A Chapter| Chapter Nine

"Lila, do you wanna talk about it?" Kie asked as she laid on the grass next to the blonde, the boys talking to each other in the hammocks a few feet away.

"No." Lila answered honestly, staring up at the sky, appreciating how it was getting dark.

"You sure?" she asked as Lila didn't answer, sighing to herself slightly.

"I think the sky gets dark become it's sad." Lila said honestly as she continued to look up, ignoring the odd look Kie was giving her.

"I think it's happy during the day, but after having to see all the horrible shit through out the day it gets sad so it turns to dark." Lila elaborated as she turned to Kie for a answer. Kie stared at her for a second as she nodded her head.

"Makes since." the younger girl said as the two looked up at the sky again.

"Thanks for being here, you and the boys." Lila said now, staring up at the sky as she thought about Rafe, as sad as that made her sound. She thought about how in some sick and twisted way he'd come to his conclusions and be good, but she wasn't gonna waste her time on fantasying over something she knew couldn't happen.

"Of course, you're one of us, no matter what." Kie reassured her as Lila gave her a small smile before she shut her eyes, darkness consuming her. Lilas mind went in so many different directions as she did.

Popes bruises.

Rafe kissing her.

Popes tears.

Rafe laying her down.

Popes blood.

Rafe scattering kisses on her neck.

The boat sinking.

Rafe untying her bikini top.

Her face being grabbed violently.

His skin pressed against hers.

His threatening words.

Him lacing his fingers with hers.

Rafes angered look.

Lila opened her eyes quickly, carful not to make that mistake again.

Lila skipped out on going with the Pogues this morning to test out the drone. She needed to pack and she wasn't ready to face her moms, knowing they'd be on her the second she arrived at their new Figure Eight house. But she did anyway because Lila couldn't find a reason to hide anymore, running from her problems wasn't getting her anywhere. The blonde made her way back to the Cameron's house, praying to god that Rafe wouldn't be home, basically already hearing his loud footsteps following after her any second.

"Where have you been? Didn't we just talk about checking in?" Grace scolded as Lila walked into the house, the smell of cookies filling her nose as she came into the kitchen. Lacey was indeed baking while Grace stared at Lila in disbelief.

"Sorry." Lila said with a shrug, zero remorse in her words as she went to get a water from the fridge.

"You're sorry? Really?" Grace asked her in disbelief, a scoff leaving her lips.

"Babe, calm down. Lila, where were you?" Lacey asked, more calm as she turned before the short woman gasped.

"What happened to your face?" Lilas mom asked, seeing the finger printed bruises by her jaw and her cheek.

"Nothing." Lila sighed as she made her way toward the hallway.

"Lila!" Grace called out as Lila sighed, turning on her heels to look at the two.

"We're just worried, don't you get that?" Grace asked her, her voice softer now as she looked at her daughter who didn't even look the same. She looked tired, from the sleepless night, the usual bright smile on her lips stuck in a frown.

"I'm fine." Lila said, staring at the two with a blink, a white lie leaving her lips.

"Are you sure?" Lacey asked her now, her own concern for her daughter washing over her face.

"Yes, I just need a second. I stayed at Kies again, I should have called but I forgot, i'm sorry." Lila lied again as she walked down the hallway, pushing open the door as she gasped, seeing a figure waiting on her bed.

"There you are, i've been waiting here for like half a hour." Sarah complained as she looked up at the girl. Lila kicked her sandalsoff as she fell on the bed next to Sarah with a huff.

"Long night?" the Cameron girl asked, looking down at her with raised eyebrows.

"Something like that." Lila nodded as she rubbed her eyes, turning on her back to look up at her Kook friend. Sarah smiled down at her as Lila returned it, rubbing her eyes.

"What happened there?" Sarah asked, nodding toward Lila cheek as the blonde shook her head.

"Pogue life isn't super safe." Lila explained as Sarah laughed at her, believing the lie. Sarah fell back on the bed next to Lila as she looked over at her.

"I'll have you know we're gonna have so many sleepovers with you living next to me." Sarah explained as Lila smiled, a real smile, at non other then Sarah Cameron.

