“My type is tall, dark and handsome, so cliche I know! But overall a really loving guy is all a girl wants. Oh and he has to make me laugh!”
John B Routledge | 22 | builder
“I’m ready for love, my type is definitely a blonde, but also someone who likes a sense of adventure and not completely boring!”
Kiara Carrera | 22 | sealife activist
“I think I need a guy who is the complete opposite of me to balance me out, I’m very opinionated so a chill guy might be what I need, oh and he must care about the turtles!”
JJ Maybank | 22 | professional surfer
“My type is hot, nah just kidding but hot is definitely good. I want to find a girl who is funny and can make me laugh, once I’m down I’m down bad.”
Cleo Anderson | 21 | student pilot
“I usually go for the bad boys but it don’t seem to be working out for me. So I guess I’m looking for the nice guy. And one who can match my freak!”
Pope Heyward | 22 | teacher
“I’m just looking for love man, I’m a firm believer in when you know you know. But I’m a slow burn man, hope that’s gonna work in here!”
Ruthie Challis | 24 | interior designer
“I’m here for love, not the girls sorry! I need a real man, not a boy. Definitely muscles and tall, I mean what more could a girl want?”
Topper Thornton | 25 | car dealer
“I’ve been single for a while now, my last relationship really wrecked me. But I’m ready to find the one no matter what it takes.”
Sofia Palamo | 23 | bartender
“I like a tall guy, someone confident as I can be a little bit quiet myself. But being quiet doesn’t mean I won’t step on some toes in here to get what I want.”
Kelce Smith | 25 | business owner
“I’m ready for a summer of love, I don’t have a type, if we vibe we vibe. But I do like a pretty girl haha.”
—
Host: “Our 10 new single islanders are ready to hit the villa, will they find love or will it get messy along the way? Tune in to love island to find out.”
Love Island is back! For a summer of finding love, sexy singles and a whole lot of drama!
Mdni 18+, love triangle trope
Note - this was heavily inspired by another person on here who did this AU (I’m so sorry I couldn’t find your account but if anyone knows pls lmk) that being said this will be a completely different storyline and original work!
This will be a love triangle and I am using an oc as in my opinion it’s so much easier (sorry!) hope you enjoy :)
Y/N steps into the room, eyes wide with amusement.
“Wow.” She breathes, half in awe, half in disbelief as Rafe glances around and scratches the back of his head, unsure.
“Not gonna lie…this kinda looks like the set of a low-budget porn shoot.” He says.
“Dude!” Y/N groans, swatting his chest. He catches her wrist, tugging her closer, eyebrow raised.
“‘Dude’? That's what we’re doing now?” He smirks.
“Yeah. Like...don’t ruin this.” She exhales, feigning exasperation.
“I won’t.” He says, pulling her flush against him. “Promise.” He presses a gentle kiss on her cheek before strolling over to the bed, placing their water bottles down, beside it. His gaze travels to the fluffy blanket and scattered rose petals.
Meanwhile, Y/N lets her curiosity get the better of her and opens one of the drawers on the bottom of the bed.
A gasp escapes her lips.
“Oh my god.”
She pulls out a whip and a pair of handcuffs, eyes wide.
Rafe bursts out laughing, raising a brow suggestively.
“Wipe that look off your face." She says, cheeks flushed as she tosses the items back in and shuts the drawer.
“Hey, don’t blame me." He grins, raising his hands in surrender. Rafe drops onto the bed and propping himself up against the pillows, while watching her wander around the room.
She keeps exploring, eventually making her way to the door on the side of the room. When she opens it, her jaw drops.
“Holy shit, Rafe!” She calls.
“What?” He lifts his head.
“There’s a hot tub!” She announces.
He chuckles and gets up to see for himself. But when he looks over her shoulder, his attention barely registers the hot tub, he is far more focused on her beaming face.
“That’s awesome.” He mutters, barely looking away from her.
She turns to look up at him and grins, as his hand naturally finds its way around her waist.
“We can use it later, if you want.” He suggests.
She shrugs playfully, looping her arms around his shoulders.
“We’ll see where the night takes us.” She replies, her eyes twinkling.
He leans in slowly to kiss her softly, just once, before nodding toward the bed and heading back to it. He presses his hands into the mattress, testing it. He sits down, bouncing on it, just as she glances down at her silk robe.
After a brief moment of hesitation, she nods to herself and undoes the silk bow at her waist. The robe slips from her shoulders, falling away to reveal a red lace lingerie set with delicate lace details.
Rafe’s eyes trail over her, his mouth parting. He shifts on the bed, lifting his hips to adjust himself.
“Fuck." He breathes. “You’re always gorgeous but...damn.”
She laughs nervously.
“You really mean that?” She asks, her fingers brushing over the lace.
“Of course I do.” He nods, his gaze stuck on her.
Encouraged by his words, she walks to the bed and crawls over him. His hands instinctively find her waist, grounding them both.
“Hi." She whispers.
“Hey." He replies, voice thick. His eyes search her face, fingers brushing lightly over the lace beneath her chest. He groans as she settles on his lap.
“You’re killing me” He mumbles.
“I can’t believe we’re finally alone.” She murmurs.
“Feels surreal, huh?” He asks as she hums in agreement and he tucks a strand of hair behind her ear.
Then, his expression softens.
“You know...” He starts, voice gentler now. “I got really worried last night.”
“Why?” She asks, her brows pinching together.
He sighs.
“It’s stupid but...when you pulled away, I started thinking that maybe…maybe you weren’t feeling the same way. That you weren't into this, into me, the way I am into you”
“Rafe…” Her heart clenches and her shoulders slump.
“I know, I know. It sounds dumb.” Rafe mutters, eyes flicking away from hers. “I just got scared. That maybe I’d misread everything. That I made you uncomfortable. That I went too far, when you pulled back.”
“You didn’t.” She says softly, shaking her head. “You stopped when I asked you to. Immediately.”
“I know.” He repeats, his voice low. “But in that moment, I didn’t know what to think. My head was all over the place.”
She exhales, watching him.
“This isn’t the first time you’ve doubted how I feel about you.” Her voice is gentle, not accusing. His eyes flick up, a flicker of recognition passing between them.
“Remember the staircase? You said the same thing back then. And I thought…I really thought I reassured you. That I showed you how I feel. That I made it clear.”
“No, no, you did, Y/N.” He rushes to say, his voice tight. “You have. I know you care. It’s just…everything in here feels amplified, like it's all moving at a hundred miles an hour. And I’m not saying I’d change any of it. Being with you, all the moments we've shared, the stuff we’ve already been through, it’s been…intense. And good. And real. And I just-” He cuts himself off, jaw tightening. “I’ve never felt something this fast, this strong. And I don’t even know how to put it into words.”
Her heart swells at the vulnerability in his voice, the way he’s trying to make sense of something that doesn’t need perfect explanation. She leans in, gaze soft.
“Then don’t.” She whispers, lips barely brushing his.
“Y/N-”
“I’m ready.” She whispers, voice trembling slightly. “To do m-more. Tonight.”
He freezes.
“Y/N, I didn’t say that to pressure you into anything. We can take it slow. We can just talk or just cuddle. I've told you I'm okay with that.” He shakes his head.
“I know." She says gently. “But I want this. I want you.”
His hands tighten slightly on her waist and he groans, struggling to keep control.
“Fuck. Are-are you sure?” He asks.
She nods, but he doesn't move. Not yet.
“I need you to say it." He pleads. “Say you want this. Say...say you want me.”
She smiles, arms curling around the back of his neck.
“I want this. I want you, Rafael Alexander Cameron.”
He snorts.
“Full name? Seriously?” He asks and she giggles, before their lips meet again, deeper this time, slower, more deliberate. His hands slide up her back, pulling her in until their bodies press together. He kisses down her neck gently.
“I want you to take the lead.” He murmurs. “Tell me what you want, how far you want to go. Okay?”
She nods, already breathless.
“Words, baby.” His mouth finds the pulse point of her neck.
“Yes." She whispers. “I'll tell you.”
“Good girl.” He murmurs, voice low and teasing. Her body shivers in response.
"Oh, you liked that, didn't you?” He teases, his lips warm against her skin.
“Don’t-Don't even start.” She warns, blushing.
But his grin only widens as he leans in to kiss and suck gently at the sensitive spot on her neck, pulling a soft moan from her lips.
“You’re so damn responsive.” He whispers.
“And you’re really into dirty talk, huh?” She shoots back, biting back a grin.
He chuckles against her neck.
“We learn something new about each other every day. Cute.”
She lets out a breathless laugh, eyes sparkling and for a moment, everything feels easy, warm and exactly where it’s meant to be.
Soon enough, his lips return to hers, slower this time, more deliberate. There's no rush, just the steady press of his mouth against hers as if he's savoring the moment, committing the shape of her lips to memory. His tongue brushes against hers, teasing, tasting, exploring with aching patience. When he finally pulls back, his teeth graze her bottom lip and he lingers there for a breath.
“Fuck, I can’t get enough of kissing you.” He murmurs, breathless. She hums in response, already leaning in for another kiss, softer now. Her hips shift instinctively in his lap, the movement subtle but it draws a gasp from him.
“We should…” She mumbles between kisses. “Get under the covers.”
He nods quickly, reluctantly pulling back to give her space. She climbs off his lap and together, they toss the decorative pillows aside. Once under the blanket, he lifts the edge for her to join and she curls into his side, her body molding with his. Her palm rises to gently cup his jaw. His muscles tense under her touch, his eyes fluttering closed.
“Relax, Rafe.” She says, her voice soft like silk.
“I can’t relax when you’re doing all that.” He groans, dropping his head back into the pillow as she laughs.
“I’m literally not doing anything.”
“No, you know exactly what you’re doing.” He cracks a grin.
His gaze drops down to her flushed cheeks and the way the lingerie clings to her skin.
“Fuck, you…” He mutters under his breath.
His hand slides down her side, settling on her hip. She draws in a breath as he leans down, hovering over her and catching her lips again.
This kiss is heavier, messier and when their hips meet, the heat between them spikes. She gasps softly, feeling how hard he is, pressing against her thigh.
“Sorry." He mumbles, pulling back.
But she shakes her head and pulls him back down. Their mouths meet again and she parts her legs, inviting him closer. He follows, fitting between them easily, his arms circling her waist. Her fingers trace his spine, her nails light but enough to make his breath catch. When his hips press into hers without meaning to, she whimpers into the kiss. His own moan escapes before he can stop it.
He pulls back, only to start kissing down her jaw, her neck and finally her collarbone. That’s when the lights shut off.
“Shit." He mutters, lips still brushing her skin. “I wanted to see you.”
She smiles faintly as his hand brushes against the strap of her bra.
“Can I…?” He asks, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Actually…” She hesitates. “Is it okay if it stays on?”
He looks at her and immediately nods.
“Of course, sweetheart.” He replies and backs off, giving her space, his hand leaving the strap. “And if you want me to stop-”
“I don’t." She says quickly. “I just…don’t want to take it off. Not right now.”
“Got it.” He nods, gentle now. “Want me to keep going?”
“Yeah." She nods, voice barely above a whisper. "And...you-you can go lower.”
His eyes flick to hers, searching. When she nods again, he bends to press soft kisses down her neck and the top of her breasts. He moves slowly, letting his lips linger on her skin. Her nipples are hard beneath the lace and he gently presses his mouth against them through the bra, drawing a soft moan from her.
“Mmm, Rafe.” She breathes, eyes fluttering.
He looks up with a proud smirk. Watching her come undone beneath him, the way her breath catches, the way her skin reacts to every touch, it’s enough to drive him wild.
One hand glides down her body, tracing the edge of her lace underwear. She gasps and he looks up at her again.
“What do you want me to do?” He asks, thumb slipping under the waistband.
“I…” She swallows, blinking up at him with heavy eyes. “I want you to touch me.”
“Touch you where?” He teases, smirking.
“Rafe.” She groans, laughing despite herself.
"You sure?” He brushes a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Oh my god, ask me one more time and I’m sleeping in the pool.” She glares playfully, while he chuckles and kisses her softly.
“Just making sure this is what you want, Y/N. I don’t want to mess this up.” He confesses.
“For the millionth time.” She whispers, smiling. “I want this.”
He exhales, relieved and slides his hand lower. When his fingers slip beneath the red lace and brush against her, she jolts.
“You have no idea how much I want to do this.” He murmurs, kissing her lips as his fingers move gently, caressing her folds. He teases her gently, tracing her clit in slow circles that make her whimper and gasp.
“You’re so wet.” He whispers in her ear and she arches into him, seeking more. He lets one finger slide in, slowly, watching her face. Then another. She clenches around him, tight and warm.
“You’re tight.” He breathes. “Breathe, baby. I got you.”
He kisses her jaw, cheek and temple. Her body slowly unwinds beneath him and he begins to move, slow and careful, but expertly.
“You’re…really good at that.” She pants.
“I’ve barely even started.” He grins.
He curls his fingers, increasing the rhythm as his thumb continues its slow circles on her clit, coaxing sounds from her. Her face twists with pleasure and he watches every second, utterly entranced as he drinks in every moan and every twitch of her body.
“God.” He groans. “You’re stunning.”
“Rafe.” She moans, eyes closing.
“You like that?” He asks, voice low.
She nods quickly, her back arching.
Then, without warning, he pulls his hand away and she lets out a confused whine. Before she can say anything, he brings his fingers to his mouth, sucking them clean. She stares at him, shocked, turned on and breathless all at once.
“You taste so good.” He mutters, voice rough, leaning in. “Can I…? Do you want me to-?”
He gestures downward and she gulps nervously before nodding.
“You can say no. It’s okay.” He assures her, reading the flicker in her eyes.
“No, I want to.” She says softly. “It’s just…been a while.”
“I’ll go slow.” He promises. “Let me take care of you, yeah?”
When she nods again, he kisses her once tenderly, before sliding down her body, lips brushing her jaw, her neck and her stomach, until he reaches the hem of her underwear and pulls it down. She helps him, lifting her hips and he pauses to take her in. His eyes darken.
“Fucking beautiful.” He murmurs, then leans in and kisses her clit gently.
She gasps, clutching the sheets as he kisses her again, then licks a slow stripe through her folds. Her head falls back, a moan slipping from her lips. He takes his time, tasting her like she's his last meal. His fingers find her again, slipping inside as his tongue swirls around her clit.
Her thighs tremble around his head, but he holds them open, anchoring her to the bed. When her hand finds his buzzed hair, pulling him closer, he groans into her.
“Ray, I-” She starts, cutting herself off with a whimper.
He lifts his head just slightly, his lips glimmering from her slick.
“Let it out, baby. I wanna hear you.”
A soft cry escapes her lips.
“You’re close, huh? I can feel you. Come on, baby.” He urges, curling his fingers deeper, his mouth returning to her.
Tongue and fingers working in perfect tandem, slow and purposeful and his name falls from her lips like a prayer.
Her nails dig into his scalp and shoulders, but he doesn’t stop, if anything, it drives him harder. His own hips rut against the mattress beneath him, needing relief but focused entirely on her.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” She gasps. “Rafe!”
Her whole body trembles, her thighs tightening around his head and he doesn’t stop or pull back until she fully lets go. He doesn’t waste a drop, licking her clean until she squirms from the overstimulation.
Finally, he rises, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and crawling back up beside her. He’s grinning, eyes scanning her flushed face, her glistening skin, the way her chest still heaves.
“You okay? You feel good?” He brushes the hair away from her forehead and cups her face gently.
She nods, eyes still dazed.
“Yeah. Yeah. That was…” She lets out a breath, smiling. “You definitely know what you’re doing.”
He chuckles softly and presses a kiss to her cheek. Shifting his hips slightly to get comfortable, he settles beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She looks up at him, fingers lazily dragging down his chest and he swallows hard under her touch.
She leans in, kissing him gently. Her fingers toy with the chain around his neck letting the gold glide between her fingers, while his hand finds her hip and gives it a soft squeeze, grounding himself. Then she starts kissing down his chest and his stomach, until she’s settled between his legs.
“Y/N-” his voice breaks slightly as her fingers hook into the waistband of his sweatpants. “No, hey…you don’t have to.”
“I want to, Rafe.” She says, her voice calm, certain. “I’m not gonna leave you like that.” Her eyes flick down to the clear evidence of how worked up he is.
“I can handle it.” He says, trying to pull her back up. “You don’t have to take care of me.”
She looks up at him, eyes wide and sincere.
“Let me, Ray.” The nickname does something to him and he groans, already giving in.
She eases his sweatpants down and he lifts his hips to help her. Through his boxers, she palms him gently, feeling the damp spot where precum soaks through. He hisses, head tipping back against the headboard as her hand moves slowly, deliberately.
Her nails catch on the waistband of his boxers.
“Can I…?” She asks sweetly.
He nods, fast and eager, almost dizzy. She smiles softly and pulls them down. His cock springs free, already leaking at the tip, slapping lightly against his stomach and he lets out a breath of relief just from the relief of no longer being confined.
She blinks, slightly wide-eyed. Her lips part and for a second, she doesn’t say anything.
“I know, it’s a lot.” He rushes out. “You don’t have to do anything, seriously. I’m okay.”
She shakes her head, eyes snapping back up to his.
“No, it’s not that.” She licks her lips. “I want to. I just wasn’t...expecting that.” Her brows lift. “You’re…big.”
He laughs and gives her a sheepish shrug.
“Oh, don’t do that.” She grins. “God, I forgot about your ego.”
“I didn’t even say anything.” He protests, hands raised in mock surrender.
Still smiling, she shakes her head and leans closer, her hand wrapping gently around him. He jerks slightly at the contact.
“Relax.” She whispers.
Her thumb brushes over the sensitive head, smearing the precum down his shaft before starting to stroke him slowly. The tension in his shoulders rises and his jaw clenches, like he’s doing everything he can to stay grounded.
“I’m not gonna last long.” He warns, his voice strained. “Not with you touching me like that.”
Her pace stays gentle, steady enough to make him tremble, to leave him gasping, but not quite enough to push him over. She leans down and kisses the tip, so tender it makes him flinch.
“Shit.” He whispers, every muscle in his body coiled.
She runs her tongue softly along the underside, then looks up at him one more time, checking in without needing words, before she takes him into her mouth.
He groans the second she does, head tipping back again. His eyes flutter closed, one hand tangling in her hair.
“Oh my god, Y/N.”
She moves slowly at first, letting herself adjust, her hand stroking what her mouth can’t reach. She glances up through her lashes, eyes slightly watering, cheeks hollowing and her free hand gripping his thigh for balance. He looks down at her and he feels like he is about to fall apart.
“Fuck.” He breathes, completely undone. “You look so good like this.”
She picks up the pace, one hand moving lower to cup and fondle his balls while her mouth works him expertly. His moans grow louder, more ragged. It doesn’t take long before his grip on her hair tightens to pull her off.
“Y/N-I’m-”
But she doesn’t stop.
He groans her name one last time, before he comes with a gasp and she takes all of it, swallowing without hesitation, soothing him with slow touches until he's spent. His body trembles as he melts into the bed, chest heaving.
She pulls back, wipes her mouth and curls up beside him, her nails gently trailing along his chest.
“You okay?” She asks, her voice quiet. He nods, still trying to catch his breath.
“Did you…I mean, did you enjoy-?” “Fuck yes.” He cuts her off, voice still hoarse. She laughs, clearly pleased with herself.
She rests her head on his chest, looking up at him. His arm wraps around her instinctively, fingers stroking her back. He feels her gaze on him and turns his head.
“What?” He asks, brows furrowing. “What’s that look?”
“Nothing.” She says, her voice soft. “You’re just…so beautiful.”
“Careful. You’re gonna make me blush.” He grins.
“I’m serious.” She murmurs. “I still can’t believe I’m here with you.”
“Yeah, I can’t either.” He says, leaning in to kiss her.
“No, I don’t mean the Hideaway.” She explains.
“I know.” He nods, meeting her gaze. “I know what you mean.”
Some time has passed. They’ve both cleaned up, now back in their undergarments. Y/N’s curled up on Rafe’s side, tucked beneath his arm with the hoodie he had given her, hanging loosely off her frame. He didn’t bother putting his sweats back on, just a pair of fresh boxers. Her head rests on his chest, fingers drawing lazy shapes over his torso, tracing the dips and ridges like she’s memorizing them.
“Do you have any kinks?” She blurts, casually making Rafe snort, caught off guard.
“Jesus, Y/N. Let a man breathe.” He mutters.
She grins, giggling into his chest.
“Come on! I already found out you like dirty talk.” She points out.
“Alright, how about what do you think I’m into?” He asks, glancing down at her, amused.
She hums like she’s thinking seriously, tapping a finger against his abs.
“You definitely give…handcuffs and blindfolds kind of guy.”
“Oh yeah?” He asks, that familiar smirk tugging at his lips.
“Your eyes did light up when I showed you the cuffs earlier.”
“Okay, fair. I’ve dabbled.” He chuckles, scratching the back of his neck like he’s been caught.
“I think you’re into spanking, too.” She mutters, her fingers now trailing lower, more deliberate. Rafe’s abs twitch under her touch.
“Occasionally.” He admits, playing it cool.
“And…” She adds, voice a bit softer now. “I think you like choking.”
There’s a beat. Then, he nods, slower this time.
“I do. But only if the other person’s into it too.”
She nods.
“What about me?” She asks after a moment, peeking up at him through her lashes. “What do you think I’m into?”
“You like praise.” He says, without hesitation. His hand traces the freckles on her shoulder. “You basically melted when I called you a good girl.”
Her cheeks warm instantly. She bites her lip and glances down at the oversized sleeve covering her hand.
“Maybe.”
“I think you like being choked too.” He guesses, leaning in. She doesn’t say anything, just meets his eyes and that’s all the confirmation he needs. “But I think I should stop talking, because our families are definitely watching.”
Y/N bursts out laughing.
“I warned mine not to watch anything that had to do with the Hideaway.”
“Well, my little sister definitely is.” He grins.
“Wait, you have a sister? You never told me that.” She tilts her head.
“Yeah. Wheezie.”
“Wheezie?” She furrows her brows.
“Louisa. My mom used to call her Wheezie and it kind of got stuck.” He says, a fond look flickering over his face as he stares at their now joined hands.
“That’s cute.” She murmurs. “Do you guys look alike?”
“Not really. She looks more like my dad, I think. Got our mom’s eyes though.”
“And you?” She asks, her voice gentle. “Who do you look like?”
“My mom. She was…blondish. Had the same nose slope as me.” He touches the bridge of his nose, smile turning soft. A little sad.
Y/N hesitates.
“I don’t want to overstep, but-”
“She’s gone.” He says it quickly, quietly. “Happened when I was twelve.”
“Rafe…” She breathes, her hand instinctively tightening where it rests on his chest.
“It’s okay.” He swallows. “I’ve dealt with it.”
“Grief isn’t something you just…deal with and move on from.” She shakes her head slightly.
“I’m okay.” He shrugs.
“It’s okay if you’re not.”
“Thanks. I just…I don’t want to get into it.” He exhales, suddenly still.
“Okay. We’ll drop it.” Y/N slowly pulls back, giving him space.
He nods, grateful. But there’s still a tension in his jaw.
“I just-I want you to know I’m here. If you ever…you know.”
“I know.” He replies, rubbing his eyes like he’s suddenly exhausted. He exhales, then shifts his body slightly, almost like he’s trying to physically shake the weight off.
“You ready for bed?” She asks, her voice still gentle.
“I didn’t mean to kill the vibe.” He gives a small smile. “It’s just…stuff like that gets heavy sometimes.”
“I understand. You don’t owe me any explanations.” She inhales slowly. “And you didn’t ruin anything. I shouldn’t have asked.”
“No, it’s not your fault.” He pauses, then shifts the energy with a small smile. “So…kinks?”
She lets out a quiet laugh.
“You were right.” She mumbles.
“Really?” He raises his brows.
She nods and intertwines her fingers with his again, lips curving up.
“You know, I’m glad the others chose us tonight.” She whispers, sincere.
“Yeah. Me too.” He smiles back, this time with no teasing behind it. His hand slides over her shoulder and down her back in slow, comforting strokes. Her head gets heavier on his chest, lashes fluttering closed.
“Did I tire you out?” He teases, his voice low.
“You did.” She murmurs.
He presses a kiss to her forehead, lingering.
“Rafe?”
“Yeah?”
“Just so you know, I do like you and I do care about you.” She murmurs, her eyes closed.
The truth of it sinks in, quiet and sure, like something he’s been waiting to hear.
“I know.” He says, his voice almost shy. “Goodnight, sweetheart.”
“Goodnight, Ray.” She mumbles, already half-asleep.
And he watches her for a little longer, letting the quiet wrap around them, before finally letting sleep take him too.
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Love Island - Episode 15: The One With The Blue Party
pairings: rafe cameron x fem!reader
words: 4k
warnings: cuss words, sexual innuendos, alcohol consumption
series masterlist
The girls are in the makeup room, getting ready for the much-anticipated blue party.
“I needed this party!” Abigail exclaims and the others hum in agreement.
Alyssa is struggling to decide on an outfit, Maddy is focused on Y/N’s eye makeup, Kiara works on curling Cleo’s hair and Sarah lounges in her towel, fresh out of the shower, munching on a sandwich.
“I’m actually really excited for tonight.” Y/N mutters to Maddy, who nods, eyes locked on her task.
“That’s great, babe. Look up.” She gently taps under Y/N’s eye, applying a streak of blue liner. Y/N snorts but follows instructions.
“Oh, Sarah?” Cleo calls out and Sarah hums, mid-bite. “Can I borrow one of your lip glosses? One of the fancy ones?”
Without hesitation, Sarah hands over her makeup bag.
“Wait-just like that?” Cleo asks, surprised. “I thought I’d have to grovel for them.”
“Dude, they’re just lip glosses.” Sarah shrugs, casually finishing her sandwich.
“They’re designer!” Cleo protests, but Sarah just shrugs again, unfazed.
The room buzzes with easy laughter, compliments and music. Clothes and makeup are shared freely, like a sisterhood. And in this cozy chaos, the girls feel completely at home.
Once everyone’s ready, they head downstairs to the bedroom where the boys are already waiting. Cheers erupt as the girls walk in and giggles follow as each one makes her way to her partner.
