summary: With your last semester of grad school breezing by, you felt like you could sleep through the next couple of months and still graduate at the top of your class. You only had to get through 3 more months until you walked across the stage and rightfully earned your Master in Criminal Justice degree. All your hard work would finally be paid off. Until your professor hits you with one last assignment that will make you question everything. The assignment? Prisoner Penpals from the State of North Carolina Correctional Facility. Your penpal? Rafe Cameron. His sentence? Life without parole. His crime? First degree murder.
“i was barely holding myself back, it's your fault for tempting me.”
pairing brother's best friend!rafe cameron x brat!reader
summary you slide into a random boy's dms on instagram, anything but expecting him to end up being your brother's best friend, let alone the person you'll be spending your summer vacation with. while resisting Rafe and his lingering gazes was an option, you found yourself in the constant loop of crossing the line; said line being your brother.
a/n hiii!! wooo so excited for this honestly aahhh i hope you guys give it a chance i have so much plans for it ahaha!! taglist is currently closed for this series!! sorry!!!
BROKEN RIBBONS & PERFECT FISTS ──── a rafe cameron smau.
a social media and written au by kissylec
push a little further on the edge, crawl a little further on the bed... a clean slate is what you needed, to get away from a past you're not proud of and start over, focusing on what you were most passionate about, ballet. outer banks seemed like the best option, a breath of fresh air, new people. what you didn’t expect was that someone just as broken as you would stand in your way, staking your heart on a single name— rafe cameron.
pairing . . . boxer!rafe cameron x ballerina!reader
warning .ᐟ . . . obx spoilers, half canon half not, curse words, angst, sexual innuendo, allusion to smut, eventual smut, nsfw themes, enemies to lovers, description of blood, english is not my first language so bear with me
kissylec says . . . not even 24 hours, love you goodbye ended and you guys made me do another smau 🙄 hope you guys love it 💕 opening a new taglist for this one sooo, comment if you want to be in it!
pairing: tennis player!rafe cameron x tennis rival!reader !
warnings: swearing, name calling, substance use, rafe and reader both sexualise each other, unrealistic tennis cause it’s male v. female, eventual smut, angst, anger issues ( rafe lol. )
summary: rafe cameron has it all — the endless trophies, the money, the fame — the true winner’s lifestyle. he lives in a whirlwind of desperate girls falling at his feet and self acclaimed ‘alpha males’ putting shirtless pictures of him on their 2025 vision boards. he’s adored throughout the sporting world and beyond, already deemed as being the next novak djokovic, even though he’s only just turned 21. everything’s turning out exactly as it needs to for him to continue coming out on top, the path already paved for him to take home the epic prize money waiting for the winner of this years US open. rafe knows that he has to be ruthless, and not let anybody or anything get in his way of taking what he deems to be rightfully his — especially not you.
if tomorrow you won't be mine, won't you give it to me one last time?... being a secret is hard, and even more when prince kook himself is the one hiding you. a bittersweet wheel of emotions comes to you when you decide to put an end to a situationship that is hurting you, not taking into account how difficult it would be to get away from the oldest of the cameron siblings.
pairing . . . rafe cameron x pogue!reader
warning .ᐟ . . . inspired by love you goodbye by one direction, obx spoilers, half canon half not, curse words, angst, sexual innuendo, allusion to smut, forbidden love, rafe is kind of an ass, reader is a friend with the pogues, english is not my first language so bear with me
kissylec says . . . SO NERVOUS OMG, this is my first smau so i'm scareddd. i'm new to all of this so pls be patient with me 😿 again, english it's not my first language so 😆🙏 i will be posting some chapters later in the week, hope you guys like it 🫶💐
pairing: Best Friend!Rafe Cameron x Kook!Best-Friend!reader
summary: Rafe and Reader have known each other since kindergarten, always side by side, the king and princess of Figure 8. So why now does he start feeling different towards her, when all she's ever been is his best friend?
a/n: hey guys :) this is actually my first time ever writing something so this is lowkey kinda scary. BUT, I really really wanted to write a slow burn between Rafe and his best friend, cause I can see that happening, who doesn't want that anyways? If it works, this'll deffo be a series cause I have a whole concept behind it, guess we're going to have to wait and see. The pictures are taken off pinterest so credit to whoever's they are.
(may have suggested bi!reader, see if you can spot it)
warnings: alcohol consumption, mention of drugs, sexual innuendo's, someone throwing up, just Rafe being whipped for his bsf
The classroom was bright, colourful colouring cladded the walls, the blue-tack melting slowly in the sticky heat. Rafe sat by himself, struggling to tie his shoes, his father insisted he wore them and learnt to do them himself, his mother however sceptical complied, trying to teach her sweet boy how to do them before they left the house. His face was scrunched in concentration, but no matter how hard he tried, the laces wouldn’t cooperate.