"I'd hope so, why else would I have agreed to move?" Lila asked as Sarah gave her a wide eyed look with a laugh.

"You didn't, if I recall, you yeeted yourself off our boat." Sarah explained as Lila couldn't help but burst out laughing, the memory still to fresh in her mind.

"I can't believe I did that." Lila explained, whipping her eyes as she flinched when her hand ran across the thumb pad bruise.

"I can, what I can't believe is that Rafe went after you." Sarah explained as Lilas laughter died down, the mention of the boy making her blink as she nodded.

"Yeah, me either." Lila explained, her tone flattening but Sarah didn't notice, her own thoughts in her mind.

"Dad was so pissed at him for just taking off, you should have heard the loud lecture." Sarah said as Lila felt a rush of guilt, not even thinking that she probably got Rafe in a shit ton of trouble that day.

"Yeah, same." Lila simply said as she picked at the chipped nail polish on her finger nails as Sarah sat up.

"I've gotta run into town to grab a few things, care to join me?" Sarah asked with a smile as Lila returned it.

"I would but i've gotta unpack." Lila sighed as she sat up as well, looking around at the many boxes.

"I'll bright you back some donuts, I expect this place spotless when I return." Sarah said with a joking look as Lila snorted slightly.

"Yes, your majesty." Lila explained with a smile, watching as the Cameron girl left before Lila fell back on her bed with a huff. She then realized the window right above her bed, the faint purple sticking out at the top. Lila sat up quickly, realizing a purple lila flower was waiting on her window seal once again. Lila opened the window as she grabbed ahold of it, a few peddles falling off indicating it had probably been there all night.

"We don't have any of this stuff in the village, you wanna watch a movie? You gotta go watch it preformed live, isn't that crazy?" Lila asked as she walked with JJ, Pope, and Kie to the movie they'd been talking about. A large projector screen in the middle of a open field, couples and groups of friends all sitting on blankets or in lawn chairs.

"I can't believe you lived in a actual village like some historical tribe." JJ spoke as he walked behind her, carrying the chairs with Pope.

"It's not a tribe JJ, it's just really small. When I tell you that all I did for fun was try and terrorize the pastor, I mean it." Lila said as the four laughed, walking toward a open spot.

"Keep calm, carry on. Back to OBX life, you know? Aren't you guys glad that I made you come?" Kie asked as she smiled toward the large projector screen.

"Ecstatic." Pope said sarcastically as he put the lawn chair down.

"My couch was pretty comfy, i'll be honest." JJ said with a clear of his throat as he adjusted his hat.

"I'm glad I came, I needed this, I needed you guys. No, I need you guys, my people, my friends, my babies." Lila gushed dramatically as she sat her chair down.

"You see, this is why I like Lila more then either of you." Kie said as Lila grinned and pushed the purple bandana around her head up a little more.

"Not true Kie, you were not a fan of Lila when we met her." Pope pointed out as Lila looked to Kie confused.

"That's not true." Kie said, a weird look on her face. Lila raised her eyebrows as she looked at Pope for the story before JJ jumped in.

"This is how it went down okay, Lila, listen to me. This is how it went down. John B comes rushing over, right? He's like, 'Yo man, there's a cute touron.' and i'm all like 'Wow! Where!' you know, freaking out and stuff. And John B's like 'over there, cute right?' and then I was all like 'Hot damn! I'd let her mother my kids!'. And then Pope was like, 'Kie, you are not gonna like who she's with.' and we're all like 'What? Huh? Who?' and then we see you hanging on Kook Princess and her loser boyfriend. And Kies all like 'Ugh, just another one we have to deal with.' and that's when I run over and offer you the drink." JJ said, re-enacting the moment with his hands and facial features. Lila laughed at the dramatic story, looking at Kie with eyebrows raised.

"I didn't know you at the time." she girl went on with a knowing look.

"A little judgmental there, aren't you, Kie?" Lila asked she cracked a smile as she shoved her blonde friend.

