rafe grabbed meilanis hand and squeezed it tightly. "look we're gonna be okay, alright? they all completed their tasks" he looked into the girls eyes that sparked fear.

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they arrived at the entrance for the hawks nest. rafe was still holding the girls hand as he ran quickly. he was yanked back.

rafe turned around to see meilani, stopped dead in her tracks, tears filling her eyes. "what if this is it rafe? we didn't say a proper goodbye. wh-what if one of them didn't do their task correctly?" she was trembling.

the boy walked back towards her. he lifted her chin. "if this is it, we did what we could. if this is it, then maybe it's supposed to be. i've got you alright?" meilani took a deep breath in. she felt a fire light in her belly, she had to do this. if she died, she'd be content with it. she had the best group of friends, the best boyfriend, and even if her family were broken, she still loved them.

finally she took one look back at the ocean and took off running towards the hawks nest with rafe again.

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they arrived at the steps. meilani looked up the whole way there, trying to spot a figure but there was nothing. rafe was shaking but trying to put it on that he was fine, for the girl.

she took several breaths in and out before the pair eventually braved the final walk.

the both looked at eachother and nodded, tears in their eyes, the fear of the unknown ahead of them. that was meilanis downfall, her fear of the unknown. when she was little it freaked her out more than ever.

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after what seemed like hours, the pair reached the top, both still linking hands. it wasn't a romantic thing but more so a reassurance thing. "we've got this okay? this is some fucked up shit lani, but we're gonna be all good and soon we're going to be back with our friends" rafe smiled through the pain.

"not friends" meilani looked at the boy, "family."

they stood at the railings, which was still covered by caution tape from john bs fall last summer. the wind picked up and there was thunder rumbling. meilani felt more anxious than she'd ever felt in her whole life. her heart was beating out of her chest as she struggled to breath. rafe was consumed by thoughts and reflection from everything that had ever happened in his life.

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it began to rain and all of a sudden they heard faint footsteps coming up the steps. rafe grabbed the girls hand again. eventually, a single figure appeared directly in front of them. they couldn't make out who it was because they were dressed in fully black and it was dark up there.

"wh-who are you?!" was all rafe could yell over the wind. there was no response. "please! we did everything you asked of us, what do you want from us?!" meilani shouted, heavy rain pelting her in the face.

the masked figure began to walk forward so they were positioned right in the faces of the pair. it reached for its hood. they pulled it down swiftly and tore off the mask.

rafe and meilani were in shock. "topper!" the shaken up girl screamed. he had a look of pure rage on his face. "don't act so surprised haywood! of course it's me!" anger laced his voice.

"chill out top okay? if you're going to kill anyone just kill me!" rafe was getting heated. "rafe shut up, what happened to we're in this together?" topper began to laugh, it was like he had no emotion left in his body. "this is sweet guys" he smirked. topper reached into his pocket and pulled a sharp and large kitchen knife out.

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"you don't have to do this topper! i know you're damaged but we all are! we can help you, just put the knife away" meilani yelled, tears streaming down her face, although it wouldn't be noticeable as she was drowned from the rain already. "cut the shit meilani! nothing can talk me out of this alright? if i'm going down then you two are coming with me! you guys are part of my problem so you deserve it!" he showed no remorse.

rafe began to walk towards topper. "hey back up bro, you don't want a knife to the neck." rafe ignored the broken boys instructions and proceeded to get up into his face. "rafe stop, you don't know what he's capable of!" the frail girl shouted, causing her vocal chords to strain.

rafe looked topper in the eyes. "topper, you've been through piles of shit, and we understand that. i was your boy before and at a point you got on with lani and liked her. i was fixable and so are you. do you really think murdering me and this girl is your best plan? and do you think sacrificing yourself along with us is a good idea? you can get help top, this isn't your only option." topper looked at the boy in disgust. "we don't want you to die topper, to be honest none of us here want to. you can get better, trust me."

meilani examined the two boys. topper looked as if he couldn't see rafe and was looking straight through him. he was caught up in his own shit that whatever rafe was saying, he was disregarding it. rafe was trying terribly hard to save his former best friend, and aswell as that, save himself and the girl.

suddenly, a huge commotion occurred. topper slipped out of rafes grip in sheer rage and grabbed meilani. he grabbed her arm, and ripped right through the caution tape, falling off of the hawks nest, taking the small girl with him.

her life flashed before her eyes as she was falling. she thought of jj, then john b, kiara, pope and sarah. she thought of her brother and father, they had their differences but she loved them nonetheless. finally she saw her mother, her face looking at her in fear.

she looked up and could make out rafe looking over the edge, then the world went black.

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rafe screamed.