Y/N walks toward Rafe, who’s sitting on the bench at the end of their bed. He stands as soon as he spots her, eyes trailing down her body.
“Hey, beautiful.” He murmurs, hands finding her waist and pulling her close.
“Hi.” She whispers, her lashes brushing against her cheeks. “You look great.”
“Says you.” He brushes a strand of hair behind her ear, admiring her blue earrings. “Cute.” He adds with a small smile.
He’s in a navy button-down with the top few buttons undone, exposing the gold chain laying on his chest, paired with crisp white linen shorts. The fabric under her fingertips feels expensive, like everything about him screams old money, while she’s standing there in her thrifted blue dress. Her chest tightens a little.
She grabs his hand and follows the others out, smoothing her dress as she walks. He notices the clamminess of her palm and the way her head dips down.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” He whispers, giving her hand a soft squeeze.
She glances up at him, caught off guard by his attention.
“I...I’ll tell you later.” She says quietly. He nods, squeezing her hand again as they reach the long table lined with gold champagne flutes.
“Cheers to…us and to having a good time, all the time!” John B calls out.
Everyone cheers, clinking glasses. Music fills the villa as the night begins. The girls dance and twirl in their heels, laughter spilling from their lips, while the boys lift Pope into the air, tossing him around as they all crack up.
The boys decide to play beer pong with dares, dragging the girls into the game as Topper and Rafe fill the cups as JJ stacks them into perfect triangles on the table.
The islanders split into two teams. On team one there is Sarah, Maddy, Y/N, Kiara, John B, Rafe and Kelce. And on team two there is Cleo, Abigail, Alyssa, Topper, Pope, JJ and Ryan.
“Let’s do this shit!” JJ yells and the group erupts in cheers.
Abigail throws the first ball and it lands cleanly in a cup. Her team cheers as Rafe grabs the cup from the table. The boys holler for him to chug and he answers with a lazy middle finger before downing most of it. He peels the sticker from under the cup and reads aloud.
“‘Kiss the islander you fan-’ yeah, okay.” He doesn’t even finish reading before tossing the cup aside and walking straight to Y/N.
He grabs her waist, pulling her close and presses his lips against hers without hesitation. His hands slip down, giving her ass a slow, deliberate squeeze as she leans into the kiss, caught in the moment. The others whistle and shout around them. When he finally pulls back, Y/N is breathless, her lips slightly parted.
“Y/N, you good?” Cleo asks, raising a brow.
“Ye-yeah.” Y/N stammers, dazed. The group laughs as Rafe wraps an arm around her shoulder.
Sarah steps up next, aiming carefully before sinking her shot with a triumphant “whoop!” She throws her hands in the air. Ryan grabs the cup, downs it easily, then plucks the sticker from underneath.
“‘Let any islander of your choice do a body shot off of you.’” He reads, grinning as everyone gasps. He points at Abigail and offers her his hand.
Ryan lies back on the grass and lifts his shirt while JJ pours a bit of beer onto his belly button. Abigail kneels down, giggling.
“Wish me luck.” She mutters, then leans in and sucks the liquid from his stomach. The villa explodes with cheers and as she sits up, she plants a kiss on Ryan’s lips, that he quickly deepens.
Sarah sprints around the group, clutching her dress and screaming in excitement while Y/N laughs, watching her go.
When Sarah stops running and Ryan and Abigail are back on their feet, Maddy takes her turn but misses.
“Fuck me.” She mutters, walking back to her team, disappointed.
“Your aim is shit, baby.” Kelce teases. Maddy glares at him and he zips his lips dramatically. “Sorry.”
On the other team, Cleo steps up confidently and sinks her shot. Her team goes wild.
Sarah grabs the cup and chugs most of it, leaving everyone stunned.
“Didn’t think you had it in you, Sar.” Kiara calls out.
“I was in a sorority.” Sarah says proudly. She grabs the sticker. “‘Give an islander of your choice a lap dance.’”
She scans the group, fake-thinking, while everyone bursts into laughter. John B shakes his head, already bracing himself.
But at the last second, she yanks Y/N forward instead, shocking everyone.
“Lucky me.” Y/N mumbles as Sarah leads her to a sunbed and sits her down.
With full commitment, Sarah straddles her and starts rolling her hips, hair whipping, hands dragging Y/N’s down her own body. They’re both giggling when, by accident, Y/N pulls her strapless dress down a little too far.
Sarah shrieks and Y/N immediately covers her exposed chest, both of them bursting into uncontrollable laughter.
“Please tell me no one saw that.” Sarah groans, turning toward the others.
Sarah hides her face in Y/N’s neck, mortified, while Y/N keeps laughing, tears in her eyes.
“I’m so sorry.” Y/N says between laughs.
Sarah just shakes her head and shrugs before hopping off her lap.
Confessional - Y/N
“Not gonna lie…I did enjoy that.” She says with a cheeky smile.
While the others are still playing and laughing, Rafe gently slips his fingers around Y/N’s hand and nods toward one of the couches.
“Come on.” he murmurs, leading her away from the chaos.
He sinks onto the cushions and tugs her into his lap. She goes willingly, smiling as she wraps her arms around his shoulders.
“Couldn’t get me alone sooner, huh?” She teases.
“Yeah.” He lets out a low chuckle, one that rumbles against her. But then his jaw tightens, and his tone softens. “Now, tell me. What’s going on?”
She sighs, avoiding his eyes.
“It’s…it’s stupid.”
“If it’s bothering you, it’s not stupid.” He shakes his head, lips pressed into a firm line. Another sigh escapes her.
“I just…you always seem so…put together.”
“What?” Rafe blinks.
“You look nice.” She says, trying again. “Like, not just good-looking, but…expensive. Polished. You always wear nice clothes, you gave that girl a three-thousand-dollar gift just because.”
He raises a brow, still not getting it.
“And I...” She continues, taking a breath. “I wear thrifted dresses and I work in a bakery.”
His grip on her waist tightens slightly.
“So what?”
“I don’t know.” She murmurs, eyes flicking down to her nails. “It just hit me tonight. Like…what if we don’t make sense?”
He gently cups her face, coaxing her to look up at him.
“I don’t care.”
She blinks.
“I don’t care about money or brands or what you wear or where you work.” He says. “None of that matters to me.”
“I-I’m not ashamed of it.” She adds quickly. “But...I guess tonight it got to me. Like, what if we’re from two different worlds and we just…aren't a good fit?”
“Y/N, I like you.” He says firmly. “I like you for who you are. For being real. For being amazing in your own way. Can you please stop overthinking all this?”
She glances back down.
“I’m sorry.” She whispers.
“Don’t-You don’t have to apologize.” He says. “Yeah, we’re still figuring things out. Yeah, we’ve got differences. But who cares? I’m having the best time with you. And if we’re gonna grow something real, we can’t let stupid shit like this get in the way.”
Her lips curve into a small smile.
“Thank you.” She whispers and he chuckles.
“You don’t have to thank me for everything either. I’m here for you. That’s kind of the point.”
Her eyes instinctively flick to his lips. He catches it, smirking as he licks his own. His hand slides up, fingers brushing the strap of her dress.
“And for the record.” He adds, voice low. “You look stunning in this dress. Thrifted or not.”
She shivers.
“And navy suits you.” She murmurs. His hand cups her jaw, pulling her closer until their noses nearly touch. Their breath mingles, lips barely apart.
“Oh yeah?” He asks, smug.
She nods, breath catching and he leans in, kissing her slow and deep, his tongue teasing hers. She groans softly, tugging him closer.
“Okay, okay, y’all cut it out with the PDA and come back already!” Sarah calls out as she strolls over.
Rafe pulls back with a quiet groan while Y/N buries her face in his shirt, giggling. She slides off his lap, smoothing down her dress. He stands, lacing their fingers together, before they walk back toward the others.
Confessional - Y/N
“Yeah, I’m…I’m really happy with Rafe. And with how he sees me. How he sees us. And he’s very-” She pauses, sighing dreamily. “I need to stop or I’ll be here talking about him forever. Wait-actually, can we cut that out? That’s so fucking embarrassing.” She says, glancing off-camera, her cheeks going red.
As the game winds down and the islanders start to drift into smaller groups, JJ and Kiara end up on one of the quieter couches, tucked away from the noise.
“I…I pulled you because I wanted to talk about…us.” Kiara says, her voice tentative. JJ nods, setting his champagne flute on the low table in front of them. His posture stiffens, nerves creeping in.
“Yeah, of course.” He replies, trying to play it cool, but the uncertainty flickers across his face.
“I just want to make sure we’re on the same page.” She explains. “Because…I don’t know, we haven’t really talked about this yet.”
He nods again, a bit more slowly this time.
“Yeah. You’re right.” He scratches the back of his head, then glances at her.
“I want to explore things between us, for sure.” He says honestly. “I didn’t come in here thinking I’d stay coupled up with one person the whole time, obviously, but…I am curious to see where this could go.”
Kiara nods, seeming to take that in.
“Yeah. Same.” She pauses before continuing, “Also…I was kinda surprised by some of your answers today.”
She raises an eyebrow and JJ chuckles sheepishly.
“Yeah. I’ve got no excuses for those.” He says with a crooked grin. “But just so you know, since you seemed upset, I don’t care about anyone’s body count. I was messing around with that last question. It wasn’t serious.”
Kiara studies him for a beat, then nods.
“It didn’t feel great to hear, if I’m being honest. But thanks for clearing it up. I appreciate you saying that.”
JJ offers one of his signature grins, warm and a little apologetic.
Confessional -JJ
“I’m excited to see where things go with Kiara.” He says, nodding slightly, a rare moment of sincerity softening his usual bravado.
Maddy, Sarah and Y/N step away from the crowd, heading toward the firepit with their drinks in hand.
“Okay, so me and Rafe had a talk earlier.” Y/N begins.
“Spill!” Maddy says instantly, sipping from her drink.
“So, after the challenge, we went to the daybed.”
“Your spot.” Sarah cuts in with a smirk and Y/N grins.
“Our spot.” She corrects herself, rolling her eyes playfully as the memory makes her smile. “Anyways, I opened up to him about my worries…especially the whole body count thing.”
Both girls nod, listening closely.
“I told him I want to take things slow. Like, with all the…intimate stuff. And he was so okay with it. Like, not just okay, like really understanding.”
“Why wouldn’t he be, girlie?” Maddy asks, eyebrow raised.
“No, I mean he was so kind about it. He told me he doesn’t care if I’ve been with one guy or none or a hundred. And he kept saying how I’m safe with him, how I can trust him. He was just…really gentle about it.” Y/N says, rambling now, grinning like she can’t stop herself.
“You’re blushing.” Sarah teases, wrapping Y/N in a soft hug. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Me too.” Maddy joins in from the other side, hugging her tight.
Sarah pulls back with a smirk.
“Okay, but what were you two really talking about while making out on the couch?” She asks.
“Sarah!” Y/N gasps, wide-eyed, as Maddy bursts into laughter.
“What? You were there for a while.” Sarah shrugs and Y/N sighs.
“I told him I’m still trying to process everything about his lifestyle. The money, the luxury, the brands…I wasn’t raised with any of that. I work at a bakery. I thrift clothes. I literally don’t buy new makeup until the last drop of the old one is gone.”
“Girl, if he made a fuss about that, then he’s not a real man.” Maddy says firmly, lifting her brows.
“Yeah, Y/N. Real men don’t care about that.” Sarah adds, shaking her head.
“Well…the guys I dated in New York did.” Y/N mutters.
“Wait…was Kelce like that?” Maddy asks, unable to help herself. But Y/N quickly shakes her head.
“No, not at all. Kelce never even let me pay when we went out. Sometimes he’d show up with groceries when I was behind on rent or bills.”
“Good. That’s…good to hear.” Maddy exhales a little, in relief, nodding.
“So, what did Rafe say?” Sarah asks, steering them back to the conversation.
“He told me he doesn’t care about any of that. He said he likes me, like, genuinely likes me. And he wants us to grow without me constantly overthinking or apologizing for everything.” Y/N smiles.
“Damn, girl. You’re lucky.” Sarah whistles while Y/N beams.
“Yeah…I feel really lucky. And I think…I think I want to go a little further tonight. With him.”
Maddy sits up straighter.
“Only if you want to. Don’t feel like you owe him anything.” She advises.
“No, I do want to.” Y/N says with certainty. “I feel ready.”
“Not like…all the way, right?” Sarah asks carefully, glancing at Maddy and then back to Y/N.
“No, no. I’m not there yet. Just…further than before.” Y/N replies as both girls nod in understanding.
“If it feels right and you know it’s what you want, then go for it.” Sarah says gently.
“But don’t pressure yourself.” Maddy adds. “These things take time. If you rush it, it won’t feel how it’s supposed to.”
Y/N nods, taking it all in.
“Thank you. Both of you.”
They lean into another warm group hug and when they pull away,
“Okay, but we have to talk about JJ’s skinny jeans, because I cannot even look at him.” Maddy says, changing the subject as the girls erupt in laughter.
Confessional - Maddy
“I swear I love those girls so much.” Maddy says, grinning from ear to ear. “And I’m really happy for Y/N.”
Pope and Cleo linger by the kitchen, snacking and swaying lazily to the music pulsing in the background. Ryan and Abigail join them, grabbing chips and settling in.
“Okay.” Abigail starts, crunching on a chip. “What would your ideal first date be like, in the real world? If you’d met on Tinder or something.”
Everyone pauses to think.
“I feel like drinks is always a solid first date.” Ryan says. “Helps with the nerves.”
They all nod.
Pope’s about to answer when a flash of red catches his eye, someone walking through the flower corridor.
“Holy shit.” He mutters.
“Man, not again.” Cleo groans, dropping her cookie.
“Guys, we got company!” Abigail shouts.
One by one, the islanders gather, stunned by the sight of a new girl making her way into the villa.
“Hola, everyone!” She says, accent warm and confident.
Y/N smooths her dress as Maddy grabs her hand, pulling her toward the crowd. The girl walks right up to them with a beaming smile.
“Hi.” Y/N says softly. The girl immediately pulls her into a hug.
“It’s lovely to meet you.” She murmurs, squeezing her.
“You too…” Y/N trails off, realizing she still doesn’t know her name.
“Camila.” The girl grins before moving on to greet the others.
“That was quite the entrance.” Maddy whispers while Y/N elbows her.
“She seems sweet.” She murmurs.
“Sweet, my ass.” Maddy scoffs.
“Be nice.” Y/N mumbles, brushing her hair back.
Before she can process more, a pair of hands wraps around her waist. She leans back instinctively, body relaxing into his.
“You alright?” Rafe whispers, breath hot against her neck.
“Yeah, Ray.” She nods.
He gives her a gentle squeeze.
“Have I told you I like when you call me that?” He asks as she turns to him with a smirk.
“Yeah, you have.”
He grins. The group starts moving toward the firepit and Rafe nudges her forward with a soft press to her waist.
Everyone settles into their seats.
“So…” Kiara begins, her smile a little too polished. “Tell us about yourself. Where you’re from, what you do.”
“We caught that accent.” Y/N adds, the group chuckling.
“I’m from Mexico, but I live in California now. I’m 26. And I’m a sound engineer slash songwriter slash ‘wannabe singer.’” Camila says, laughing.
“What’s your type?” Sarah asks curiously and Camila laughs.
“Don’t worry, you’re safe. I’ve seen a few episodes and I’m not here to break up any couples.”
That instantly earns a few nods and smiles from the girls.
“What have you seen?” Maddy asks, still cautious.
“I saw Alyssa steal Rafe in the first few days, then Rafe and Y/N get back together. I saw Ryan and Abigail come in…and a glimpse of the kissing challenge.” She says, counting it off.
“And by the way, you girls are so much more gorgeous in person.”
“Aww, thank you, Camila!” Y/N grins, the girls swooning a little.
Camila points directly at her.
“And you, you are the fucking sweetest.” She exclaims.
Y/N gasps, smiling shyly.
“No, stop!”
“She’s just being humble.” Rafe chimes in, pulling her closer with a proud smile.
Camila laughs, then turns back to the group.
“I just want to meet everyone, see if there’s a connection. But I’m not stepping on any toes.”
Maddy nods, seeming satisfied.
Just then, the infamous ping echoes through the villa.
“That sound is gonna be the death of me.” Cleo groans as Ryan grabs his phone.
“Islanders-” “No, you have to say the thing!” Abigail interrupts.
“I got a text!” Ryan sing-songs and everyone laughs.
“Islanders, the Hideaway is open tonight. Please choose a lucky couple to go. #pillowtalk #donotdisturb.”
The group explodes with gasps.
“Y/N and Rafe!” Sarah shouts, pointing at them. Maddy nods, elbowing Kelce to follow her lead. Y/N looks from Rafe to the group, surprised.
“What about-”
“Nope. Nuh-uh, bitch. You’re going to the Hideaway.” Kiara says, shutting it down.
Maddy leans over, lowering her voice.
“You want to? Like what we talked about earlier?”
Y/N hesitates, then slowly nods.
“Okay then.” Maddy says, standing up. “All in favor of Rafe and Y/N heading to the Hideaway?”
Every hand shoots up, including Alyssa’s, which catches Y/N off guard.
Rafe grins, giddy and lifts Y/N off the ground in a hug.
“We’re going to the Hideaway, baby! Whoo!” He cheers, spinning her around as she clutches him, giggling.
When he finally sets her down, the girls swarm Y/N with squeals and hugs.
“Y/N is going to the Hideaway! Y/N is going to the Hideaway!” Cleo chants and the rest join in while the boys high-five Rafe.
Confessional - Sarah
“There couldn’t have been a more deserving couple than those two going to the Hideaway.” Sarah says, smiling. “As much as I’d love a night with John B, Y/N and Rafe have already been through so much. They deserve this and I hope they have fun., if you know what I mean.” She smirks.
Back in the makeup room, the girls rally around Y/N to get her ready.
“Okay, what about this one?” Maddy holds up a sleek black lingerie set.
Y/N eyes it warily.
“I don’t know…I kind of don’t want to wear black. Or should I? Is it sexier?” She rambles, nerves getting the best of her.
“Girl, anything you put on is going to be sexy as hell.” Maddy says, already pulling out a deep blue set.
“That one would look amazing on Sarah.” Y/N notes, brushing her fingers over the lace. Sarah leans over her shoulder and nods in agreement.
“What about this?” Cleo calls, holding up a red set with delicate bows and lace.
The room goes quiet as all eyes shift to her. Y/N’s breath catches.
“It’s…perfect.” She whispers, walking over to get a better look. “Are you sure?”
“Of course!” Cleo grins, handing it to her. “You’re gonna look amazing in it.”
Y/N wraps her arms around her.
“Thank you.” She whispers, full of gratitude.
“Alright, sit your pretty ass down. Let’s fix that makeup.” Maddy says, guiding her to the vanity. She gently wipes off the now smudged blue liner with a Q-tip and micellar water while the rest of the girls fluff Y/N’s hair, adjust the robe over her lingerie and make her feel like the star of the night.
She adds fuzzy white slippers, then stands and turns to the mirror.
“You look gorgeous.” Abigail says softly.
“Stunning.” Maddy adds.
“Hot as hell.” Kiara smirks, making them all laugh.
Y/N opens her arms and the girls pull her into a tight group hug. When she glances to the side, she spots Camila standing back, smiling shyly.
“Camila, get in here.” Y/N says.
“I don’t want to intrude.” She says, shaking her head.
“Don’t be silly, come on!” Cleo beckons. Camila joins the group, and they all squeeze each other tightly.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” Y/N murmurs into the hug. When they break apart, the girls begin making their way downstairs. Maddy grabs her hand and gives it a squeeze.
“You ready?” She asks. Y/N exhales, then nods.
“Yeah. I am.”
Maddy scrunches her nose at her with a grin, then heads down. Y/N lingers for a second, facing the mirror again.
“You got this.” She whispers to herself. And with that, she walks out.
She takes the stairs slowly, anticipation building with every step. The villa erupts into cheers and laughter. She blushes before she can even look at him, keeping her gaze on her feet, until his hand reaches out.
Her eyes lift to meet Rafe’s and she smiles, slipping her hand into his. He’s in soft grey sweats, Calvin Klein waistband peeking out, gold chain gleaming, holding both their water bottles like it's no big deal.
“Ready?” He murmurs.
She nods.
He leads her past the crowd, who clap, cheer and sing them off with ridiculous chants and laughter.
As they reach the Hideaway door, Y/N turns to wave, smiling so hard her cheeks hurt.
“Well…see you in the morning.” Rafe says, smirking as he guides her inside with no hesitation.
“Good night, everyone!” Y/N laughs over her shoulder.
“Use protection!” Sarah yells, making everyone crack up.
Confessional - Rafe & Y/N
“I prefer rawdogging.” Rafe deadpans with a sly smirk.
Y/N snaps her head toward him, jaw dropping.
“Rafe!” She gasps, smacking his chest as he bursts out laughing.
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Love Island - Episode 13: Pick me, Choose me, Love me
pairings: rafe cameron x fem!reader
words: 4.9k
warnings: cuss words, sexual innuendos
series masterlist
The girls are gathered in the makeup room, getting ready for the recoupling. The atmosphere is thick, awkward and tense, like no one really wants to say what they’re thinking.
“So…a recoupling.” Cleo ventures, trying to break the silence. “That’s gonna be…interesting.”
No one really reacts. She clears her throat and turns to Y/N.
“How are you feeling, Y/N?” She asks and Y/N offers a small, instinctive smile.
“Honestly? I’m just excited to recouple with Rafe.” She says, a hint of giddiness slipping through. “But I do need to have a very uncomfortable conversation with Ryan first.”
“You’re going to talk to him?” Sarah asks, glancing up from her eyeshadow palette. Her eyes flick briefly to Kiara before returning to her brush. Y/N catches it and nods.
“It’s what he deserves.” Y/N says simply. “I can’t just leave things hanging like that. He needs to hear from me that I don’t see it going anywhere. Even if it’s hard. It’s not fair to let him think I might pick him when I won’t.”
The girls nod, quietly agreeing.
“You’re such a good person.” Cleo says warmly.
“I’m just trying to be honest.” Y/N replies with a shrug, meeting Kiara’s eye as she fans her eyelash glue dry.
Across the room, Abigail is rifling through her clothes in silence, round curlers perched on her head.
“Need a hand, Abi?” Y/N calls over.
Abigail turns with a soft smile and shakes her head.
“I’m good, thanks.” She responds.
Y/N gives her a knowing nod before turning her attention back to her makeup bag, the buzz of tension still lingering beneath the surface.
Later, when the girls make their way downstairs, Y/N spots Ryan sitting on the couch with Kelce and John B. She walks over, steady but warm.
“Hey.” She says with a soft smile as she stops in front of them.
The boys greet her and she turns to Ryan.
“Mind if I steal Ryan for a minute? I promise I’ll bring him back.”
“Keep him.” John B teases, earning a few light laughs as Ryan stands up. He places a casual hand on Y/N’s waist as she leads him toward one of the quieter couches, away from the others.
“You look incredible tonight.” He says as they sit down.
Y/N’s cheeks flush with color as she glances at her dress.
“Thank you. You clean up pretty well yourself.”
Ryan leans back slightly, already sensing where the conversation is headed.
“I pulled you for a chat because…”
“You’re picking Rafe.” He says, cutting in gently and she freezes for a second.
“Ryan…”
“It’s okay.” He says quickly. “I see you two together. I get it.”
“I did feel something between us. I want you to know that.” Y/N swallows, her voice quiet.
“I did too.” He says with a nod. “I really like you, Y/N. But I also know what you and Rafe have is different. I’m not here to fight for someone’s attention. I’m here to enjoy this and maybe find something real.”
Her expression softens, worry flickering in her eyes.
“I never wanted to hurt you.” She mutters.
“You didn’t.” He reassures her, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. “I had a crush, I took my shot and it didn’t work out. That’s life.”
“I’m sorry.” She murmurs again.
“Don’t be.” He smiles, sincere. “I’m glad we got to know each other. I want you to be happy. And if Rafe makes you happy, then I’m rooting for you.”
“This kind of feels like a breakup.” Y/N lets out a soft laugh. He laughs too.
“It does. ‘I’m just focusing on my career right now.’ ‘It’s not you, it’s me.’” He jokes, tossing out the clichés. She laughs louder this time, before they fall into a brief, easy silence.
“I’d still like to be friends.” She says suddenly, sitting up.
“I’d really like that too.” He agrees and she opens her arms.
“Come here.”
He leans in, wrapping her in a warm hug. She breathes in the familiar scent of his and lets herself settle into the moment before pulling back with a smile.
“So…” She says, leaning back. “Thoughts on tonight’s recoupling?”
“What do you mean?” He raises an eyebrow.
“I mean, have you felt a spark with anyone else? Who do you think might pick you?”
Ryan hesitates for a second, then leans in slightly like he’s sharing a secret.
“Okay…don’t tease me or tell anyone yet, but…I think I’m getting a bit of a vibe from Abi.”
“Really?” Y/N’s eyes go wide, her smile lighting up.
“Yeah.” He says with a grin. “She’s sweet. Funny. And I don’t know, maybe it’s because we entered the villa together, but there’s this comfort between us.”
“I can see that.” She says thoughtfully. “Have you talked to her about it?”
“I want to.” He admits. “But I’m not sure where things stand between her and JJ.”
“Well.” Y/N says with a shrug. “You’ve got nothing to lose. I think you should go for it.”
“Thanks, Y/N. Really.” He nods, eyes warm.
She smiles again, proud of the way things turned out, even if it wasn’t the easiest conversation to have.
Confessional - Ryan
“I really respect her for pulling me aside and having that conversation. She didn’t just leave me hanging or make me look stupid…I mean she’s not the type to do that. She’s way too kind for that.” He says with a small sigh. “Honestly, I’m just grateful we got some closure.”
Across the villa, Kiara and Abigail are on the lounge beds, drinks in hand. The night air is warm, but the energy between them is noticeably cooler.
“Okay, so…” Abigail starts, her voice low and hesitant. “I pulled you for a chat because…shit, I’m really bad at confrontation.”
She takes a long breath before continuing.
“Last night, some people saw you and JJ going into the villa…and then coming back like twenty minutes later. And I’m not saying something definitely happened, but I guess I just wanted to ask...did…did something happen? If so, do you feel something there? Like…is there an actual connection? Or is it just friendly?” She winces. “God, I sound toxic. Just-just forget I said anything.”
