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(This chapter involves slight mentions of abuse and harm. please skip this chapter if this is a sensitive subject. if you need someone to reach out to, my DMs are always open. my insta is @avaawritesz_ love you all. take care!)

Rafe sat in his room when the phone vibrated. At first, he just assumed it was Barry, calling about the money he owed him so he simply just threw a glance over at the phone. Dropping everything he had in his hands he quickly picked it up upon reading the contact name.

"Bells?" He asked and hurried to close the door to make sure no one would overhear their conversation, despite Wheezie being the only one who was home.

A  sharp, hitched breath, followed by a sob on the other side of the phone, and Rafe's heart rate spiked. The boy shot upright and the grip on the phone tightened.

"Annabelle." His tone was serious and laced with concern.

She didn't answer right away. Just another broken breath, shaky and uneven.

The sound made Rafe's stomach twist. "Annabelle, what going on? Where are you?"

"Rafe- I- I need...." The girl stumbled over her words.

"What? Annabelle, talk to me." He urged. Another cry. Muffled, like she was trying to smother it with her sleeve or her hand. Rafe's pulse kicked up, and he was already standing, grabbing his keys off the dresser. "Annabelle, I need you to tell me where you are. I'll pick you up."

The girl choked back a sob, trying to gather herself. "I was just a Kiaras."

"Can you get here? How far away are you?" Rafe asked, his words worried.

"N-Not far. Can I come over? I need a favor"

"Yeah, of course." He glanced out the door to Wheezies room by the end of the hall. He knew that the rest of his family would be gone for the rest of the day. "Where are you? Do you need me to pick you up? Are you hurt?"

Another sob slipped through. "No, it's fine."

Rafe wasn't convinced. The two exchanged a few more words before hanging up. The boy paced downstairs just as Annabelle appeared in sight on the other side of the glass door. He didn't hesitate to push the door open, the sight of her fragile body and tear-streaked face feeling like a punch in the gut. She stood with her arms wrapped around herself like she was trying to hold herself together.

Rafe closed the distance between them in three quick strides, his hands finding hers upon the sight of the bruises. His body tensed and his blood ran cold. Dark bruises wrapped around both her wrists, making Rafes jaw tighten so much it ached.  "Bells." He huffed, leading her inside and shutting the door behind them.

The girl's hands were shaking in his and she averted her gaze, too embarrassed to meet Rafes.

"Who did this to you?" His voice was low and rough, edged with something lethal. "Annabelle. Look at me." He cupped the side of her face, forcing her to look up at him. Two broken eyes stared at him only making his worry grow.

"They took her, Rafe." She sobbed. "They took Tess."

Rafe blinked rapidly, trying to take in the situation. "Tess? Wh- who took her?"

"Those child services people.." Annabelle drew quick and small breaths, the weight of what just happened crushing her. She stepped into Rafe's embrace, scared that she would collapse if she stood on her own. Two warm arms wrapped around her, holding her close as she cried into the fabric of his shirt.

The boy squeezed her small frame gently, hoping to ease the pain of whatever was going on. "Come on," He whispered, brushing some hair out of her face once he pulled away. He led the girl to the kitchen, nodding for her to sit down on the perfectly polished kitchen island as he went through the freezer to grab a pack of ice. He leaned down in front of her, gently grabbing her arms before carefully placing the ice pack on her wrists.

"Bells," The boy breathed, meeting her gaze. "I need you to tell me what happened."

The girl looked away, tears stinging in her eyes again. "Rafe-"

"Annabelle. Tell me."

The girl took a deep breath, looking back up at him. "It was my Dad."

Rafe swallowed hard, feeling the familiar heat of pure rage rising up his chest. His breaths became quicker, his chest now heaving swiftly. Shocked by the news, he wanted nothing more than to sprint out of there and find that sorry excuse of a father and make him regret what he did.

But Annabelle was sitting in front of him, shaking, exhausted, broken. And right now, the need to help her was stronger than his need to seek revenge. The boy carefully caressed the darkened skin of her wrists with his thumbs.

"I'll kill him."

"Rafe-" Annabelle huffed.

"Tell me what happened."