“Do you need help?” The quiet voice rang out from across the boy, the young girl kneeling beside him. He looked up, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
“I can’t do it,” he muttered angrily, glancing at the messy knot he’d made on his shoe. She smiled, her pigtails bouncing as she leaned closer.
“It’s okay. I can show you.” Gently, she untangled the laces, her fingers tugging at the blue strings as they came apart. Explaining each step as she worked she focused on the shoe.
“First, you make bunny ears…” She continued telling the story her babysitter taught her as she learnt to tie up the strings into little bows.
“Thanks,” Rafe said sheepishly, looking at her with a small smile on her face, the girl reminded him of his mom, she was... nice.
“You’re welcome,” she replied cheerfully, standing up, clasping her hands in front of her as she rocked back and forth on her heels, her red gingham dress swaying along with her movement.
“Wanna play blocks with me now?” He nodded eagerly, taking her hand. Together, they walked over to the small table, the awkwardness of moments ago replaced with a newfound connection.
“I'm Y/n” she chirped out as she stacked the pink bricks into a little house, the boy looked up from where he’d built his wall of blue blocks.
“Rafe.” He mumbled out, she peered over at him as he worked, his tongue poking out of his mouth slightly in concentration. She reached her finger out pushing the wall playfully, the blue bricks bashing brutally to the table, the boy looked up to her.
Y/n and Rafe, the names often not heard separately, weaved through the thick crowd of teens, every corner of the house filled, whilst the music thumped loudly against the walls, making their way into the kitchen of the beachside villa.
"You know, I’m kind of a big deal round here" He playfully murmured to her, the girl looking at him with a mocked serious expression on her face as she poured the liqueur into the red plastic cup, trying to scout out any kind of mixer within the rubbish on the counter. "Oh yeah? In what universe?" She pressed as she leant over, grabbing the half empty sprite bottle of the counter.
"This one. I mean, you’re talking to me, so clearly, I’m doing something right." With a grin that only grew wider, the boy shrugged, clearly enjoying the banter between them. Y/n rolled her eyes trying to stifle her laugh, "You’re so full of yourself." He grinned clearly unfazed; "And yet, here you are, still listening."
She shook her head at his bad attempt of flirting with her, hand reaching out to shove his shoulder. That’s just the kind of dynamic their relationship had and she couldn't help the sweet warming feeling in her chest that appeared whenever they joked around like this. He chuckled and took a sip of his beer as he raised an eyebrow and took a step closer.
"You love it."
“You’re right.”
She shrugged as she turned to him, the boy standing behind her, now leaning back against the counter as he looked at her. The small kitchen was buzzing full of Kooks and Pogues alike, however no one interrupted them, who would be stupid enough to get between the Kook Princess and her best friend. He smirked as he leaned against the counter with his arms crossed, his eyes darted around the room at all the people, but rested back on the girl.
"I tend to be right a lot of the time." He spoke out as he looked down at her studying her face, her cheeks were slightly flushed, he could tell it was from the alcohol, the girl now nursing her second cup, when did she even finish her first?
“Yeah I think 14 years of friendship has taught me that.” she rolled her eyes playfully at the boy, their friendship never wavering in all the years they’d known each other, he was her favourite person- that was for sure. He nodded his head in amusement at her; “And I think it also taught you that I’m the smartest person you know.” He leaned down closer to her while a smirk slipped its way slyly onto her lips.
“I don’t know bout that...” She raised her brow at him teasingly. He shook his head, chuckle slipping past his lips, “Oh yeah? Name someone smarter than me.” She tapped her cup against the bottom of her lip, the pink gloss transferring onto the plastic causing it to sparkle in the lights of the kitchen, “Let’s see... me?” He let out another laugh at her response.
“Nice try. But that’s not true.” He pushed his body off the counter and stood up straight, looking y/n up and down, with a cocky grin
“Hey!” She defended as she placed her empty cup down onto the counter. “Last time I checked it was me who knew how to tie laces first, so can I get a little credit here Cameron!?” He put his hands up in defence, laughter tumbling past his lips again, “Whoa Whoa Whoa! I’m not questioning your mobility skills, cause rumour has it your fingers work pretty well…” He took a step closer to the girl, “But in the brains department, I’m much smarter than you, princess.” She rolled her eyes at his subtle comment about her sexcapades as she shoved his shoulder, “Whateverrrr asshole.” She sings songs out as she turns around to refill her cup.
He shook his head at the girl's attitude, one that he's found comforting over the years. He walked up so he was standing next to her leaning in close to her ear and spoke in a quiet voice, “There’s no shame in admitting that I’m smarter than you, y’know.” He smirked as he looked down at her, and tried to ignore how good her perfume smelled to him, was it new? It definitely was.
