goodnight n go | Rafe Cameron

Twenty Seven

With my grandparents being on their cruise we hadn't really been able to get in contact with them so I wasn't sure if they were gonna be coming home early. I don't want them to. My grandfather would be comforting, I know that but I can't even imagine the foul things my grandmother will say. She'll find a way to blame this on me too so, I would like for them to be gone the entire time that they're supposed to.

"What are you doing here?" I just got back from the ceremony we had for John B and I'm not in the mood to humour Rafe right now. "Nothing, I was just leaving." Why was he lurking outside my house? "Look Rafe, I want you to leave me alone. The other night was a major lapse in my judgment and I really don't want to see you again."

"Nara you helped me when Pope-"

"Because I didn't want him to get into trouble, Rafe I don't like you." He looks down hurt, I almost stop until I feel all that anger I'd tried to keep down. "You just hurt people, you've hurt me and now, you're the reason three people are dead. You're the reason your own sister is dead and you don't even care!" He looks away and I walk past him and to my front door. "I can't be with you and I mean it. You're just too much and I don't think I am capable of fixing everything that is wrong with you." I don't wait and listen to his response, I just shut the door in his face.

I try and ignore the gnawing in my chest as I make my way up the stairs. I halt for a second when I get to my room and see a bouquet of flowers on my bed. There's a bunch of cartons for mango juice too as well as all the stuff that Rafe took. In the middle of the little pile of jewellery there's a note. It's simple with a sorry sprawled across it. I turn it over in my hands and sigh, I can't keep giving into him, he shouldn't have had anything to be sorry about. This is not normal.

I put everything he'd returned back in its place before grabbing a vase for the flowers, I almost threw them out on principle but they were just so beautiful that I didn't want to waste them like that. I get back in bed when I reach for the card once more, I trace over his handwriting as my mind races. He was the reason two of my best friends were dead. He shot sheriff Peterkin, he wasn't a good person and I know all we'd do is argue. But there was just something about him, something I couldn't let go of. I sigh once more and slip the little card into the draw of my bedside table, I just didn't want think about him right now.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

I mostly try and keep to myself, with us all mourning in our own ways I find myself pulling away. Pope doesn't really say anything and Kie is so angry that I don't like being around her right now, I don't know how to deal with her anger as well as my own. I only regularly see JJ but that's because he climbs up to my room every night. We don't really speak much, he usually arrives after I'm already sleeping. I wake up once he climbs through the window and wait for him to come and sleep beside me. The two of us never say anything, we just hold each other and sleep and then he's gone by the time I wake up.

Today was no different, I woke up alone and got ready for a day of keeping myself locked in my room. It's when I see the flowers slowly wilting on my vanity that I decide to leave, I grab them and throw them out before getting my bicycle from the garage. I end up cycling to the beach and I'm not entirely sure why.

Dropping my bike beside me I sit on the sand and watch the waves. "Hey stranger." I look up once I feel someone stop beside me. "Enzo, what're you doing here?" He shrugs and sits beside me, "I was on a walk, you?" He asks as he pulls a cigarette from his pocket and slides it between his teeth. "Was on a walk." I shrug whilst I watch him light the cigarette and tuck his lighter away again.

"Trying to replace one addiction with another?" I question after a prolonged moment of silence. "Something like that." We slip back into a silences and I occupy myself by grabbing handfuls of sand and allowing it to trickle through my fingers.

"I'm sorry about your friend."