The girl let out a shaky breath. The memory of the two cars, social workers dragging her sister away, and how her father hit JJ, bringing an unsettling emotion to creep up her spine. "They came and just took her. They took Tess." Her voice shook. "And it's his fault."

Rafe listened quietly, his fingers moving gently over her skin as he noticed the way her breathing picked up.

"And I lost it. I was so mad at him. So I pushed him." Her muscles tensed at the thought of it. "And he didn't like that."

Rafe's hands moved to her face, cupping it to make her look up at him. "Annabelle, be honest with me. Is this the first time he has... hurt you?"

Annabelle swallowed and she blinked rapidly to prevent unleashing the river of emotions that rested behind her eyes. "No." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

Rafe's hands curled around the ice pack turning his knuckles white. A strained exhale left his lips and he tried to keep his focus on the girl in front of him.

"After mom died...He.. uhm.. started drinking pretty heavily again..." Her voice trailed off into a low sob. Annabelle noticed the way her words clearly affected Rafe, his muscles tensing beneath his shirt and his knuckles whitening. "I'm not going back there, Rafe. He kicked me out."

Rafe felt the rage curl inside his chest and he attempted to suppress it. "Good. Good." I forced a quick and reassuring smile. "Where will you be staying?"

Annabelle shrugged. She hadn't thought about that yet. Her mind had been too occupied with everything else going on. "I'm not sure. Maybe Pope's house."

"He could find you there," Rafe said quickly.

"Rafe, he won't try to find me. To be honest, I think he's just glad that I'm gone."

"He could come looking." The boy said, his face a mask of seriousness. "I've got a place. You could stay for a while at least."

"Rafe, thank you. But it's fine-"

"It's our neighbors. The Glissons. Right next door. I'm there from time to time since they're away all summer." Rafe's lips tugged into a brief smile. "Come on. Let me help you."

Annabelle looked up at him, and his stupid smile. She couldn't help but mirror the expression, hearing the extent he was willing to go to keep her safe. "I'll think about it, alright."

"Good." Rafe dragged his hand through his hair and smiled down at her. The two held each other's gazes, sharing a sweet moment of silence to allow Annabelle to gather herself. Somehow it worked. Barley five minutes in Rafe's presence and she had managed to calm down at least a little. Enough at least.

"I know it's bad timing, but I'm sorry for just bailing like that last night," Rafe spoke up after a long stretch of silence.

Annabelle smiled. "It's fine."

Rafe placed a hand on her thigh, slowly caressing it with his thumb. "I had a really good time."

The girl hummed in response, her grin widening. "I had a great time too."

"I can't stop thinking about it." Rafe stared down at her, admiring the features on her face. "I don't want to pretend that nothing happened and go back to normal." He hesitated for a moment. "Do you?"

"No."

"Good." The boy smirked triumphantly, drawing lazy patterns on her thigh. His other hand tapped the surface of the kitchen island once like he was weighing the words before letting them spill from his mouth. "I care about you, Annabelle. A lot."

He stared down at her, almost nervously awaiting her reaction. He wasn't the type to get nervous like that. He didn't get nervous. Only around her. Which was odd. It made him feel vulnerable but in the best way possible.

Annabelle's lips curved into a bright smile at his words. The sight could never tire Rafe.

The boy exhaled. He was never good at talking about emotions like that and saying the things that actually mattered instead of burying them under sarcasm, silence, or something sharp enough to push people away. But this was Annabelle. She was different.

"I care so much, it's scary." The boy chuckled, looking down at his hand on Annabelle's thigh. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that....You're special to me. I mean, even in this short time..."

Annabelle's smile only grew wider as Rafe spoke, her stomach fluttering with a million emotions. He finally looked up, two blue eyes meeting hers.

"I care about you too. More than you can imagine." The grin turned into a giggle. The sound pure in.

The sight was intoxicating, making Rafe grin as he stared at her. His hand moved up to push a strand of hair behind her ear, letting his hand linger on her cheek. He caressed her soft skin, the girl's heart speeding up at the touch.