"I'm going to get us Pepsi's to show you my adoration for you, Lila Griffin." Kie said with a point as she stood up, JJ and Pope chattering behind the two as the brunette walked off.

"What are you two weasels talking about?" Lila asked as she looked back at the two behind her as they jumped and sat up straight.

"How purple is definitely your color, rock it." Pope said to Lila with a grin as the blonde gave him a eyebrows raise, a smile as she turned back to the spot Kie walked off to, her smile falling as she did so. Rafe was looking down at Kie, speaking to her as she held a annoyed expression on her face. Lila heisted before she stood up quickly, walking as fast as she could without causing any suspicion over toward the two.

"How's the Pepsi's coming along?" Lila asked, making her presence known as Rafes head snapped her way. The smirk he held on his face falling slightly as he saw her, not expected her to be here.

"Quickly, I was just heading back." Kie said with a fake smile as she grabbed the two cans.

"Fabulous, I'll escort you." Lila nodded as the two turned away. Lila felt the soft and gentle hand of Rafe Cameron grab her arm quickly, carful not to pull on her as she turned to him. How ironic, she thought.

"Hey, Lila." he said, his eyes scanning her face as he looked down at her with a nod.

"Hey, Rafe." Lila said with a sigh, a annoyed expression on her face.

"Can we talk?" he asked her, nodding his head as he never broke eye contact with her aside from with the pools of ocean water flickered toward the two bruises on her face.

"About what?" she asked, crossing her arms. Her eyes gave away the tough act though, they were sad and soft all at once. Wanting to look away but couldn't stop herself from looking up at him.

"I'm really- fuck, i'm sorry." he apologized, his voice low as Lila blinked, that was the last thing she was expecting him to say. Her face fell as she looked up at him, contemplating on what her next words were.

"Everything okay over here?" Kie asked as she looked back after realizing Lila wasn't falling her.

"Yeah, everythings fine." Lila said to her as she forced herself to pull her eyes away from Rafe, brushing her body against his as she joined Kie's side.

"What was that about?" the girl asked as they walked back toward the two boys.

"Nothing, you know how he is." Lila shrugged, sitting back down to escape the conversation.

"Just saw Rafe, and he said, and I quote 'Tell your boy that we know what he did.' What is that?" Kie asked as she looked between the two boys, Lilas head snapped toward them as Kie noticed.

"Are you involved with this too?" Kie asked her in disbelief as Lila sighed loudly.

"Um, where is he?" JJ asked with a clear of his throat, clearly trying to stay some what clam.

"Right there." Kie said as she nodded a few rows behind them, Rafe, Topper, and Kelce all standing together. Topper smirked as he caught Popes eye as Rafe gave Lila a look, which she looked away at.

"Great, the whole Death Squad." Pope said in a panic as JJ pulled him to turn back around.

"Alvin and the Chipmunks." Lila nodded her head in agreement, looking back again as she found Rafe staring at her.

"Just warning you, bro. If they corner me, i'm coming out swinging, okay?"
JJ asked as he looked down at Pope while Lila pulled her eyes away from Rafe to look at JJ.

"You really think they're gonna try and beat us?" Lila whisper yelled at the two as JJ nodded.

"They might, maybe not you after all the macking you did." JJ said as Lila flicked him in the forehead, on que she heard her name.

"Hey, Lila. Hey there." Topper said as he walked over. JJ stood up immediately, blocking Topper from getting to Lila.

"Woah, chill man, or are you gonna hold a gun to my head, again?" Topper asked as Lila stood up, seeing the glare on JJs face as she walked next to him.

"I will if you take a step closer to her." JJ threatened as Lila quickly stood between the two.

"What can I help you with, Topper?" Lila asked with a clear of her throat, pushing JJ back slightly as she stood infront of his view of Pope.

"Found your sandles you were looking for yesterday. Yeah, they were under the bed that you stayed in actually, with a buddy of mine. They're pretty, glad I found them." Topper said as he gave Lila the sandals, her face heating up as she felt her heart drop. Topper gave her a smirk as he turned on his heels to walk away as Lila quickly sat down again.

"You actually macked on a Kook?" Kie whispered to her as Lila gave her a look.

