OUTERBANKS SEASON4

Chapter 7: Part 1: Should I Stay

Ki's nostrils flare at him with anger- she follows him up the path to the house- close behind him- her glare intensified. He softly chuckles at something her mum says- confusing Ki... how had their conversation possibly changed so dramatically- her mum had practically been scolding them less than a few seconds ago- and then she'd had the audacity to ask 'Rafe' if she'd been knocked up?- and now she was so polite with him over the phone..?

Rafe puts one bag down, phone still to his ear, searching one pocket. "Well- Kiara is fine- yeah. She's probably just drained and tired- but we're here- and she'll be alright-" he bends to grab his key from his bag when his long shirt rides up- reveals a gun secured to his back... snugged under his belt... Ki freezes- eyes glued on it.

"Nah- no- it's ok, I'll make sure she gets enough sleep- yeah... before her trip- no honestly- it's fine- yeah- no need. Ok- yeah I'll let her know- ok- bye- yep." he says as he unlocks the door and hangs up. He opens the door and turns- stumped to see Ki watching him strangely- gazing at him with wide eyes.. He takes a step back.

"You ok?" he questions, raising a brow at her, passing her phone back. She takes it, sliding it into the back pocket of her jean shorts.

She has to put on a veneer- try to appear like she's un-affected by what she just saw- trying to appear like her head wasn't still splitting with the image of his gun in her mind- how shock consumed her- confounding her- making it hard for her to think- making her head a little dizzy too... she'd need to come up with a plan to get her hands on that gun and somehow discard it... she wasn't going to take the chance he could potentially use it to hurt her friends... she especially knows he wouldn't hesitate to pull it on JJ... her heart pounded away in her chest... she needed to come up with a plan.

But for now she couldn't let those thoughts affect her- she just needed to divert her thoughts... maybe create some new ones she could focus on?- that way he couldn't catch on... until she found a way to possibly talk to him about it.

She cracks him a half nervous smile, playing with her hands.

"Yeah- I'm good... not exactly happy you wouldn't let me have my phone back but.. also wondering how you actually managed to get my mum to listen? She's always practically breathing down my neck all the damn time- it's like I can't breathe- it drives me insane."

He snorts, bobs his head into a nod- licking his lips with a small smile- and turns, carrying his bags in.

"No- she was furious." he corrects her. Ki follows him closely behind into a spacious hallway. "That is- until I said I'd get you back home- and then she changed..." He loses track of his words as he turns and finds himself gazing at her closer than he'd expected- realizing how close she actually stands.

He watches her, taken back how eager- large- her brown eyes gleamer as they wander around the house, taking in the architecture... it had a bit of a traditional touch that she hadn't expected. Her eyes come back to him- finding him standing a couple of inches away- staring at her closely- eyes searching and flickering over hers tentatively.

"W-well- you know you shouldn't have done that."

He clears his throat, and pries his eyes away.

"What?"

"'I'll get her on a fight back home tomorrow'" she imitates him- "-that."

"Your mum was freaked out of her mind.. worried about you- Ki-" his reply more stern, and he took a step back.

"I know- and evidently you haven't learnt that I've managed to take care of myself all these years- keeping them at bay... I have adapted well- Rafe... and I can manage them all on my own- thanks-"