#Chapter 21 – Glued to her Side

I stare wide-eyed at my brother, waiting for him to react. But Rafe just…stares at me, his face ghostly-white, until I start to get seriously worried. “Rafe,” I murmur, leaning forward a little, starting to reach out a hand to touch him. “What the fuck Ariel,” Rafe whispers, so fast that the words all bleed together into one, so low that I can barely hear him. But the sentiment…is perfectly clear. “Well it’s not like I asked for it,” I say, spreading my hands out, my eyebrows going up. “I didn’t do anything, Rafe!” “We’re getting you out of here,” he says, his head snapping back towards the barracks, coming back to himself now and – just like dad – immediately springing into action. “We’re calling mom – this is over –“ “What!?” I gasp, and then I dart forward, smacking him as hard as I can on the arm, “Rafe! No!” He turns his head to me and growls, ready to retort, but I hit him again, which makes him pause. “Rafe! You are not taking this from me just because that idiot doesn’t