“Mmhmm” she hummed out refusing to accept his statement, she enjoyed pushing his buttons anyways.
He sighed amused at y/n’s stubbornness, even though it annoyed him a bit, “Why do you have to be so goddamn stubborn huh?” He leaned in a bit closer so his arms were holding him up, placed against the counter right next to the girl's hand which was wrapped around her now full cup.
“So you do think I’m a brat!” She exclaimed eyes wide, gasping in mock offence with a smile pulling at the corners of her lips as their conversation from earlier resurfaced, the argument raising between her, Rafe, Toper and Kelce a few days ago. He couldn’t help but smile at her response,
“Yeah you are. The most spoiled, bitchiest, brattiest princess to ever curse Figure 8.”
“The fuck, am I a witch or something, why am I cursing?” She laughed out loudly, the alcohol in her bloodstream affecting her humour. She rested her head against his shoulder as she tried to regain her composure, giggles passing her lips. He smiled amused at her response, a shiver going down his spine as she leaned against him. He was a weak man, but only when it came to y/n, and even the simple touch of her head on his shoulder made him want to pull her closer.
…what the fuck are you thinking?
"I take it the alcohol is getting to you huh?” He asked, “I don’t know what you’re talking about” She shook her head as she lifted it upright away from his shoulder. He looked down at the girl, noticing her rosy cheeks, "Uh huh, that's why your face's red then?" He teased her, knowing she hated when people pointed out when she was drunk, even back when they used to sneak out to drink the stolen bottle of whiskey from y/n’s father’s office on the beach in the late hours of the night.
“Yeah well you’re high!” she spoke out defensively in a matter of fact tone as she pointed to his pupils, blown wide from the line he’d taken in the bathroom not all that long ago. The boy knew she didn’t necessarily approve of his so-called ‘habit’, always droning on about how it was bad for him. He rolled his eyes at her snarky comment, “I’m barely even that high anymore. Just a little buzzed now.” She placed her hand on her chest as she spoke, as though she was making a sincere oath, “Well I’m perfectly fine.” He couldn't help but find her dramatic nature endearing, it must’ve been why they'd managed to stay friends for so long, she never took any of his shit- as she liked to call it.
“Besides, Rose invited us round to yours tomorrow for dinner, remember..?” She tilted her head as she referred to the joint dinner which was held monthly between both their families, insisted by both their fathers who claimed it was, ‘a great way to keep business natural’. Y/n dreaded the evening every month, the dinner filled with talks of money, success and reputation, if Rafe wasn’t there then she’s sure she’d surely try to gauge her eyes out with Rose’s pristinely polished silver forks. He had to purse his lips to stop himself from smiling at her tipsy state, it entertained him that she was trying so hard to prove that she was sober.
“Yeah I remember princess.” His eyes flicked to the hand on your chest and he swallowed before his eyes went back to her own, “You’re gonna have a hangover tomorrow, you know that?”
Has this top always been so low cut...
“No I won’t” She dismissed as she rolled her eyes at him, lifting her cup again in a cheer towards him finally bringing it to her lips, the liquid burning her throat as it slid down.
Rafe pushed past the guy, his gags muffled by the loud music as he bent over throwing up into the potted palm near the front door of the house, sighing out through his nose. Where was this girl? Fucking tequila shots set him up, and now he was stuck in an almost empty house as people flooded out saying their goodbyes, occasional person trying to grab his attention as he walked straight past them.
“Hey Matt!”
He yelled out grabbing the boys attention who turned to him walking over to meet Rafe who was walking towards him. Hand coming down onto his back to greet him he spoke,
“Hey great party man, have you seen y/n?”
The boy nodded, slurring his own words, evidently y/n not being the only one who took part in the drinking competition tonight. “Yeah I uh- the dining room man,” was all he managed to mutter out before being called from the other side of the house, his girlfriend coming around the corner yelling something - about how some guy had gotten stuck in his cat's litter box? He let out a loud groan squeezing his eyes shut before turning to Rafe and patting him on the arm in a goodbye. The dining room. He walked through the house pushing past a couple, who he was pretty sure were about to fuck against the hallway wall, muttering a firm ‘move’ as he walked past them. The music still pounded loudly from the speakers littered around the house, walking through hall he called out,
“Y/n?”
Walking through the doorway he saw the girl, standing on the table, arm raised above her head happily as she sang out.
Is that a wooden spoon?
“I just wanna live in this moment foooreverrrr...”
She sang out, her words were slurred as she swayed her hips around running her hand down her body as she tried to perform the song blasting through the speakers, her limbs uncoordinated causing her to stumble slightly, catching herself before she toppled off the edge of the table. Rafe sucked the air in through his teeth holding his breath, watching the girl teeter on the edge of the table before she stabilized herself. The lights of the room caught on the small crystal sequins of her top, causing glittering sparkles to reflect onto the walls as she swayed around the table. He walked over to her, the girl noticing his footsteps towards her turning towards him, dropping to her knees on the hard dark mahogany wood as she sang out to him now, ever so enthusiastically.