"Friends." I correct, it's like everyone forgot Sarah was gone too. I felt like no one cared about her and that just upset me further. She deserves to be missed, mourned. "Friends, how are you holding up?" He asks flicking his used up cigarette away. "I'm fine." He turns to face me and looks at me seriously. "I am." He nods, "I believe you but it is okay to not be okay." I bunch up more sand and sigh. "What's talking about it gonna do Enzo? It's not gonna bring them back, and it's not gonna make me miss them any less." I can't help the few stray tears that escape he nods and wipes my eyes. "I'm sorry, but getting off your chest can help." I can't seem to stop the tears and so he wraps his arm around me and I hide my face in his shoulder until I can calm down. The entire time he gently traces shapes on my back which is what I think lulls me to sleep.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

"Hey Nara, come on it's getting late." I'm gently shaken awake by Enzo who still had his arm wrapped around me. I don't say anything as I stretch and look out across the beach to see that the sun is beginning to set. "Can we stay and watch the sunset?" I mumble sleep still heavy in my voice. "Sure, just don't fall asleep again." I nod and stand up to stretch my legs for a second when I can't help but shiver as a chill runs across me. "You cold?" He asks as he also stands and pulls his hoodie off. "Here." I hesitate a second but I do take it from him and pull it on. His warmth is stuck inside the fabric and I wrap my arms around myself to keep it as close as possible.

"Have you eaten? You hungry?" I agree to go and get some food with Enzo after the sun has set, I watch him load my bike to his jeep and try to not focus on his arms. They look good now that he was out of his hoodie and they could be seen. When he turns back I quickly avert my eyes but I'm certain he saw me checking me out. He giggles to himself but doesn't say anything about it instead he walks over and opens the passenger door for me.

I try to keep my smile to myself as he runs over to his side and starts the car up. "You still cold?" He asks after I shiver once more but that was because he'd lightly brushed against me as he was reaching over to grab something from his glovebox. I nod and avoid eye contact for a moment. I feel as though I was making this more awkward than it was. I can't help but smile when we get to the restaurant and Enzo runs over to open my door for me again.

"Thanks Enzo but you don't have to do all that." I shrug as he shuts the door and locks the car, "course I do. You're a lady right? Gotta treat you right." I bite on my lip and let him take my hand as he lead me through the small crowd of people outside. When we get in we're still holding hands and neither of us go to let go until we arrive at our table and I'm suddenly face to face with Rafe. He's with Topper and his eyes narrow as they drop to our joined hands, he also looks like he's about to lose it when he simply just looks between us and realises that I'm wearing Enzo's hoodie.

I look away and let Enzo pull my chair out for me, "Enzo honestly you don't have to." I say giggling once he insists. "So what are you feeling?" He asks as we both look the menu over. "Hmm I don't know, you can pick for me." His brows raise, "you sure?" I nod and try to ignore the burning on the side of my face. I know Rafe is staring at us, I can feel it and I can see from my peripheral vision, he's turned his chair and is watching us as he drinks. I try to zone him out but I can't, I can't ignore the way I feel his eyes on me, on us taking in every little detail.

He wants to watch? Fine I'll give him a show.

"I'm really glad that I ran into you." I say grabbing a hold of Enzo's hand he looks up at me and smiles. "Me too, you've been on my mind a lot since that day." I pull my chair closer to his at that. "Really?" He rubs his thumb across my knuckles before he nods. "I've never met a girl like you and everytime I've seen you it has been way too fleeting." I push my hair behind my ear as I look at him with a shy smile. "You know I feel the same, and everytime we've been together we've unfortunately been interrupted. Third times the charm though right?" He smirks at me and nods at my words. "Definitely." He hums before pressing a kiss to the back of my hand.

"I didn't know you were such a gentleman." I giggle again unable to help how Enzo was actually making me flustered. "A woman as spectacular as you deserves a gentleman." He says so smoothly I feel my stomach turn in the best way. I really was glad that I had bumped into him, he was proving to be quite the distraction. "You know I really love your curls." I him reaching over to run my hands through his hair, he leans into my touch and I bite on my lip again to keep from smirking too much. I could still feel Rafe watching us, I glance in the window reflection beside us to see his jaw clench as he looks between us.

I really can't help but really savour the way Rafe slams his glass down and gets up to storm off after that. I hope Enzo and I run into him plenty in the near future.