The Girl In The Shadow || Outerbanks || Pope Heyward & Cleo Anderson

16.

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Sarah and John B were dead, or at least that's what everyone believed. Valera blamed herself for their "deaths."

They should have just left her in prison. Maybe they would still be alive.

It was her fault Sarah and John B were out there in the first place, and now they were gone.

She hasn't spoken a word since what happened.

Rafe had taken her to a safe house that Barry provided. It was only for a couple of days until the cops decided to call off the search.

"..here you need to eat something." Rafe told her, passing her some snacks and a water bottle.

"I'm not hungry." Valera muttered under her breath, and Rafe sighed, sitting in front of her.

"Val, you need to eat, okay?" Rafe said, holding out the snacks.

"..I don't feel like eating." Valera told him, leaning back,

"You know what happened last time when you didn't eat. Eat." Rafe tossed the snacks at her. It landed on her lap.

"They're dead, Rafe. It's my fault." Valera said, sighing as she opened the bag of chips.

Rafe stared at his sister as she slowly ate the chips. He didn't care about Sarah or John B.

He could care less about them "dying"

He let out a small sigh ,"Look, they can't be sure if they're dead or not,"

Valera looked at him ,"they never found their bodies. They could've survived."

"If they did, then where are they?" Valera questioned

Rafe shrugged, "Don't know, probably off somewhere making babies."

Valera raised an eyebrow, a small laugh escaping her. "Making babies? Seriously."

Rafe shrugged, smiling a little, "supposedly they're madly in love."

"Yeah," Valera frowned, "you really think they're alive?"

Rafe sighed, leaning back, running a hand through his hair.

"Probably."

🌊

Rafe went home after making sure that Valera was settled and safe.

"Rafe!" Ward called out for him, stumbling over, drunk, a glass of bourbon in his hand, and Rose followed behind him.

"Where's your sister?" Ward drunkly questioned

"Swiming with the fishes." Rafe replied, and Ward swung his fist out, punching Rafe.

Rafe stumbled back, tasting blood in his mouth,

"Ward, don't." Rose tried to stop him, but Ward pushed her back.

"Where's that little bitch, Valera!? I know you are hiding her! Where is she!?" Ward yelled, grabbing Rafe by the collar of his shirt and roughly pushing him against the wall.

"I don't know!" Rafe told him, his body filled with anger.

"She killed Sarah. She got sarah killed...it should've been her." Ward mumbled, backing up from Rafe, shaking his head.

"It should've been her."

Ward walked off, well, more like stumbled.

Rose looked at Rafe, "I'm sorry.."

Rafe scoffed, "I don't need your fucking pity."

Rafe walked away from her and upstairs to Valera's room.