“Started giving up on the word foreverrrrr!!!!” She was so incredibly off tune as she ran her hands through her now messy hair, but he couldn’t help but be entertained as she pointed out to him passionately, gripping the wooden spoon lifting it up to her lips.
“Until you gave up heaven so we could be toooogetheeerrrr” She wobbled on top of the table, the boy rushing forwards arms out in case she dropped off the edge of the rounded surface. Her hand reached out running down his chest as she sang to him still holding up the wooden spoon to her lips as though she was performing a one woman show.
“You’re my angel, angel baby angel… you’re my angel baby” The girl's hands ran up to his hair as she messed it up, the boy groaning at her actions as she pulled herself closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, spoon dropping to the floor with a clatter. “Okay y/n.” He spoke rolling his eyes at her drunken antics, trying to coax her down from the table. Standing just in front of her, he looked up, seeing her swaying back and forth, he couldn’t deny the concern that she would lose balance and fall off - wouldn’t be the first time. “Okay angel, you’ve gotta get off of that table before you hurt yourself.” He said as he grabbed her hips as he played along with her singing, what was this song anyways? She complied as she held onto his shoulders, still humming along to the song slowly to herself.
He smiled as she hummed along to the song, he loved this side of her, she was always so reserved and in control of herself but right now she was so free and playful and
Seriously?
It was different from how she held herself usually, her family causing her to always hold herself to such a high standard, he preferred when she'd just relax. He kept his hands on her hips as he let out a small laugh pulling her down, “You’re singing is truly terrible, you know that right?”
“Whatever” she spoke back as she stood up straight swaying slightly. “If Topper and Kelce were here they’d sing with me…” She spoke out slowly, intoxication evident in her movements
“What’s this shitty song anyways? He spoke out hands on the girl's shoulders leading her out the room towards the doors to leave, mumbling a small ‘watch it’ guiding her around a broken vase on the floor.
“Shitty song!?” she gasped out, offense evident in her tone. “Don’t do Troye Sivan like that!” she said defensively.
“Who?” He continued as he guided her towards the steps of the patio, she stopped turning to him with a frown on her face, he had to stifle his laugh as she tried to defend the song, she was so worked up about it in her drunken state.
“Sorry princess, I didn’t know you were such a hardcore fan of, what was it Trevor?” looking down at her with a smirk, his grip kept on her hips as he waited for her response, guiding her down the stairs slowly, knowing her luck she’d slip and twist her ankle.
“Troye Sivan!" she exclaimed annoyed at him, "He’s so fine.” Y/n slurred out as she stepped down the patio slowly holding onto the handrail and looking down at the steps, he couldn’t hold back his laugh, watching her drunken mind struggle to keep up with what she was saying and doing.
“Is that so? I thought you only had eyes for me” He teased, he knew you were just being playful from the alcohol, but deep down a part of him wanted to see how you would respond to his teasing.
What was in that coke today...
“Oh but Rafey- he’s queer.” She spoke out sadly as though someone had ripped her heart out and stomped over it, stumbling slightly on their way to Rafe's car, her hand holding onto his arm for stability. His heart patted faster in his chest at the childhood nickname of his, seeming to have stuck with her from their early days. He held her slightly closer, hand slipping down her back resting on her waist to help keep her steady, as she hummed out at his movement. He let out a breathy chuckle at her saddened response,
“And isn’t that a shame.” He teased as he helped guide her to the passenger door to his car, opening up the door and setting her down onto the seat, her hand reaching out, holding onto his polo shirt to pull him closer to her, the boy moving forwards with his brow raised,
“Yes?”
She wrapped her arms around his neck as she mumbled out almost incoherently, fingers running through the hairs at the nape of his neck. He found himself gritting his teeth slightly at her gentle ministrations, that prickling feeling creeping up his spine as he reached his arm around resting it on her back.
“Thanks for helping me, my angel baby.” Her hand reached up fingers now brushing against his cheeks, which were subtly flushed. His hand held onto her own, pulling it away as he sighed out, she was ever so touchy when she got drunk, he’d noticed that when they were younger and since then vowed to always be the one to get her after a night out, God forbid someone took advantage of that, his body heated up uncomfortably at the thought.