She starts to rise, embarrassed, but Kiara gently reaches out and catches her hand.
“Abi, wait.”
Abigail pauses, then sinks back down beside her. Kiara exhales slowly.
“There’s…been a vibe between JJ and me for a while. I didn’t act on it because I didn’t want to overthink it or make things messy. But last night, during the challenge… something shifted. It was this undeniable spark everyone talks about.”
She hesitates.
“Afterward, he told me to meet him upstairs. And I swear, I didn’t know what he was planning or what he was thinking.”
“So…what happened?” Abigail frowns. Kiara looks down at her drink, then back up.
“We kissed. Just once. But…it felt real. Like the first time I’ve had butterflies in this villa.”
Abigail’s face tightens. She looks away, staring into her glass.
“You could’ve told me.” She mutters.
“I would. I swear.”
“When, Kie?” Abigail presses, her voice strained. “When you would have stood up and picked him at the recoupling?”
Kiara’s heart sinks.
“No. I would never do that to you. Please…just trust me on this.”
“I want to. But the way you both hid this from me? I just…I didn’t expect this. Not from you.” Abigail shakes her head, eyes glassy but holding back.
“I’m sorry, Abi. I really am.” Kiara's shoulders slump as the weight of her guilt settles in.
“I am too.” Abigail replies quietly as she stands. “I just need some space.”
Kiara nods silently, watching as Abigail walks away.
Confessional - Kiara
“I would’ve told her. I should have told her.” She insists quietly.
Maddy and Sarah are in the kitchen, casually snacking and sipping on drinks, when Y/N strolls in and hops onto one of the stools.
“Hi, girlies.” She sing-songs, flashing them a bright smile.
“Hi, gorgeous.” Maddy beams, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “You good?”
“Just had the talk with Ryan.” Y/N exhales.
“Oh, shit.” Sarah’s eyes widen. “How’d it go?”
“He was actually…really chill about it.” Y/N says. “I think he saw it coming. He wasn’t upset and we agreed to stay friends, so…it went as well as it could have.”
“Yeah, no.” Maddy shakes her head, already unimpressed. “Boys and girls can’t just be friends.”
“I hate to break it to you, Mads.” Y/N says with a smirk, “But I have to disagree.”
“Nope. Every guy I’ve ever said ‘let’s be friends’ to, whether that was exes, flings or even random guys I’ve ended up hooking up with at some point. It’s literally impossible. Unless they’re gay.”
“Honestly, I have to side with Maddy on this one.” Sarah raises her hand like she’s seconding a motion.
“Well, that’s not gonna happen with me and Ryan.” Y/N rolls her eyes.
“Whatever you say.” Maddy says, folding her arms. “But it’s impossible when there are feelings involved.”
“There are no feelings involved.” Y/N insists, shaking her head. “Not like that.”
“You like him.” Maddy replies immediately, raising a smug brow.
“I don’t like-like him.”
“But you like him.”
“I don’t have a crush!” She argues.
“But you like him.” Maddy says again, grinning.
“I just think he’s-”
“Charming?” Maddy laughs. “Yeah, you've said it a million times, babe. You like him.”
Y/N sighs and turns her gaze to the beanbags, where Rafe is sitting, relaxed and glowing under the villa lights.
“Well…if I do like Ryan, it’s not the way I like Rafe.” Her voice softens as she watches him. “Ryan’s a great guy. He came in when I was all over the place. And he helped, you know? He pulled me out of my head when I was still dealing with the whole…cheating thing. But at the end of the day, he’s not Rafe.”
“You’re falling for Rafe.” Sarah lets out a squeal.
“D-Don’t say that.” Y/N warns, instantly flustered.
“Oh my god, did you stutter?” Maddy gasps, pointing at her. “You totally stuttered. You’re so falling for him!”
Y/N groans and hides her face in her hands as the girls burst into giggles around her.
Just then, Kiara steps into the kitchen, her heels clicking softly against the wooden floor.
“Y/N?” She says, carefully.
Y/N lifts her head from her hands, eyebrows raised.
“Kie? What’s going on?”
Kiara glances at Maddy and Sarah, who go quiet, sipping their drinks. Then she turns back to Y/N, nervous but determined.
“I...I feel like a hypocrite.” She says quietly. “Calling Rafe a liar, saying I didn’t trust him and that he’d hurt you…when I messed up too.”
The room goes still. All three girls look up at her, stunned.
“And...we didn’t tell Abigail.” She continues. “She found out. And it sucked. Seeing her face like that…seeing how hurt she was.”
Y/N immediately opens her arms and Kiara walks into her embrace. Y/N rubs her back gently as she speaks.
“I think I know how Abi feels.” She murmurs. “And honestly, the best thing you can do is give her some time. Let everything breathe a little.”
She pulls back to look Kiara in the eyes.
“Was the kiss just in the moment? Or…did it mean something?” Y/N asks.
“I wanted to kiss him. And…I think he did too. He made the first move.”
Y/N sighs, but it’s not judgmental, it's more thoughtful.
“Then yeah…I think what hurt Abigail most wasn’t just the kiss, it was the fact you kept it from her.”
“So I should just… give her space?”
Y/N nods and Maddy and Sarah follow with quiet agreement.
“And the recoupling?” Kiara asks, almost in a whisper.
The girls exchange glances. No one jumps to answer.
“Just…go with your gut.” Y/N says gently. “If you talked to Abigail first, explained what happened and how you feel about JJ, then she probably will understand your choice. But if you’re unsure about JJ or if there’s no real feeling behind it...maybe it’s not worth the fallout.”
Kiara nods again, taking it all in. Then she leans in and hugs Y/N one more time.
“Thank you.” She murmurs.
“Anytime.” Y/N gives her a soft smile.
Confessional - Kiara
“That talk with Y/N definitely helped me make up my mind.” Kiara says, nodding. “Honestly, someone should just hand that girl a psychology degree.”
Rafe sits by the firepit with JJ and Topper, the three of them nursing their drinks.
“Rafe?” Topper says cautiously.
“Yeah?” Rafe’s jaw tightens as he glances up at him.
“I just wanna say I’m sorry for what I said the other night.” Topper starts, shifting in his seat and Rafe gives a small nod, letting him continue.
“I shouldn’t have called Y/N fake or said she was playing you. I thought I was looking out for you, but...I was out of line. I’ve had time to think it over and I see both your sides now. I just want you to be happy, man.”
Rafe exhales slowly.
“Then don’t talk shit about her again.” He says simply. “And really, you owe her the apology, not me.”
“I figured you’d say that.” Topper nods, already expecting that. “And yeah, I will. I promise. So...we good?”
“We’re good, man.” Rafe lets out a quiet chuckle and nods.
They dab each other up and JJ leans back on the bench with a sigh, clearly growing impatient.
“Alright, can we get to the real crisis here?” JJ says.
The guys glance over at him.
“What now?” Rafe asks, lifting his glass.
“I, uh…I kissed Kiara last night. And I haven’t told Abigail.” JJ reveals.
“Shit.” Topper’s eyes widen.
“I know. It just…happened. And I don’t regret it. Kiara and I had a moment. I kinda wanna see where it goes.”
“And Abigail?” Rafe presses.
“I like her too.” JJ admits. “I’m a mess.”
“Then be straight with her. Don’t leave her in the dark.” Rafe says, the memory of his own screw-ups flickering behind his eyes.
“She’s gonna hate me.” JJ mutters.
“She might be pissed, sure. But she deserves the truth, JJ.” Rafe looks at him, voice softer now.
“And you better do it before the recoupling.” Topper adds.
JJ stands up like he’s ready to go and then a loud ping echoes.
“I got a text!” Sarah shouts from the kitchen. “Islanders, please gather at the firepit. #decisiontime #whowillitbe.”
JJ freezes, then drops back down onto the bench with a groan.
“Fuck.” He mutters.
Rafe gives his back a sympathetic smack while the boys let out a collective sigh.
Confessional - JJ
“I’m fucked. This whole thing is fucked.” He runs a hand down his face. “Fuck.”
The Islanders begin gathering slowly, one by one taking their seats beside their current partners. A phone chimes, slicing through the chatter.
“Boys.” Pope reads. “Please stand at the front of the firepit.”
The guys exchange a few glances before getting to their feet and making their way to the front. The girls shift in their seats, anticipation building as they prepare for the recoupling.
Maddy’s phone buzzes first. She jumps up with a grin, practically glowing.
“I’d like to couple up with this boy.” She begins, her voice light. “Because he’s made me laugh more than anyone before. He’s sweet, he’s fun and I always feel at ease when I’m around him. So the boy I wanna couple up with is…Kelce.”
He jogs over, plants a kiss on her lips and she giggles as they sit back down together, his arm draping naturally around her shoulder.
Next up is Sarah, who stands and delivers a short but heartfelt speech. She smiles as she chooses John B and he walks over, grabbing her and kissing her. Their kiss turns intense fast, drawing whistles and laughter from the others.
“Alright, alright, that’s enough!” Someone calls and they break apart, laughing as they return to their seats.
Alyssa stands next. Her expression is a little more serious.
“I'd like to couple up with this boy, because even though things haven’t exactly been smooth between us lately.” She says. “I still believe there’s something worth holding onto.” She glances at Topper. “So I’m choosing to couple up with…Topper.”
He walks over, hugs her a little longer than expected and they sit down quietly.
Y/N stands up slowly, smoothing out her dress and letting out a small breath as all eyes fall on her.
“I wanna couple up with this boy because…” She begins, voice a little unsteady. “Even though we haven’t known each other that long...being around him just feels easy.”
She lets out a quick breath, eyes flicking toward him.
“Okay, not always easy.” She admits with a small laugh. “It’s been a bit messy, if I’m honest. But somehow, it still feels real.”
Rafe watches her, lips twitching into a subtle smile.
“We’ve had our ups and downs already. But there’s something there. And no matter how things have gone…I keep coming back to him.”
Her voice softens at the end, eyes lingering on him now.
“So yeah. The boy I wanna couple up with…is Rafe.”
He’s already on his feet before she finishes, crossing the space between them in a few steps. He wraps his arms around her waist and lifts her just slightly, kissing her without saying a word. She smiles into it, arms winding naturally around his neck like she’s done it a hundred times.
“Hey!” Sarah calls out, teasing. “You told me and John B to keep it PG!”
Everyone laughs as they finally break apart and settle on the bench together. Rafe turns to her, eyes scanning her face.
“You’re not wearing that…lip stuff tonight?” He asks, voice lower now.
“You always kiss it off anyway. Figured I’d skip the routine.” She grins. He chuckles, hand settling on her waist again as she leans into him. He presses a kiss to her temple, then turns his attention back to the firepit, still holding her.
Abigail rises slowly.
“I’d like to couple up with this boy.” She says. “Because he’s funny, he’s sweet and from the moment we met, he’s had this really kind and calming energy. I’ve loved getting to know him, and I’d really like to see where this could go.” She exhales. “So the boy I wanna couple up with is…Ryan.”
Ryan’s eyes widen. He turns instinctively to look at Y/N, who mirrors his expression before giving him an encouraging grin.
He walks over to Abigail, kisses her cheek and takes the seat beside her.
JJ, still standing at the front, furrows his brow in confusion. He glances at Abigail across the firepit. But she doesn’t meet his eyes.
“That was…unexpected.” Ryan whispers to Abigail.
“Not really.” She replies, calmly meeting his eyes.
Ryan relaxes a little more in his seat, a small smile tugging at his lips.
Cleo stands next and confidently chooses Pope. Their kiss is sweet and unhurried before they settle down again.
Finally, Kiara rises.
“I’d like to couple up with this boy.” She sighs. “Because he’s really handsome, really funny and somehow always has me laughing until I can’t breathe. And...there’s a spark there. Something worth exploring. So, the boy I wanna couple up with is…JJ.”
JJ walks over slowly, hugging her a little awkwardly in front of everyone before they both sit down with matching sighs.
When the recoupling wraps up, the islanders scatter. Some heading toward the fire pit, others toward the daybeds, settling in with their partners.
Ryan and Abigail walk over to one of the couches, drinks in hand, the warm night buzzing around them.
“I gotta say.” Ryan starts, settling in beside her. “I’m really glad you picked me.”
“You are?” Abigail asks, her smile soft but a little surprised.
“Yeah.” He nods, rubbing the back of his neck. “I was actually telling Y/N earlier…I feel like we’ve got something. A connection, I guess. I mean…we came in together, which probably made it easier. But being around you just feels…natural. Comfortable. You’re really sweet. And stunning, obviously. And now I’m rambling.” He lets out a nervous laugh.
Abigail laughs too.
“No, it’s okay.” She pauses, then adds more seriously, “I do feel that connection, too. But I want to be honest with you. Right before the recoupling…I found out something happened between JJ and Kiara. And I won’t lie, it did influence my choice.”
“Okay.” Ryan’s smile dims just a little, but he nods, taking it in.
“I just don’t want you to think I’m using you or that it’s not real. Because I meant what I said up there. I chose you because I see something with you.”
Ryan leans forward slightly, his expression earnest.
“I didn’t know about the JJ and Kiara thing. I knew he wanted to talk to her, but that’s it. And honestly? I don’t think you’d ever use me like that. I see you. Or at least, I’m starting to. And yeah, maybe everything's moving fast and it’s all a bit chaotic right now, but I’m here and I want to see where this goes. Whenever you are ready.”
“Thank you. That really means a lot. It is a lot right now.” Abigail nods, her shoulders relaxing a little.
“Come here.” He opens his arms gently. She leans in and hugs him tight, resting her chin on his shoulder.
Confessional - Ryan
“Yeah, I know she’s got a lot on her mind and things are messy right now…but I’m genuinely glad she chose me.” He grins. “I wanna keep getting to know her. See where this goes.”
The islanders start making their way into the villa to get ready for the night. Rafe walks through the flower-lined corridor, carrying Y/N in his arms like a bride. She giggles the whole way, her laughter echoing as they step inside and the boys, already lounging around, erupt in cheers.
“Here comes the bride!” JJ hollers, grinning as the others join in with whistles and claps.
Rafe gently sets her down at the foot of the stairs. She turns to smile at him, but before she can fully walk away, he catches her hand and pulls her back into him, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.
“Don’t take too long.” He murmurs. She giggles, giving him another quick peck before heading upstairs.
In the dressing room, the girls are wiping off their makeup and chatting about the day. The door swings open and Y/N walks in to a chorus of playful screams.
“There she is!” Maddy teases. “How are you feeling Mrs. Cameron?”
Y/N blushes, grinning wide.
“Honestly? My cheeks hurt from smiling. I feel…giddy.” She replies as the girls laugh with her, the energy light and warm.
A few feet away, Kiara is taking off her earrings when Abigail approaches her quietly.
“Hey.” Abigail says.
“Hey.” Kiara glances over.
“I just...I wanted to say sorry. If I came off mean earlier.”
“You didn’t.” Kiara assures her gently. “But you have every right to be upset. I should’ve told you. I get it.”
“I’m not mad.” Abigail shakes her head. “I was just... frustrated, I guess. But I see the way you and JJ are with each other. And I don’t want to be in the middle of that.”
Kiara steps in for a hug and Abigail wraps her arms around her without hesitation.
“I love you.” Kiara whispers. “And I’m really sorry for how it all happened.”
“Love you too.” Abigail says softly, pulling back with a small smile before going to change into her pajamas.
Confessional - Abigail
“Me and JJ…it was fun while it lasted. All two days of it.” She lets out a small laugh. “But this is Love Island. I can’t be mad at him for wanting to see where things go with Kie. And I’m definitely not mad at her either. It is what it is.”
Later, as the girls trickle downstairs, Abigail makes her way over to JJ’s bed. He looks up, running a hand through his hair as she approaches.
“Hey.” He says.
She sits down where he pats beside him.
“I know about you and Kiara.” She starts, voice calm. “And I’m not mad. Or hurt. I’ve had time to think and I can see she really wants to give whatever’s between you two a shot. And I don’t want to be in the way of that.”
JJ nods, his expression sincere.
“I should’ve pulled you aside sooner. I messed up, and I take full responsibility for that. I’m sorry, Abigail.” He apologizes and she nods, a soft smile on her lips.
“Thank you for saying that.”
He nods back and with a quiet understanding between them, she stands and heads to her bed, where Ryan is already lying down, looking up at her with a warm smile.
Meanwhile, Y/N steps into the bedroom, the soft swish of silk the only sound as she crosses the room in her yellow pajamas. The camisole clings delicately to her frame, lace tracing her bust and hem, matching the floral silk shorts that sit snugly on her hips. Rafe doesn’t even try to hide it as his eyes follow every step, the straw from his water bottle paused at his lips.
He shifts under the covers and lifts the duvet for her, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
“That color.” He mutters, voice low and a little hoarse. “Looks too damn good on you.”
She smiles, settling on her side of the bed and placing her phone and water bottle on the bedside table. But before she can fully lie down, Rafe reaches over, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her against his chest. She melts into him, a quiet laugh leaving her lips as she tucks her face against his neck.
Then, a hesitant voice breaks the moment.
“Hey…Y/N?”
Topper approaches slowly.
“Hey, Topper. You alright?”nShe sits up slightly, turning to him with a concerned smile.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m good.” He clears his throat, shifting awkwardly as he glances between her and Rafe. “I just…I wanted to apologize. For what I said the other day. Calling you fake, saying you were playing Rafe…that was outta line.”
“It’s fine, really-” Y/N shakes her head.
“No, I need to say it. I was out of line and you didn’t deserve that.” He cuts in, firm but sincere.
She exhales softly, then moves to crawl across Rafe to reach him. She opens her arms and Topper doesn’t hesitate to hug her back.
From behind her, Rafe’s eyes drop to the way her shorts ride up, his gaze darkening slightly.
“Yo, Rafe.” Topper teases as they pull apart, catching the look. “You’re drooling, man.”
Y/N giggles, looking over her shoulder to find Rafe still staring. She smacks his chest playfully.
“My eyes are up here.”
“I know.” He murmurs, eyes finally lifting to meet hers.
She turns back to Topper with a gentle smile.
“Thanks for apologizing.” She mutters and Topper nods, offering a final glance to them both before heading to his own bed.
“Good man.” Rafe calls after him.
As soon as he’s gone, Y/N moves to her side of the bed again, but Rafe isn’t having it. He pulls her back into his lap with ease, arms around her waist and she laughs as her arms drape over his shoulders.
The villa goes dark, a chorus of sleepy goodnights floating through the air.
Rafe leans in, not wasting a second, capturing Y/N’s lips with his. She kisses him back eagerly, fumbling to pull the duvet over them as if it might shield them from the intensity brewing between them.
His hands find her waist, fingers splaying and sliding down to her hips, then lower. Her body shifts, brushing against him in a way that makes him let out a low, guttural groan.
“Sorry.” She breathes out, her voice shaky as she adjusts the blanket.
“Don’t…don’t apologize.” He murmurs, eyes fluttering open in the dark. “Fuck, I-I want you.”
“Ray…” She pulls back just enough, the air between them cooling. There’s hesitation in her voice now and it makes him blink, thrown off.
“Wh-Am I moving too fast or something?” He asks, voice suddenly laced with concern.
Her hand finds the back of his neck, her fingers trailing gently through his hair, grounding him even as she hesitates.
“I…is kissing okay? Just kissing, for now?”
Relief and restraint flash across his features as he nods quickly.
“Yeah. Yeah, that’s more than okay. We don’t even have to do anything. I just wanna be with you.” He murmurs. She exhales, her shoulders relaxing.
“It’s just…it’s our first night back together. After everything that’s happened, I don’t wanna rush anything.”
“I get it. You lead the way.” He reaches up, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear with the softest touch.
She gives him a grateful, almost shy smile, then leans in again. Their lips meet gently at first, a slow burn, until she deepens the kiss with a quiet hunger that still makes his head spin.
Rafe’s hands slide back to her waist, gripping her just right, but he doesn’t push. Doesn’t go further.
He’s content kissing her like this. Wanting more, but respecting the pace she sets.
And when she finally rests her head against his chest, his arms instinctively wrapping around her, he presses a kiss to her hair.
“I’m not going anywhere.” He whispers like a vow into the dark.
to be continued...
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As the islanders begin splitting off after the results, Topper lingers at the firepit. Alyssa is still sitting there, arms crossed, lips tight, clearly fuming.
Topper strolls over and drops down beside her, draping an arm around her shoulders like nothing’s wrong. She instantly shrugs it off.
“What’s up, babe?” He asks, casual as ever.
“You’re actually asking me that?” She turns slowly, eyebrows raised.
“This about the rating?” He sighs, letting his arm fall away.
“No shit it’s about the rating.” She snaps. “Your heart rate went up the most for Sarah? Are you kidding me?”
“It’s not that serious.” He shrugs.
“It is serious, Topper.” She says, trying to keep her voice steady. “You were literally coupled up with her and now your heart's racing the most for her?”
“Oh my God, grow up.” He groans, rolling his eyes.
“Grow up?” Her mouth drops open. “You’re unbelievable. You’re actually a piece of shit.”
“Excuse me?” He turns to face her fully now.
“You heard me.” Her arms stay crossed, like armor.
“Well, your heart didn’t go up for me either.” He snaps. “But you don’t see me throwing a tantrum or calling you names.”
“My heart didn’t spike for Ryan!” She protests. “It wasn’t like that!”
“The monitor doesn’t lie, Aly.” He says, shaking his head.
“It glitched or something, I don’t know.” She mutters. “I didn’t feel anything.”
“Okay, cool. I believe you. But I also don’t care if yours went up for me or not. So maybe calm down?”
She lets out a cold laugh and pushes herself to her feet.
“Whatever.” She mutters, walking off without another look.
Meanwhile, Rafe trails behind Y/N like a lost puppy as she walks into the kitchen, grabbing a bag of chips. She hops onto one of the stools, legs crossed, the hem of her skirt rising just slightly. Before she can open the bag, his chin settles on her shoulder and his arms snake around her waist, pulling her back against his chest like it’s instinct.
“Someone’s feeling clingy.” She teases, her voice soft but laced with amusement. He presses a slow kiss to her cheek.
“Can’t help it. You look…” He exhales. “Dangerous.”
“You like my outfit?” She turns her head just enough to meet his eyes, a smirk tugging at her lips.
“I fucking love it.” He says without hesitation, his gaze roaming, hungrily, before he leans closer to her ear. “And I think you should keep it.”
Her brows lift slightly in surprise before she nods, matching his tone.
“Yeah. Yeah…for research purposes.” She says. He grins and so does she, laughter slipping out between them as their tension melts into something warm. They open the chips and start snacking, watching the villa from their little bubble while couples curl up together across the yard.
“Okay, be honest, who was your favorite?” She asks.
“You-” “Besides me.” She interrupts him.
He whips his head toward her, faux-offended.
“No one.”
“Oh, come on.” She nudges him. “You had to enjoy at least someone’s performance.”
“What about you?” He asks, suddenly tense. His arms tighten just slightly around her.
She hesitates.
“I…I liked JJ’s.” She nods.
“What’d he do?” Rafe asks, his eyes narrowing. He’s relieved she didn’t say Ryan’s name, but also confused because he didn’t catch JJ’s performance.
“Just…some kisses. On my neck. But it was…nice.”
Rafe doesn’t respond right away. Instead, he leans in closer, brushing her hair away and pressing a lingering kiss to her neck. Then another. And then, he nips gently at the skin.
“Like this?” He murmurs.
“Ra-Ray…” Her breath catches.
He stills.
“What was that?” He asks, the corner of his mouth lifting. “What’d you call me?”
“Ray.” She breathes out, a little laugh escaping. “I don’t know. It’s dumb.”
He shakes his head slowly, lips brushing just behind her ear.
“I like it.” He says, voice lower now, raspier.
“Yeah?” She grins. “What about 'Rafey'?” She asks, teasingly.
He chuckles against her skin.
“I like whatever you call me.” He replies. His mouth moves down to her shoulder, kissing her bare skin as her eyes flutter shut. Her hand finds his on her waist and squeezes it.
“So unfair we’re not sharing a bed tonight.” She whispers.
“Oh yeah?” He pulls back slightly, his grin full of mischief. “What would we be doing if we were?”
She rolls her eyes, laughing and gives him a playful shove. He laughs with her, but then grips her stool, turning her to face him fully. One hand anchors on her waist, the other gently plays with the lace hem of her skirt.
“So…” He starts carefully, his voice soft. “Did this challenge help? With the whole…Ryan thing?”
“Yeah. I think it did.” She exhales while Rafe watches her closely.
“Ryan’s a charming guy. And his performance was…good.” She admits. “But you were unforgettable.”
That gets a smile from him.
“I was?” He says, brows raised.
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
But he’s already leaning in again, brushing his lips along her jaw, then down to her neck. One of his hands slowly slides up her thigh, possessive and gentle all at once.
“Does this mean…I’m forgiven?” He whispers. He tries to sound confident, but there’s a tightness in his chest, a vulnerability he doesn’t often let show.
“I…” She starts and he pulls back, needing to see her eyes. “I hope I don’t regret this.”
“Us?” He murmurs, before he gulps, his thumb brushing her cheek.
“Forgiving you. Trusting you.” She replies. His gaze softens. He tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and presses his forehead against hers.
“You won’t.” He promises. “I won’t let you.”
Their lips meet in a kiss that’s gentle at first. Sweet and then deepens, slow and full of heat.
Confessional - Y/N:
“I know I’m moving too fast after…everything. The…cheating scandal. The lies.” She admits, her voice low. “But he's done the work. He’s not just saying things, he’s trying. Really trying. For me. And I want to believe in him. I want to trust him again.” She nods to herself, lips pressing into a small, hopeful smile.
Ryan lounges on the beanbags beside JJ, both of them nursing their drinks under the warm night air.
“Alright.” JJ starts, glancing over with a lazy grin. “Who was your favorite tonight?”
Ryan exhales, leaning his head back.
“Y/N.” He says without hesitation. “I don’t even know how to explain it, just the way she moved…I was locked in. Like, couldn’t look away.”
“Yeah, I saw that. You were locked in, alright.” JJ chuckles, giving him a knowing nod.
Ryan laughs softly, then shifts the spotlight.
