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

27.

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"..lera! Valera!" Valera let out a small groan as her body was shook rather roughly.

"Oh, thank god," Rafe breathed out in relief, and Valera slowly opened her eyes,

"What the actual fuck, Valera! I told you to fucking tell me when you're hurt! You opened up your freaking stitches, and now your fucking wound is infected!" Rafe angrily said, glaring down at his sister,

"Would you stop cursing so much?" Sarah questioned, pushing Rafe to the side as she kneeled beside the couch where Valera was lying on.

"Hey, how are you feeling? You kinda scared everyone." Sarah questioned, her voice gentle

".. I am so tired, Sarah.." Valera quietly said, but Sarah heard her. She brushed some of her hair to the side,

"I know, Val.." Valera shook her head, wincing a bit, She coughed a little.

"No.. I'm so tired, sarah," her eyes meet Sarah's, and behind her, she could see that Rafe understood what she was implying.

"No, no! Shut the fuck, okay!?" Rafe snapped, and Sarah snapped her head towards him in complete disbelief with a bit of anger in her expression.

"Rafe!"

Rafe ignored her, shaking his head as he ran a hand through his hair. "You are not just going to opt out after everything that we've been through!"

A gasp was heard from behind him, but he could care less, "so, what if you're tired? You can't just fucking cut your wrist and be done with it!"

Sarah's eyes widened, and she looked at Valera, her skin was pale, and her eyes were glassy, she had a fever, and it was clearly the fever talking.

"She's not suicidal, man!" JJ rushed over with the medkit that he and the others had stolen.

"Check her wrist." Is all Rafe said, and Sarah gently grabbed Valera's wrist, Removing the bandana, and she gasped as she saw the scar on Valera's wrist, tears appeared in her eyes.

"When.." Sarah shook her head, standing up. She couldn't even finish her sentence without being emotional.

"..fourteen, dad...he didn't show up to science fair..I won first place.."Valera Spoke, her voice sounding so broken, so tired.

"Rafe, wheezie, and Rose show up...rose was proud, but she wasn't dad...it was a trigger," tears stream down her face,

"I don't want to die.. but I'm so tired of fighting all the time.. I'm just so tired." Valera cried out,

Rafe sat down in front of her, his side leaning against the couch as he grabbed one of Valera's hands in his, leaning his head against hers.

"Shh, it's okay, I got you." Rafe whispered,

"We got you," JJ corrected, clearing his throat, blinking away his tears, "You don't have to fight anymore, just let us do the fighting from now on."

Pope cleared his throat, nodding, "Yeah, lera. Just lean on us."

"You are not alone, and you never will be." Kiara told her, wiping her tears with the back of her hand,

Sarah sniffled, "I am so sorry for not being there for you before, but I promise you, I'm gonna be here for you until we grow old."

"We're family, Valera, you can count of us." John B said, and Valera let out a watery laugh,

"Jayj.. did you tell them that you're half cameron yet? I think I'm gonna be sick." With Rafe quick reflexes, he grabbed a bucket and helped Valera on her side.

"Wait, what did she mean, JJ?" Kiara questioned, her eyes trained on JJ,

JJ cleared his throat, "You, uh heard her, apparently, we share the same mom."

"Ward killed her.." Valera groaned out, grimacing,

"Rafe.. I smell like puke.."

Rafe huffed, "Don't be such a baby." He grabbed the medkit.

"How.." Sarah asked, trailing off,

"Jesse James cameron, Mother , Delilah cameron, Father, Luke Maybank." Everyone looked at Kai, who held a file.

"Is that.." Pope trailed off, his eyes widening

"JJs birth records? Yep, V and I snuck into the hospital looking for answers on her mother's disappearance, but instead, she found out you're her half-brother." Kai handed JJ the file.

"Wait, so that would mean you are also related to.." John B trailed off, and everyone turned their head to look Rafe, who was fixing up Valera while cleo held her shoulders and whispered comforting words to her.

Rafe rolled his eyes, "Oh, fuck off."

"Mom would never cheat.." Sarah said, shaking her head, and JJ scoffed,

"Well, she did, and I'm prove of that!" JJ told her,

"Yeah, she kinda did cheat, " Kai said, standing next to JJ, "and she wanted to keep the baby but Ward forced her to give the baby up, turns out, Delilah was going to leave Ward and take her kids with her,"

"Turns out, Ward didn't like one bit all." Kai told them, hooking his pinkie with JJS in some sort of comfort.

He never comforted anyone before, and it was all still new to him, but JJ didn't pull away, and it seemed like it was helping him.

Rafe finished patching up Valera, who fell asleep, and he turned to the others, and his eyes narrowed as he saw JJ and Kai practically holding hands.

"Rafe.. did you know?" Sarah questioned, leaning into John B, who had his arms around her in comfort.

Rafe scoffed, "No, I didn't."

"I need some fresh air." JJ muttered before he walked out of the house without so much of a word.

Kai quickly followed, and Rafe glared at kai's retreating form.

🌊

"..Jess, hey, you okay?" Kai questioned, stopping JJ from walking away from him, and JJ turned to look at him.

"No, not really.." JJ replied, bringing his hand up to rub his chest, taking a deep breath.

"That was a lot to unpack, you know? First, I found out that I had silbings, then we found out lera almost killed herself, then you confirmed that I am literally related to Rafe cameron of all people, and Rafe is definitely on drugs." JJ breathed out,

He seemed to be on the verge of a panic attack.

Kai chuckled softly, "Oh, rafe is definitely on drugs." Kai frowned before he hesitantly pulled JJ into a hug

JJ flinched at the sudden movement, but the second he heard Kai heart thumping, his body slowly began to relax.

"Today was a real shitty day."

🌊
1062 words

Thoughts?

Also, new cover! Thoughts on the cover?