Olivia found herself sitting alone on the side of the beach, surrounded by crowds of people. They chatted and laughed in groups. She had socialised to the point of exhaustion and had lost all interest in her usual nightly hookup. She didn't want to admit it, but JJ's words had stung. The phrase "cheap whore" replayed in her mind, and she scoffed at the very thought of those words coming from him. She had once believed that JJ would be the last person to call her that.
In that moment, all Olivia wanted was a conversation with JJ. However, this time, JJ was the source of her sadness, and she couldn't turn to him to make it better. Despite being surrounded by so many people she knew and loved, a deep sense of loneliness consumed her. Her heart ached with emptiness, and she longed for JJ, even though he was the one who had left her feeling this way.
The girl's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the infuriating sound of Rafe Cameron. "Hey, Liv, what's up?" Rafe spoke in a mocking tone, his signature, sickening smirk plastered across his face as he approached her.
"Rafe, please, just fuck off. The idea of interacting with you right now is beyond revolting," Olivia snapped, her irritation clear in her tone. As the words left her lips, she noticed JJ with the touron he had been talking to earlier, sticking his tongue down her throat in full view. Liv watched with a mix of jealousy and longing as his hands were entwined in the girl's hair.
"Actually, no, Rafe, stay," she said, her fake smile masking her true emotions. She took a moment to glance at JJ, whose lips appeared firmly attached to the blonde touron, now seated on his lap.
Rafe leaned in, his voice a sinister whisper in Olivia's ear. "I want to do more than chat, Olivia." The mere sound of his voice sent shivers down her spine, and she struggled to suppress her revulsion. She knew exactly how to get under JJ's skin, and if anything could stoke his jealousy, it was this.
Seduction was Olivia's forte, and she moved into Rafe's personal space with a calculated look of desire in her eyes. She gave him a lustful glance, and his eyes locked onto hers as he leaned in, going in for a rough, unpleasant kiss. Olivia maintained the delicate balance of disgust and determination, allowing Rafe to take control, knowing that this would undoubtedly get JJ's attention.
Rafe moved in even closer, his lips grazing against Olivia's neck. It was a gesture that would have typically sent her head spinning, but now it made her feel sick to her stomach. She forced out a soft moan, feigning encouragement to keep up the charade. His kisses grew rougher and more unpleasant, and his hand slid around her waist, forcibly pulling her closer to his body. Olivia continued to play her part, all the while hoping that JJ was watching.
Olivia's breath quickened, her heart pounding in an irregular rhythm, racing as Rafe's hand began to snake its way toward her body, deftly searching for the seam of her dress.
She tried to maintain her composure, reminding herself that she had been in similar situations with men before. However, the fact that it was happening with Rafe made her question her own actions. She knew she needed to keep up the act a little longer, all in an effort to capture JJ's attention.
As Rafe's hand smoothly lifted the hem of her short dress, exposing more of her body, Olivia felt a flood of memories rush through her mind. The recollections were vivid and painful, waking to the sound of breaking glass, his hands tightening around her throat, the sound of her own desperate cries begging him to stop, and the stinging sensation of his backhand across her face. It wasn't difficult for her to recall the horrors of that night.
Her breath hitched, and she abruptly snapped back to reality, despite the haze of alcohol still clouding her senses. The memories had temporarily jolted her out of her charade with Rafe.
She wanted nothing more than to make JJ jealous but had no real interest in Rafe in the slightest, so without hesitation, Olivia pushed Rafe off her body, causing him to stagger backward. His face contorted with anger, and his narrowed eyes revealed his frustration.
Rafe moved closer to her again. He forcefully grabbed her waist and began sucking on her skin, leaving marks with his lips as Olivia struggled in his grasp.
"Rafe, no, Rafe, stop," Olivia mumbled, her voice trembling as she attempted to free herself from his tight grip. He was strong, and no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't seem to get away.
"Don't pretend you don't want it, Olivia. I know exactly what you are," he sneered, his words sending a chill down her spine. She felt a sob catch in her throat, the fear of the situation overwhelming her.
"Get off of me!" Olivia screeched, her cries cutting through the chaos of the beach party. Her desperate plea caught the attention of JJ, who swiftly rushed over to where they were.
In a violent motion, Rafe pushed Olivia away and raised a clenched fist, his anger apparent. Olivia stumbled back into JJ's chest as he instinctively wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Without hesitation, he gently pushed her behind him.
"Okay, go back to being JJ's bitch, Olivia." Rafe screamed louder than necessary. The girl placed a hand on JJ's shoulders and could feel his rage boiling up. Burning rage hissing through his body like deathly poison.
"Okay, go back to being JJ's bitch, Olivia!" Rafe screamed, his words filled with venom. Olivia placed a hand on JJ's shoulder, noticing his anger.
The girls eyes narrowed as Rafe continued to taunt JJ and she snaked her arms around his waist from behind "Come on, JJ I wanna go home." She mumbled, trying and failing to calm the boy down. He softened to her touch before tensing and pushing her away from him.
"Go on, listen to the skank," Rafe provoked further, taunting JJ relentlessly.
"What?" JJ questioned, his voice trembling with anger. Olivia sighed, there was no way either of them were walking away without a fight.
A cruel sneer twisted Rafe's face as he leaned in closer, his eyes locked onto JJ's. "I said, listen to your little whore," he repeated, each word laced with taunt and provocation.
With that, JJ's hands clenched into fists, and he swung, his fist connecting with the front of Rafe's nose. Blood spattered as Rafe was thrown backward from the force, stumbling over a log. With just one punch, JJ had brought Rafe to the ground, whining in pain
JJ huffed with anger and turned on his heel, walking away from the volatile situation and ignoring Olivia's shouts as she followed closely behind him.
"JJ, JJ, I'm sorry, wait," Olivia called out, catching up to him and grabbing onto his arm, forcing him to face her. "I'm sorry. I drank too much. I didn't mean what I said." Her expression was sincere, and JJ's face was unreadable.
"Rafe? Seriously? Out of anyone you could've found to piss me off, you chose Rafe fucking Cameron?" His disbelief was evident in his tone.
"I know. I just knew that he would get under your skin," Olivia admitted, her voice low and filled with vulnerability. "I saw you with that girl, and I just felt like I needed to make you feel the same way I did."
"Okay well I am sorry for what I said to you. But you're manipulative Olivia. I kissed that girl to piss you off too." JJ sighed, his anger and frustration subsiding somewhat. He looked at Olivia, his expression less heated but still filled with a complex mix of emotions.
"We're both just screwing with each other, Liv," he said, his voice softer. "And it's not helping anyone, especially not us. Maybe we should just take a step back for a bit." He reached out and stroked her hair, his touch gentle despite the tension that still hung in the air.
"Step back?" she muttered with a scoff. "When have we ever moved forward?"
"I'm tired of this never-ending cycle," he admitted, his tone carrying a sense of frustration. "It's time for it to end." JJ continued, his voice steadier now as he looked into Olivia's eyes with a sense of determination. "We can't keep doing this to ourselves, Liv. We're just hurting each other more and more. It's not healthy."
Olivia nodded, her earlier defensiveness giving way to a more contemplative expression. She understood the truth in his words.
"So, what do we do now?" she asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty.