from the side of his eye, his chin moving to the side a little as he pondered if he should ask it as he knew the truth.

"Do you think John B really did it?" Clara closed her fist around her phone, her breath stopping for a second, and she blinked.

"No." She said it without a second to hesitate, because she also knew the truth, and it was eating her alive. "Do you?"

Her brown eyes analyzed the boy carefully as he tried to act nonchalant, pretending to be just watching the road, not that he knew better than that.

"As much as I wanted to, no. I know he wouldn't do it." He answered, making another turn, Clara following his eyebrow twitch.

"Why?"

"It doesn't- it doesn't sound like something John B would do. And I don't even know the guy." She furrowed her eyebrows, nodding slowly as she kept staring at him. "What?"

"You going soft on him, now?"

"Piss off."

She laughed, shaking her head as she looked down at her phone in her lap, only two texts of her father and Rafe. The first telling her to have a good class for the day.

Richard was the one who payed for her education, and when Clara went to live by herself, Richard told her she didn't have to worry about school either.

And one of Rafe just telling her to come over.

Can't. School today

Rafe:
Oh
Come over l8r?

After work?

Rafe:
Ok

Rafe was never the one to text much, he was always so dry, and so much different from his persona when he was with her.

She almost didn't notice when Topper parked the car, as he looked at her once more. "Last chance to just bail and go eat whatever at the beach."

"You know we can't," her eyes moving to the few students already looking at the parked car. "You mother will kill you."

"You're probably right," he sighed, taking the key off the engine and opening the door, the girl following his movements.

With her backpack on her back and Topper by her side she felt less conscious about the eyes around her, as there was whispers. The bruises hadn't fade completely, it had not even been two weeks since it happened, and what happened a few days ago was more than enough for them to have the whole school full attention.

Topper pushed the girl, his hand on the middle of her back — over the bag — as he tried to make their way faster between the students.

But what made the girl go full stop was the water fountain of the school being surrounded by flowers and cards, some teddy bears with one bigger picture of Sarah, smiling back at her.

Clara felt her heart hammering on her chest, as she clenched her jaw. Tears bruning the inside of her eyes, but she was not going to cry.

They wanted to see her break, and she wasn't going to do that. Not give them the satisfaction nor wanting any looks of pity towards her way. It was a new year. A new year without Sarah, or Grace. But with Topper.

And Topper had been by now the only friend Clara had, and he was not going to leave her side.

The boy had frozen too, but was quick to recover as he cleared his throat, hand returning to over her bag, pushing her foward with him. "Clara, let's go."

She couldn't help but follow, as they entered the school hallways. Clara hated going to school, she hated everyone else around her, and now she missed Sarah so much.

"I'm gonna go drop my books, but we'll meet at Mr Andrews class, okay?" He announced, and Clara could only find the strenght of nodding, as the boy gave her an encouraging smile, leaving her by her locker.

When she opened, the picture of Sarah and her smiling at the beach mocked her, but she opened her bag, dropping the new notebooks and school books inside, as she glued with an magnetic the schedule of her week, until her ears picked up a conversation.

"You saw how she arrived with Topper? Sarah's not even cold on the grave yet and she's already banging her ex."

Clara licked her lips, her movements pausing as the second girl laughed at that.

"Actually, I heard her and Rafe are hooking up all around," she complemented, as the other girl rolled her eyes.

"Her ex and her brother, woah-"

"Can you two just fuck off?" Clara snapped, closing her locker shut as the two girls stared at her, the hallway becoming silent at the loud voice.

They never heard Clara speak so loudly before.

"As if you didn't slept with Jen's ex Scarlett," Grace appeared, standing behind Clara as the girl only closed her eyes. The day couldn't get any fucking better. "And you know I have many other secrets of yours, and I'm not scared of using them."

The two girl rolled their eyes, walking away as Clara tilted her head back, trying to regain some posture and patience before turning to the younger girl.

"You didn't have to do that," the older girl said it, staring at the green eyes of her old friend.

"Always wanted to called that bitch out anyway," she shrugged, pulling the purse better on her shoulder. "And I mean it when I told you I was sorry."

"I know you do, but that doesn't change you still did it," Clara stated as the girl sighed.

"I'm trying, Clara. I really am, but you need to be open with this too."

"There's the thing, Grace. I don't want to. Not anymore." Clara gave her a tight lipped smile, as the girl stared at her. "I was always so fucking flexible with everyone. People always walked over me, and I won't do that anymore."

"You always walked over Sarah, so you shouldn't be the one to say that." Clara stopped, her brows furrowing together as the girl opened her mouth. "And you don't even know it. That's gracious coming from you."

"What are you talking about?"

Yet her conversation was cut short when another person stopped by her side, and she saw the blonde hair of Ian as he beamed besides her.

"What is he doing here?" Grace asked, eyes glancing at the boy for a second, then returning to the older girl.

"Thought Clara said she didn't want to see you anymore," Ian remarked, staring at the girl before them. Grace rolled her eyes, glancing at Clara once more as she walked past them. "Someone's in a mood."

"Tell me about it," Clara exhaled, crossing her arms. "Wanted to say something?"

"Wanna go and take a drag?" His question was so normal that made Clara look around, but no one was really paying attention.

"During lunch."

++++

Her shift was quick to a close as Clara rode her bike to the Cameron estate. The sun was setting and as she pulled closer to the house she saw Ward look up from his computer on the outside of the house and honestly she didn't want to be there anymore.

But she didn't want to fight either. Clara was unconsciously scared that if she did anything to go against the Cameron man he would frame her for something like he did it with John B.