She wrapped her hand around the back of his head, pulling his face closer to her own and closing the distance between the pair. Rafe's lips captured hers, the kiss gentle and soft. Something about it felt so right.

The boy tightened his grip on her thigh at the connection of their lips, his other hand holding him up on the counter where Annabelle was sitting. The girl was smiling against his lips at first, unable to get rid of that warm flickering warmth in her chest. However, after a moment she deepened the kiss, her fingers curling in Rafe's hair.

The boy, scooted her thigh aside, allowing him to stand between her legs as he kissed her back. His other hand traveled up to her hip, giving it a gentle but possessive squeeze. The kiss deepened, growing more full of desire as the seconds passed.

Rafe pulled away for a moment, his eyes raking down over her body as he panted lightly. Annabelle stared up into his eyes, her lips parted. The boy dragged his hand up her side, along her curves, up to her jawline, where he held her face in place as he kissed her again. The kiss was more eager, and desperate this time.

Annabelle's hand traveled up Rafe's arm, giving it a gentle squeeze at the sensation of his lips moving rhythmically over hers. The boy found his hand tracing the inside of her thigh, the sensation making her hum into the kiss. Rafe grinned against her lips, enjoying the sounds.

His fingers stopped, dangerously far up, but teasingly close. Annabelle's fingers curled around a fist of Rafe's shirt sparking something in his chest. His lips remained on the girls as he pulled her off the kitchen island and toward the guest room at the end of the hall. He shut the door behind them and led the two of them to the bed, his mouth not leaving hers. Annabelle crashed onto the bed, Rafe standing over her with his eyes roaming over her figure.

He pulled his shirt over his head before climbing on top of her, greeted my Annabelles fingers trailing up his toned stomach. The two met in another intense kiss, their hands traveling over each other's bodies. Rafe's hand slid into the girl's pants, an instant breathy moan leaving her lips. "Rafe,"

"Yeah, keep your eyes on me." He kissed her, biting down on her bottom lip. His fingers moved between against her heat, the feeling of her gripping the sheets fueling his motions. He pulled away from her lips, his eyes moving along her face and body, watching it react to his touch. A moan escaped her mouth and her hand tightened around the sheet. 

"Keep your voice down, sweetheart." Rafe breathed, leaning down to kiss her neck. 

(sorry for robbing you but bro I can't write smut, penises scare me.)

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Panting and sweating, Rafe collapsed on top of Annabelle, burying his face in the crook of her neck, placing gentle kisses of comfort as his thumb caressed her bare hip. "You're so perfect." He breathed against her skin.

Annabelle's chest heaved rapidly as she tried to come down from her high. Her hands brushed through Rafe's hair, enjoying the feeling of him holding her close. The boy lay down on the bed next to her, pulling her close to him as he drew lazy patterns on her sweat-beaded skin. He trailed kisses up her arm and shoulder and up to her jaw. Annabelle closed her eyes, allowing herself to calm down but there was still something gnawing at her. Something that she knew she shouldn't be feeling. But it was sinking into her bones, curling around her ribs like something alive, ever since the events of that morning.

"Rafe..." she breathed, tilting her head up to look at him. The boy smiled, but quickly noticed the conflicted wrinkles between her eyebrows. He could tell that something was off making his face turn into a unreadable expression.

"Yeah?"

The girl cleared her throat. "Do you remember that favor I asked you about over the phone?"

Rafe only remembered the ear-deafing concern he felt during their phone call. But as she mentioned it, he found the memory light and faint. "Yeah. What was it?"

Annabelle turned around to face him. She bit her tongue, knowing she should drop it. Let it die in her throat before she said something she couldn't take back.

"Do you have anything that... I can take?"

Rafe stiffened. He scanned her face, his jaw tight in a moment of hesitation and Annabelle quickly noticed.

"It's no big deal. Really." She said quickly.

The boy blinked. If Annabelle had asked him during any other time he wouldn't hesitate like he did but he knew why she was asking him now. She was asking him in a moment of desperation, her being broken and crushed after all that's happened. Rafe understood that more than anything but he also knew the consequences of turning to that high in moments like this.

"Bells-"

"Rafe, don't." She shook her head before he could speak.