“What about you? Kiara raised your heart rate.” He wiggles his eyebrows. JJ goes quiet for a moment before replying.
“Can I be real with you?” He asks, looking down at his drink. Ryan nods immediately.
“I’ve felt something with her since day one. It’s not loud or obvious, but it’s there…a spark or whatever. And tonight, man, when she came over, when she made that move without even thinking twice? It caught me off guard. But, like, in a good way.”
Ryan tilts his head, interested.
“So talk to her.” He shrugs.
JJ sighs, rubbing a hand over his jaw.
“I don’t wanna hurt Abs. We just coupled up and honestly…it’s been good with her.”
“Talking to Kiara doesn’t have to mean anything. Could just be clearing the air. You’ll never know where she’s at unless you ask.” Ryan explains. JJ looks out across the yard, lost in thought for a second.
“Yeah…yeah, you’re probably right.” He murmurs, considering his options.
Around the villa, Cleo and Pope are curled up together on one of the couches, while Maddy and Kelce lounge on the daybed. By the pool, Alyssa and Abigail are deep in conversation.
The rest of the islanders are gathered in the kitchen with Y/N and Rafe, snacking and chatting as they debate who had the best costume. Amid the playful chaos, JJ leans toward Kiara, his voice low so only she can hear.
“Meet me on the terrace in five?” He murmurs, pulling back just as she gives a small nod, eyes dropping to her drink. Without drawing attention, JJ steps away from the counter.
“Yo, save me some of those chips. I’ll be right back.” He says casually, already heading toward the flower corridor. One of the boys calls something after him, but it gets lost in the buzz of conversation.
A few minutes pass, then Kiara quietly stands up from her seat.
“If you’ll excuse me.” She says, smoothing out her babydoll dress. “Gonna run to the restroom.”
Everyone barely looks up, absorbed in their own chats. She walks toward the villa, fingers twitching nervously at her sides.
Y/N notices and she gently taps Sarah’s hand, leaning closer.
“Hey, did you see that? Kie looked…kinda nervous, didn’t she?” She asks.
Sarah glances toward the villa and shrugs.
“No? She seemed normal to me.” A pause. Then, a frown. “Why?”
Y/N hesitates, eyes flicking toward the corridor.
“I think…I think she and JJ are meeting upstairs.”
Sarah raises an eyebrow, confused at first, until it clicks.
“Oh. You mean…they’re-Shit!”
Y/N looks out toward the pool, spotting Abigail still sitting there, unaware. Her voice softens.
“I just hope he doesn’t do something stupid and hurts Abi.” Y/N says and Sarah nods, concern settling in.
Upstairs on the terrace, JJ is already sitting on the couch when the door opens. He quickly lifts a hand to stop Kiara.
“Wait-duck down.” He whispers.
Kiara rolls her eyes but crouches anyway, slipping in the terrace and closing the door behind her. She makes her way over and sits beside him, still keeping low.
“Why are we sneaking around?” She whispers, glancing toward the railing.
“Because I wanna do something.” JJ says softly. “And if anyone sees…we’re both screwed.”
“Do what?” Kiara frowns.
Instead of answering, JJ gently cups her face and leans in. Her breath catches, eyes fluttering shut just as their lips meet in a soft, slow kiss. It’s quiet and hesitant, like neither of them wants to be the first to pull away.
When they do, both let out quiet laughs, slightly breathless.
“Well.” Kiara murmurs. “Guess we’re in trouble now.”
“I like trouble.” JJ grins.
The smile fades from her lips, replaced with something more serious.
“So…what about Abigail?” She asks and JJ leans back with a sigh.
“She’s great. Incredibly sweet, funny too. But…” He looks at Kiara, eyes steady. “There’s something here. With you. And I don’t wanna ignore that.”
“So what are you gonna say to her?” Kiara bites her lip.
“I’ll tell her the truth.” He says with a shrug. “Unless you don’t wanna see where this goes.”
“You know I do, Jayj. Why do you think I was doing all that downstairs?”
“Yeah, by the way…very hot.” JJ smirks.
Kiara lets out a laugh, shoving him playfully.
“Shut up.” She says, laughing as she nudges him again, then the tension eases and the conversation between them starts to flow more easily.
Sarah and Y/N linger near the kitchen, with their pairs across from them, while Abigail chats and laughs with Ryan, now, across the villa.
“Should we tell her?” Sarah asks, glancing at Y/N.
“I...I don’t know.” Y/N shrugs, trying to sound casual but clearly conflicted. “If I were her, if the guy I’m coupled up with was upstairs alone with another girl, I’d wanna know.”
“But are we even sure they’re...you know?” Sarah raises a brow.
“They’ve been up there for, like, twenty minutes, Sar.” Y/N says pointedly.
Just then, Maddy joins them, sensing the shift in mood.
“Who are we talking about?” She asks, ready to gossip.
“Y/N thinks JJ and Kiara are doing something upstairs.” Sarah replies bluntly.
“Wait, ‘doing something’ as in…what?” Maddy blinks.
“We were all chatting and they suddenly excused themselves, walked off into the villa and haven’t come back since.” Y/N explains. “I don’t know, maybe I’m being paranoid or-or too suspicious because of everything that's happened, but why wouldn’t they just pull each other for a chat in front of everyone like normal?”
The girls exchange glances, all slowly nodding.
“No, that actually...makes sense.” Maddy admits, now eyeing Abigail from afar. “So, we tell her? Right?”
“We should.” Y/N nods.
“But shouldn’t JJ be the one to say something? Or Kiara?” Sarah counters. “We might just end up making it worse.”
They all hesitate. And right then, as if on cue, Abigail gets up, scanning the villa as she starts walking over.
“Hey.” She smiles warmly, approaching the kitchen. “Have you guys seen JJ?”
Y/N glances at the girls, suddenly tense.
“I think he went upstairs.” Rafe says casually, nodding toward the villa.
Y/N’s eyes widen at him, while Abigail nods and turns toward the corridor of flowers, heading inside.
“Should we stop her? We should stop her, right? Right?” Maddy says quickly, nearly breathless. “This is so stressful.”
“I-” Y/N freezes, unsure.
“Abigail!” Sarah blurts out, startling herself and everyone else. Abigail jumps slightly, then laughs.
“Jesus, Sarah, you scared me!” She giggles, placing a hand on her chest.
“I-”
“You look hot as hell, Abs.” Maddy blurts. Y/N nods in agreement, a tense, forced smile on her face.
“Thank you! You all look stunning too.” Abigail beams.
Her sweet, bubbly energy makes it even harder to say what they need to say.
Y/N’s smile drops.
“This is wrong. If I were you...I’d want to know.”
“They disappeared mid-convo, went inside and haven’t come back since...like twenty minutes ago.” Sarah adds.
“We don’t know exactly what’s going on.” Maddy says gently. “But...we figured you should know. Just in case.”
Abigail nods, her expression unreadable.
“Thank you.” She says softly. “For telling me.”
The girls offer her small, sympathetic smiles.
And then, like a scene out of a movie, two figures appear in the flower corridor. JJ’s blonde hair and Kiara’s purple dress are unmistakable as they walk back, laughing.
Abigail exhales. The girls watch her, bracing for a reaction.
But she simply smiles, calm and composed, playing it off like nothing happened.
Confessional - Sarah
“We did the right thing…right? I mean…God, I think we did. It felt right. It had to be. Right?” She asks, her eyebrows furrowing.
The islanders begin to drift upstairs, ready to clean up and wind down for another night in the villa. In the makeup room, the girls go about their routines, changing into pajamas, wiping off makeup, wrapped in a silence that feels heavy and awkward.
“So…did y’all have fun tonight?” Cleo finally asks, trying to break the ice.
A few vague nods and low murmurs follow, no one really engaging. Cleo glances around, disappointed but trying not to show it, then turns back to her skincare.
Y/N notices the shift in her expression and pulls her shorts up over her hips, catching Cleo’s eye in the mirror.
“What about you, C baby?” She grins, testing out the new nickname.
Cleo chuckles, settling onto her stool with her legs crossed.
“It was fun.” She reveals, nodding. “Totally out of my comfort zone, but…yeah, kind of exhilarating?”
Y/N nods knowingly.
“Dancing will do that to you. I’m glad you had fun. I bet you killed it out there, wish I’d seen you.”
“Oh no, it’s better you didn’t. You might’ve gone blind.” Cleo laughs and a few of the girls smile along, the mood lightening just a bit as they begin to head downstairs.
Y/N and Cleo trail behind the group, walking together.
“You didn’t hear it from me, but…Kiara and JJ might have a thing.”
“Wait, what?” Cleo’s eyes widen and she claps a hand over her mouth. “Please tell me Abigail knows.”
“We told her.” Y/N assures her.
“‘We’?” Cleo narrows her eyes. “Who's ‘we’? What happened?”
“While everyone was out, JJ and Kiara came back here…just the two of them. For like twenty minutes. Me and Sarah saw and told Abi.”
Cleo stares at her, stunned.
“Damn. Okay. Don’t worry. I won’t say a word. I’m not touching that mess.” She raises her hands in mock surrender and starts heading downstairs.
“Just…” She says, pausing halfway. “I didn’t do something wrong, did I?”
Y/N shakes her head quickly.
“No, no, no, Cleo. Not at all. I promise, it’s not you. Everyone’s just dealing with their own stuff. You’re good, okay?”
Cleo nods, visibly relieved and the two continue on toward the bedroom together.
As Y/N walks through the hallway between the beds, heading to her own, a pair of arms wrap around her waist and lift her off the ground effortlessly. She giggles, immediately recognizing the touch.
“Rafe.” She says with a grin, confirming what her hands already knew.
He sets her down gently and presses a kiss to her cheek, just as Kelce hollers from across the room. They both laugh, stealing a look at each other.
“We holding hands tonight?” Rafe asks, his hands still resting lightly on her waist.
“I don’t know.” Y/N mumbles, rolling one shoulder. “My shoulder is still sore from last night. Plus…someone pinned my arms down earlier and they kinda hurt.”
“Sorry about that.” He smirks. His hands move up, rubbing her arms soothingly, then down to her wrists with a gentle touch. “I was a little too rough.” He murmurs.
“Don’t apologize.” She shakes her head, leaning in just slightly. “I liked it.”
Rafe lets out a quiet groan.
“You can’t say that and expect me to stay sane all night. Especially when we’re not even sharing beds. That’s straight-up mental torture.”
She chuckles, stepping away toward her bed, but not before making sure she sways her hips, her shorts rising ever so slightly. His eyes track her like she’s magnetic.
“Torture, woman!” He groans louder.
Y/N climbs under the covers, sitting up against the headboard. From her spot, she watches Rafe still standing there, shirtless, black Calvin Klein boxers clinging just right, hands on either side of his hips, gaze locked on her and the low-cut tank she’s wearing.
“You gonna keep staring?” She teases, raising a brow.
“Absolutely.” He replies without shame, then finally sits on his own bed, facing her.
Just then, Ryan walks in and heads to the bed he shares with Y/N, giving her a friendly smile as he climbs in. She returns it with one of her own, placing a pillow between them as she settles. Rafe’s jaw ticks slightly before he looks back at her.
“Okay!” Cleo suddenly shouts across the room. “Listen up, everyone. I get that tonight’s challenge made you all extremely horny, but please, keep your orgasms quiet.”
The room bursts into laughter, the tension breaking as everyone adjusts and settles in with their partners.
Most of them are cuddled up already, some girls wearing cute bralettes and shorter shorts tonight.
Still smiling, Y/N turns onto her side and extends her hand across the small space between her and Rafe. He follows her lead, lying down and lacing his fingers with hers.
“Yeah.” He groans. “My shoulder hurts too. Totally forgot.”
She laughs under her breath, but neither of them lets go.
The lights go out and soft goodnights echo through the villa.
Maddy and Kelce dive under the covers, giggling. Sarah and John B are wrapped up in each other, kissing, hands wandering. Cleo and Pope lie close, cuddling and sharing quiet kisses. JJ is spooning Abigail, who lies stiffly, clearly unsettled. Alyssa and Topper are on opposite sides of the bed, the tension thick. Kiara and Rafe might as well be on different planets. And Ryan and Y/N lie still, separated by a pillow, yet her hand is still in Rafe’s across the small gap between the beds.
Morning comes quickly. The bedroom lights flick on, triggering a chorus of groans and sleepy greetings from the islanders.
Y/N shifts to stretch, gently trying to free her hand from Rafe’s grip. He lets out a low protest and tightens his hold slightly, not quite ready to let go. She smiles, letting him keep it.
“Good morning.” She murmurs, voice thick with sleep. Rafe hums in response, eyes still closed.
Abigail is the first to move, stretching as she reaches for her water bottle and then quietly heading upstairs. Most of the couples remain tangled in duvets, too comfortable or too tired to bother getting up.
“Whose bra is this?” Kiara asks, holding up a lacy bralette with two fingers and a raised brow.
Sarah hides her face in John B’s chest.
“That…might be my fault.” John B says, scratching the back of his head.
“You guys are gross.” Kiara makes a face and tosses it back toward them.
“Oh, come on, they’re cute.” Maddy says. “Disgusting. But cute.”
Kiara rolls her eyes and climbs out of bed, heading for the bathroom. Ryan trails behind Topper and Pope toward the kitchen, water bottles in hand.
Y/N, still holding Rafe’s hand, finally sits up. She nudges the covers off him and leans over to crawl across the bed. His eyes flutter open just enough to catch the sight of her. His arms instinctively wrap around her waist as she giggles and presses a kiss to his cheek.
“Can you wake me up like this every morning?” He mumbles, sinking deeper into the pillow as her head settles into the crook of his neck.
“Deal.” She whispers back. His arms tighten around her, his fingers playing idly with the waistband of her shorts while her nails softly trace patterns on his chest.
For a moment, it’s like they’re the only two people in the villa.
“And they’re the cutest.” Maddy adds, cooing from her bed.
Rafe doesn’t resist the urge, he smacks Y/N’s ass with a loud pop, making her gasp in surprise.
“Okay, nope. I take it back. Also disgusting.” Maddy says as laughter ripples through the room.
Alyssa groans and gets out of bed, heading upstairs without a word.
“What’s her deal?” Cleo asks, furrowing her brows as she glances at Y/N.
“I don’t know. I can’t figure her out.” Y/N just shrugs.
“She’s a bitch.” Rafe says casually.
“Don’t call her that.” Y/N replies, nudging him gently.
Rafe sighs and nods, pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder as his hand rubs slow circles into her back, retreating with her into their little bubble once again.
A little while later, with all the girls upstairs doing their hair and makeup for the day, a knock echoes from downstairs.
"Come in!" They call out in unison.
The door creaks open and Rafe and Kelce walk in, each holding a plate of breakfast and a drink. Y/N, focused on her mascara in the mirror, doesn’t notice until Rafe appears beside her.
“Hey.” He says softly.
She glances over and her eyes widen.
“Oh my god, is that for me?”
Rafe nods, offering a tired smile as he sets down a plate with an omelette and fresh fruit. Without another word, he pulls her into a warm hug. She laughs and hugs him back, with her mascara wand still in hand.
“Thank you.” She says, beaming up at him.
He leans in and kisses her gently.
“See you in a bit.” He says, in his deep voice.
With that, he heads out and Y/N watches him go for a second before looking down at the plate. Smiling to herself, she picks up a strawberry and takes a bite.
Meanwhile, Maddy and Kelce are still tangled in each other, kissing between bites of avocado toast.
“Okay, we need to get ready.” Cleo groans, shoving Kelce playfully. “You can kiss her later.”
The girls laugh as Kelce steals one last kiss from Maddy, then smirks and plants a quick one on Cleo’s cheek too.
“Ew!” Cleo wipes it off dramatically and the room erupts in laughter again, as Kelce walks out.
It’s another lazy afternoon in the villa. A few of the boys are tossing a ball by the pool, their laughter echoing off the water. Maddy’s slicing fruit with Cleo in the kitchen. Sarah is sleeping in one of the sunbeds, sunglasses slipping down her nose.
“She’s gonna get the worst sunburn.” Y/N says.
Rafe hums from where his head rests in her lap, her fingers tracing lazy circles over the buzz of his hair. He’s got his sunglasses on, but the smug little smirk tugging at his mouth gives him away.
Slowly, Alyssa approaches.
“Hey…Y/N, can we talk for a sec?” Her voice cuts through the quiet like a blade.
Rafe lifts his head just enough to glance at her over his shades, brow twitching. Y/N freezes, fingers pausing in his hair. She glances between him and Alyssa.
“Uh…yeah. Sure.”
“You want me to go?” Rafe asks, looking up at her.
“I don’t mind him.” Alyssa answers before she can and Rafe nearly rolls his eyes, before looking back at Y/N.
She gives a small, uncertain shrug and Rafe settles back again, but there’s tension in the way he does it now.
Alyssa perches on the edge of the daybed, water bottle in hand, eyes locked on Y/N.
“I just wanna know what your issue is with me.” Alyssa starts.
Rafe lifts his head again, slower this time, sunglasses sliding down his nose as he stares at her.
“Excuse me?” He says with a short laugh.
“Rafe…” Y/N places a hand on his arm gently, without looking away from Alyssa. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve been off with me for days. Cold. And don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.” Alyssa presses. “I see the glances and giggles with Maddy or Sarah when I'm talking.”
Y/N blinks, thrown.
“I…I didn’t realize I was doing that. If I made you feel that way, I’m sorry, that wasn’t-”
Rafe sits up fully now, pushing his sunglasses to the top of his head. A humorless laugh slips out.
“Yeah, no. I…I cannot sit there and let you say that to her when all you've done is being a calculated bitch.”
“Rafe-” Y/N starts, but he cuts her off.
“Don’t ‘Rafe’ me.” He looks at Y/N before turning back to Alyssa. “I’ve sat through enough of this. You came in here, acting like this place revolved around you. You picked me, knowing I was already getting close to her. And fine, let's say you went with your gut or whatever. But don’t act like you didn’t know what you were doing.”
Alyssa stiffens, but he’s not finished.
“After that, you had a full conversation with Y/N. You apologized to her. You befriended her. And then you turned around and started throwing around little digs, fake apologies during the kissing challenge. That 'Oops, sorry Y/N' crap. And the Heart Rate Challenge? You didn’t straddle me for the game, you did it to send a message.”
“You finished?” Alyssa asks sharply.
“Not quite.” Rafe fires back. “Want me to keep going?”
“Funny how she’s not the one saying any of this. She’s got a voice, doesn’t she?” Alyssa crosses her arms
A beat of silence. Heavy. Still.
Y/N stares at her hands for a second, then lifts her head.
“I haven’t said anything.” She starts, voice quiet but steady. “Because I didn’t want any drama. I thought maybe I was overthinking it.”
Her gaze locks on Alyssa’s.
“But it wasn’t. And eventually it stopped feeling like it was unintentional.”
Alyssa glances around like she’s looking for someone to back her up, but no one says a word.
“So yeah.” Y/N finishes. “I’ve been distant. Because I see you now.”
The silence that follows is thick, the villa holding its breath. Even the pool games have gone quiet.
Alyssa opens her mouth like she’s going to say something else, but nothing comes out. Her jaw clenches. She nods once, stiffly.
“Cool. Thanks for the clarity.” She stands, flip-flops smacking against the deck as she walks away.
Rafe exhales, leaning back again slowly. Y/N watches her go, then drops her gaze to her lap.
“You okay?” He asks, voice softer now.
“Yeah. I think I am.” She nods.
“I shouldn’t have jumped in like that.” He says after a moment. “I know you didn’t need me to, but I couldn’t just sit there and let her flip this on you.”
Y/N leans into him, her head resting against his side.
“Thanks for backing me up.” She murmurs.
“Always.” He says, hand settling gently on her shoulder.
Suddenly, a phone chimes and everyone freezes before scrambling to check their screens.
“Someone wake Sarah up!” Maddy shouts from the kitchen.
Y/N hurries over to the sunbed and gently shakes Sarah’s shoulder. She stirs with a groan, stretching lazily before blinking up at her.
“Hi, pretty.” She mumbles, voice still thick with sleep. Y/N can't help but laugh.
“Hey. Check your phone, sleepyhead.”
Sarah frowns in confusion, reaching for her phone and squinting at the screen as she rubs her eyes. Then her jaw drops.
“Holy shit.” She whispers, sitting up fast. “I got a text!”
The villa erupts in laughter and excitement.
“Just read it already!” JJ shouts.
Sarah clears her throat dramatically before reading aloud.
“Islanders, tonight there will be a recoupling. The girls will have all the power and will decide who they want to couple up with. #whorunstheworld #newbedbuddies.”
Squeals and cheers explode through the villa. Y/N glances over at the daybed where Rafe is lounging, that familiar smug grin on his face.
synopsis: y/n is sarah’s roommate and the embodiment of sunshine. rafe, on the other hand, is her complete opposite. when the boys place a bet that he can't win her over, rafe takes the challenge without hesitation. after all, he never backs down from a dare. the closer rafe gets to y/n, he finds himself drawn to her warmth in a way he never expected, and for the first time, he wants to be more than just the guy with a bad reputation.
but secrets don’t stay hidden for long, and when y/n finds out the truth, rafe is left to face the consequences. now, he has to prove that somewhere along the way, the bet stopped mattering, because losing her was never part of the plan.
masterlist
you woke up hazy, mascara smudged under your eyes and the taste of alcohol lingering on the tip of your tongue. your throat was dry, head hurting, but your brain, your brain was full of him.
the way he looked at you, the way he touched you, the way he kissed you. like a man who had been waiting to do it his whole life.
you groaned, rolling over onto your back, the ache of it all sitting heavy in your chest.
you knew it hadn’t just been the alcohol. you knew that. he’d meant it. you’d felt it in the way he looked at you after, soft, like he wanted to stay in that moment forever. worried, like he'd loose you if you looked away.
"she's awake!" sarah squealed from her bed, quickly getting up and plopping herself on your duvet. "soooo... you gonna tell me about last night?" sarah poked you teasingly.
"what is there to tell?" you replied, a blush forming on your cheeks.
she raised her eyebrows, "oh come ON y/n. we all saw you walk out with rafe. you're telling me nothing happened?"
"he kissed me." you whispered.
"shut. the. fuck. up." sarah almost screamed. "and you waited until now to tell me?"
"i just woke up!" you said in defensive.
"okay, okay, whatever. details. now. don’t leave out a single thing. start from the moment he found you. wait, what was he dressed as again?"
"ghostface," you muttered, covering your eyes with your arm, remembering how good he looked.
sarah laughed. "classic rafe. so, what was it like?"
you paused, lost in the thought of last night. "it felt, fuck i don't even know. different? good? the best kiss of my life?"
that shut her up for a second. "oh so now it's a thing thing."
"what does that even mean?" you sat up, worry setting in.
"i just mean, i don't think this was just a drunk kiss." she smiled at you.
"i don't think so either." you blinked, realisation setting in. "ughhhh," you threw yourself under the covers.
"don't ughhhh this." sarah said, tugging the duvet down, her voice gentle. "you like him, he likes you."
"i think he likes me," you mumbled, suddenly self-conscious. "but what if it was just... the party? what if he wakes up today and doesn’t even think twice about it?"
sarah gave you a look. "rafe followed you around all night in a ghostface costume. he's been chasing you since he met you. he is thinking twice about it. probably more than that."
you let out a small laugh, despite the bundle of nerves in your stomach. "okay, okay."
"i’m serious." she paused, her tone dropping. "just, be careful. i love my brother, but he hangs out with idiots."
you blinked at her. "what are you saying?"
"nothing!" she said quickly, hands up. "just, keep your eyes open. and if he hurts you, i’m siding with you."
you nodded slowly, laying back into the pillows, heart thudding all over again.
just as your heart started slowing down, your phone buzzed beside you.
"well i guess i'm going on a date tonight." you spoke, an involuntary smile escaping your lips.
"are you fucking with me." sarah jumped up and grabbed your phone. "oh my god. rafe sent this? this is real?" her eyes widening as she read.
"yes it's real. stop making it a bigger thing." you snatched your phone back.
"it is a big thing y/n!" sarah grinned, "he's never like this. he doesn't do dates. he does, 'you up?' texts."
"oh great, how reassuring." you replied sarcastically.
she laughed. "no, i mean it’s different. he’s different with you."
you didn’t say anything, but you didn’t need to. you knew she was right. he was different.
*
a few hours had passed, you'd had your everything shower, shaved, hair washed, and now your room was a mess.
dresses were scattered across your bed, hangers on the floor, and a growing pile of 'absolutely not' options covered your desk chair. you stood in front of the mirror in yet another outfit, turning slightly to the side, frowning.
"try this," sarah threw you an outfit from her wardrobe, being so patient during all your stressing.
you took it from her, a beautiful black midi dress that fitted you in all the right places.
"yep. that's the one." sarah stood up, fixing your curls and turning you to the mirror. you looked good. you felt good.
"is this too try hard? is this too much?" you paused, nerves buzzing in your chest.
"no, y/n." she looked you right in the eye, "you look like the hottest girl rafe's ever gonna see."
you took a deep breath, "okay. let's do this."
as if on cue, you felt your phone buzz in your hands.
your stomach flipped. you grabbed your purse and looked in the mirror one last time.
"okay. i'm going," you said, mostly to yourself.
"you look beautiful. have the best time!" sarah called out behind you as you let your dorm door shut.
rafe was leaning against the lamp post, flowers in his hand.
fucking flowers.
he looked up the moment he heard the door open and did a double take, straightening up.
"hey," you greeted softly.
"hi," he breathed out. "you look…"
your eyes narrowed in amusement. "careful, cameron. choose your words wisely."
he smirked, stepping forward to hand you the flowers. "beautiful. you look so beautiful."
you took them, the blush creeping up your neck before you could stop it. "and you’re laying it on thick tonight."
"flowers too much?" he said, reaching for your hand.
"it's a nice touch. an unexpected touch none the less." you replied, letting him take it.
"i'm full of surprises."
"clearly. you gonna tell me where we're going?"
rafe’s fingers tightened slightly around yours, that same quiet confidence tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"nope."
you raised an eyebrow. "seriously?"
"i just said i'm full of surprises." you let him gently lead you along the now quiet street. "and no. it's not a party."
"i never said it was."
