ROUTLEDGE | rafe cameron

- • ELEVEN • -

I laid in the bed, staring up at the ceiling, reeling from the events that just took place, Rafe was in the bathroom cleaning himself up while I laid there, a huge blush on my face. He emerged a couple minutes later, laughing when I smirked at him, I had since put my clothes back on. "That was quite the intense afternoon." I teased, standing in front of him, "to say the least." He kissed me quickly, both of us jumping when we heard someone getting on the boat, "Sarah, live a little, no ones here." I slapped my hand over my mouth when I heard Topper, she still hadn't broken up with him. "Topper, I'm not in the mood." Rafe clenched his jaw, I took that as a sign to make our presence known. "Please, god let us leave first." I shouted, making Rafe laugh deeply, struggling to get the button of his shorts done. I raised an eyebrow at him, "Lizzie?" Sarah yelped, I could hear her rummaging around, Topper muttering a string of curse words, knowing that meant Rafe was here too. "Sometime today, Rafe." He finally got the button in place, pulling his shirt over his head. "Maybe don't go to the beach for a couple days." I mumbled, seeing scratches on his back, "damn, babe." He smirked, pushing his messy hair back, walking out the door. I followed behind him, draping my hair over my shoulder in an attempt to hide the marks he'd left along my skin. Sarah couldn't even look at us as we walked between them, Topper stared at the ceiling and Sarah to the floor. I shot her a look when she glanced up as we were leaving, she needs to break up with Topper, it's doing nothing but harm.

"That was awkward." I sighed, Rafe walking behind me on the dock, "just a tinge." He laughed under his breath, following me to my car. "I'll call you later, yeah?" He smiled, moving my hair to the side, scanning over my neck. "Yeah." I rolled my eyes, kissing him once more, he watched me get in the car, he looked like he was going to say something, but nothing came out. "Wait!" He called as I was about to shut the door, "do you want to go to midsummers with me?" He asked, my jaw dropped. Me at midsummers, not working? The thought was odd, "I don't have anything to wear." I pointed out, midsummers was only a couple weeks away, and the chances of me finding a dress that fit that occasion, and that fit me, in my budget were slim to none. "I'll buy it for you, please, I don't want to be forced to make small talk with a bunch of air heads all night." He begged, "that's the only reason you want me to go?" I remarked, he could've worded that a whole lot better. "No, of course not! I want to go with you, because I-" he stopped himself, I raised my eyebrows, feeling a knot in my stomach, spit it out Rafe, come on. "Because I really like you." He finished, his eyes showing regret for a moment, I frowned slightly, I know I complained just a few hours ago about him falling to quickly, but our afternoon festivities might have changed my mind. "Right, well I really like you too, Rafe. So I guess I'll go." I mumbled, showing my disappointment, "great." He smiled, stepping back as I shut the door, my car barely starting but, thankfully it did and I was on my way, trying to think of a million ways to tell my friends I was going to midsummers as a guest and not an employee.

Before I knew it I had driven myself to the thrift shop, determined to try and find a dress that I could fix up, I did have an old sewing machine back at the house, and I really didn't want to have Rafe buy me an overly priced dress for one night. So in I went, venturing around for an hour before I found something to work with, Kie had called me while I was in there, saying that her and JJ were at the chateau and neither John B or I were there. "Yeah, I'm at the thrift store, it's a long story, but I should be back soon, I don't know where Booker is." I sighed, pulling a black maxi dress of the rack, I held it up to my body, it should fit just right. I'll get some fabric from the craft store, and give it a new flowy skirt, it should come out good. "How long? This is the one time your brother locked the damn door, and I've really gotta pee." She whined, I heard JJ laugh in the background, "third floorboard from the door, there's a key taped underneath it." I told her with a giggle, hearing her rummaged around, shrieking in relief, "thank you!" The line went dead, I laughed to myself, heading to the checkout, wanting to buy the rest of my supplies and get this over with.