"Is that really such a good idea?" He stroked his hand up her thigh.

"Yes. Rafe, please."

The boy's throat bobbed as he swallowed the arguing, pushing it away. "Fine, yeah. I've got stuff."

He untangled himself from the sheets, throwing his boxers and sweatpants on, and shuffling through the pockets. His fingers curled around the small plastic bag and a glass jar with already rolled-up joints. His jaw tightened as he stalled.

"Come on," He whispered, finally pulling the two items out and heading to the door of the guest bedroom. Annabelle scurried to her feet shoving Rafe's large shirt on and her underwear, her hand intertwining with Rafe as he led her through the big house, up on the second floor, through his room, and out on the balcony. "Outta enjoy it." He grinned, closing the door behind them.

Annabelle stood leaned against the railing, her gaze trailing over the view. Rafe flickered with the lighter, lighting the joint in his mouth before creeping up behind Annabelle, pressing himself against her back and holding out the second joint. She placed it in her mouth and Rafe helped her light it. The girl took a first drag, the feeling instantly relieving the heavy weight on her chest.

Warmth crept up her veins, undoing the tension in her body. Rafe's arms wrapped around her waist as he stood behind her, feeling the effects of the joint in her limbs. Annabelle leaned back into his embrace, her head tilting up at the sky. The boy lifted his own joint to his mouth, the smoke dancing out in front of Annabelle's view. The pair held each other, feeling gravity loosen its grip on them, allowing for it to be just them, there in that moment.

•❃°•°❀°•°❃•

A few hours passed, and the pair spent every minute together out there on the balcony in Rafe's room. Annabelle remembered herself giggling, laughing, and eventually moaning through most of them. Soon, the drugs were wearing off a little, the sun slowly setting on the horizon. 

"Do you think there will be a time when we don't have to sneak around like this?" Annabelle said, turning her attention away from the ocean in front of them and down on Rafe, who sat on one of the chairs.

The boy took a drag from his third joint, exhaling a thick cloud before responding. "I hope so."

Annabelle smiled, though she knew that what they were speaking about was probably just a distant fantasy. "I want to be able to come over whenever I like...," She rambled on, clearly still a little intoxicated. ".... walk outside with you, meet your family."

Rafe let out a chuckle. "You do not want to meet my family. It's the dysfunctional family from hell."

"Well, you're speaking with the CEO of dysfunctional families." She grinned, climbing up into his lap. "I wanna meet your little sister."

"She would like you." Rafe smiled up at her. "Matter of fact, she-"

Rafe was cut off by a loud shouting from down on the street. Annabelle jumped off Rafe's lap, the two of them joining in a stance by the balcony railing, staring down at the person on the driveway.

"Man, check this place out!"

It was Barry. The island's local drug dealer. Annabelle had never met him, but she was well aware of who he was. Everyone was.

He was clearly high, stumbling, his movements jerky and erratic as he walked up the front of the house. Annabelle could feel Rafe stiffening next to her, muttering a curse under his breath.

"Bells, get inside." He demanded.

"What? Why-"The girl hesitated, her eyes traveling between him and the boy beneath them.

"Annabelle." His voice was firm now, laced with something that made her chest tighten. "Get inside. Don't argue."

The girl hesitantly walked inside Rafe's room, scanning his expression.

"Stay here. Don't move." The Cameron boy dragged his hand through his hair as he paced across the room before disappearing out into the hallway.

Annabelle had heard plenty of rumors about Barry, none of them good. From what she had gathered, he was a straight-up maniac and the thought of Rafe going out there alone with him scared her. Her gut tightened as she wondered what mess Rafe had gotten himself into with Barry, the man who was known for not wanting to be crossed by people.

She peered out through the balcony window, watching Rafe rush toward the man waiting in front of him. He threw unsure glances around him, making sure no one was seeing the scene that played out before them.

"This place is fancy!" Berry shouted, his words slurred.

Rafe exhaled deeply, pacing at him with urgency as he tried to hush him. "Hey, Berry. Man, Hey, hey."

Barry stepped up in the boy's face, tauntingly glaring him down. "It's a nice place to live."