"i actually thought this through." he spoke, almost too quietly.
you glanced over at him. "so, how many girls have you brought to this surprise location?"
he shot you a look, but the corners of his mouth twitched. "don’t do that."
"do what?" you said, slightly surprised at his defensive reaction.
"pretend like this isn’t a big deal for me," he replied.
your heart fluttered. god. he said things like that so casually. like it wasn’t terrifying.
"okay," you said softly. "then i'll stop pretending."
he didn’t look at you, but you saw the way his jaw relaxed.
a few minutes later, you'd walked into a secluded area, one you hadn't seen before.
your turned to him, "what is this?"
"you’ll see," rafe said, leading you further down the path.
you saw it, a little deck overlooking the lake. a blanket already laid out, dim candles glistening and two takeout pizza boxes in the centre.
you blinked. "you picnicked?"
"technically i takeout-picnicked," rafe corrected. "but yeah. i panicked. i didn't have time for the whole thing." you could hear him starting to stress, "is this okay?"
you looked at him, "you did this for me?"
"don’t flatter yourself," he teased. "i like the view. come here when i need time to myself."
you rolled your eyes, but your cheeks hurt from smiling. he gestured for you to sit and then joined you on the blanket, leaning back on one arm as you both opened the boxes.
"no one's done something like this for me before." you admitted.
he looked over at you, that same softness from the night before in his eyes. "i wanted to do it right."
you looked away, suddenly overwhelmed. not just by the candles, or the lake, or the goddamn flowers, but by him. by how good he was being. how easy it was to fall into this version of him.
"well," you cleared your throat. "you’re off to a dangerously good start."
rafe leaned forward, "so what i'm hearing is there’ll be a second date?"
you didn’t answer. just took a bite of pizza.
he watched you for a second, then laughed quietly. "i’ll take that as a yes."
it was quiet for a few moments, comfortable. the soft sounds of leaves, water lapping somewhere below.
then rafe’s voice, low, "do you believe people can change?"
you looked at him, surprised by the question.
"i think," you said slowly, "people can change. but most of them choose not to."
his eyes stayed on the lake. "and if they want to?"
"then they’ll show you," you replied. "prove it."
his jaw twitched. "fair."
you tilted your head, narrowing your eyes at him. "why’d you ask?"
he shrugged, but it felt like a question he'd been thinking all night. "just wondering."
before you could push more, his phone buzzed beside him. he glanced at it. locked the screen fast and turned it over.
but not before you caught a glimpse of the name: topper.
his whole vibe shifted for half a second. shoulders tense, smile thinner.
you didn’t say anything. just watched as he tried to pretend everything was fine.
he cleared his throat and looked at you again, "so, you like the pizza?"
"are you deflecting?"
his brows lifted. "me? never."
you leaned back on your elbows, gaze fixed on him. he was trying to play it off, but you saw the way his fingers twitched, the way his eyes didn’t quite meet yours.
something about that name, topper, lingered in the air between you.
you knew the reputation. you knew what kind of people rafe keep close.
but tonight, he’d brought you here. so, you let it go.
for now.
"i like the pizza," you said eventually. "and the candles. and the deck. and you, kind of."
he looked over, the tension in his jaw easing instantly. "kind of?"
"don’t push it."
he laughed, the real kind, head back, grin wide. and just like that, the mood softened again. like it hadn’t cracked at all.
but it had. and the uneasy feeling lingered.
a/n: another long ish chapter! hope you guys are enjoying <333 rafe trying to sus out if he'll be forgiven lollll
warnings: cuss words, sexual innuendos, alcohol consumption
The sun creeps over the villa, golden light scattering across the pool and casting soft shadows through the trees. One by one, the islanders start to stir as the lights flicker on.
“Morning, guys.” Abigail calls out, voice sweet but still groggy. A few murmured replies and a chorus of groans answer her back. From the far side of the room, JJ’s soft snores cut through the noise. He is still dead asleep, sprawled across the bed, completely ignoring the makeshift pillow wall Cleo had built between them.
“Bro, seriously?” Cleo grumbles, trying to shove him onto his side. Nothing. She pushes again. Still nothing. Topper snorts from across the room.
“How is he still out cold?” He laughs. All heads turn to JJ, mouth agape, drool at the corner of his lips, snoring like a freight train.
“Aww, he looks so cute when he's sleeping.” Sarah coos, hands clasped dramatically. Cleo rolls her eyes.
“Yeah and he's a freaking menace when he's not.” That gets a wave of laughter from the room.
Y/N chuckles, watching Cleo’s struggle from her bed. But her focus drifts, her eyes falling to the arm slung over her leg. Rafe’s still buried under a pillow, blocking out the sun. He hadn’t let go of her all night. Even now, half-asleep, his fingers rest on her thigh like he’s anchoring himself to her.
She lets out a quiet breath, then glances to the other side of her bed. Ryan’s already sitting up, hoodie on, hair wild, his glasses halfway down his nose. He turns to her with a sleepy grin.
“Morning.”
“Morning.” She replies, matching his smile. “How was your first sleep in the villa?” She asks, voice soft. He grins.
“Honestly? Best sleep I’ve had in ages.” He replies and she laughs.
Her mind drifts back to her own first night. Struggling to sleep, tossing and turning and overthinking. Lying beside Rafe who made her feel safe enough to melt into him, even though they were practically strangers.
“Y/N?”
She blinks, pulled back to reality.
“You zoned out there.” Ryan says gently. “Everything alright?”
“Yeah.” She says quickly, flashing a smile and looking down to fidget with her ring. “Just tired.”
Ryan nods, but before he can say anything else, Abigail leans over to ask him something, giving Y/N space. She turns back toward Rafe just as he peeks out from under the pillow, rubbing his eyes. His tan chest rises with a slow breath and there’s a fresh stubble dusting his jaw. Somehow, it makes him look even more unfairly attractive. She swallows and looks away just as Kiara’s voice cuts through the room.
“What do you think Maddy and Kelce got up to in the Hideaway?” Kiara asks and the room lights up with reactions as guesses start flying.
“They definitely hooked up.” Topper says, still half-asleep but already causing drama. Alyssa and Cleo immediately start arguing with him.
The door swings open before the debate gets too heated and Maddy walks in, glowing, with Kelce trailing behind her in nothing but boxers and a smug grin.
“Morning, lovebirds!” Kelce yells, doing a lap around the room before throwing himself on Rafe and Y/N’s bed.
“Dude!” Rafe groans. Y/N grins and glances at Maddy, who’s laughing along with the others.
“Someone’s in a good mood.” She mutters.
Kelce beams. The girls all turn to Maddy, who’s sitting on her bed, eyes on her nails, a soft smile still lingering on her lips.
“Someone’s in a good mood.” Y/N mutters. Kelce beams, nodding like a bobblehead. The girls immediately zero in on Maddy, eyes wide with curiosity.
“Spill!” Kiara demands.
“You’re gonna tell us either way.” Topper adds and everyone murmurs their agreement.
“Guys, don’t pressure them.” Y/N cuts in, voice quieter.
Rafe hears it and wonders if it’s a jab, leftover tension from their argument the night before. Kelce, catching her tone, reaches out and gently taps her calf.
“You good?” He murmurs, reading her a little too well. She gives him a small smile and a quick nod. Kelce’s eyes flick to Rafe and he picks up on the tension between the two. He gets up from the bed, brushing off Rafe’s legs and claps his hands.
“I need coffee injected in my veins. Boys, come on!” He heads toward the door with a dramatic stretch. “Damn, it’s a good day!” He yells, making the others crack up as they follow him.
Rafe lingers for a beat, grabbing his phone and water. He looks down at Y/N.
“We’re gonna talk later, yeah?”
There’s something hesitant in his voice. Hope, but also worry.
She meets his eyes and nods softly.
He leans down, presses a kiss to her forehead and follows the others out.
Once the boys leave the room, the girls immediately pile into Y/N’s bed. Sarah’s the first to cling to her, adjusting her sunglasses. Maddy flops onto the bed with a giddy squeal, beckoning Abigail to scoot closer.
“Okay, spill!” Alyssa practically begs.
“Okay, so…” Maddy begins, clearly enjoying the attention.
“What did you two do?” Sarah grins.
“JJ’s convinced you guys hooked up.” Cleo throws in with a smirk.
“Girls, let her talk!” Y/N interjects, rolling her eyes playfully.
“Thank you, Y/N.” Maddy says, clearing her throat. “So, first of all, the hideaway? Gorgeous. Hearts everywhere and the bed? Huge and insanely soft.”
The girls murmur excitedly as she continues.
“Anyway, we talked a lot. Just figuring out how compatible we actually are. And I’m really glad we did, because we’re totally on the same page.” She pauses, her voice softening. “And…we talked about you.”
Maddy turns to Y/N, whose brows furrow.
“Me?” Y/N repeats, caught off guard. “Wait, what? Why?”
Maddy chews her lip, choosing her words carefully.
“It wasn’t anything bad. Kelce just noticed how close we are. He told me he still cares about you, probably always will, even if you’re part of his past. He just wanted to make sure things between us were cool before him and I got more serious. He doesn’t want you to get hurt. And honestly, I get that and I don't want that either. So…are we good? I want you to be honest. If you’re not okay with it, I’ll back off, I mean it-”
“Maddy.” Y/N interrupts gently. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’re my friend. I want you to be happy. Yeah, I care about Kelce, I don’t want him getting hurt either, but I’m moving on. He should too. If what you two have is real, then I’m all for it. Trust me.”
Maddy nods, then pulls Y/N into a grateful hug.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you.” She murmurs as the other girls smile.
“Okay but did anything happen?” Cleo asks impatiently, needing her gossip fix. The girls laugh as Maddy pulls back.
“Let’s just say…the salon opened.” Her smirk says it all and the girls gasp.
“The what?” Abigail asks, confused. Cleo points to her own shorts. Abigail’s eyes widen.
“Oh!”
“Wait, yours or his?” Kiara chimes in.
“Both.” Maddy mumbles, reaching for her water bottle as the girls erupt in squeals, shaking her from excitement.
“What kind of service did you get?” Cleo teases. Maddy giggles, blushing.
“Just…a really nice mani.” She reveals and the girls scream again, laughing.
“Genuinely so happy you got some.” Sarah grins and they all laugh again.
“Alright, what did I miss?” Maddy claps her hands, calming them down. All eyes turn to Y/N. She exhales.
“Nothing’s really changed with Rafe and I's situation. Last night, before bed, he said he wanted to talk today. That’s it.”
The girls give her quiet, sympathetic looks.
“I hate to ask but…are you okay?” Maddy says gently. Y/N shrugs.
“I don’t know. Things were going so well and now…I’m just confused.” She absentmindedly fiddles with her ring.
“It’s not your fault.” Cleo says firmly. “Even if your talk triggered something, it’s on him for not being honest.”
“It’s not only about honesty.” Y/N says softly. “He wasn’t ready to open up and I get that, I-”
“Don’t make excuses for him.” Kiara cuts in. “You’re allowed to be understanding, but that doesn’t mean he gets to walk away or lash out at you.”
The girls nod in agreement.
“Can we not talk about me for once?” Y/N pleads. “I feel like I’m always the topic and it’s exhausting.”
“We’re just worried.” Sarah says, rubbing her back.
“Yeah, I know, but-”
“Don’t you dare say ‘it’s fine,’ I will literally kick your ass.” Cleo warns. Y/N chuckles, hands up in mock surrender.
“Okay, I won’t.” She grins. “But it is gonna be fine.” She quickly hides behind Sarah to dodge Cleo and the girls break into laughter as she pretends to launch herself over.
Once things settle, Y/N clears her throat.
“Hey, Kie…I’ve been meaning to ask about…you and Pope.”
Kiara shifts uncomfortably.
“Last night, when he suggested the hideaway, it kinda looked like you wanted to run.”
The girls all turn to Kiara, waiting. She sighs.
“I’m gonna be honest with y'all, I’m not feeling it. He’s cute, he’s smart, sure. But he’s just…not my type. I’ve tried, but every conversation feels awkward.”
“Have you talked to him?” Y/N asks, but Sarah quickly grabs her arm.
“Wait, have you guys even kissed?” Sarah asks. Kiara hesitates.
“We had a peck. But…” She makes a face.
“Oh, Kie.” Maddy says sympathetically.
“You really haven’t told him?” Cleo asks.
“Not yet. I haven’t found the right time. And I don’t know how to say it.”
“You should do it soon.” Cleo urges. “You’ve been coupled up for a while and Pope seems into you. He deserves the chance to meet someone who actually connects with him.”
“Like you, babe?” Maddy teases, drawing a few giggles. Cleo blushes.
“No! Stop.”
“You like him!” Sarah shouts, setting off a round of gasps.
“No, I don’t.” Cleo says, arms crossed.
“You totally do!” Maddy sings. “Cleo and Pope, sitting in a tree-”
“Finish that and I’ll end you.” Cleo threatens and Maddy pretends to zip her lips.
“Come on.” Y/N grins. “It’s cute.”
“I don’t have a crush on him!”
“Cleo-”
“I’m just confused, alright?” She finally says. “There was nothing with John B, Kelce and I had no chemistry and JJ…please. But Pope…we have had a few chats and he gets me. Like, really gets me.”
The girls stay quiet, letting her talk.
“I just…I see the way he looks at Kiara. He really likes her. And I don’t want to be his second choice.”
Silence lingers for a moment.
“I’ll talk to him.” Kiara says at last. “But you should too.”
“Okay.” Cleo nods slowly.
The girls smile at the honest moment, the tension melting just a little.
Meanwhile, outside, after Kelce’s loud bragging session with the boys about ‘his girl’ and his night with Maddy, Rafe and Topper head to the kitchen. While Topper casually whisks eggs, Rafe finishes plating the avocado toast he just made.
“Forgiveness avocado toast?” Topper teases, raising an eyebrow. “What even happened last night? It feels like I missed an entire season.”
Rafe lets out a heavy sigh.
“We got into it. There was this talk with John B, JJ and Sarah…about exes. And I just…I don’t talk about my past. She tried to comfort me or get me to open up and I snapped. Like…full-on snapped at her. And I hate myself for it. She was just trying to help and I shut down.”
Topper nods, quiet for a beat.
“Maybe…talking to her, actually opening up, might help. Not just about the fight. About everything.” Topper tries as Rafe rubs the back of his neck.
“Yeah, except if I do that, she might actually hate me.”
“It can’t be that bad, dude. Everyone’s got baggage.” Topper says, narrowing his eyes. Rafe leans in closer and drops his voice.
“I cheated on my ex.”
Topper freezes at the confession.
“What?”
“It was a dumb mistake. One I regret every day. But if Y/N finds out...she’s not gonna look at me the same.” Rafe explains while Topper stares, trying to process.
“Damn. I don’t even know what to say. That’s…a lot. But I still think you should talk to her. She’s understanding. She might not get your side, but she’ll listen. That’s gotta be something.”
Rafe exhales slowly and grabs the plate and a glass of orange juice.
“Yeah, I…I’ll try. Thanks, man.”
“Anytime.” Topper gives him a light shoulder tap as Rafe heads toward the bedroom.
He carefully pushes the door open. The room falls quiet. Every girl turns to see who entered. Y/N’s face drops the moment she sees him.
“Ladies.” Rafe offers a small, respectful nod. He makes his way to Y/N and hands her the plate, setting the juice on her nightstand.
“I know you don’t usually eat breakfast ‘cause it makes you nauseous.” He says softly. “But I made you avocado toast. Extra crunchy, just how you like it. And the juice…no pulp.”
The girls blink at him in awe.
“I think I’m in love with you.” Maddy whispers, earning an elbow from Kiara.
Rafe’s eyes never leave Y/N’s. She stares back, stunned, her heart pounding. Sarah nudges her, trying to prompt a response.
Y/N still frozen in place, Sarah reaches over and steals a bite.
“Just gonna…try this.” She announces, chewing dramatically. Y/N finally blinks and shifts her gaze.
“Thank you.” She murmurs. She sets the plate aside and reaches with one arm, offering an awkward hug. Rafe leans in to accept it.
“Anytime.” He whispers, his hand brushing her arm before he pulls away. “I’ll see you later.”
She nods and he walks out without looking back. The moment the door closes, the girls erupt.
“I’m still kinda mad at him.” Cleo admits. “But that was…really sweet.”
“Right?” Kiara nods, glancing at Y/N, who’s still staring at the door. Sarah leans forward.
“So…what are you gonna say to him?” Sarah asks, making Y/N tear her eyes away.
“I think…I want him to apologize. Properly. First.”
“Exactly!” Kiara chimes in, arms crossed. Y/N sighs.
“I like him. A lot. And I know things are moving fast, but what we’ve built already…it’s real. And now I’m stuck between being angry and completely floored that he made me breakfast with everything exactly how I like it.” She groans, rubbing her forehead.
“I’ll marry him myself if you don’t.” Maddy says, making the girls laugh. Abigail looks sheepish.
“Okay, I don’t know the whole situation and I know it’s messy, but...can I have a bite? That looks insane.” She points to the plate. Y/N chuckles and cuts a piece for herself before passing it over. Soon, the plate is in the middle of the bed and all the girls are groaning and moaning over how good it tastes.
“Okay, this toast slaps.” Cleo says, avocado smeared at the corner of her lips.
“Damn you, Rafe Cameron!” Kiara shouts dramatically at the ceiling, sending everyone into laughter.
A little later, the girls are out in their bikinis, lounging around the villa, chatting with the boys and cooling off in the pool. Topper is in the middle of a conversation with Kelce when Y/N strolls past, heading toward the couch where Maddy is painting Kiara’s nails.
Topper lets out a low whistle.
“Y/N?” He calls. She glances over her shoulder, offering a smile and a wave.
“Hey. You boys doing okay?” She asks, sipping from her water bottle. Topper nods, gesturing for her to come over.
“Do you…wanna talk for a minute?” He asks. Y/N glances back at the girls, then shrugs and walks toward the pool steps. Kelce reaches out to steady her as she makes her way down and settles into one of the pool chairs. Carefully, she adjusts her mic to keep it dry and places her bottle on the pool’s edge.
“Everything okay?” She asks, scanning their faces. Topper nods in response.
“Yeah. I just…wanted to check in. How are you holding up?” He asks, crossing his arms curiously.
“What did he tell you?” She smirks, her eyes narrowing slightly, amused.
“Dude, I told you she’d see right through us.” Kelce exclaims, hitting Topper's shoulder while grinning. Y/N gasps dramatically.
“Were you two trying to ambush me right now?”
Topper chuckles, raising his hands in defense.
“No ambush. I just…I hate seeing you both like this. He’s like a brother to me and you’re honestly the sweetest girl here. Watching you guys upset like that over a situation that could easily be fixed. It sucks.”
Y/N drops her gaze to her hands.
“I tried, Top. I really did. And he still pushed me away.”
Topper sighs, exchanging a look with Kelce.
“We know.” Kelce says. “But you two have unreal chemistry. Everyone sees it. Don’t let it go to waste over…whatever this is. You're both being stubborn about it.”
“I’m not being stubborn.” She mutters, crossing her arms. Kelce shrugs.
“Okay, maybe not. But you both care. A lot. And this is not worth losing what you have.”
She leans back with a frustrated sigh.
“I like him.” She murmurs. “And I hate this. All of it. Like…it didn’t have to go down like that. If I hadn’t been so pushy or-or…needy or if he was more open to talking about it, maybe it’d be different.”
Her eyes land on the ring on her finger. She turns it slowly, lost in thought.
Before either of them can answer, a shadow looms behind her, someone approaching. Topper and Kelce glance up, Y/N still unaware, lost in her thoughts.
“Is now a good time to talk?” Rafe's deep voice cuts through the noise, making her stomach twist. She glances at the boys, who smirk like this was part of some master plan. Ignoring them, she looks back at Rafe and gives a small nod.
She stands, grabbing her mic pack and water bottle, then follows him over to one of the couches tucked away from the rest of the group. As they sit, Rafe clears his throat and pulls off his sunglasses, finally meeting her eyes.
“First off…I just want to say I'm sorry.” He begins. “I was acting stupid. Immature.”
She doesn't respond, just stares down at the pillow in her lap.
“Y/N…” His voice falters. “Can you look at me?”
She turns, meets his gaze and exhales slowly.
“I really like you.” He says, softer now. “And I know I messed up. But you’ve gotta understand, my last relationship is…it was tough on me. And I’ve never really talked about it with anyone before and maybe that’s why I handled all of this so badly.”
He pauses, searching her face.
“I’m not saying that makes it okay. I just...I want to move past this. Can we? Can we just try again?”
Her eyes search his face, flickering with hurt, confusion, and something dangerously close to resignation. Then she slowly shakes her head.
“I’m not just going to move on and pretend this didn’t happen.” She says quietly, voice tight but steady.
“I know I pushed about your ex. I get that it’s a sore spot and maybe I shouldn’t have gone there. But, Rafe…” She pauses, the words catching in her throat, “I want you to feel safe with me. I want to be someone you can talk to. Someone you trust.”
“Y/N-”
“Let me finish.” She holds up her manicured hand and he nods, lips pressing into a thin line as he falls silent.
“We’re in here trying to build something real. And real doesn’t mean shutting people out when it gets hard. I was there for you, Rafe. Last night, I was right there trying to understand you and you left me in the dark. And it's not the first time either.”
Rafe exhales, like he was holding his breath the whole time, the weight of guilt visible in the way his shoulders slump.
“I know. I know you were. And I appreciate it. I do. I just…I can’t talk about it. It’s off-limits.”
“You said you wouldn’t shut me out again.” She reminds him and her voice breaks slightly.
“I know.” He says softly. “And I promise I won't do that again."
She looks down at her hands, fidgeting with the strap of her water bottle. She shakes her head, the gesture slow, like the words physically sting.
“How am I supposed to believe you when I don’t even know if you’re being honest with me now?" She asks, obviously hurt. Rafe has no answer. He stares at her like he wishes he could take it all back, but knows he can’t.
“I don’t want to fight.” She whispers. “But I don’t want to feel like I’m the only one fighting for this either.”
She gets up, sighing as she pushes herself off the couch, her voice barely audible now and she starts to walk away.
“I cheated on her.”
Her feet stop mid-step. The words hang in the air like a crack of thunder. Slowly, she turns back, eyebrows drawn tight.
“What?” She asks. Rafe leans forward, elbows on his knees, rubbing at his face. He can’t look at her.
“My ex. I got drunk at a party and ended up in someone else’s bed. I was stupid. I ruined everything. And…fuck, I don’t even remember most of it. But it happened. And I hated myself for it." He finally looks up at her, eyes glassy.
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to think less of me. T-to see me as that version of myself. Because I’m not him anymore. I swear I’m not.”
Y/N just stares. Still, silent, stunned.
“Can you please say something?” He asks, voice raw. She blinks, like she’s trying to shake herself out of it.
“What the fuck?”
“Y/N-”
“How could you do that to someone?” She snaps, her voice rising with emotion. “Why?”
“I was messed up. I wasn’t thinking. I’ve done the work, I’ve taken responsibility, but it’s not who I am anymore. I swear.”
He reaches for her hand, but she pulls away like he’s burned her.
“I don’t know what to say.” She whispers. “I just…I need time. I need to process this.”
“Y/N…”
But she’s already turned. And this time, she doesn’t stop.
Rafe stays frozen on the couch, the space she left behind feeling emptier than he thought possible. All that’s left is the echo of her disgust and the ache in his chest where her trust used to be.
Y/N makes her way over to Sarah, who’s chatting with Abigail and Maddy. One look at her and Sarah’s smile drops instantly.
“Hey, hey. What’s going on?” She asks, noticing Y/N’s trembling hands and the shaken look on her face. Y/N sinks into the seat beside them, still clearly reeling.
“We…talked.” She replies, voice low. “He…fuck.” Her fingers thread anxiously through her hair.
“What happened, Y/N/N?” Maddy asks gently, placing a comforting hand on her back.
“He told me about his ex.” She finally says.
“That’s…good, right?” Abigail offers carefully. “I mean, you’ve been wanting him to open up.”
The girls watch her, waiting, unsure.
“He told me…” Y/N pauses, trying to find the words. “He told me he cheated on her.”
Their eyes widen in unison, a heavy silence settling in.
“What?” Sarah blurts, brows furrowing. Y/N just nods.
“Yeah. That was my reaction too.” She says with a bitter laugh.
“Oh my god. What did you say?” Maddy asks, her voice soft with concern.
“I told him I need time to process. He kept saying how much he regrets it, how much he hates himself for it, how he has changed, but…I don’t even know what to think.”
Sarah wraps an arm around her, rubbing her back.
“It’s a lot. You don’t have to figure it all out right now.”
Y/N doesn’t respond, just stares down at the floor, her mind clearly miles away.
“I’m just…I don’t know how to feel about this. Or-or what I should do. I…I am…it’s so confusing.” She leans back into the couch, letting her head fall against the cushion with a frustrated sigh.
The girls exchange glances, quiet and gentle in their support. Maddy offers a soft smile and pats her thigh.
“We’re here, okay?” Sarah says. “Whatever you need.”
Y/N nods faintly, lips pressed into a thin line, still lost in thought.
Later that afternoon, the girls are getting ready upstairs while Rafe, Topper and Kelce are in the bedroom.
“I told her.” Rafe says, pulling a pair of jeans from his closet.
“Told her what?” Topper asks, reaching for his deodorant.
“About my ex.” Rafe replies. “That I cheated on her.”
Kelce’s head snaps up.
“Wait-what?” He asks, his brows furrowing. Rafe exhales, pulling on his jeans.
“Yeah. That’s why I didn’t say anything last night. I knew it would hit her hard. And the way she looked at me…fuck, man.”
“Are you being serious right now?” Kelce says, staring at him.
“Do I look like I’m joking?” Rafe asks as he shoots him a look.
Kelce shakes his head slowly.
“Dude…you should’ve told her from the start. Trust is a huge thing for her. I mean, obviously.”
“Obviously?” Rafe repeats, eyebrows knitting together. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Kelce turns off the iron, hesitating.
“She didn’t tell you?” He asks. Rafe glances between them, confused.
“Tell me what?”
“I don’t know if it’s my place, but…” Kelce pauses. “Before she and I got together, she was with this guy. Real piece of shit. Untrustworthy as hell. One day, she caught him in her bed with a girl she worked with.”