“You’re gonna be fucked tomorrow,” he mumbled, more to himself that to her as she slumped back into the seat, still humming along to the tune of the song, fingers fiddling with the buttons on the dash of his car, having to pull his eyes away from her shutting the door.
synopsis: you're navigating college life just like any other student, until you get partnered up with rafe cameron and he turns your whole life upside down.
summary: y/n moves to the outerbanks thanful for a fresh start away from a very heavy past. once she gets there she falls into this diverse crowd of kooks, pogues, and everything in between. north carolina may be the south but she shows them what texan looks like. shockingly, rafe takes interest in his sisters friend. someone so drastically different from him. girl next door. what ever will he do?
authors note: im gonna be honest a LOT of this fic is gonna be self serving. i know its not gonna be everyones cup of tea but i started making it for my friends and i and its really grown so i decided to post. there will be a lot of names you wont recoginze and with that being said its got quite the back story so i will be posting a sort of 'key' if that makes sense.
throughout this fic i will be touching on some sensitive subjects such as physical abuse, drug addiction, drug rehab, being drugged, ptsd, sexual assault and more as we go on. this is something thats going to affect you please continue at your own risk.
some other notes will be that this is not show accurate entirely, as i said this was VERY self serving and very, fanon, if you will. the pogues and kooks get along, no to little topper or kelce mentions.
[ read before starting series! ]
key | profiles part one | profiles part two | profiles part three | moodboard
[ smau series are labeled as 'part's and written series are labeled as 'chapter's ]
| part one | chapter one | part two | part three | part four | part five | part six | part seven | chapter two | part eight | part nine | part ten | part eleven | part twelve | chapter three | part thirteen a | part thirteen b | part fourteen | part fifteen | part sixteen | part seventeen | part eighteen | part nineteen | part twenty | part twenty one |
summary ; rafe cameron is everything you can’t stand; reckless, infuriating, and too self-assured for his own good. as your brother’s best friend, he’s always been a constant presence, one you’ve done your best to ignore. but the tension between you has always simmered just beneath the surface, sharp and impossible to ignore. you’ve spent years resisting his pull, refusing to give him the satisfaction. but in a world where lines blur and control slips away, you’re forced to face the truth: rafe cameron isn’t so easy to hate after all.
notes ; this fic has already been written and uploaded to my wattpad. it is not yet finished on there either but i have decided it will be unpublished & i will be uploading on here instead since i don't use wattpad anymore. however this fic has been altered to fit second person pov so please bare with me !
—in which you wake up in a strange alternate reality that just so happens to be the outer banks universe, and to your disbelief, you’re suddenly in a relationship with the shows most unlikely character, rafe cameron.
warnings: barry & rafe revealing more about this universes y/ns life so real y/n can put the pieces together !! sarah chapter next 😋
authors note: if u arent already part of the tag list, feel free to lmk thru replies, anons, dms, or reblogs !! love u all
previous
you try to shake it off. your thoughts seem to trip over themselves whenever you try to focus too hard on what’s real and what isn’t—it’s easier to just let it slide. to ignore it. easier when rafe’s there, pulling you back into the present with his sharp grin and reckless charm.
but then something comes up with barry.
rafe doesn’t explain much, just mutters something about needing to handle it while he pays for lunch, his jaw tight and his gaze flickering like he’s already halfway there.
it’s obvious he hates mixing his lives—the one he has with you, shiny and new, and the one he keeps buried deep in the cut with barry and the rest of his bad decisions. you know he doesn’t want to take you there, but he can’t just leave you at the café or drop you at the house. so he tosses you your helmet, and you climb on the dirtbike behind him.
the ride is bumpy and loud, and you can feel the tension in the way rafe grips the handlebars, the way he leans forward just a little too much. it’s not long before you’re pulling up to a trailer tucked into a grimy corner of the cut. the air smells like oil and burnt rubber and something sour.
rafe kills the engine, shoving the kickstand down and glancing over his shoulder at you. “don’t leave the bike,” he says, firm but not unkind. “don’t talk to anyone, alright? i’ll be quick.” his eyes linger on yours for a moment, like he’s trying to make sure you understand, before he turns and heads toward the trailer.
you stay put, gripping the edge of the seat as you watch him disappear through the crooked door. the uneasy feeling creeps back into your chest, heavier now. you rub the back of your neck and glance around, but the scene in front of you—the junkies slouched on the steps, the scattered beer cans—only makes you more on edge.
you slip your phone out of your pocket and turn it on, your thumb hovering over the screen. it’s stupid, maybe, but you need to see something. anything. something that feels like you. you navigate to your camera roll and start scrolling.
there’s a lot to look through. random screenshots of memes and recipes you never tried, endless doordash receipts, pictures from vacations you don’t really remember but apparently went on—rafe’s in most of them, his face so familiar it makes your chest tighten.
there are a few of sarah, of the pogues, faces that blur together with the ones you remember. you pause on a photo of a dog, your first pet, and for a second, you swear it looks like a screenshot from your mom’s old facebook post. your thumb hesitates over it before you scroll again.
videos of dinners with your parents, their voices warm and laughing in the background. more screenshots—funny texts, social media comment sections. it’s all starting to blur together, too much and not enough all at once. you click your phone off and stuff it back into your pocket, swallowing hard against the lump in your throat.
the snap of a twig startles you, and your head snaps up.
someone’s there, a man standing just a few feet away, staring at you. he’s older, rough around the edges, with a bag clutched in his hand and a shadowed look in his eye. it takes you a second to recognize him.
