𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 / 𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻

flashback four

Part one: Rafe

Late September, 2018

The sun beat down on them, bringing an unbearable heat to the coast of North Carolina. Rafe and Dorian were walking the beach this afternoon, surf boards tucked under their arms and sand sticking to their damp feet.

They'd just emerged from the water, and with the waves growing choppier by the minute the surfing conditions were not ideal. Though it didn't look promising, the two still held out hope as the traveled up the shore.

Salty air blew past them, and began to dry their wet hair. They chatted lightly, eyes flickering from one and other to the sea. But Rafe's attention was tugged with curiosity when Dorian cut himself off mid sentence. Rafe followed his friends gaze, noticing that his sight had veered off into the distance.

It didn't take him long to catch sight just down the shore, walking in their direction, was Valerie and a man Rafe did not recognize.

And he noticed quite a lot. How they laughed together, throwing their heads back. How she smiled widely, how she looked so happy. How they stood just a little too close to one and other.

How his attention could not be pried from them, but they had yet to even notice Rafe or Dorian walking towards them.

They seemed so absorbed in each other, in whatever conversation they were having, they'd barely had time to even notice what was a few feet down the shore from them.

He'd snapped his head towards Dorian, asking, "Who the fuck is she with?"

Dorian narrowed his eyes with a sly and knowing smirk twisting at his lips. He wondered why Rafe cared, though Rafe had the same question himself. But when he had first saw them walking beside each other, he felt an unexplainable spike of anger and he needed to know who she was with.

"Since when do you care what she does anymore?"

"I don't." He replies dryly.

Dorian rolls his eyes, deciding there's no point in arguing with Rafe or questioning his logic, even though frankly it made no sense. "JJ Maybank." He says eventually.

He knew that unless him and Dorian changed directions soon, they were bound to run into each other. The two pairs drew closer to one and other and Rafe made no motions to stop, even though he knew he should have. A part of him was now intrigued, and he knew that this could be amusing.

"A pogue." Rafe says aloud, playing with the words.

He clears his throat. "Yeah, uh, from Kie's group." Dorian hesitates momentarily, but seconds later his arm reaches froward to catch Rafes elbow in his hand.

Rafes head snaps over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of his friend, slight annoyance captivating his features as they both come to an abrupt halt. Rafe narrows his eyes and suddenly his pulse is raging, because they are seconds away from crossing paths with Valerie and Maybank, and Dorian is distracting him.

"What?" He says hurriedly.

Dorian presses his lips together, letting careless seconds slip by. "Look, man, just don't start anything, alright?"

Rafe rolls his eyes, snatching his arm free from Dorians grasp. "I won't."

He says this, but a part of him knows it's a lie. He wonders if Dorian can tell he's lying too.

It's been almost four months since he'd last talked to Valerie, and even though he was the one who had pushed her away, there's an undeniable part of him that craves to speak to her – no, incorrect.