Rafe freezes, mouth slightly open.
“Shit.” He mutters, rubbing a hand over his buzzed head. “She never told me that. No wonder she was so upset.”
“That, plus being paired with someone who’s done the same thing?” Topper adds and Rafe scoffs.
“I’m not that guy anymore. I told her I regret it. Every bit of it.”
Kelce carefully slips on his shirt so as to not wrinkle it.
“Look, man. Let her have some time. Then talk to her, like really talk. No yelling. No ego. No stubbornness. Just…be honest. Let it be a conversation, not a war.”
Rafe nods slowly, eyes drifting to the bed he’s been sharing with her.
“Yeah.” He murmurs. “I will.”
As the islanders share laughs and drinks, Y/N and Cleo sit by the firepit, able to observe the rest of the group from a distance. JJ is walking on his hands, slowly making his way toward the pool without realizing it. Everyone watches in anticipation, waiting for the inevitable and when he finally topples in with a loud splash, laughter erupts all around. He emerges from the water, yelling and cussing them out as they double over.
Y/N chuckles and turns to Cleo, who’s clearly zoned out. Her eyes glued to Pope, who’s mid push-up competition with Topper. It doesn’t last long though as Pope gives out quickly and Sarah, being the sweetheart she is, immediately goes to comfort him. Y/N snaps her fingers in front of Cleo’s face.
“Girl.” She snaps again, finally catching her attention. Cleo blinks and turns to her.
“Don’t. Please. Don’t start.” Cleo warns.
“Dude.” Y/N pauses. “Just go for it.”
Cleo scoffs and shakes her head.
“He’s into Kiara.” She mutters, adjusting her skirt. Y/N gently grabs her hand, not letting her look away again.
“You’re wasting time by not giving it a chance.” She pauses. “Cleo, you’re so gorgeous and so kind-hearted and smart…it’s…you like him. And I know that may scare you or maybe you're scared of getting rejected, but it doesn’t hurt to try.”
Cleo looks up at her.
“Ho, are you a mind reader or something?” Cleo asks, narrowing her eyes playfully.
Y/N bursts out laughing, giving her a light slap on the thigh.
“I’m just saying…have a chat with him. You’re here to explore connections and hopefully find the right one. Maybe Pope is it.”
Cleo hesitates.
“But… what about Kiara…she-”
“She said she’d talk to him first. I know.” Y/N nods. “But I don’t think you should wait anymore. Plus, you know how Kie feels. It’s not like you’re stepping on anyone’s toes.”
Without warning, Cleo wraps her arms around Y/N in a tight hug, catching her completely off guard.
“I love you, little one.” She mumbles against her shoulder.
“I love you too, C.” Y/N says, hugging her back. Cleo pulls away and stands, adjusting her skirt again.
“Wish me luck.” She says lowly.
“You don’t need it.” Y/N smiles, standing and giving her a little push forward.
Cleo stumbles slightly before making her way toward the beanbags, where Pope is lounging with John B and Sarah.
“Hey.” She says, approaching with a soft smile. Everyone greets her with wide grins.
“Pope, do you…do you mind going for a chat?” She asks, glancing briefly at Sarah, who smirks knowingly.
“Yeah, sure.” Pope says, getting up and dapping John B before following Cleo to the couch under the terrace.
As they sit down, Cleo adjusts her skirt, smoothing the fabric across her legs.
“You look nice, by the way.” Pope says, nodding toward her. “That color really works on you.”
“Thanks. It’s Maddy’s, actually.” She glances down, smiling faintly. He nods.
“Still. It looks good. I mean, you do. I mean, the skirt does too, just…yeah.” He fumbles a little and she lets out a small laugh.
“How’ve you been finding it?” Cleo asks, shifting the conversation. “You know, the whole Love Island experience?”
“Yeah, it’s been good so far?” Pope shrugs and she raises an eyebrow.
“You’re asking me?”
He chuckles at her comment.
“No, no, I mean, yeah. It’s been…interesting.”
Cleo nods.
“What about you?” He asks and she sighs.
“Definitely a rollercoaster. Between the couplings and JJ’s snoring-”
“Oh my god, that's him?” Pope laughs, leaning back. “It's been driving me insane.”
“You’re lucky you’re across the room. I’ve got him snoring right into my ear.”
They both laugh and for a moment, things feel easy.
“I like this.” Cleo says after a beat, her voice softer now. “This?” Pope looks over, brows furrowed slightly.
“You. Us talking like this. You have this…calming energy. I feel like I can just be myself around you.” She swallows. “And I’ve been thinking about it and I just…I’m gonna say it. I’m attracted to you. And I don’t know if you’ve felt anything too, but I wanted to see if maybe there could be…something.”
Pope doesn’t respond right away. He just stares at her, lips parted slightly, blinking like he didn’t expect this.
“Usually this is the part where someone responds.” Cleo lets out a nervous laugh.
“I'm sorry. I just…” Pope finally says, shifting in his seat. “I didn’t really see this coming.”
“Oh.” Her smile falters, just a little.
“Not that…it’s not bad. I just…” He trails off, rubbing the back of his neck. “It kind of caught me off guard.”
“Right. Yeah. I get it.” She nods slowly, looking away.
“I’m sorry if that’s…like, if this is weird now.” He adds quickly.
“It’s not weird.” She says, though the words are a little too fast. “It’s fine. I just…wanted to be honest.”
They sit in silence again, but this time it’s stiffer, more uncomfortable. Cleo’s hands fidget in her lap. Pope stares at a spot on the ground.
“I should probably head back to the girls.” Cleo says eventually, standing a little too quickly.
“Yeah. Of course.” Pope says, not quite meeting her eyes.
She gives him a tight smile and walks off, leaving Pope sitting there, still trying to make sense of what just happened.
In the kitchen, Y/N reaches into the fridge for another drink when Ryan strolls up beside her.
“Hey, you.” He says, flashing her a grin and finger guns before immediately shoving his hands behind his back. “Sorry. I get weird around pretty girls.”
She laughs under her breath.
“I’ll let it slide since you called me pretty.” She replies and he clutches his chest like he’s been wounded in the best way.
“You want anything while I’m here?” She nods toward the fridge.
“A chat with you sounds ideal.” He pauses, then adds. “Oh, and maybe a soda? Since you’re offering.”
She blushes, grabbing a can for him along with her own drink, then turns back to him.
“Lead the way.” She says.
Ryan leads her toward a couch tucked at the back of the villa. The same one where she and Rafe had their fight earlier. She hesitates for a beat before following.
“You good?” Ryan asks once they sit. “You keep drifting off on me.”
“Yeah. Just got a lot on my mind.” She blinks, grounding herself. He nods, letting the moment hang.
“This about Rafe?” He asks and her head snaps to him.
“Did he say something?”
Ryan shakes his head.
“No. Just…felt like something was going on.” He replies, making her exhale and nod.
“Good instincts.” She mutters and he smiles.
“My instincts told me to come talk to you, so I’m gonna trust ‘em.” He pauses. “But hey, if you ever wanna talk about it-”
“No.” She cuts in softly. “I wanna get to know you.”
“What do you wanna know?” He nods, settling more comfortably into the couch. She taps her lip, thinking, before her lips turn upright into a playful smirk.
“What’s Sabrina like?” She asks, making both of them chuckle.
“She’s very short. And super sweet.”
“Yeah, I figured.” She chuckles again. “You live in New York, right?” She asks, switching gears.
“Yeah. Been there a few years now. Love it. Really great job opportunities. What about you?”
“I’m from there.”
He pauses.
“No way. That’s a sign.”
They both smile, easing into easy conversation, until her phone buzzes. She glances down and her smile fades.
“Shit.” She mutters. “Guys, I got a text!”
The villa falls quiet as they snap their attention towards her. Rafe looks up from across the yard, eyes locking on Y/N and Ryan sitting way too close for his comfort. His chest tightens.
“‘Islanders, pucker up because tonight you’ll be taking part in the Kissing Challenge. #kissandmakeup #hotandbothered’” She reads the message aloud.
The group erupts in excitement. Y/N shoots Ryan an apologetic look before hurrying off to find the girls.
Across the yard, Topper claps a hand on Rafe’s back with a smirk.
“Well, the text did say kiss and make up.”
Rafe doesn’t respond. His eyes are still locked on her, determined to win her back.
warnings: cuss words, sexual innuendos, alcohol consumption
The sun rises over the villa and as the lights flicker on, a new day begins. Groans echo around the room as the islanders squint and shield their eyes from the brightness. Cleo gives JJ a shove as he's sprawled halfway over the pillow barrier. Sarah giggles as John B keeps her tucked against him and Kelce checks Maddy out as she gets up to grab her hoodie.
Rafe rubs the sleep from his eyes and turns to find Y/N curled up in a tight ball, eyes half-lidded and heavy. He frowns slightly and scoots closer.
“Good morning.” He murmurs, voice still rough from sleep.
“Morning.” She replies, voice faint and slow, like it took effort to speak.
“You alright? Sleep okay?” He asks, his tone gentle as he reaches over to rub her arm.
“Yeah. Fine.” Her answer is quick, almost mechanical. She sits up slowly, stretching a little before resting her head on Rafe’s shoulder.
“You sure?” He whispers again. She gives a small nod, pulling her knees to her chest. Rafe doesn’t push, just wraps an arm around her and presses a kiss to her temple, before tuning into the conversation the guys are starting across the room.
Y/N fidgets with a loose thread on the blanket, half-listening as Sarah starts recounting a wild dream involving a tango-dancing surfer lobster. The room gradually wakes up as everyone begins getting ready for the day. The boys head outside for coffee and a workout while the girls make their way upstairs.
“So…” Cleo starts, rifling through her bikinis. “Did anyone kiss or cuddle their new matches last night?”
Sarah lets out a sneaky giggle as she dabs on some concealer.
“I…well, John B and I cuddled. And…I kissed him.”
The room erupts with cheers. Well, most of it.
“Oooh, how was it, girlie?” Kiara grins.
“It was sweet. Soft. Really cute.” Sarah beams as the others nod approvingly. Maddy ties her bikini top and steps over to the mirror.
“And you, Miss Maddy?” Kiara smacks her lightly on the butt. Maddy laughs and swats her hand away.
“We just cuddled. He said he didn’t wanna rush things.”
“Aww!” the girls chorus.
“If a guy told me that, I’d jump his bones.” Alyssa adds, making everyone laugh.
“No, really, it was sweet. I liked that.” Maddy says with a soft smile. “But…I did hear giggling from your bed, Aly…”
Alyssa smirks.
“Topper’s got jokes. What can I say?” Her raised eyebrow says more than her words.
“Are we talking about the same Topper?” Kiara furrows her brows.
“Just spill already!” Sarah exclaims, leaning in.
“We just cuddled.” Alyssa insists, hands up. “I swear.”
“Boooring!” Cleo teases and laughter fills the room. Y/N smiles faintly as she braids her hair, though something in her expression is dimmer than usual. It doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Y/N, honey, you okay?” Sarah asks gently. The others pause and glance her way. The room stills a little. Y/N pauses mid-braid. She nods after a beat, her expression unreadable.
“Did something happen?” Kiara probes.
“If Rafe did something again, I swear-” Cleo starts, already rolling up her sleeves.
“No, nothing happened.” Y/N interrupts, her tone clipped. “Rafe and I are fine.” She replies, rifling through her makeup bag. Sarah leans closer across the vanity, taking Y/N’s hand.
“We’re just worried, that’s all.”
Y/N takes a breath and nods, still not looking up.
“Thanks. I just…had a bad dream, that’s all.”
The girls nod in understanding, the energy in the room softening.
“Do you wanna talk about it?” Maddy offers softly.
“Not right now.” She shakes her head. The girls respect that, gently changing the subject as they go back to getting ready for the day.
Most of the girls are ready. Alyssa and Kiara have already headed downstairs, while the rest finish getting dressed, except for Y/N, who’s tearing through her wardrobe like it personally offended her.
“Fuck off.” She mutters, slamming the drawer shut.
“No! I don’t!” Y/N snaps, her voice louder than intended. The room falls silent for a beat. Her shoulders drop as she closes her eyes and pinches the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell.”
“It’s fine.” Cleo says gently. “We all have bad days.” The others nod in quiet agreement.
The other girls nod, exchanging glances. Y/N lowers herself into her seat with a frustrated sigh, pulling her jewelry box into her lap like a distraction. But Maddy notices the tremble in her hands.
“Hey.” She says softly, coming to stand beside her. “Let’s just pause for a second, okay?” She slowly slides the jewelry box out of Y/N’s grip and sets it aside.
“Do you want me to do your hair?” Maddy offers, voice low and steady, like she’s speaking to glass. Y/N just nods, empty and detached.
Maddy gently unravels her half-finished braid and grabs the curling iron. Sarah kneels nearby, unsure whether to help or just stay close.
“Want a snack? Or something to drink?” Sarah asks, crouching beside her. “Snacks always help me.”
Y/N shakes her head, eyes locked on her own reflection. Her face crumples a moment later as tears begin to well.
“Hey, hey.” Cleo’s beside her in a second, rubbing her back as Maddy sets the iron down and sits on the other side. Y/N bites her lip to hold back the sobs, but it’s no use. She swipes at her face, trying to stop it.
“Y/N-” “I’m fine.” She cuts Maddy off, voice thick with tears.
“You don’t have to lie to us. It's okay.” Maddy says quietly, her hand resting on Y/N’s back.
Y/N tries to speak again but she can’t. She just shakes her head and gasps a little through the tightness in her chest.
“Just…can you…could you-”
“What do you need?” Sarah asks gently.
“Can you get Rafe?” She whispers, finally looking up. Sarah nods and bolts downstairs without a word.
Rafe’s in the kitchen, chatting with Pope as he makes coffee.
“You okay?” Pope asks as Sarah runs up.
“It’s Y/N.” Is all she says and that’s enough. Rafe drops the mug and rushes after her. He takes the stairs two at a time and swings open the makeup room door. His eyes go straight to her. Curled up, eyes red and hands trembling.
She hears the door and immediately stands. He meets her halfway, catching her as she collapses into his chest. Her fingers fist the front of his shirt like she’s anchoring herself to the only solid thing in the world.
He lifts her by the back of her thighs without a second thought, settling into her seat with her in his lap. Sarah gives Rafe a small nod before tugging Cleo and Maddy out, leaving the two of them alone.
Rafe holds her close, gently rocking her, murmuring quiet comforts. He doesn’t ask questions, just lets her cry.
“Breathe, baby. I’ve got you.” He whispers. She clutches tighter, silent tears wetting his shirt.
They sit like that for several minutes, no rush, no pressure. Just her falling apart and him being the net that catches her.
When her sobs fade into sniffles, he cups her face, coaxing her to look at him.
“Hey.” He whispers.
“Sorry.” She mumbles, eyes dropping to his chest. He frowns.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“I’m being dumb and emotional and…I ruined your shirt.” She says, gesturing at the small makeup stain.
“I don’t care about the shirt. And you’re not dumb. You're allowed to feel like this.” He says firmly. She hesitates, then looks down at her hand.
“My ring...I…My grandpa gave it to me. I’ve never taken it off. It’s stupid but…it meant everything.”
He nods, brushing his thumb along her arm.
“It’s not stupid. We’ll find it. I told you, I’ll tear the place apart if I have to.” He says, trying to make her smile.
“There’s more.” She says quietly. He nods again, waiting. “I had a dream. A bad one. Like, wake-up-sobbing bad. And I guess with the homesickness a-and the ring and everything else…it just hit me.”
“Hey.” He says again, gently. “It's okay to feel like this. But you're gonna be alright. You-We're gonna get through this.”
She looks down, fidgeting with his fingers. Her thumb finds the ring he wears and she clings to it.
“Thanks.” She whispers. He nods, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“And I’m sorry I look like such a mess.” She adds with a tired smile.
“You’re beautiful. Always.” He replies without missing a beat. Her smile widens and she leans in to kiss him.
“You know, I…I just needed to see you.” She confesses. His brows pinch slightly.
“What do you mean?” He asks, confused.
“I mean…my chest was closing in and I felt the flood coming and all I could think was…I need Rafe. I needed you to help me calm down.”
His expression softens completely.
“You can always come to me.” He says. “Always. I’ve got you.”
She nods, her eyes welling again, but this time, not with panic.
Then Rafe sniffs the air, nose crinkling.
“Is something burning?” He asks, making Y/N’s eyes go wide.
“Oh my God!” She lunges to turn off the curling iron. He chuckles as she frantically checks it. She starts laughing too.
“Almost burned down the whole villa.” She says through a laugh. They sit together for a while longer, the energy slowly shifting back to calm.
“As much as I love seeing you in my hoodie.” He says, tugging at the hem. “We should get you ready for the day. Plus, you in a bikini? I…” Rafe bites his lip making Y/N snort.
“Wanna help me pick one?”
“Oh, God, yes.” He grins, jumping up like it’s the most important mission he’s ever had.
Hours later, Y/N and Rafe are sprawled out on one of the couches with JJ, Sarah and John B. Y/N is curled up beside Rafe, still in the white bikini he picked out for her earlier, her hair thrown messily into a claw clip. She sips on a glass of juice, her skin warm and glowing, a lot more herself than she had been earlier. The conversation drifts into old relationships, always a dangerous road.
“My last ex, Ted, broke up with me over text. On my fucking birthday.” Sarah says suddenly, almost laughing, but there’s a bite under it. Y/N's mouth drops open as the boys furrow their brows, thrown off.
“Shut up.” Y/N blurts, genuinely shocked. “What a dick!”
JJ, ever the clown, pitches his voice high to mock them. “Oh my god, totally!”
“How long were you two even together?” She asks, still processing it.
“Like…seven months?” Sarah says, almost casual, but there's something tight around her eyes.
“What did he even say?” John B asks, half-joking, trying to lighten it. “‘Happy Birthday, your present is I’m dumping you’?”
“Something close.” Sarah says with a dry laugh. “It was like, ‘Hey, hope you’re good. You’re awesome, but I’m not in the right place for a relationship. Also, happy birthday.’” She shakes her head, laughing at the memory now, but it’s brittle. Y/N reaches over instinctively, rubbing Sarah’s arm with soft sympathy.
“Oh, honey…” She says, low and real. Sarah waves her off with a little smile.
“I’m over it, seriously. Someone else go.” She looks around the group. There’s a beat of quiet. Y/N shrugs.
“Y’all know about my ex, so…” She trails off, taking a long sip from her drink. JJ fidgets, glancing at his flip flops. The shift in his energy is obvious.
“I…uhh…” He hesitates, then forces it out “My ex cheated on me.”
The group falls silent, all eyes snapping to him.
“Oh, J…” Y/N’s voice is soft, sad. He flinches.
“Don’t. Please. I don’t want…” He glances around, eyes flashing. “I don’t want pity. It’s just…it happened. It sucked, but whatever. I’m good.” He crosses his arms, the words stiff and defensive. John B catches the girls’ eyes and with a small nod, steers the conversation away.
“What about you, Rafe?” He asks lightly.
Rafe shifts, adjusting his sunglasses.
“Uhh…it was like a year ago?” He says, almost like he’s guessing. Sarah leans in, curious.
“What happened?”
Y/N turns toward him too, heart thudding a little. Rafe hadn’t said anything about his exes before inside the villa, not to her, not to anyone.
“Nothing.” Rafe says flatly, eyes flicking away. “Just fell apart, I guess.” He stares down at Y/N’s half-empty glass instead of meeting anyone’s eyes. “Want a refill?” He asks, nodding at it. Y/N shakes her head.
“No, I’m good.” She hesitates, watching him. His jaw is tight, his body stiff. “Are you?” She asks, her voice dropping low. Rafe’s brows pull together.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” He snaps, too fast. Y/N reaches out, brushing his bicep gently. He stiffens under her touch.
“I don’t know. You just seem...tense. I thought maybe all this talk was bringing back...bad memories or something.”
“I said I’m fine.” Rafe snaps, sharper this time.Y/N’s hand drops immediately. She draws back, hurt flashing across her face.
“Sorry.” She mumbles, her voice small, and turns back to Sarah, who’s already jumping into another ex story, trying to salvage the easy mood. Rafe exhales harshly and stands up without a word, striding toward the kitchen.
“What’s up with him?” Sarah whispers, glancing after him. Y/N watches him crack open the fridge, pulling out stuff for a protein shake like he’s desperate for something to do with his hands.
“I...I don’t know.” She says quietly. “Maybe all of this hit a nerve.”
The others fall back into banter, but Y/N keeps sneaking glances toward Rafe. He's sitting now with Topper and Kelce, but even from here, Y/N can see the way his shoulders are tense, the way he keeps fidgeting, jaw tight.
Night falls quickly over the villa and the islanders get ready for another party in their little paradise. Everyone heads outside, grabbing drinks and splitting into groups. Y/N settles with the girls around the beanbags, her eyes occasionally drifting across the yard where Rafe sits by the firepit, deep in conversation with Pope. They haven’t spoken since he stormed out of their conversation earlier.
“You’re staring.” Cleo sing-songs, bumping her elbow into Y/N’s side and nearly knocking her off the beanbag. Y/N blinks and looks back at the group.
“You okay?” Sarah asks gently. Y/N nods quickly.
“Yeah, yeah. Just…” She hesitates, picking at the edge of her cup. “I feel like he’s avoiding me.”
The girls exchange glances.
“What?” Alyssa asks, clearly behind on the villa gossip.
“Earlier, everyone was talking about their exes and Rafe just…stormed out. Didn’t say anything, didn’t come back. Hasn’t said a word to Y/N since.” Cleo explains. “Catch up, Aly.” She snaps her fingers dramatically in front of Alyssa’s face. Alyssa wrinkles her nose and turns her attention back to Y/N.
“Maybe he just doesn’t wanna talk about it?” Alyssa suggests.
“I get that.” Y/N says, voice soft. “But he usually…I don’t know. He always compliments my dresses or asks which drink I want, even though they’re all the same. He always says something.”
The girls listen closely, their expressions thoughtful.
“I don’t think he’s avoiding you.” Maddy says. “I think that talk just stirred up some stuff for him. He’s probably just in his head. Give him some time.”
The others nod in agreement.
“That guy won’t last another hour away from you.” Kiara adds with a grin, making everyone laugh. Y/N smiles, feeling a little lighter. Cleo shifts, her tone careful.
“What about this morning…in the glam room? We didn’t get a chance to talk about it. Are you okay?”
Y/N leans into her, nodding.
“I just got overwhelmed. I’m sorry for snapping at you.”
“You don’t have to apologize. I just got worried about you.” Cleo says simply. Y/N smiles appreciative.
The conversation slowly shifts to Maddy and Kelce's connection, when a sudden ping cuts through the chatter. Everyone’s heads snap toward the firepit. Pope and Rafe stand frozen.
Pope fumbles for his phone, reading the screen before nearly spitting out his drink.
“I-I got a text!” He calls out, drawing everyone’s attention. The girls scramble off the beanbags to gather around as he clears his throat.
“‘Islanders, your group is about to grow tonight as two new bombshells are entering the villa. Please be on your best behavior for Abigail and Ryan and make them feel welcome. #thepartyisjuststarting #themorethebetter.’”
Gasps echo as everyone looks around, half in shock, half in excitement, until two new islanders stroll confidently through the flower-lined corridor.
“Oh my god.” Maddy breathes as Ryan and Abigail make their grand entrance, radiating the kind of energy that promises chaos.
The villa stirs as everyone rushes to greet them, the night suddenly feeling a whole lot less predictable.
The girls greet the newcomers with hugs, each introducing themselves with bright smiles. Sarah grabs two glasses and hands one to each of them. Ryan’s eyes catch Y/N standing a little apart from the group and he makes his way over to her.
“Hey, I’m Ryan.” He says, offering his hand.
“Y/N.” She replies, shaking his hand with a shy smile, her cheeks flushing pink.
“Pretty name for a pretty girl.” Ryan says and then immediately winces at himself. “That was awful, wasn’t it?” He takes a quick sip of his drink, trying to recover. Y/N laughs, nodding.
“It was really bad.” She agrees and he grins, his teeth gleaming under the villa lights.
From across the patio, Rafe watches the exchange, jaw tightening. In a few strides, he’s at Y/N’s side, casually slipping an arm around her waist possessively.
“Hey, man. Rafe.” He says, sticking out his hand.
Ryan shakes it without hesitation, matching his energy.
Y/N glances between the two of them, tension prickling at her skin. She shoots a quick, desperate look toward the girls. Maddy picks up on it immediately.
“Why don’t we all head over to the firepit? Get to know you guys a little better, yeah?” She suggests brightly, already tugging Abigail and a confused Cleo in that direction.
Everyone starts moving. Ryan steps aside, giving Y/N space to pass. She nods a quick thank you and gently slips from Rafe’s grip, hurrying to link arms with Sarah. Soon, everyone is gathered around the firepit.
Ryan and Abigail exchange a look and Ryan gestures for her to take the lead.
“Alright, I'm Abigail. Abby, Gail, Abs...Ginger, if you prefer.” She begins, then laughs softly. “Sorry, already getting ahead of myself. I'm 25, an interior designer and I'm from Ohio. My last relationship ended about a year ago and I think I'm finally ready to dip my toes back into the dating pool. But I'm probably boring you already, so…Ryan?” She trails off, earning smiles from the group. There’s something endearing about her, the way she speaks with such warmth and sincerity.
“Honestly, I could listen to you for hours.” Kiara beams and everyone laughs in agreement. Abigail grins, clearly flattered. She looks back at Ryan and he nods.
“Alright, uh…I’m Ryan, 23, from California. Been living in New York for the last couple of years. And I’ve been single for about two years now.” He laughs lightly. “I’m a model.”
“That’s why you look so familiar.” Y/N suddenly mutters. The group turns to look at her and she quickly clamps a hand over her mouth.
“Sorry, I just…you look so familiar and…” Her eyes widen. “Wait! You were in Sabrina Carpenter's music video!”
Everyone stares at her, confused, but Ryan’s face lights up in recognition.
“Yeah, yeah. Are you a fan of hers?” He asks, leaning in as if it’s just the two of them around the firepit. Y/N grins, clearly proud of herself.