“luke,” you murmur, the name slipping out before you can stop it.
his gaze sharpens at the sound, and for a moment, he looks just as surprised to see you as you are to see him. but he doesn’t say anything, just tugs his hat down lower over his face and turns on his heel, walking away with long, uneven strides. the bag in his fist swings at his side as he goes, disappearing into the trees.
you stare after him, your heart racing. jj’s dad is buying off of barry still? guess some things just don’t change. you glance toward the trailer, brows furrowing. there’s shouting now, muffled but sharp, and your stomach churns as you realize it’s coming from inside.
rafe and barry. arguing, from the sound of it. your fingers curl around the handlebars, gripping tight, but you can’t just sit here. not when rafe’s in there, not when the shouting grows louder, sharper. you swing your leg off the dirtbike, slipping your phone back into your pocket as you speed-walk toward the trailer.
the inside of it smells stale—cigarettes and cheap beer with a lingering undercurrent of something metallic. you step up through the doorway, your fingers brushing the worn frame for balance. your eyes dart around, taking in the cramped space.
rafe is standing, his shoulders tense, facing barry, who’s slouched in a battered armchair with the same smirk you’ve seen a hundred times on tv. rafe’s arms are at his sides, hands coming up and down, his voice sharp with frustration.
“i told you i’d have it,” rafe snaps, his tone low but heated. “just give me a little more time.”
“oh, yeah, you’ve told me plenty of things, country club,” barry drawls, leaning back in his chair with a lazy grin. “like how you weren’t gonna get in over your head. but here we are, huh? you’re all talk and no follow-through, and now you’re startin’ to piss me off.”
“you’re the one who keeps jacking up your prices,” rafe shoots back, his voice rising. “i’ve been buying from you forever, barry. this isn’t how you do business.”
“business changes,” barry retorts, his grin fading slightly. “and maybe if you weren’t burnin’ through your stash like a damn vacuum cleaner, you wouldn’t be in this mess.”
the tension in the room is suffocating, but before rafe can respond, barry’s eyes flick to you. his smirk returns, wider this time, and he leans forward slightly in his chair, resting his elbows on his knees.
rafe’s jaw tightens further, his whole body tense as if he’s barely holding himself back. he opens his mouth to fire back, but before he can, barry’s gaze flicks over rafe’s shoulder and lands on you.
“well, look at this,” barry says, leaning forward in his seat. his smirk stretches wide, a gleam of mischief in his eyes. “didn’t know you were bringin’ your girl around. what, you finally decided to show her the real you, country club?”
rafe freezes, his head snapping around to look at you, his frustration now laced with something else—embarrassment, maybe. or guilt. his hand comes up to drag down his face, his fingers rubbing over his mouth and resting on his jaw as he exhales sharply through his nose.
“why are you in here, y/n?” he asks, his tone quieter now but still edged with frustration.
you tilt your head slightly, watching him carefully. “heard shouting,” you say simply, your voice soft but steady. “what’s going on? is everything okay?”
rafe doesn’t answer right away. he just stares at you for a moment, his fingers flexing against his jaw like he’s trying to figure out how to handle this. barry, meanwhile, is grinning like he’s thoroughly entertained by the entire situation.
“oh, it’s fine, sweetheart,” barry chimes in, his tone mocking as he looks back at rafe. “just a little business disagreement. nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about, princess.”
“shut up, barry,” rafe snaps, his voice sharp as a whip. he turns back to you, his expression softening slightly but still taut with tension. “i told you to stay back there.”
“what was i supposed to do? just sit outside while you’re in here yelling?” you ask, crossing your arms. you shift uncomfortably, the weight of their argument pressing down on you. rafe notices and exhales sharply, running a hand across his buzzed head before turning back to you.
“go back and wait outside for me,” he says, his tone firm but not unkind.
you hesitate, glancing between him and barry. “rafe—”
“just go,” he insists, his jaw tight.
reluctantly, you nod, but the moment you step back toward the door, barry’s voice cuts through the tension.
“hang on, country club,” he says, leaning back into his seat, arms sprawled across the top like he owns the place—which, technically, he does. “i got a little favor for you first.”
rafe freezes in place, his shoulders stiffening. he turns to barry, a sharp glare slicing through the air. “what kind of favor?”
he grins, clearly enjoying himself. “nothin’ too crazy. there’s a guy over by the docks. owes me something—money, product, whatever—and he’s been dodging me. you go talk to him for me, get my stuff, and maybe, maybe, i’ll think about knocking a little off your tab. y/n’s gonna stay here so you don’t think about drivin’ off once you’re out there.”
you glance at rafe, watching his jaw tick as he processes what barry just said. “are you serious right now?” rafe snaps. “you can’t handle your own business 20 feet away from your front step so you’re sending me to do it?”