***

I walked up to the chateau, seeing John B's van outside, he must've gotten here just before me because it was still warm. I sighed, carrying my bags on my arms, Pope was in the hammock reading a book, he looked at the bags. "Making something?" He called, confusion in his tone, "you could say that." I responded, trudging up the steps, smiling at Kie who was laid out on the porch. "John B is in a mood, Sarah still hasn't broken up with Topper." She explained when I took in the annoyed expression on her face. "Oh believe me, I know." I scoffed, thinking back to our encounter a couple hours ago. She didn't ask, just grimaced at the thought as I walked inside. "What's up?" I asked making John B spin around to face me, "she still hasn't broken up with him, why?" He rambled following me to my room as I placed my stuff down on the bed. I sighed, turning to face him, "I don't know, she's probably just freaking out." I explained, knowing nothing I said would help, "about what?" He threw his hands up, he just didn't get it. "Topper is a kook, he's got power, ya know? She's probably afraid he'll ruin her reputation if she doesn't let him down easy." It was the only slightly reasonable thing I could think of. "What's all this?" He asked changing the subject, eyebrows knitting together was he pulled the embroidered fabric I had bought out of the bag. "Well, about that." I scratched the back of my head, fixing my hair before he could see my neck. "I'm going to midsummers with Rafe." I rushed my words out, his face fell, we had a tradition, me and him, we'd always go and help Pope and his dad cook the food, chatting with Kie when she got away from her parents. JJ was always working as a waiter, making a few bucks to hide away from his dad. And now I'm breaking all the rules. "Oh, okay. So you're making a dress?" He questioned, calmly, much to my surprise, I nodded slowly. "Uh yeah, Rafe offered to buy me one, but I don't want him to." I explained, pulling the stuff out of the bags, showing him what I planned on doing to it. "That'll be pretty, Rafe's lucky." John B sighed, pulling me in for an unexpected hug. "I'm sorry I've been so horrible to you. You don't deserve it, and I should've been supportive when you told me about Rafe, even if I hate him, you're not stupid, you wouldn't go out with him if he was bad to you." I frowned at his words, "Booker," I pushed him back slightly to see his face. "It's okay, you're on the right path now, you're doing better." I assured him, "and yes, he treats me good, great really." I paused, "I think I'm in love." I added and John B sighed, he knew it was coming. "You and me both." He mumbled, falling back onto my bed, "you love Sarah?" Kie asked from the doorway, shit. We both snapped our heads in her direction. I understood her frustration, it's not that she herself wanted John B to herself, it's that she didn't trust Sarah to not break my brothers heart.

"Kie!" John B called when she shook her head and stormed off, he went to follow her but I put my hand out, "let me." I sighed, following her out the door and down the dock. "Kie, talk to me." I mumbled, approaching her as she sat down, her feet hanging above the water. "She's going to ruin him, like she does everyone else." She snapped, not meaning to direct her anger towards me, "you can't think like that, you can't just assume she's going to hurt him. That's only hurting him more, he loves her." I whispered the last part, she didn't look away from the water. "She gets close to someone, then bolts, and I want him to be happy, you know that. But she's hurt me, and everyone else, I mean just look at what she's doing to Topper! Who's to say she won't do it to John B too!" She threw her hands up, annoyance dripping from her tone. I heard a pair of footsteps down the dock, I glanced back and saw Pope approaching, I shook my head and he turned back around, leaving us alone. "I know, Kie, I think about it too, but all we can do is be there for him if she hurts him." I explained softly, I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, letting her lean against me. "I hate that you're always right." She mumbled, splashing her toes against the water. "Me too." I answered truthfully, being right doesn't always mean it's a good thing. "But midsummers should be interesting, at least you'll be there too." I nudged her, knowing full well she had over heard our whole conversation. "Mmhm, we're gonna look good!" She smiled, her mood beginning to normalize once again.