“What are you talking about? 'Emails I Can't Send' went triple platinum in my apartment.” She jokes and the girls burst into laughter. Ryan chuckles along with them, but the guys are still left confused. Meanwhile, Rafe sits with his arms crossed, silently observing the exchange with an unreadable expression.
“Okay...Ryan, what are you hoping to find in the villa?” Maddy asks, trying to steer the conversation in a new direction. He nods, grateful for the shift.
“Right. Umm...honestly, I hate being single. I’m looking for someone who matches my vibe, gets my humor. Someone who actually wants to understand me, like, really get to know me for who I am.” He explains and the girls nod along, listening closely.
The islanders continue to grill Ryan and Abigail, the chatter slowly dying down as they break into smaller groups. Kiara, Maddy and Topper take the lead, offering to show them around the villa. Rafe heads to the kitchen, grabbing another drink and that's when Y/N decides to follow, her steps slow but purposeful.
“Hey.” Her voice is soft, almost hesitant, as she watches him crack open a can of beer. He nods without looking at her, takes a long sip and the silence between them feels heavier with each passing second. Y/N can feel the frustration building in her chest.
“Are you okay?” She asks, her words a mix of concern and impatience.
“I'm fine, Y/N.” His tone is too casual, like he’s brushing her off and it only makes her more tense.
“Rafe…” She steps closer, her voice quiet but insistent. “We’ve been here before. Just…talk to me.” She feels the sting of his walls going up again, but she refuses to back down. He clenches his jaw, eyes on the condensation running down his drink.
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
“Bullshit.” Her voice cracks with frustration and his eyes snap up to hers, a flicker of surprise. “Something set you off earlier and now you're shutting me out. Again!” She feels the heat rise in her chest, the words tumbling out before she can stop them.
“And you know I had a shitty morning…” She steps closer, narrowing her eyes as she watches him. “And you…” Her words come out sharp, full of accusation.
“You did it again. Ignored me. Didn’t say a word. No explanation. Like I don’t even exist, until Ryan walked in.”
She watches his eyes shift, knowing he recognizes what she’s calling out.
“Just talk to me, Rafe.” She presses, her voice tight with pent-up frustration. “I'm right here. I want to be here for you. But how can I help if you keep shutting me out like this? How am I supposed to do anything if you don’t let me in?”
“What don’t you understand about me not wanting to talk about it?” He snaps, the tension thick in his words. His brow furrows, his hands clenching around his drink. “I didn’t ask for your help, okay? I’m not fucking needy like-” He stops himself mid-sentence, rubbing a hand over his face.
“Like me?” Her voice is barely above a whisper, the hurt slipping through despite her effort to control it.
“Y/N-”
"Is that what you were going to say?" She interrupts, her words cutting through the air, sharp and bitter. He steps toward her, but she takes a step back, her gaze dropping to her fingers, absently fiddling with the spot where her comfort ring usually sits.
“I’m sorry if I made this about me. That wasn’t my intention.” Her voice is small now, quieter than before, as if the fight has drained all the strength from her. “And if that’s how you feel…maybe…”
“Don’t.” His voice is low, a warning and he takes another step closer.
“You need space. You’ve made that clear today.” She says, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I don’t need space.” He retorts, frustration in his tone. “Well, I do.” She murmurs, turning to walk toward Sarah. Rafe starts to follow but stops himself, exhaling sharply.
“Fuck.” He mutters under his breath, frustration pulsing through every word.
Y/N curls up on the daybed, her eyes distant as John B and Sarah try to offer some comfort.
“I just can’t wait for this day to be over.” She mutters, absently fiddling with one of the pillows in her lap. Sarah gently rubs her arm, her voice soft.
“I know.” She whispers. “You know, for someone so sweet and quiet, you sure have a lot of drama going on.” She tries to lighten the mood and Y/N can’t help but smile, despite everything.
“Are you complaining?” She teases, glancing up at Sarah. Sarah chuckles, shaking her head.
“Not at all.”
“You’re keeping us entertained.” John B adds with a grin and the girls share a small, knowing laugh.
Just as the conversation starts to shift, Ryan suddenly stands up from the bean bags, cutting his chat with Alyssa short. He looks toward the daybed and whistles to get their attention.
“Anyone lose a ring?” He calls out and Y/N’s eyes widen. She immediately jumps up from the daybed, her dress swishing around her legs as she rushes toward him, her hands nervously clutching the fabric. Ryan holds out the ring and she stares at it in disbelief, letting out a sound that’s somewhere between a squeal and a whimper.
“Oh my god!” She exclaims, her eyes glued to the ring as though it could disappear at any moment. She looks up at Ryan, her heart pounding and without thinking, wraps her arms around his shoulders, pulling him down to her height. He freezes for a second, caught off guard, before instinctively wrapping his arms around her in confusion as she squeezes him tightly.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She repeats, her voice cracking with relief and gratitude before pulling back, her hands still holding on to his arms. “You have no idea what this…I…” She struggles to find the words.
Ryan simply nods, a small, understanding smile pulling at his lips. She reaches out to take the ring from him, but he gently pulls his hand back.
“Let me.” He murmurs, his voice low and steady. He takes her hand carefully, sliding the ring onto her finger with a tenderness that catches her breath. The moment feels suspended in time.
Everyone else in the yard, even Cleo and Pope from the balcony, watches the scene unfold. From across the kitchen, Rafe’s jaw tightens, his fist clenching around the can of beer. He squeezes it too hard, the can crumpling in his hand, beer spilling down his pants.
“For fuck’s sake.” He mutters under his breath, the frustration barely contained.
“Easy there, dude.” Kelce calls out, noticing Rafe’s sudden tension, grabbing bag of chips.
Meanwhile, Y/N, still in shock, leans into Ryan for one more quick hug, thanking him over and over again, her voice shaking with emotion. She pulls back, a wide grin spreading across her face, before dashing back toward Sarah. With a squeal, she shows off the ring to both Sarah and John B, her fingers playing with it nervously as she gushes about it.
And just when the islanders think their eventful night is over, a loud ping echoes through the yard.
“You gotta be kidding me!” JJ exclaims, looking at Abigail, who glances at him in confusion. Rafe pulls out his phone and reads the text carefully.
“Islanders, the Hideaway is open tonight. Time to send one couple away for some special alone time. #spicytime #oneonone.” He reads aloud, then pockets his phone as the islanders cheer and run around excitedly. They gather around the kitchen.
“Okay, it definitely has to be you two.” Cleo suggests, pointing to Rafe and Y/N. Most of the islanders nod in agreement as the two exchange a long, silent stare. Y/N exhales deeply, shakes her head and looks back at the group.
“I…I think a different couple should go.” She says, fidgeting with her ring, a habit no one misses. Cleo furrows her brows, noticing the tension between them, and sighs.
“Okay, but please, don’t send me and JJ, that’s all I’m asking!” Cleo raises her hands in surrender and steps back, making everyone chuckle.
“Oh come on, ‘baby.’ You know you want us to be alone.” JJ teases, leaning in for a kiss. Cleo pushes him away with a disgusted noise.
“Okay, in all seriousness, who do you think should go?” Maddy asks, looking around, but everyone seems as clueless as she is. Pope scratches the back of his neck.
“I mean...me and Kiara are coupled up from the start, like Y/N and Rafe.” He says. Kiara’s eyes widen as she takes a sip from her drink.
“Yeah, I…I don’t think we’re ready for that…” She says quickly. The girls exchange questioning looks before turning to each other.
“What about...Kelce and Maddy?” Y/N suggests. Most of the group nods in agreement. Kelce looks at Maddy, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.
“What do you say, Mads?” Sarah asks and everyone turns to her. Maddy smiles nervously.
“If...if you guys are okay with that…then sure.” She says. The group cheers, agreeing. The girls hug Maddy tightly before pulling her upstairs to get ready.
“Oh my god!” Maddy exclaims, sinking into the vanity seat. “How the hell am I the one going to the Hideaway first?” She says, still shocked by the group’s decision. The girls laugh as they help her get ready. Cleo and Y/N look through their wardrobes for lingerie and cute clothes while Kiara redoes Maddy's hair. Meanwhile, Sarah, Alyssa and Abigail sip their drinks and joke about the night ahead.
“Can we please talk about Y/N and Rafe before I head out? I feel like I missed a few episodes there.” Maddy says, turning to Y/N, who is still focused on a lingerie set in her hands.
“We got into a fight.” Y/N mutters, showing Maddy the set. Maddy scrunches her nose, shaking her head as Y/N digs through her wardrobe for a different outfit.
“He was clearly upset earlier and I tried to ask him about it, comfort him, but he just...pushed me away.” Y/N explains and the girls listen closely.
“Kiara, steam!” She points out as Kiara pulls away the straightener from Maddy’s hair, grimacing but playing it off.
“Anyway, I don’t want to ruin your mood. You’re going to the Hideaway, bitch!” Y/N says, cheering and the girls join in as Maddy laughs and shimmies in her seat, Kiara steadying her to finish her hair.
Eventually, they settle on a dark purple lace bodysuit for Maddy. She pulls her robe over and the girls watch as she checks herself out in the mirror.
“What’s the plan for tonight?” Sarah asks. Maddy shrugs.
“We’re not going all the way, if that’s what you’re asking.” She says, then turns to the group. “I guess we’ll see. If the chemistry is still there behind closed doors...if we’re compatible enough...you know.”
The girls nod.
“Just don’t feel pressured or anything because it’s finally just the two of you.” Y/N advises. The others agree.
“Just enjoy it.” Alyssa adds. The group nods together.
“Guys, I love you.” Maddy says, pouting and opening her arms. “Come on, group hug!” She exclaims and they all rush in for a tight embrace before pulling back.
“You ready?” Kiara asks. Maddy nods, grabbing her little bag with the essentials for the night as the girls open the door and head downstairs. They enter the bedroom, finding the boys sitting around. Kelce paces across the room, wearing grey comfy shorts with his Calvin Klein boxers peeking out. When the door opens and Maddy steps in wearing her robe, the boys all cheer and holler, along with the girls. Maddy and Kelce share an awkward hug before Topper and Cleo push them to go outside. Everyone follows as they walk to the Hideaway. Kelce lets Maddy go inside first, then turns around and makes a silly face at the guys. As they laugh, Maddy comes back out, grabs his bicep and pulls him inside forcefully.
“Use protection!” JJ shouts. Maddy gives him the middle finger, sending kisses to the girls.
“See y’all tomorrow!” She says before closing the door.
“Have fun, you two!” Y/N shouts.
“But not too much!” Cleo adds. The islanders laugh before heading back inside. The girls go upstairs to get ready for bed, remove their makeup and change into pajamas.
“Hey, Sar?” Y/N calls out softly as she enters the bathroom, where Sarah is brushing her teeth. Sarah glances up at her through the mirror and nods.
“I just wanted to…to say I’m sorry I didn’t suggest you and John B go to the hideaway.” Y/N starts, hesitating. “I don’t know…I just figured, since Maddy and Kelce were always flirting before the recoupling and they’re close...Not that you and John B aren’t, it’s just that I-” She trails off, rambling a bit, but Sarah quickly spits out her toothpaste and turns to her.
“Y/N, what are you even apologizing for?” Sarah laughs lightly. “You don’t have to. Honestly, I wasn’t ready for that yet. It’s still early for me and JB.” She gives Y/N a reassuring smile and Y/N nods, relieved.
“I just don’t want things to get weird between us.” Y/N murmurs, a soft chuckle escaping her. “I’ve got enough drama to deal with already.” Sarah chuckles, but there’s a hint of sadness in her smile.
“We’re good, okay? You didn’t upset me, if that’s what you’re worried about.” She pauses, then adds. “Honestly, I think we all just expected you and Rafe to go.” Y/N sighs, her shoulders dropping.
“Yeah…I know.” She mutters, her voice soft. “Before you ask, I don’t even know where we stand right now. I…I guess I’m just…hurt?"
Sarah’s expression softens and she pulls Y/N into a tight hug.
“I love you.” She murmurs into her hair. Y/N smiles, hugging her back tightly.
“I love you too.” She responds. When they pull apart, Sarah’s face lights up with a teasing grin.
“Well, there are plenty of fish in the sea.” She says, raising an eyebrow. “Like Ryan…”
Y/N’s eyes widen and she quickly covers Sarah’s mouth with her hand.
“Sarah!” She says, laughing, but clearly embarrassed. Sarah pushes her hand away, still grinning.
“What? I’m just saying! You two seem like you could really hit it off. Plus, you can’t deny the guy’s good looking.” Y/N sighs but can’t help but smile.
“Yeah…he is kind of cute.” She admits, her cheeks flushing slightly. “And he smells really nice. When we hugged, I got this whiff of his cologne and…I guess you think I’m weird now?”
Sarah chuckles, shaking her head.
“I love your weird little ass.” She teases, making Y/N laugh. “So, what do you think? Would you get to know him?” Y/N pauses, glancing around before responding.
“I don’t know…Things with Rafe are complicated right now, but at the end of the day, we’re here to connect with people. So yeah, I’d give him a chance. Plus, he knows Sabrina Carpenter.” She adds with a smirk and Sarah bursts out laughing.
“Ah, yes, very important element when you're searching for your ideal man.” Sarah agrees, still chuckling as they head downstairs.
When they reach the bedroom, Y/N approaches her bed with hesitation. Rafe is already lying there, shirtless and under the covers. She slides in, sitting near the edge, taking small sips from her water bottle.
Rafe watches her quietly. She’s in a hoodie and shorts, but his eyes flicker over her, noticing it's not his hoodie and something tightens in his chest. He quickly looks away, focusing on Topper talking to Alyssa on the other side of the bed.
“Hey, neighbor.” Ryan’s voice breaks his focus and Rafe turns to see him sitting on the bed across from her side. Y/N smiles softly in response and they start chatting.
Rafe’s body grows tense, the tension in the room shifting.
Eventually, the lights go out and everyone settles into bed close to their pairs, except for Y/N and Rafe, who are still on opposite sides of the bed. Y/N faces Ryan, her eyes half-lidded, when she feels a soft shift behind her. Rafe leans over and presses a gentle kiss to her cheek.
“Can we talk tomorrow?” He whispers.
Y/N doesn’t answer right away, but after a moment, she nods silently. It’s enough for Rafe. He shifts closer, his hand gently resting on her waist.
“This okay?” He asks, his voice low.
Y/N nods again, quicker this time. Rafe relaxes slightly, holding her close, but as his thoughts drift, the fear of losing her lingers, until sleep finally takes over.
summary: summary: You’re the girl. Every guy who asks you out gets the same answer: No. You don’t do dating anymore. But as your reputation grows, so does the challenge. And when Rafe Cameron gets you in sights, he’s not about to give up.
cw: Rafe and reader are both assholes (hers is justified bc to me women are always correct) but it works out. oh also this one is a little spicy !! ofc not full smut but this is Rafe Cameron we’re talking about i can’t NOT include a LITTLE. ward jumpscare for like two seconds, references to past shitty relationships
tags/tropes: he falls first and harder (seriously he wants her BAD) black cat x doberman, kind of how to lose a guy in 10 days vibes, at first Rafe wants her bc of the challenge but eventually he just WANTS her, mild hurt/comfort, dom! rafe but also he does whatever reader wants (except stop trying to date her)
a/n: in this fic i imagine reader being one of those super fluffy feral black cats and then rafe is this doberman sitting behind her. walk him like a dog sis walk him like a dog
i’m so glad i finally finished this i’ve been writing it for ages but here it is !! hope u guys like it <3
songs i listened to while writing: Youngblood by 5 Seconds of Summer, Meddle About by Chase Atlantic, Champagne Coast by Blood Orange, Salvatore by Lana Del Rey, Brooklyn Baby by Lana Del Rey, Sad Girl by Lana Del Rey, sex money feelings die by Lykke Li, Angel by Massive Attack and Horace Andy
title taken from Youngblood by 5 Seconds of Summer aka this fics anthem
. ݁₊ ⚜️ . ݁˖
He meets you in, of all places, a fucking Barnes & Nobles.
There’s one Barnes & Nobles in the entirety of Kildare Island; it’s on the North side.
Rafe is only there because one of Kelce’s current flings is obsessed with reading those smutty books. Race doesn’t get the appeal. Apparently, the fling is at home sick and Kelce wants to get her something to make her feel better.
Rafe and Topper both think the partying might seriously be affecting his brain chemistry.
But anyway, Kelce asked Rafe to help because he’s “got a way with wooing women” and then since Rafe was going he said fuck it and invited Topper, who will surely be the voice of reason in all of this.
(He seriously doubts it, since Topper almost died in a burning building for the sake of his girlfriend, but whatever. Rafe just doesn’t want to deal with pussy-whipped Kelce by himself.)
They’re on their third go around the store and Rafe is beginning to contemplate the pros and cons of just grabbing the nearest book of the shelf and telling Kelce to just fucking pick something when he spots you:
Straining to reach a book on one of the top shelves. Looking perfectly and immaculately delicious.
“Yo,” He smacks Topper’s arm, getting his attention, “Who the hell is that?”
Topper follows his eyeline, landing on you.
“No fucking way, dude. No chance.”
He frowns, turning and looking at Topper, affronted.
Topper shrugs. “No offense, man. I tried once. All the guys in the island got this stupid-ass nickname for her, too.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Oh?”
“Mhm. The Pogue Princess. She’s turned down every single guy to ever ask her out. Even the Kooks.”
Rafe snorts. “So she’s arrogant?”
“I wouldn’t call it that. I totally thought she was a bitch when she turned me down, but honestly, it makes sense. People only ask her out because she always says no.”
“So?” He scoffs. “She’s fucking hot. She should be flattered.”
He looks her up and down again. “I’m gonna ask her.”
He can picture it exactly: having the one and only Pogue Princess hanging off his arm. The girl no other guy has banged— she’d be his, and his only. He’d have those lips and that face— he’d have you.
And you’d have him, of course. Not many girls can say that.
“Suit yourself man. Don’t come crying to me when she turns your ass down.”
He strides over to you, sidling up next to you, leaning against the shelf.
“Hey,”
“No.”
He blinks. “What?”
“No. No I don’t want your number, no I don’t want to sleep with you, no I don’t want to go out with you.” You say, not looking over at him once.
“Well, how come, doll?” He says, leaning down a bit so he’s closer to your height. “We could have a good time, you and me.”
“First of all,” You start, pulling a book off the shelf. “It’s a known fact that Rafe Cameron doesn’t date Pogues. Secondly, I can tell you exactly how this relationship would go. We’d date, and then after a few weeks you’d grow sick of my Pogue-ish ways or something like that. We’d break up, and then I would be seen as even more of a social pariah than I am now. I’d be unwelcome in Pogue spaces because I’d forever be the girl who dated Rafe Cameron just to get her heart broken like all the others, and I’m already a stain on this side of the island, but I’m willing to bet your groupies and fanclub would increase their ridicule if I was ever seen here. So no.”
He lets out a low whistle. “You’ve thought this out.”
“No I haven’t. It’s predictable.”
You re-shelf the book you were holding then walk away, stalking deeper into the store.
He looks back at Topper once, flashing his best friend that dangerous smile.
Topper groans in the distance, all too away of the effect a challenge has on Rafe Cameron.
—
You have to say. You’re a little surprised to feel his continued gaze on your back, even more displeased to hear his footsteps trailing behind you.
“You won’t better your chances by annoying me.”
“I haven’t even said anything.”
“You don’t have to,” You slow your walk, reaching out to tap your hand on the spine of a book you’ve been eyeing for awhile. “Your reputation precedes you.”
“And what does my reputation say about me?”
“That you’re an asshole and a heartbreaker,” You turn and look back at him over your shoulder. “You’re not exactly selling me, here.”
Your eyes latch on something tucked under his arm. It’s the two books he saw you eyeing. His gaze catches yours and he gives you a cocky smirk.
You roll your eyes and turn back around. “You’re going to have to try harder than that, Rafe Cameron.”
He trails after you the entire time you’re in the store, picking book after book off the shelf that he sees your eyes even linger on.
“What’s your plan here?” You ask, turning a book over in your hands and scanning the blurb on the back. “Buy the entire store? Woo me with your credit card? You’re not the only guy on the island with a piece of plastic.”
“Pretty sure I’m the guy with the most on his plastic, though.”
You sigh loudly through your nose. “I’m not interested in men who are only interested in me as an object. You want the trophy you get from ‘bagging the Pogue Princess.’ So fuck off.”
You’re so sick of this. Sick of every guy being the same— only being interested in you as an ego boost. No guy has ever been interested in you for you.
And they never will be, so long as you keep turning them down. Every man wants what he can’t have.
“You’re seriously not going to get anything?”
You pause in your storm off, turning around to look at Rafe. “What?”
His arms are laden with a thick stack of books, muscles flexed at the weight of the stack, straining at the sleeve of his t-shirt.
He gestures to the shelves around you. “You must have looked at the entire store. You’re really just going to leave?”
“I’m a Pogue, Rafe. You do the math.”
Your hands clench and unclench on the strap of your bag. You never thought you’d catch the attention of Rafe Cameron. If Sarah’s the Kook Princess, then he’s the Kook Prince. Dating him would give you some major points on the North Side of the Island.
…And ruin your relationship with 90% of the Pogue’s on The Cut.
Besides. Even if you did date him, he would stick around. No way in hell he would. And then you’d be back right where you started.
Your fumbling with your keys out in the small parking lot, groaning as your ancient beater car key once again refuses to turn in the lock when you hear footsteps behind you.
You rub a hand over your face and turn around.
“Can you please leave me alone? Seriously.”
He’s got that stupid smile on his face again and he’s holding something out to you.
A book. Just one.
You take it from his hands cautiously. “You had a whole stack. Why downgrade to just one?”
He clasps his hands behind his back. “Cause you looked at all those other ones once. You stopped at this one three times. Figured you might’ve wanted it.”
You chew your lip. “I’m still not going out with you.”
He shrugs. “Didn’t think you’d change your mind right now.”
He leans down, reaching forward, breath fanning your face. You screw your eyes shut, bracing.
A loud click behind you. He pulls away.
“But you will.”
With that, he turns, walking back into the store. At the doors, he flashes you one last smile.
You take one breath. Two.
You climb into your now unlocked car, tossing the book onto the passenger seat.
When you get home, you won’t be able to stop thinking about how in the moment, you kind of wanted him to kiss you.
—
He finds you at the Boneyard, because of course he does.
You’re sitting on one of the drift wood-slash-benches near the bonfire, pretending like you’re not shivering.
“You know, most people come to beach parties to let loose and have fun. That includes me. Having fun and letting loose does not include you.”
“Oh, come on. This is neutral territory, sweetheart.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“What am I allowed to call you?”
“Nothing. Go find another girl to stroke your ego. Or your dick. I don’t care either way.”
He leans down into your space. “You’ve got a mouth on you.”
“Fuck. Off.”
He raises his hands in mock surrender. “I only came over to give you this.”
This time, instead of holding out a book (that you had, in fact, read in a matter of days. It was as good as you’d thought it’d be) he holds out a jacket. One of those expensive North Face fleeces.
You scrunch your nose. “And why are you giving me that?”
“You’re cold.”
“So?”
“So, I’m being a gentleman.”
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t know you knew what that word was.”
He drops the fleece on your head. “Take the fucking jacket.”
You slide it off your head, putting it on and glaring at him all the while.
“I’m only putting this on because I’m cold.”
“Sure you are.”
“This has nothing to do with you. I’m still not dating you.”
“Mhm.”
“I hate you.”
He cracks the same smile he gave you at the bookstore. “Sure.”
He takes a swig of his beer, walking backwards towards his group of friends. “You look good in my clothes, princess.”
You flip him two fingers, and he flips them straight back.
You’ll deny it later that you smiled after the interaction.
—
He shows up at your job. This time, Topper’s with him.
You close your eyes and count to ten, mentally picturing fleeing the country and never having to deal with men again before speaking.
“You know, there’s a term for you right now.”
He smiles that same stupid fucking smile, tapping his fingers on the table of the cafe you work at. He’s seated outside in your section. You highly doubt it’s by mistake.
“Determined? Persistent?”
“A repeat offender,” You say flatly. “Now will you please order and get the hell out here?”
To his credit, Topper looks vaguely uncomfortable with his own presence. Though that might be because you did turn him down particularly brutally. You wince internally. It wasn’t his fault, per se. It was just… not a good day.
Rafe is perfectly capable of handling your top-notch bitch-ery, and secretly, you enjoy the chance to be as openly angry as you want to be.
Rafe pretends to read over the menu. You know he’s only pretending because you watched him read it for five straight minutes when they first arrived. He probably has it memorized.
“I’d like a blueberry muffin,” He says, still smiling. “Just one.”
You scribble it down on your order sheet, then turn to Topper. “And you?”
“Uh,” He clears his throat, “Just a water, please.”
You raise your eyebrows. “Seriously? You came all the way to my job to harass me and that’s what you order? One muffin and a water?”
You write the water down anyway, clicking your tongue. “And the asshole-ery continues.”
“And what would you have us order, then?” Rafe asks, eyeing you from his position at the table.
It’s scary how well he commands a space just by being— he’s Rafe Cameron and he knows it. He exudes power and control.
He’s the exact kind of man you turn down hard. No chance of anything.
“Something actually worth bothering me for,” You slip the notepad into your apron pocket and spin on your heel, “I have other orders and tables to wait. Don’t expect to get your muffin and water soon.”
As you wait and bus the tables that need to be dealt with before your orders are ready, you begin to wonder if you’re going too far.
This isn’t just any Kook. This is Rafe. He could completely and utterly destroy your life if he wanted to.
Maybe you’re better off agreeing to go out with him. Just to be safe. Women don’t turn a man like that down.
Finally, you get their orders out to them, setting them on the table a little less harsh than you were originally planning.
“There,” Can’t quite stop your mouth, though. “Do you want the check now?”
Rafe picks up his muffin, shrugging. “Sure.”
You slide them the bill— you had it ready the second you got the chance. You’d rather not have them here any longer than you have to.
It was hard enough to get a job outside The Cut. You don’t need to give your boss any more reason to fire you.
Rafe tosses a few bills onto the bill and you take it, counting the money.
“You overpaid.”
“No I didn’t.”
“Your total was nine dollars and twenty six cents. You just handed me two hundred dollar bills.”
He tilts his head at you like he’s confused. “I thought you were supposed to tip waiters and shit.”