“oh, come on,” barry says, tilting his head like he’s talking to a child. “you want that discount or not?”
rafe grits his teeth, clearly torn, but eventually, he exhales sharply. “fine,” he mutters. “he got a name?”
barry smirks, rattling off some name you don’t catch before waving him off. “good man. don’t screw it up.”
without another word, rafe storms out of the room, brushing past you on his way to the door. “stay here,” he tells you firmly, barely sparing you a glance. you nod, watching as he slides out of the trailer and out past the dirt road to the docks.
“so,” barry’s voice draws your attention back to him. you glance at him hesitantly, unsure what to expect. he’s sitting forward again, elbows resting on his knees as he studies you like you’re some kind of puzzle. “you’re the girlfriend, huh?“
you shift uncomfortably, glancing back at barry, who watches you with a curiosity that feels like a spotlight.
“yeah, it’s kind of surprising we haven’t met before,” you say awkwardly, your attempt at conversation landing like a dull thud.
barry snorts, sitting up to grab his drink from the table. “not really,” he says bluntly, taking a sip before setting the can back down.
you blink at him, caught off guard by the way he shuts you down so easily. “oh,” you murmur, nodding and glancing away, your fingers fidgeting with the hem of your shirt.
barry sighs. “look,” he starts, his tone more serious now, “word gets around fast on this island. people talk. about him. about you. especially about how you’ve been actin’ lately. i’ve got to hand it to you, trust fund, i’m impressed. you’ve got ‘em all real pissed off.”
you glance back at him, confused. “what do you mean?”
his grin widens as he lets out a low chuckle. “oh, come on. don’t play dumb. word gets around fast on this island.” he tilts his head, studying you. “especially when it’s about someone like you. kook princess causin’ a stir? that’s newsworthy.”
you shift on your feet, crossing your arms but keeping your expression neutral. you know you have to act the part, even if every fiber of your being is screaming that this isn’t your mess. “and what exactly are people saying?”
barry smirks, clearly relishing in this. “oh, just that you’ve been a little . . . off? lately? isolating yourself, making people wonder what’s got into you. like last week, with country club’s little sister.”
that catches you off guard. your brow arches before you can stop it. “sarah?”
“yeah,” he nods, leaning forward like he’s about to let you in on a secret. “you apparently tried to start somethin’ with her. went off the deep end because she said somethin’ you didn’t like. must’ve hit a nerve or something ‘cause you freaked out. rafe had to step in—and you know he never does that. guy prides himself on letting you argue with whoever you want. but since it was sarah?” he whistles low, shaking his head. “guess he thought enough was enough.”
you blink. fighting with sarah? rafe intervening? none of it feels real, but you force yourself to nod like it’s all coming back to you. “what else are people even saying?”
barry shrugs, like the details aren’t important. “that’s all really. just that it doesn’t take much to set someone like you off, does it?” his tone is almost mocking, but there’s something sharp in the way he says it. “i mean, sarah must be feelin’ abandoned—probably because every time she’s around her own brother, she has to deal with you. the lovebirds. you’re all couple-y, tag-teaming against her. can’t say i blame her for bein’ pissed.”
you frown, the guilt settling deep even though it wasn’t you who caused it. the idea of making sarah feel left out, of being the reason she’s upset, twists something in your gut.
he smirks, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, eyes gleaming with something cold and calculating. “you better start actin’ different, trust fund,” he says, his voice low and taunting, “because blood is blood. and when it comes down to it, who do you think rafe’s gonna choose? you?”
his words hang in the air, heavy and sharp.
you don’t answer, but your scowl deepens. your jaw tightens, and your chest tightens even more. he’s testing you—poking at the one fear you didn’t even realize was sitting there, waiting to be pulled into the light.
he leans back again, grinning like he’s just cracked some code. “yeah, that’s what i thought.”
you stare at him, unblinking, trying to keep your expression hard even though his words hit deeper than you want to admit. your scowl is subtle, but it’s there, etched into your face as you keep your silence.
“but hey,” he adds with a shrug, “what do i know? i just hear things. and trust me, people love to talk.”
before you can respond, the door creaks open, and rafe steps back inside, his expression dark. his gaze flicks to you briefly before locking onto barry.
