His Silver Lining x RAFE CAMERON

11 ☁ A breath of fresh air

The sky proceeded to rain heavily as the sun fell below the Horizon. Night hadn't yet fallen but dusk was quickly approaching as the pair wandered down the beach.

"Tell me something about you, Rafe," Mira said.

"Like what?"

"Hmmm... favourite colour?"

"Really? I thought we were past those useless questions."

Mira shot him a look.  "That green you're wearing," he said.

"Sage green?"

"Yeah, sage green," Rafe said.

"Why?"

"Because it's almost see through now that it's wet." He smirked, earning a rather hard punch in the arm.

"Guess mine," Mira said.

"Pink."

"Yes. And red and orange and yellow and green and blue and purple," she listed.

"All of them?" he asked.

"Yeah, all of them."

Rafe nodded. Silence fell between them. 

"What makes you angry, Rafe?"

"What? Topper, he just-"

"No, I mean in general. You have all of this anger in you. Is that the reason for the drugs?" she asked.

"Shit, okay," he laughed nervously, feeling put on the spot.

"You don't have to say," Mira said, regretting her words.

Rafe paused and broke eye contact. "My whole life, I've never been enough for my Dad. When I was old enough to actually comprehend that, I didn't have an outlet for how I felt, I guess. I still don't know how I feel. It fucks me up."

Mira sat silently, listening to the boy.

"I've been clean since the night of the bonfire," he said quietly.

"What made you?"

"I ran out," he said. Before Mira could look disappointed, he added, 'and you."

Mira smiled softly until she let out a small sigh, placing her phone against a washed-up log. 

"What are you doing?"

"We're going to dance in the rain," she said, tossing her hands up in the sky, spinning in a small circle as little water droplets decorated her face.

"I can't dance," Rafe groaned, tossing his head backwards as she took his hand in hers, pulling him closer towards her. 

"Yes, you can. Swallow your pride. Go with the music," she said in a goofy voice.

"You're so weird, Keller."

She guided his hands to her waist and wrapped her own around his neck and tried to pull him into her rhythm. 

"Okay, yeah. You can't dance," she giggled into his shoulder. "Here."

She took his hands again, their fingers interlocking. She'd pull him in and out in time with the music, feeling the boy slowly release his tension.

He lifted her hand above his head and twirled her gently, pulling her back into his grip, interlocking his fingers with hers. Her hand fell on his chest, and his chin shadowed over her forehead. When the chorus filled the air, Rafe locked eyes with the girl he held and began to sing lyrics. 

"Oh god, no. It's painful," Mira teased as the boy's words grew louder. 

"Sing, I know you want to."

She rolled her eyes and joined him, belting lyrics out to one another, their eyes remaining locked, completely captivated by the moment. 

Rafe spun her again, this time she landed with her back thrown against his torso, his head perfectly fulling to the crevice of her neck. He could feel her wet hair pressed against his skin, her beach blonde highlights blending to a warm brown. Mira broke away from him and the two pranced around each other, their laughter spiralling to the sky as they spun through the darkness setting in.

At that moment, standing there in the rain, the both of them were subconsciously sure that they were filled with more warmth and protection than their raincoats and roofs ever could provide them with.

As the song finished, Rafe heaved the girl into his chest. 

"You were right. You can't dance, and you definitely can't sing," she teased.

"Take it back," he said, smiling softly.

"No." Mira giggled louder until her laugh turned to a small squeal as he slid his hand up her back, lifting her dress up slightly. She fell backwards as he dipped her, playfully threatening the girl. 

"Take it back," he grinned.

She shook her head. "I won't."

Suddenly, Rafe tossed Mira over his shoulder, sprinting into the waves lapping the sand. Mira squealed and wrapped herself around Rafe, who plunged himself into the water.

The pair stood waist-deep in the water. 

"You're like a breath of fresh air sometimes, Keller. I just want to breathe you in," he yelled, trying to speak over the sound of the waves provoked by raging weather.

Mira only smiled and shook her head. 

"What is it?" he asked.

"A few days ago, I would never have expected to relate to a word that fell out of your mouth." She yelled, traipsing through the water to get closer to the boy. "But that? I can relate to that. You're fresh air to me too, Cameron."

"You can't resist my charm. I knew it." 

"You know nothing. Never in a-"

"-a million years would I fall for you," Rafe quoted. 

"But it would only take a day," Mira said, finishing his words. 

And when she got home, Mira fell onto her bed smiling like an idiot, knowing very well that it had only taken a day.