ROUTLEDGE | rafe cameron

- • TWELVE • -

"What?" I asked Rafe as he kept looking at me, we were on the beach, my friends surfing, his friends playing volleyball, and us both in the middle unsure on what to do. "I didn't say anything." He defended, I raised my eyebrows, "tell that to your face." I remarked making his jaw drop, "wow babe." He shook his head, "I'm hurt." He fake pouted. I laughed, reaching up and running my thumb underneath his bottom lip, he smiled at the contact, "midsummers is tomorrow, are you sure you don't want me to take you to get a dress?" He mumbled, I had told him I found something to wear. "Baby, I'm sure." I whispered, pushing myself up to kiss his small pout. "I love when you call me baby." He sighed, kissing my forehead before his friends started calling him, my heart skipped a beat when he started with I love, but then of course it wasn't the words I was waiting for. "Go, I'll see you tomorrow, I'll come with Kie alright?" I offered, he nodded, biting his lip like he was going to say something but he didn't. "Alright." He sighed walking away, I frowned at the back of his head, wishing he had said the words. He glanced back, but continued walking, I smiled and went off to my friends. A small frown on my face. "If you love him why don't you say it?" Pope retorted, catching me off guard as he approached with his surf board in hand. "I don't know." I shrugged honestly, "maybe I'll tell him tomorrow." I added, laying on my towel, slipping my swimsuit straps off so I don't get tan lines. "At midsummers, fancy." Pope laughed, laying beside me, "I'm sorry I won't be there to help." I sighed, rolling my head to the side to face him. "It's okay, you deserve to have fun, you've been through enough." He assured me, "besides, I'm forcing John B to come, plus someone needs to make sure he doesn't go and blow up at Sarah and Topper." I grimaced at his words, I hadn't even thought of that. Sarah and Topper were going together, this was like an announcement to the kook community that they were dating, I can see how John B would be angry. "Yeah, I'll help keep an eye on him." I muttered, closing my eyes as the sun started shining directly in my eyes.

***

I smiled at Kie's mom as she popped in to check on us, we were getting ready for the party, Kie was only remotely happy to go since I would be there. "Almost ready?" She asked, walking in to help Kie situate the flower band around her head. I was smoothing my dress out, smiling in the mirror, we both looked pretty, and happy it was beginning to become a rare sight. "I'm ready." I muttered, letting my hair out of the bun I had it in, my hair falling in big waves around my face. "Oh honey, you look so pretty, your dad would be so proud." Kie's mom cupped my face, admiring me for a moment, I smiled, "thank you." I whispered, blinking the tears away. Kie scolded her mom, ushering her out of the room, "we'll be down in a minute." She assured her, shutting the door as soon as she could. "You okay?" Kie asked approaching me, I nodded not trusting my voice to say any words. "I'm fine, I just want to see Rafe." I mumbled sheepishly, she rolled her eyes but understood, "let's go then!" She grinned pulling me along, both of us stumbling in our heels that we're definitely not used to wearing.

Kie and I walked in behind her parents, feeling out of place under the gaze of the richest people on the island, but we shrugged it off, going to find our friends. Rafe had texted me and told me he was outside with Topper and Kelce, so that's where we headed, also knowing that Pope would be out there with his dad. Kie pointed to the right of me and I saw Rafe facing away from me, I gave her a quick goodbye, telling her I'd be down to see her and Pope soon. I approached Rafe and his friends, my heels clicked against the decking of the patio, but it blended in with the sound of the music and other women walking all around, so when I got closer and Kelce saw me, shooting me a wave, Rafe glanced back surprised to see me approaching. He met me halfway, putting some distance between me and his friends, "you look beautiful!" He gasped, twirling me around, I grabbed his hand, laughing at his show of affection. "Thank you." I kissed him softly, "you look pretty dapper yourself." I complimented, adjusting the bow tie around his neck, it was just the littlest bit crooked. "You really made this?" He asked, stepping back to look at me dress, I nodded a small blush arising to my cheeks, "the skirt." I clarified, he nodded. "A girl of many talents, first you speak Italian, now you make dresses, what's next?" He teased grabbing my hand and walking over to his friends, I made small talk with them, over hearing Topper complain about Sarah. Rafe and I shared a look but didn't say anything, both of us being in awkward situations with our siblings.

After a while I excused myself, kissing Rafe on the cheek, telling him I was going to see Pope and Kie, but that he had to dance with me when I returned. He didn't hesitate to oblige, making his friends laugh, saying he's whipped. "I am, so what?" He retorted to them as I walked off, feeling him look back at me once. I made my way through the crowd awkwardly, accidentally bumping into a couple of people. "Hey, J." I smiled at the blonde boy who was carrying a tray of empty whiskey glasses, he looked me over, "who are you and what have you done to Lizzie?" He joked, I laughed lightly allowing him to go back to work. I spotted my brothers familiar mop of hair through the crowd, finally reaching them. "Hey guys." I smiled, making my presence known, Pope gave me a compliment and a hello and John B just nodded, his eyes targeting Sarah in the crowd. "Earth to Booker!" I snapped my fingers in front of his face, "listen, maybe you need to have a talk with her, because I heard Topper talking and he's still under the impression that she's with him." I sighed, needing to get this off my chest, "then I'm going now." He muttered, stomping his way towards her before I could stop him, I quickly looked around for Rafe and the other boys, they were still where I had left them. Shit, Topper spotted John B approaching Sarah, I fought my way through the crowd, trying to reach them before Topper could. But I failed as someone hooked my arm with theirs, "Lizzie? No way!" I froze at the familiar voice, Landon. I turned yanking my arm from his grip, "what are you doing here?" I snapped, barely looking towards him, "I'm working, clearly." I glanced and saw him in the very similar waiters outfit that JJ had been wearing. "Topper, stop!" I heard Sarah snap, no doubt causing a scene in the middle of the dance floor. "I don't have time for this." I mumbled, pushing my way through the crowd.

"What's going on?" I asked reaching the three of them, "tell your brother to leave her alone, she clearly doesn't want him here." My temper spiked at Topper's words, "Sarah." I mumbled, shooting her a look, now or never. She looked to John B and back to Topper, shaking her head, is she serious right now? "Topper, leave him alone." Sarah spoke up, relief flooded through me when she moved to be standing beside John B. Rafe approached us, unsure if a fight was going to break out. "Do you love him?" Topper asked, she didn't say anything, he stomped his foot, "I said, do you love him?" He snapped. Rafe stepped forward, keeping the distance between the two boys. "Yes, I love him." Sarah mumbled, John B's face lit up like a tree on Christmas. "Fuck." Topper muttered, running a hand through his hair, turning to walk away, anger coursing through his veins. "I think you two should leave." I spoke to them, not wanting everyone to continue staring any longer, they didn't hesitate to run off, leaving Rafe and I here to blend into the crowd once again. "Still saving me that dance?" I asked, holding a hand out for him, he raised a brow to me. "Of course." He answered, grabbing my hand and pulling me to a more open space, moving his hands to rest on my hips, mine wrapping around the back of his neck. We swayed to the music, smiling and mumbling sweet nothings to each other. "Lizzie?" He said after a while, I looked up to meet his eyes, I hummed in response, "I love you." A giant smile broke out on my face, I pulled him down to kiss me, "I love you too." I mumbled, my lips ghosting over his. "What took you so long?" I added making him laugh under his breath, pulling me into his chest. "I don't know." He answered truthfully, happiness radiating off of us both for the rest of the night.