Kook King

Say Something

RAFE'S POV

Rafe laughs, leaning back and nearly falling right out of the tall chair he's sitting in. Topper, who's sitting across from him beside Kelce, shouts at a waiter to nab his attention. When the waiter looks over, Topper holds up his empty glass. "Another one, please?"

"Keep em coming!" Kelce adds, and the guys laugh.

The waiter stares at Rafe and his friends like he's just caught a whiff of something bad. He rolls his eyes and walks away. Rafe looks around at all of the other employees dressed in their uniforms, but he doesn't see the one he's really looking for, and it fills him with anxiety. He takes another large gulp of his mai tai, finishing it. Topper and Kelce cheer him on, vowing to buy him as many more as he wants.

Ever since their break up, Topper and Kelce have been by Rafe's side, dragging him to parties, getting him drunk and annoying the employees and other rich, older kooks at the Country Club, and whacking golf balls into the abyss. They're estactic that Y/N and Rafe aren't together anymore, Topper saying, "She's a pogue, man. It wasn't meant to last." Rafe is positive he's the only one between him and Y/N who is really suffering. He hasn't seen her since she passed out from pain pills at Barry's. He thought by taking her home and taking care of her, she would somehow... change her mind. Fall back in love.

But how could she? She's right to hate Rafe. He cheated on her with some girl whose name he doesn't even remember. He probably wouldn't even be able to pick her out of a line up because he was so fucked up that night. Even Rafe hates himself for what he did. At the same time, though, doesn't Y/N know that? Doesn't she know that Rafe would never hurt her on purpose? That he loves her? It's not like she's checked in on him at all since she fled his house after he took care of her. It's like everything he did doesn't matter. Maybe it never did.

And now that he sees JJ isn't here, he can't help but wonder if they're together. An image of JJ's hands running up Y/N's sides make his head spin and his hands curl into fists. When the waiter comes back with three more mai tai's, Topper holds up his glass. "Cheers, man." His eyes are glassy and his words are slurred. Kelce and Rafe hold their glasses up, waiting for Topper's toast. "A toast to kooks! Because nobody likes a pogue."

Normally, Rafe would call Topper out on a comment like that because he knows the "pogue" insult is really about Y/N, but now, Rafe clinks his glass against theirs and chugs his drink within seconds. Topper and Kelce egg him on. "Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!" while they bang their fists against the table.

Other kooks dining at the Country Club turn to glare at the drunken, obnoxious boys. Rafe pushes off the table, wobbly and swaying on his feet. His friends furrow their brows at him. "Where you going, man?" Kelce asks.

Rafe feels around in his pockets for his keys. "I gotta go," he says. There's only one place on his drunken mind. He figures if Y/N won't come to him, he'll go to her. He's sure that if she sees how disheveled and heartbroken he is, maybe she'll forgive him. Maybe he can beg her to start over. There's just no way Rafe can lose her.

Topper and Kelce chase after Rafe as he zig-zags out of the Country Club doors, towards his car. He's slow to hit the unlock button. The car beeps and flashes. "Hey, Rafe! What the hell are you doing?" Topper shouts from the steps.

Rafe waves a hand at them, still walking away. He climbs into the driver's seat, shuts the door, and buckles himself in. It takes him a few tries to get the key in the ignition, and as it rumbles to life, Topper comes up to Rafe's open window. "Man, where are you going?"

"I have to talk to her," Rafe grumbles, shifting gears.

Topper places a hand on Rafe's wrist. "You are wasted, dude. And it's over. You fucked up, Rafe, but you did it the right way." He winks, which makes Rafe's jaw clench. He doesn't say anything, just crawls out of there. Topper throws his arms up at him like Rafe is completely helpless. In return, Rafe flips him off as he speeds down the road, swerving to miss a mailbox.

As he drives, his mind wanders to a million different scenarios he could walk in on when he arrives at Y/N's front door. JJ pops up again right away. His hands on her body over her dress. His hands sliding down under her dress and feeling her bare skin. He wasn't working at the Country Club, so he could be at Y/N's. Rafe shifts in his seat, glancing through the rearview mirror as his foot presses slightly more down on the gas pedal. He keeps an eye out for the cops, knowing Shoupe will certainly be on his ass if he catches Rafe swerving.

He nearly takes out a fire hydrant before he screeches to a messy stop in Y/N's driveway. He pushes the car door open, almost falling to the ground as he gets out. The world is dizzy and doesn't stop moving as he wobbles up her front steps and knocks on the door. He waits for twenty seconds then shouts, "Y/N!"

Still nothing. Rafe starts to worry more. If she's not home, where the hell is she? He shouts again then reaches into his pocket for his phone. He doesn't even know how to get to her name and then, just like that, the door swings open in front of him. He looks up and there she is.

"Rafe?"

"Y/N," he whispers. He's so relieved to see her, he breaks into a smile and nearly loses his balance on the step. She looks beautiful as always, dressed in a tight, white crop top and flowy black pants. Her hair is straight with sunglasses on top of her head. Rafe feels his knees weaken at the sight of her.

Her brow furrows. "You reek. Have you been drinking?"

"Yeah. I have been," he admits.

"Rafe..." There's a pained look on her face. "What are you doing here?"

He hangs his head. Everything that he's wanted to say in the last two weeks since they broke up comes bubbling up. All Rafe knows is that he can't walk away without letting Y/N know exactly how he feels. His words blend together as he speaks. "I need to tell you... I just really need you to know that I love you. I'm still... in love with you and... I can't- I can't do this without you. I just..." He shakes his head. None of it is coming out right. His vision blurs with tears as he tries to blink them away. Around anyone else, he would never be this vulnerable, but he can't help it around Y/N.

Y/N stands there with a frown on her face and her arms crossed over her chest. Then she takes a deep breath and steps back with her hand on the door. For a moment, Rafe raises his head thinking she's going to let him in, but instead, she doesn't even look at him as the door slams shut right in his face. Rafe's shoulders cave in as he just stands there. He knows that's his cue to leave, but he can't, he can't, he can't. His forehead falls against the door. "Y/N..." he groans. His eyes fill with tears. A sob emits from his throat. "Please."

It stays silent. Still, Rafe doesn't move. He's too drunk to stand for so long so he takes a seat on Y/N's top step. The sun beats down on him, but he closes his eyes and takes it. He'd wait there all night if he had to.