“it’s done,” rafe says curtly. “we good now?”
barry grins, spreading his arms wide like he’s just won a game. “oh, we’re golden, country club. for now.”
rafe doesn’t respond, just jerks his head toward the door. “c’mon.”
you follow him out, but barry’s words linger in your mind. rafe’s shoulders are tight, his hands firm on the handlebars. you hop on behind him carefully, your arms circling his waist as you brace for the ride.
he doesn’t look back at you, but you catch the slight movement of his head turning, just enough to say, “did barry talk to you?”
you’re silent for a second, debating whether to lie outright or brush it off. eventually, you say, “yeah. but it’s fine.”
“what did he say?” rafe’s voice is clipped, not angry but definitely not calm.
“nothing bad,” you insist quickly, leaning into the lie before he can press further. “just . . . stupid stuff. poking at me for being your girlfriend, but that’s all. nothing to worry about. i know better than to take him seriously.”
he’s quiet for a moment, the only sound the dirt bike’s engine as he drives across the path. his jaw tightens briefly, but he doesn’t say anything more.
you, however, can’t stop thinking about barry’s words—about her.
your fingers tighten slightly where they’re resting against his stomach, your thoughts running circles in your head. finally, you can’t help yourself. “are you still mad at me for last week?”
rafe’s head tilts slightly, confused. “what?”
you hesitate, second-guessing if you should even keep going. but the question’s already out, and you need answers. “you know . . . with sarah. when you had to step in.”
he’s silent for a beat, then shakes his head. “no. why would i be?”
“i don’t know.” you shrug, even though he can’t see it. you shrug, even though he can’t see it. “it was such a rough week . . . honestly, i don’t even remember what i said to her. do you?”
rafe hesitates for a moment, like he’s trying to figure out why you’re bringing it up again. “you were already in a bad mood, arguing with everyone left and right. sarah was upset about something, and she said . . .” he trails off, like he’s replaying the memory. “she said, ‘well, at least i haven’t been a bitch these last few weeks.’ or something like that.”
the words hit you like a punch, but you try to keep your expression neutral, even though rafe isn’t looking.
he continues, still casual, like he assumes you already know all of this. “and then you snapped. got all defensive. started arguing with her right there in the kitchen. i don’t even know what half of it was about—just you two going back and forth, neither of you letting it go. dad was there, i had to step in before it got worse.”
he sighs, almost to himself. “it was stupid. she shouldn’t have said it, but you were already wound up. not really her fault, not really yours. i thought we already talked about this? why’re you worrying about it again? everything’s fine now.”
you don’t respond right away, staring at the back of his head as you process everything. your mind races to piece together this version of events—her version of events.
you hum softly, trying to piece together what you’ve learned so far. “i mean, i was kind of out of line, though, to be fair.”
he glances back at you briefly, his brows furrowing. “you’re always out of line, darlin’. that’s not news.” his tone is light, almost teasing, but there’s truth behind it.
you bite your lip, pressing further. “yeah, but i mean, it’s sarah. you don’t think it bothers her? that i’m always around, or that we’re always—”
“what’re you trying to say?” rafe cuts in, his tone shifting to something more serious.
“nothing,” you say quickly, hoping to backtrack. “just . . . i don’t want to make things harder for you. or for her.”
rafe sighs, shaking his head. “sarah’s fine, okay? she’s not some fragile thing. she knows how to handle herself. and yeah, sometimes you two butt heads, but that’s normal. you don’t have to overthink it.”
you nod, even though the pit in your stomach doesn’t go away. “right. yeah, okay.”
but his words don’t reassure you. instead, they make you feel even further from the truth—like you’re grasping at pieces of someone else’s life, trying to put them together without the full picture.
there must be a ton of more alternate universes where you exist in different lives, or at least that’s what you think. you just can’t believe you’re the one who has to wake up here and figure out someone else’s problems on your own. you’re confused between a million different ideas as to what you’re supposed to even do.
rafe doesn’t press further, his focus back on the path as you cross into figure eight. the familiar streets blur past you, but your thoughts are miles away, still turning over everything rafe just said. this y/n—she—had been on edge, fighting with everyone, including sarah. and now, even though things seem to have settled, the damage is still there.
you stare off at the houses as they pass, trying to imagine what it would’ve been like to be here—to live through it all. to be her.
you need to take a look at that journal when you get home. maybe something in there can help you figure out what the hell’s even been happening, to get back home. and fast.
especially with what could be coming, there could only be a matter of time before you forget you even have a home to get back to.
but the question still stands, and it makes you wonder . . . why you?
summary: what started as a fun hobby quickly became more when your anonymous gossip blog unexpectedly began gaining traction after "kook king" rafe cameron discovered your writings about him and publicly bashed you, vowing to discover your identity.
NAV ! Part Fourteen. Part Fifteen. Part Sixteen.
notes .ᐟ oop 🤭 i hope yall enjoy this EXTRA special chapter
germansingergirl
jacobvanloon
pixelskylines
