ROCK BOTTOM ~ Rafe Cameron // OC // JJ Maybank

twenty.

"Why?"

JJ sighed. Fuck Pope for putting this in his head. "Because you're a fucking Rafe whisperer, alright? You calm him down when you're with him. I don't know if those powers cross internet lines."

The phone started ringing again.

"God, can he take a hint if you don't answer the first time?" JJ said, frowning.

Bexley took in what he said. She groaned. "Fine. You're right, whatever."

His eyes lit up. "I'm right?"

"I know what you mean by...in person. I was gonna wait until he was here in person to tell him you were over-"

"-Or you could not tell him at all-"

"-so I'll wait to tell him about his dad." She stuck her hand out. "But let me talk to him." He was definitely going to be worried now.

JJ brought the phone down, and she snatched it back. It was still ringing, she answered.

"Hey, Rafe! I'm sorry about that!...No, you don't have to come over...No, I'm perfectly fine...I was just gonna ask if you're dad got you in too much trouble...that sucks, Rafe. I'm sorry..."

JJ watched her soothing Rafe over the phone. He couldn't help but think about how often she must need to do this.

It wasn't fair.

JJ knew it wasn't fair that Bexley had to take care of her mom, and then take care of Rafe.

She deserved someone to take care of her.

His heart dropped. Obviously, he couldn't do that. He had nothing. No money, no brains, nothing. All he had was weed.

But that was now.

John B said they're back in the gold game. He really thinks they can really find it.

JJ swore to himself that once they found the gold, and he got rich, he'd come straight here. He'd buy Bexley a new house, a new car, a new everything. He'd turn her into the kook she was pretending to be, but one that was actually happy. And JJ didn't give a fuck if Bexley was still uninterested in him.

He'd fix her world, whether or not she wanted him in it.

Bexley sighed deeply as she hung up the phone.

"Did that really help at all?" JJ asked. "Calling him just to have to calm him down?"

"He wasn't upset until the call dropped and I didn't answer," she said. "He was worried. You know what worry is, JJ?"

He scoffed. "Yeah, I know what worry is. You think I don't?"

Bexley crossed her arms.

JJ scoffed again. "It's what I feel whenever I have to go home, Bexley. Worried. And scared. Really fucking scared."

Her eyes softened.

She just said, "You shouldn't go home to a place that makes you scared." She knew how hard that was.

"Yeah, I've tried crashing at friend's place," he mumbled. "I know when I've outstayed my welcome."

For a single moment, Bexley almost offered him to stay there. It quickly passed.

"There's a bunch of abandoned houses down the strip of the broken highway," she told him. "You should check those out."

JJ paused. "I actually didn't know that. Thank you."

Bexley just nodded. She told him, "And yes. Calling Rafe did help. Just...hearing his voice helps."

"His annoying ass voice?" JJ asked.