"Clara, what are you doing here?" He asked, going back to type on his computer, she just sent a shrug with one shoulder.

"Coming to see Rafe," she answered, and the man stopped as he looked up again.

"Look-" he started, clasping his hand in front of him, Clara only looked with an unimpressed expression. "I was the first one to say that you two would be together. Since you were little kids running around."

The girl only stared at him, her mind bored already — for maybe the weed a little bit — as she waited for the man to get to the point.

"But I don't think Rafe is in his best position to have you as a... distraction." Clara surpressed a laugh, shaking her head at the man's words. "You are a lovely girl, and I'm sure-"

"I'm sorry, but you're telling me how to handle my relationship?" The question made Ward stop mid sentence as he pressed his lips together while he stared at her. "I know that he is your son, but you forgot that not even two weeks ago you weren't even caring about where he was living or if he was okay?"

Clara tilted her head, uncrossing her arms as she put them on her waist, an accusatory look in her eyes.

"You don't get to be the caring father now. This is between Rafe and I, therefore it doesn't concern you, and you should keep your opinion to yourself."

She didn't wait for an answer, just turning her back at the man who took off his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes as she walked inside the Cameron's home. So much for avoiding confrontation, after all.

And she moved to the kitchen, seeing Rafe taking a bite out of a sandwich on his hands. "Hey, you."

His eyes immediately focused on her, his once bored expression brightening as he swallowed, using his hand to call her closer. "Hey, pretty girl. How was the first day?"

"What do you expect?," she tilted her head, while Rafe was sure in turning the stool a bit so his knee was locking her against the counter, his free hand on the waist of her skirt while the other was still holding into the half eaten sandwich.

"That bad, huh?" Clara made a face in confirmation, her hand going to play with the buttons of his shirt as Rafe took another bite, then pointed the sandwich to her, which she happily took a bite off.

"Well, you called me here, what do you want to do?" Rafe cleaned his hand, pushing the plate away from him as he played with the edge of her shirt.

"I missed you," he confessed after a few seconds of considering his answer, eyes locking on hers. "I didn't do anything the whole day, my dad wanted me to stay home. It was a constant fight off the boredom."

Clama hummed, her hands going to the hairs at his neck as she played with it, and she was thinking, biting her lip in concentration while Rafe stared at her with a dumbfounded expression.

"I know what we're gonna do," she concluded, pulling away from the boy who already sighed at the lack of her contact. "C'mon, pretty boy, ass up."

"Where're we going?"

She entered the laundry room — since she knew her way around — and taking off the beach towels from the shelf, then returning to him, extending her hand so the boy could grab it as she pulled him with her.

Rafe was quick to found himself slipping through the back gates and closer to the sand. Clara not letting go one second of his hand as she pulled him along to one place he had yet to know.

After a few minutes of walking and just enjoying each other's presence in silence, like the warmth of their hands, Clara stopped in front of a small clearing. It was surrounding by trees, the middle still being sand and it was a little far away from everyone else, and it couldn't be seen.

She opened the towel, planting them on the ground against one of the big tree trunk as she sat down, patting the spot next to her so Rafe could sit too, and he did.

Clara rested her back on the trunk, taking a deep breath as she was still able to see a little bit of the waves, Rafe observing her every move.

"I lost the count of how many times I slept here when I had a fight with Susan," she confessed, looking up at the big leaves covering the small space. "It's the perfect hidden space, no one comes here ever."

"You slept here alone?" He asked, eyes furrowing with a little of concern as she stopped for a second, but then nodded.

"There was no one I could bring it here," she explained, pulling her knees closer as her head rested on them. "I found with Twix by accident, and I wanted to test. I left two books here once and they were untouched. I thought that maybe Agatha had ruin it, but no."

"Why didn't you go to my house?"

"You were mad at me," she said, seeing Rafe lick his lips. "And I didn't want to bother Sarah. Didn't want her to know."

"Clara, you were fourteen." He stressed, and she just nodded again.

"It's better here than the benches at the beach entrance. I had so many run ins with some creppy dudes..." her words died down, and she looked at the sand once more.

Rafe looked down, his jaw clenching as he held up his own knees with one arm holding into the other.

"You couldn't have known," Clara started again, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"How old were you when you start sleeping on the benches?"

Clara pursed her lips, then she answered. "Eleven."

He shook his head. "You were a kid, what if something happened to you?!"

"Well, I didn't think of that until much later."

Clara sighed, putting her hand on his arms, then putting her leg over his, as she sat down on his lap, now straddling him, her hands resting on his shoulders as his back rested on the tree. Rafe's hands finding themselves on her exposed thighs.

"You couldn't have known, Rafe. And it's okay you didn't," she tried, seeing him looking up at her eyes. "What matters is that now you do, and I'm okay. Nothing happened."

His thumbs made circles on her skin as he was still looking deep in her eyes. His brain was in full speed as he cussed his younger self for that decision. Rafe wanted to protect her. He needed to protect her.

God forbid anyone that tried to hurt her again.

Then he pulled her closer by her legs, lips meeting hers. Clara could feel the warmth of his skin under her hands, and her own a little chapped lips parted slightly, allowing his tongue to slip inside. His hands holding on her thighs as everything else around them dissipated.

Of course there was only them inside their little bubble they had created all this time, as they spent the night there, stealing a few kisses and watching the sea and the stars. Clara couldn't ask for anything more, yet she didn't realize that her peace would be cut short in the next few days.

I'm just going to say that his thoughts, oh they are there for a reason.

That was a little of a filler chapter, since you know, most of the episode was Sarah and John B at the Bahamas, I had to get a little bit creative.

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