"Look, I don't have your money, alright," Rafe said in a hushed tone. "All right. You shouldn't be here now. What are you doing?"

"I'm right here. You wanna know why?" Barry smiled, the grin sending a wave of unsettling emotions through Annabelle. He took a drag from the joint in his hand, blowing it out in Rafe's face who waved it away.

"Give me till the weekend, okay?" Rafe almost pleaded. "I got a guy coming this weekend, alright?"

Barry nodded and for a split second, he looked like he was willing to agree before his face shifted in anger. "How come you got all this nice shit, though?" He growled, averting his gaze to Rafe's bike, and then over to his huge house. His hand gave Rafe's shoulder a tight squeeze.  "Can you tell me that? You ain't got my money but you got all this nice shit."

Rafe's gaze flickered up to his room, catching Annabelle's gaze through the window for a split second almost as if he was embarrassed that she had to see what was happening. "Hey, man. Chill alright-"

Without a warning, Barry shoved Rafe back, his arm raised in the air and his hand wrapped tightly around the collar of his shirt. Annabelle's heart dropped and she rushed out of the room without hesitation. She was already halfway down the stairs when her mind caught up to her, realizing what she was doing- running outside to defend someone against a drug dealer, being utterly exposed with only Rafe's big shirt to cover her. However she didn't stop, she only quickened her pace, hearing Rafe's loud groan in pain outside. She pushed the door open, racing across the driveway to the sight of Rafe being pressed down to the stone floor as Barry forced the glowing tip of his joint into his hand, the ember sizzling against his skin.

Annabelle didn't think, her legs moving on their own now. "Hey! Get off him!" She shouted. Barry looked up from Rafe, who groaned beneath him and grinned up at the girl who approached him.

"Well, well, you didn't tell me you had company, baby boy." His smirk revealed his untreated teeth, one of them glimmering with silver. "How rude of you, not to introduce me, Rafe."His eyes traveled over Annabelle from head to toe, her stomach turning under his gaze. "Now what do we have here?"

The girl looked away from him, down on Rafe who lay squirming and groaning in pain.

"Rafe, you ain't got money to pay me, but you can afford to pay this one." He grinned at Annabelle again, his eyes roaming, slowly and deliberately. The girl's heart began to race in her chest at his words. "Tell me, how much you take an hour?"

Rafe was quick to his feet, his burned hand shaking at his side. "Don't." He stepped forward, putting himself between Annabelle and Barry

The man chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, man. Just making conversation."

"Barry, get off my property," Rafe said through gritted teeth, the boy in front of him scoffing in his face.

"You got a lotta nerve talking to me like that." Barry placed a hand on Rafe's shoulder, before pressing his finger against the burned spot on his hand. Rafe wailed, folding at the pain.

"Hey!" Annabelle stepped forward and Barry smirked teasingly and pushed Rafe aside.

"Consider this shit right here your down payment." He walked up to Rafe's bike and jumped on it. "You got three days."

The engine reeved and just like that, he was gone, leaving the two teens in a cloud of dust. 

Just as the bike left, Annabelle rushed to Rafe who lay with his eyes squeezed shut as he groaned in pain. She reached for his hand. "Let me see."

But Rafe yanked it back before she could touch him, jaw tight, eyes stormy. "I told you to stay inside."

Annabelle squinted her eyes at him. She reached for him again, softer this time, letting her fingers gently wrap around his trembling hand. Her heart squeezed at the sight of the red flesh wound and she carefully let her thumb caress the skin of his arm.

"I'm not gonna just watch as someone hurts you," Annabelle muttered.

Rafe's breath hitched. He didn't dare to meet her gaze in a moment of such vulnerability. He had never had anyone show this much care for him and it frightened every part of his soul.

"Come on, let's get you inside." She said softly.

𝟑𝟗𝟑𝟗 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬
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𝐀/𝐍
this chapter was sweet!

y'all I loveeee Annabelle and Rafe ! please tell me if you think they're moving forward too quick (keep in mind they've had a previous relationship) or if you think that Rafes actions are too out of character bcs I wanna be as accurate as possible!
love y'all!