TWO
god bless the blissfully ignorant.
Percy, Truman, and Uma looked between Billie and Rafe in surprise.
"North Carolina isn't actually that small is it?" Percy laughed and patted Rafe's back.
"No, but Kildare is," Rafe said and smirked, all the while not releasing his gaze off Billie. She couldn't move under his stare. Her throat was sandpaper.
"Don't tell me you're from the same place?" Percy exclaimed in awe. "I'm bringing old friends together, how quaint."
"Quaint," Billie repeated, finally able to break free from her trance. Yet she couldn't bring herself to laugh at the irony. Quaint. This all started to feel like a fever dream.
She looked at Rafe in defiance, who responded with an expression of amusement. A muscle feathered in his jaw. She noticed how he looked her up and down but couldn't decipher the look on his face.
"What are you doing here?" she finally asked, insinuating that this is her place, her friends. He only looked at her with interest. She didn't like the feeling that she was under observation, to be deciphered with every word she spoke.
"Rafe's company is prospecting father's firm to represent them. He's also my old friend from university. We studied business and law together at Columbia."
"You studied law?" Billie asked. She couldn't help herself. "That's... Interesting," she looked at Rafe with a narrowed gaze, words dripping with vicious judgment. She noticed how Rafe's nostrils flared and his jaw clenched. She smirked smugly, happy she got the reaction she wanted.
"This is interesting," Uma said slowly as her head flicked between them. "Uma Pollock," she stretched out her hand to Rafe who took it with a genuine smile, his expressions changing in a second. Psycho, Billie thought to herself and looked upon him with judgment.
"How about we get out of this joint?" Truman said after introductions had been made. "To the Sherwood Forest," he exclaimed extravagantly and walked towards the exit. Billie downed the rest of her drink and followed him, not taking another glance at Rafe. Words ran through her head. He can't touch me here, he can't get to me, this is my place, my friends, my life. He holds no power over me here. She didn't know he was watching her with confused interest. How can she be so poise, after everything she's been through? he thought, but shook the feeling of guilt away.
As they waited for the taxi, Uma came up to stand close to Billie.
"Rafe's coming too," Uma whispered through an excited smile.
"What?" Billie spat but couldn't say anything else before Rafe and Percy stepped out on the street.
They got two taxis to stop by the curb for them. Before Billie could do anything, her three friends jumped into the first taxi, Uma winking suggestively at her before disappearing inside the car. Oh, god, you have no idea, Uma bless you.
Billie felt Rafe brush past her to hold the car door open. He gestured for her to get in. She slid in the backseat without looking at him.
She looked out the window sourly after she told the driver where to go but felt her cheeks warm up as Rafe's knees bumped up against her own when he got in. Panic? Is this panic?
"Come on, Billie," he said and rolled his eyes. "You're just not gonna talk to me?"
"I have nothing to say to you, Rafe," she said concisely but hastily turned around to look at him. "No, I do, actually. Why are you here?"
ESTÁ A LER
Right Now | Rafe Cameron
FanficIt's been seven years. Is she naive to think he could have changed? It's been years since she left Kildare for New York - seven years since she called herself a pogue. So what happens when her past enemy arrives at the party? Has he really changed...