"Don't be mad." she begged as Kie sighed.

"I'm not, but what the hell is going on?" the girl asked as she looked between the three.

"Listen, if my swinging doesn't work i've got this." JJ said as he held up the bag, ignoring Kies previous question.

"Yeah, yeah, we just gotta stay in the group." Pope nodded in agreement as Lila looked back at Rafe once again, seeing him nodding her over as she ignored him.

"I'm sorry, JJ. Please tell me that you did not bring a gun here. JJ, there are kids!" Kie scolded him a little louder then she should as Lila shhed her slightly.

"No! Okay, Kie? I didn't bring the gun. Everything fine, okay?" JJ asked her as Kie sighed and looked forward again as Lila and JJ shared a look once again.

"Oh woah, that's really convincing, I love that, JJ." Kie said annoyed to him as she rubbed her forehead.

"Founding principles, you guys. No secrets amongst Pogues." Kie said as Pope looked over.

"Well Lila didn't tell us about her Kook hook up at Toppers." Pope said as Lila subtly flipped him off.

"Who was it, anyway? Was it Rafe? Kelce?" JJ asked, leaning over toward the blonde with a look.

"I really don't wanna talk about it, if that's cool with you guys." Lila sighed as she looked forward again.

"Guys, what in the hell is going on with you three against those three?" Kie asked more stern, looking at her three friends and then back at the trio, who were standing a good distance away.

"Kie, it might go down tonight." Pope said as he leaned closer to her before leaning away, his only sentence.

"What does that mean? Might go down tonight? What did y'all do?" Kie asked him with a annoyed expression, over the secrets.

"Deny, deny, deny." JJ whispered as he looked at the two.

"Kie, I have to take a piss." Lila whispered to the girl as Kie looked down at her.

"Why are you telling me?" she asked her, looking at the girl who was leaned on her slightly as she watched the movie.

"Where's the bathrooms?" Lila asked her, rocking back and forth slightly.

"Look, the girls is right over there."
Kie said as she pointed over toward a small building as Lila stood quickly, tripping over JJs feet as she gave him a look disbelief.

"JJ!" she scolded in a whispered as he looked down at her.

"Don't blame me, you've got two left feet." JJ said as he helped her up before she jogged off toward the bathrooms. Lila sighed in relief as she made it to them, doing her business as she washed her hands.

As Lila walked out of the small building she was met face to face with Rafe as he waiting outside for her. Lila sighed as she went to walk past him as his arm came out to stop her, pulling her back some.

"Hey, talk to me." he begged her, he seemed so desperate, so weak as he held onto her arms. Lila sighed as she leaned on the side of the building, truly wanting to see what he had to say.

"I tried talk to you yesterday and you grabbed my face like I was a fucking dog." Lila said to him, hurt and anger in her eyes. Rafe nodded slowly, eyeing the marks on her face as he rose his hand to touch her cheek. Running a finger across the bruise on her jaw as she flinched away from him.

"I'm sorry." he said again, still taking her by surprise, "I didn't mean to."

"You didn't mean to grab my face and threaten me or you didn't mean to beat my friend with a golf club?" Lila asked, sass in her voice as she looked up at him.

"L-" he began before she cut him off.

"Or did you not mean to leave me at Toppers house? Or tell him? You don't see me going around telling everyone I slept with you." Lila scolded him as Rafe blinked in shock, not expecting her to be so angry about it.

"I was gonna come back for you after so got my stuff and it's not my fault he found out, we slept in one of his rooms, Lila, why are you blaming me?" he asked as as Lila rolled her eyes.

"I'm leaving." she said as she went to walk away as he stopped her again.

"I miss you." he said to her in a low voice, Lilas heart panged in her rib cage as he whispered the words to her, his body pressed against hers in a way of stopping her from walking away. Lila pulled back to look up at him.

"You don't miss me, you don't even know me." Lila shook her head up at him with a unreadable look on her face. She wanted to believe that, but even after her short time here in the OBX she believed Rafe Cameron knew the most about her.

"Yes I do, I know so much about you, Lila." he corrected her with frowned eyebrows.

"You know my body, not me. You know what gets me going and what I like but you don't know who I am. You have no clue where I come from or things i've done, you just know what you've seen. It's completely different." she said to him as he looked down at her, his blue eyes held so many questions and words Lila couldn't even began to understand.

"But I want to." he proceeded as Lila huffed.

"Where you a virgin, or something? Is that why you're getting so clingy?" Lila asked him, not meaning to put so much force in her words. She knew he wasn't, no way was he.

"What? No, no. I just like being around you, is that a fucking crime?." Rafe went on as Lilas eyes softened as she looked up at him. There it was, there was her soft spot for him coming out again.

"I like being around you too, but you can't keep hurting my friends. Pope didn't do anything wrong, and you hurt him. You hurt me, you can't do that stuff." Lila shook her head as he looked up at him, he nodded his head down at her.

"I know, I won't, i'm not gonna hurt you again, Lila." he said as he pulled her shoulders into him as he wrapped his arms around her in a hug, holding onto her for a second as Lila did the same around his waist, shutting her eyes until he pulled away.

"You gotta go though." he said as Lila looked up as him confused.

"Why? What do you have planned?" she asked with a half smile before she realized the serious look on his face, looking back at the place she was sitting moments before to seeJJ and Pope gone.

"Rafe, what the fuck?" Lila yelled at him, pushing him away from her as she hurried off.

"Lila, stay out of it." he called out as Lila ran toward Kie.

"Kie, Kie, where'd the boys go?" she asked in a rush as she squatted down to the girl.

"Same as you, to pee, what's wrong?" Kie asked as Lila stood to her feet, the girl fresh on her heels as they rounded the large movie screen. Lilas jaw fell as she saw Rafe punch JJ in his stomach, the soft and sweet side she experienced just a few seconds ago gone as he took his anger out of the boy.

"JJ!" Lila cried out in worry as she jogged over before Lila felt arms wrap around her to hold her back, Lila couldn't tell who it was, the three from before infront of her.

"Get off of me!" Lila yelled out, thrashing in the hold.

"Don't hurt her." Rafe said to whoever was holding Lila, a threatening look on his face as he didn't even offer her one look.

"Get off of him, Topper!" Kie yelled as she jumped on Toppers back to get him to leave Pope alone. Rafe took a stop from beating on JJ to pull the girl from the boys back, throwing her into the grass.

"Kie! Are you okay?" Pope called out as Lila thrashed in whoever's hold she was in once again.

"Come on man! Admit you did it! Admit you did it, bitch!" Topper yelled as he got Pope in a chock hold. Lila saw Kie rummaging through the backpack as Lila immediately got a ideas.

"Ow! You're hurting me!" Lila called out loudly, fake in her voice. But it caught Rafes attention like she was wanting it to as he looked over at the guy who was holding Lila, a scary expression on his face as he walked over toward the two.

"What did I tell you about her-" Rafe began as he got closer just as Lila threw her body weight against the boy who was holding her, giving her enough leverage to throw her legs in the air and kick Rafe in the face as he stumbled back. Lila elbowed the boy behind her, kicking him in the side as he fell to the ground. Kie used the lighter in JJs bag to light the screen on fire.

"Get off of him!" Kie demanded as Topper let go of Pope, backing away from the fire.

"Let go of him." Lila demanded as she pushed Kelce away from JJ, grabbing the blonde as he struggled to stand for a second, his face bleeding while leaning into her more. Lila looking over as her and Rafe made eye contact, his lip bleeding from where she kicked him. They both held weird expression, not angry but not soft either.

Rafe waiting for her to come with him, nodding her over. Lila stared at him for a second, Pope gasp for air as he coughed violently brought back back to reality as she pulled her eyes from Rafes, choosing her friends, choosing Pope, Kie, and JJ.

"Hey, hey, you okay? Come on, come on." Lila said, getting a arm around JJs waist as Pope and Kie followed after her.

••••••••
this was such a manipulating chapter from both rafe and lila omfg.
but lila being a complete badass right there at the end is what i'm living for.