You blink at the bills. “Yeah like, five dollars. Not two hundred. I don’t even think we accept hundred dollar bills.”
“Tell your manager I’m the one who paid. Can’t take issue with a Cameron.”
“You’re the worst,” You tell him, but take the money back to your manager. He isn’t happy, but like Rafe said— can’t take issue with a Cameron. He gives you the change you need and bores holes into your back with how hard he’s staring as you walk the money back.
“Here.” You thrust your arm out, handing him the change.
Rafe crosses his arms. “I said that was your tip.”
“I can’t accept this. I don’t accept pity money.”
He rolls his eyes. “It’s not pity money.”
“Then what kind of money is it? Cause it sure feels like pity money. Oh wait, is this you-owe-me-now money?”
He groans. “Can’t you just take the fucking money?”
“Not if there’s a consequence.”
If Topper looked uncomfortable before, he looks almost nauseous now. You kind of feel bad for him.
Rafe scrubs a hand down his face. “Will you just take it? No consequence.”
“Why?”
Topper chokes on his water.
“Why?” Rafe asks, a muscle in his jaw jumping. “Because it’s what I do. You’re the Pogue Princess, yeah? I’m giving you the princess treatment.”
“But why? What do you gain from this?”
“I’m just gonna go wait at the car,” Topper says, getting up so quickly he bumps the table.
Rafe’s eyes never leave you, the money still clutched in your hand. “You know what I get out of this? The prettiest girl on the island in my clothes. The prettiest girl on the island spending my money.”
The bills start to crinkle in your grip. “I’m a Pogue. You don’t date Pogue’s.”
He stands, pushing back his chair in a much more controlled manner than you were expecting, given the look on his face. “Have you ever considered that you’re the exception?”
“No, because I’m not. The only part of me that’s an exception is the challenge. That’s all you want.”
Something flashes in his eyes. His gaze is dark where it scans your features, something calculating in his eyes.
“Some guy fucked you over, huh?”
Your near full body flinch is a dead giveaway. “Fuck you, Rafe. You’re an asshole.”
He shrugs. “Maybe. Probably. But I’m gonna keep showing you what this,”
He gestures to the both of you. “Could be like. I’m not that kind of asshole. Not to girls who look like you.”
He stands, taking all the change out of your hand except the $100 bill.
“Hold onto that for me,” He says, voice husky as it brushes your ear.
His hand comes up for one second, two, and then he lowers it. Like he’d had to restrain himself ok touching you.
An involuntary shiver runs down your spine. He smirks at the reaction.
And then, he’s gone. Now you’re just some waiter standing at a table with a $100 clutched in your hand.
You shake yourself out of your stupor, getting busy bussing the table. You notice something fluttering under his plate.
An old receipt with a number scribbled on it.
And a $20 bill.
“Son of a—“
—
You’re having a really bad day. One of those thirty-million-minor-inconveniences-in-a-row days. With one last fuck you from the universe on top.
You couldn’t get your hair right no matter how many times you tried, your makeup is rushed and bad because you spent too much time on your hair, once again one of your neighbors pulled out of their driveway without looking and almost killed you, a guy tried feel you up during your shift and your manager told you it was your fault for wearing revealing clothing (you were literally wearing your uniform) and then top it all off, your car won’t start. It won’t even try.
You slam your head against the steering wheel. Your boss made you stay late because of the incident so it’s getting dark now. You’re not walking all the way back to The Cut. But you don’t know how you’re getting home. It’s not like you can just call a mechanic. None of your pogue friends have cars and only person who does you’d… rather not call right now.
So that just leaves one option.
A really, really, terrible option.
A horrific one.
You curse as you rifle through your purse, pulling out the old receipt. Your phone’s almost dead, so you have to make this count.
You dial the number, pulling your knees to your chest and sinking low in your seat.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Rafe.”
“I was wondering when you’d call me.”
“I’m sure you were,” You say flatly. “Listen I… I need a favor.”
“Spill.”
“I’m at work. My car won’t start. I just—“ You break off, frustrated tears welling in your eyes. “Can you please come pick me up?”
“I’m on my way. Sit tight.”
He hangs up the phone and you sigh, scrubbing your face and willing the tears to just go away. You press the heels of your hands to your eyes, probably smearing your makeup past the point of return, but you can’t find it with in yourself to care.
You sit there for what feels like minutes, hands pressed to your face trying desperately to stop the tears that keep flowing when you hear a car pull up next to you.
You sit up, hands lowered, eyeing the sleek Range Rover that just pulled up next to you.
You manage to climb out of your car, hugging your waist in an act of self-soothing and a sad attempt at getting warm. It gets cold in Kildare at night.
Rafe rounds the front of his car, expression pinched.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine, really, just…” You trail off, gesturing vaguely to your car. You sniff hard, rubbing the back of your hand across your face. “It’s just been a long day.”
He looks over your shoulder, assessing your car before looking back to you. “Get whatever you need from your car.”
You rush to gather the items from your car, piling them in the backseat at Rafe’s direction. You turn, facing him when something is thrown at your face.
It’s disturbing that you recognize it by deja vu alone.
“Rafe—“ You say, taking the jacket in your hands.
“You’re cold. Put it on.”
“But—“
“Listen, princess, I’m perfectly satisfied waiting here all night until you put that on.” He crosses his arms, leaning against the car.
You squeeze the jacket in your hand. “Why do you do that?”
“Do what?”
“That.”
“Mmm,” He hums. “That’s a tough one. Probably cause you look pathetic when you shiver.”
“I do not.”
“You totally do. You get all hunched. Like an old lady.”
“Is this your idea of flirting?”
He smiles. “Put the jacket on.”
You do. It’s just as warm as last time.
He nods his head towards the car and you climb into the passenger seat, clicking your seatbelt.
He climbs in after you, putting his seatbelt on and pulling the car out of the parking lot. After a moment, he reaches across the console, turning on your seat warmer and cranking the heat up.
“Thank you,” You say after a moment.
“I told you I’d show you what life would be like if you were mine.”
“Yours?”
“Yeah,” He says, fingers flexing on the steering wheel. “Mine.”
“So you’d have me, what? Caged? Chained to you.”
“Spoiled, is the word I’d used.”
“I’m not an object, Rafe. I’m not going to be some kind of kept woman.”
He snorts. “Who said anything about that?”
“That’s what you want, is it not? Want me to have no personality, no nothing. You want me to hang off your arm and laugh at everything you say—“
“Fuck no,” He says so vehemently you pause. “You’re so fucking mouthy. And stubborn. If I wanted some brainless fangirl, I’d go find one. I wouldn’t pick her up from her job and drive her home. Probably wouldn’t give her my fucking jacket.”
You look up at him. “You wouldn’t?”
He shrugs. “None of those girls tell me to fuck off.”
“So it is the challenge. That’s all.”
“That’s not all. You’re making shit up.”
“Am I?”
“Yes. Come on. No guy has ever given you his jacket? You seriously want me to believe you look like that no one’s ever spoiled you?”
“No,” You say curtly, “You want me to believe that every guy just enjoys spending a bunch of money on a girl?”
“Not a girl. Their girl. There’s a difference.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Cause it’s not your job to get it. It’s your job to be spoiled. Now where the hell am I going?”
You give him a vague address— just the street name and how to get there. You’re not stupid enough to give him your house address.
You don’t talk for the duration of the drive, you begin to shrug out of his jacket when a hand on your thigh stops you.
“Keep it. You can give it back to me the next time you see me.”
“There’ll be a next time?”
“If I have anything to say about it.”
You slowly put the jacket back on, then hastily climb out of his car, barely remembering to grab your stuff from the back.
You pause by the window. He rolls it down.
“Um. Thank you. Again.”
His lips twitch. “Don’t mention it.”
—
You don’t see him for a full two weeks after that.
After the first week, you figure he’s busy.
After the second week, you assume you scared him off.
You’re out on your old, busted kayak on the water, enjoying the early evening sun.
“Afternoon, princess.”
“Don’t call me that,”
You look over, eyeing Rafe and Sarah on one of the Cameron’s smaller boats. Sarah waves at you kindly. She’s always been fairly kind to you—
“Princesses have to stick together.” She’d said to you once, an easy smile on her lips, her face bathed in an orange glow in front of the bonfire.
A similar smile is on her face today. But the one on Rafe’s is nothing but mischief.
“Why don’t you come over here?” He calls.
You flip him a certain finger.
“Come on!” Sarah yells. “We’ve got beer!”
Well. Who are you to say no to free alcohol?
—
You should’ve said no to the free alcohol.
“You know what Rafe?” the words tumble out of your mouth, clumsy. “You’re really hot. It’s not fair. How am I supposed to hate you when you look so hot?”
You’re sitting on one of the benches on the boat, half leaning on the back of it and half leaning on Rafe.
You might have forgotten to take into account the fact that you’re a lightweight.
He raises an eyebrow. “How many beers did you have?”
“Don’t worry about that,” You slur, attempting to shush him but failing halfway through, your hand falling harmlessly into his lap. “I like beer. I like drinking. How come I don’t drink often?”
You pause, squinting at him. “How come you’re so hot?”
“Yeah,” He sighs, “You’re drunk.”
“Who cares? I like being drunk. Drunk me is fun. Like that one song. Release your in-hi-bitions— feel the rain on your skin!”
He gives you a pained look. “Please don’t try to start dancing. You don’t have the coordination for it, and I’m not going into the water when you tip overboard.”
“Pshhh, yeah you would. You like taking care of me. Cause you’re weird.”
You turn to face the other side of the boat, where Sarah is watching you with an amused expression. “Sarah! Did I tell you that he drove aaaaaaaallllllllll the way to my job to pick me up cause my car wouldn’t start?”
She tilts her head, looking at Rafe. “You told Dad you were going to go pick up Topper and Kelce from a party so they didn’t drunk drive.”
You make a so-so motion with your hand. “That’s like. Basically the same thing.”
“It is not. You really are a lightweight, huh?”
You squint at Sarah. “Did John B. tell you that?”
She splutters. “No, I—“
You cross your arms, frowning. Then you turn to look up at Rafe again. “I should’ve called John B. to pick me up, cause he’s the only Pogue I know who’s got a car. But I didn’t. I called you.”
“Mm,” Rafe says, his jaw tensing and un-tensing. “And why is that.”
“Cause he’s being a dick. He’s all upset ‘cause I’m hanging out with you, keeps telling me I’m gonna get hurt again and blah blah blah, but then, it turns out he’s been dating Sarah for weeks and he didn’t tell me! It’s the same thing! And we’re not even dating.”
Rafe looks at Sarah. “You’re dating him? That’s who you broke up with Topper for?”
She glares right back at him. “There is literally a Pogue in this boat right now who is only here because you want to date her. Don’t be a hypocrite.”
“She’s different.”
“How?”
“How?”
You and Sarah ask the same question at the same time. Rafe sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“She’s not just some random Pogue I picked up off the street.”
“I could have been.”
“You’re not helping.”
You frown, staring at your feet.
He gazes at you for a moment. “She’s just… different.”
You blink up at him through your lashes. “You should kiss me.”
“No.”
“Why not?” You whine.
“Because when sober-you remembers all of this, she’s already going to kill me.”
“Not to mention I would.” Sarah grumbles, taking a sip of her own beer. “Come on, Rafe. You should bring her home. It’s getting late anyway.”
“Mm,” He hums, glancing at you up and down. “You wanna go home?”
“No. There’s no beer and Rafe there. S’ boring.”
“I’m pretty sure sober-you likes it that way.”
“Then she’s boring,” You poke the muscle of his bicep. “Do you work out?”
“Yes.”
“Are you buff?”
“I’d like to think so.”
“Could you carry me?”
“Probably.”
“Hmm,” You sink lower on the bench, kicking your feet. “Okay. We should go home before sober-me figures out what’s going on.”
Sarah brings the boat back to their little dock while Rafe makes various attempts to keep you awake during the journey.
You whine, batting his hands away as he pokes your face.
“We’re here, so you’re gonna have to get up.”
You groan. “You’re a big strong man. Carry me.”
You hear a huff, a sigh, and then arms come around your middle and you let out a half-aborted scream as you’re hefted into the air, stomach landing on a muscled shoulder.
“I was joking,” You mumble, your arms dangling. “I think I’m gonna throw up.”
“I swear to fucking— here.”
He slides you off his shoulder and you wobble as you land, vision swimming.
“I think I’m a lightweight.”
“You’re just now figuring that out?”
“Why are you so mean?”
“I was told by a certain princess that it was my brand.”
“I wanna go home.”
He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Are you going to walk then? Towards my car? So you can go home?”
You turn (slowly) and squint at his car in the distance. “That seems really far away.”
“It’s not.”
“I don’t wanna walk that far.”
The muscles in his jaw jump. “Just this once, because I need to get you home, and you are drunk, I am going to offer you a piggy-back ride. Got it?”
“Hmm. Okay.”
He stoops a little so you can hop on, then hooks his arms under your legs with only a mild grunt, your arms crossing —not too tight— around his neck.
He makes his way across the deck and up the path, silently, your cheek pillowed on the side of his neck.
When he makes it to the car he opens the passenger side door and slides you into it, clicking your seat belt on when your fingers fumble with it.
He’s silent the entire drive, jaw clenched and hands white knuckled on the steering wheel.
The silence practically thrums with anger, the charged air prickling your skin.
“Are you mad at me?”
He works his jaw. “No.”
“It seems like you’re mad at me.”
“I’m not mad at you.”
“Then how come you’re upset?”
He sighs out through his nose. He doesn’t respond right away. Waits until he pulls over at the front of your street, sets the car in park. His hands don’t leave the steering wheel.
“You’re… squishier than I thought.”
“You think I’m fat?”
“No- fuck. I’m saying you’ve got a convincing stone-cold-bitch act. Then you go and get drunk and turn into this. Makes me feel like a piece of shit.”
You cross your arms. “You don’t like it. Me.”
He finally looks over at you, his eyes hooded. “I never said that. It’s one thing for us to have this back and forth assholery, as you put it. But now I know this is also who I’m being a dick to.”
You look down at your lap. “You know, I wasn’t always a stone-cold bitch.”
He cuts you a look. “Stop talk—“
“No, you shut up, I’m not that drunk anymore,”
You’re totally lying, which he knows, but he lets you talk.
“There was… this guy. I really liked him. He really liked me. Well, I thought he did. He was a Kook, too. Everyone warned me against getting with him, but I thought what we had was real,” You clench your hands on your thighs. “It wasn’t. Turns out his friends had dared him to sleep with ‘the prettiest Pogue he could stomach.’ That’s all I was. The only Pogue he could stand to fake it with. He told me the morning after. We broke up.”
“Who—“
“It doesn’t matter. I’m telling you this so you understand that I am a frigid bitch, but I’m also… this. So you better not fuck this up.”
He chuckles. “What do you want me to do, then?”
You shrug. “Prove me wrong. And I’m not made of glass. You just gotta… take it.”
Rafe raises a single eyebrow. “Take it?”
“Look, I already told you I think you’re hot. You’ve got a brain. Put the pieces together.”
He rubs a hand across his jaw. “And if I go too far?”
“I’m not that fragile.”
He crosses his arms, biceps flexing. “You sure about this?”
“Right now? Yes.”
He hums. “I should say no. You’re drunk. You’re not in the right mind to make these kinds of decisions.”
“But?”
“I’d rather test this and see,” He leans down, across the middle console, eyes hooded and hungry as he stares down at you. “You’re on, pretty girl."
—
When you wake (in your own bed, shockingly) it’s to the sound of a chainsaw right next to your ear.
Oh. It’s actually just your phone buzzing.
You hit the accept button and roll over onto it instead of doing all the effort of lifting it onto your face.
“H’llo?”
“Morning, princess.”
You groan. “Why the fuck are you calling me?”
“You don’t remember last night?”
“You’re on, pretty girl.”
You groan again, this one long and drawn out. “Why did you let me drink? You should’ve thrown me off the side of the boat after the first beer.”
You’re utterly mortified at how you acted. There’s a reason you don’t really get drunk anymore.
“And get rid of my free show like that? Please.”
You huff, head pounding at the effort of remembering the night before and speaking. “Why’re you calling me?”
“Had to make sure all that drinking didn’t kill you. We’ve got plans tonight.”
You sit up a little in bed. “No we don’t. I have work tonight.”
“That’s your only dispute?”
“I figured I didn’t have to state the obvious ones.”
“Come on. It’s just a little party—“
“I don’t do parties, Rafe.”
“I recall seeing you at the boneyard more than a couple times.”
“Bonfires on the beach don’t count as parties.”
“So you’d come if it was on the beach?”
“No, I—“ You tap the speaker button, dropping the phone into your lap. “What’s the point of this party, exactly? You want to be seen in public with me? Want everyone to know I’m off limits?”
“Yes,” He says it so easily, though his voice a little rough, a little gravelly, “But you also need to lighten up. I’ll pick you up from work. Bring clothes to change into.”
You open your mouth to respond but the hang up tone beeps steadily in your ear.
Of course you had to go blab your tragic backstory to Rafe fucking Cameron.
—
Work is long as usual, and you’ve contemplated quitting several times by the time you’re changing into your ‘party’ clothes in the bathroom, ignoring the fact that Rafe has definitely been parked and waiting for half an hour.
Your boss kept you late. Again.
You rush out to his car, cursing. He’s leaned up against the passenger side door, one hand in his pocket and the other holding his phone. He looks up when you approach, the corners of his lips twitching.
He pushes off the car, opening the passenger side door and nodding towards it.
“You look good.”
You pause, shouldering your work bag. “That’s it? I keep you waiting for thirty minutes and that’s all you say?”
“Did you want me to get upset?”
“Well, no, but—“
He shrugs. “Don’t care. Get in the car.”
He closes the door after you then climbs in himself, cranking up the heat and driving towards the boneyard.
You notice his eyes flicking down to your thighs every now and then. When picking an outfit for the party/bonfire/whatever, you’d decided to go simple. Having Rafe follow you around would be attention enough.
Still, the jeans you’re wearing are tight. A bit more form-fitting than your usual attire.
He seems to notice.
You shift in your seat, a little self conscious under the heat of his gaze crossing your legs and angling them towards the car door.
He sighs. “Mm-mm. None of that.”
He reached a hand across the console, deft, strong fingers effortlessly hooking and curling over your knee and dragging your legs back over and closer to him. Once he resituates you, his hand travels a little higher, squeezing and rolling the plush flesh there in his hand.
Your breath hitches. “What are you doing?”
“Taking.”
You swallow heavily, nearly choking on the lump in your throat. “You better not act like this at the boneyard.”
“And what if I do?“
“I’ll leave.”
He snorts. “I’m your ride. You gonna walk home? In the cold?”
“It’s not cold out.”
“It is to you. You’re always shivering. You better have brought the jacket.”
He doesn’t have to say which jacket for you to know which one he’s referring to.
You cross your arms, firmly ignoring the hand still intermittently squeezing your thigh. “I did. But i’m serious, Rafe. You have to back off when we get there.”
“Mm,” He hums. “Then at least let me have a little now.”
There’s something in the way he says it. The timber of his voice, the low, almost croon to his tone. He says it like you’re in control. Like you have power over him.
Even just the idea of it is exhilarating.
You push your thigh up into his hand, just a little bit.
“Only cause you’ll be insufferable if I don’t.”
He curls his hand under your thigh, palm pressed to the side and fingers pressing into the muscle through your tight jeans.
“Thanks, baby.”
“I’m not your baby.”
“We’ll see about that.”
You pull up to the beach, party already well under way.
People cheer as Rafe climbs out of the car, but he ignores them in favor of walking over to your side of the car and offering you a hand, which you swat away.
“I’m not an invalid.”
“Has anyone told you that you’re really hard to be polite to?”
“You’re just—“
“For the love of god, don’t start with that shit. Get over here.”
He snakes an arm around your waist, tugging you to his side. He starts towards the beach and you squirm, not wanting to be seen tucked under his arm.
This is the exact scenario you’d wanted to avoid with this whole thing. Showing up with Rafe Cameron —literally climbing out of his car— and having his arm around you is the perfect way to be ostracized by almost ninety percent of your circle.
“Will you chill the fuck out?” Rafe says, slowing to a stop a little ways away from the party, turning you to face him. “We’re just going to a party.”
You attempt to shrug his arm off your shoulder, but it holds fast. “You don’t get it. You have money, so you don’t need a community to fall back on. We’re poor. All we have is each other. So if I walk over there with you, i’ll lose it. I’ll be a traitor.”
His expression twists. “You’re blowing this so far out of proportion it’s not even funny.”
Anger begins stirring in your chest. “Rafe—“
“Who cares? No seriously, who the fuck cares? Everyone on this island is a piece of shit in their own ways. No one gives a shit if I got you under my arm. No one’s watching you. You’re not a fucking celebrity. You’ve got a reputation for turning down guys, you’re not fuckin’ Taylor Swift.”
The anger fades and your skin prickles in its absence. “I don’t think that I’m famous or anything.”
Rafe’s features smooth into something a little calmer. “I know, I know. Is this cause John B’s being a dick?”
“He has a point—“
“No he doesn’t,” Rafe snorts, “He’s dating my sister. He doesn’t get to say anything.”
You sigh. “They’re just worried about me making the same mistakes again.”
His arm leaves your side and you resist the shiver that threatens to overtake you at the sudden loss of the warmth and stability you hadn’t realized you’d been reliant on during the length of the conversation.
Rafe slides a gold ring off his pointer finger— the gold ring. The Cameron signet ring. The ring he never takes off.
He takes your hand, turning it palm side up, and drops the ring in it.
“There. My dad would probably murder me if anything happened to that ring. If I become a real and serious dick to you, chuck it in the fucking ocean.”
You stare down at it. “This is real gold. It’s a family heirloom. You can’t just give it to me.”
“I’m not,” He says easily, “This is a loan. When you decide that I’m not gonna fuck you over, you can give it back.”
You close your fingers around the ring, still warm from his finger. You tilt your back, looking up at him through your lashes. A small smile starts to spread across your face.
“I’ve really got you wrapped around my finger, huh?”
He huffs a laugh, tucking you under his arm again and walking you towards the party. “Took you long enough.”
The party honestly is fun after that. You drink (not much, Rafe carefully watches your alcohol intake and makes sure you toe the line of tipsy, but don’t fall over into drunk territory. He spends the night nursing one beer, claiming designated driver whenever someone gives him shit for it.
“Never stopped you in the past.”
“Didn’t have precious cargo before.”
He stays true to your earlier agreement and remains fairly hands off, but follows you around the party like some sort of guard dog, lingering just over your shoulder and successfully scaring off every guy who even looks in your direction.
Some of the pogues do give you the occasional glare or judgmental look or two, but Rafe was right. No one cares.
It’s… nice. For once you’re not hoping no guy approaches you or praying a Kook doesn’t start some shit with you. With Rafe trailing behind you, one hand in his pocket and jaw set, you truly are free to just enjoy the party, for the first time in your life. No one’s trying to hit on you, no one’s trying to making a spectacle of trying to convince you to date them, no one is making snide comments.
It’s weird, because you’re accustomed to a certain kind and amount of anxiety that comes with going to a mixed party, but everytime you start wondering how things are going to go wrong, Rafe is there with an arm around your waist or some stupid comment or other about somebody at the party whispered in your ear.
You manage quite a bit more socializing at the party than you usually do. Unfortunately, between this and the alcohol, you tire pretty quick.
You trip over your third stick when Rafe settles a hand on your hip with an “Think it’s time you went to bed.”
You groan. “But I’m actually having a good time for once.”
He steers you in the direction of the car. “Well, you’re in luck, cause if you think you’re going to parties alone from now on, you got another thing coming.”
Rafe at your side —a seemingly permanent arrangement now— you stumble your way towards the car.
“Isn’t that boring for you?”
“If it was, I’d say something. Besides. There’ll be different parties. Stop worrying so much about shit.”
His words seem harsh, but his tone is nothing other than low and fond.
“I’m cold.”
“I told you to grab the jacket—“
“I did bring it—“
“Then why aren’t you wearing it?”
“It didn’t match the outfit!”
“Are you being serious right now?”
"Is it a crime to want to look good at a party--"
He chuckles, fingers flexing on your hip as he tugs you closer to him. "You're so stupid."
"Rude."
"Not rude if it's true."
You elbow his side, but he just laughs louder.
Unsurprisingly, he warms the car for you when you get in.
—
Storms are a common thing in Outerbanks. Everyone's used to them. Monsoons, thunder storms, even the occasional hurricane. So you're not surprised to get the warning, not surprised when it hits.
You are a little surprised to wake up pelted with rain, a tree branch in your room, and part of the roof missing.
"Shit," You gasp, pushing the fallen debris off your body and rolling out of your bed to assess the damage.
It's bad. The branch is big and long, probably from that stupid tree your neighbors refused to cut down that you said was going to be a storm hazard. They'd refused, and now there's a huge tree branch that's caved in your roof and part of the wall that separates your bedroom from the living room.
No one is home but you. No one ever is, but right now it causes tears to rise to your eyes, because there's a branch in your room, and the roof is in pieces, and now that you've stopped moving, your legs and arms and torso actually hurt quite a bit, and something warm and wet is running down your temple and when you touch your fingers to it, they come away wet and scarlet.
You're out of your depth and you're scared. You can't stay here, obviously, but you don't know what to do. No one else is home. You don't even know who to call. JJ is out, because who knows if his dad is home and he doesn't even have a phone right now, Kie's out too because her parents didn't like that you were a Pogue with a reputation, you and Pope aren't that close, and John B is... John B. He has a car, at least, and you grew up together, so he'd probably overlook everything between the both of you if you're in danger.
You snatch you waterlogged phone off your dresser, shaky fingers scrolling through your contacts, thumb hovering over John B's.
You should call him. You've been neglecting your friendship with the group recently, working around the clock and Rafe whisking you away. Everyone's busy in their own way, what with the treasure and everything, so this could be a moment to reunite, bond over how shitty the storms make life on the Cut.
There's one other person you could call.
You shouldn't. Should stick to the friends you know, call John B.
But if you called Rafe, he'd come. He'd come get you, and probably take you back to his house and you wouldn't have to worry about anything, because for some reason, he's serious about doing that.
You could call him. He probably wants you to.
You press call before you can talk yourself out of it.
"Do you know what time it is--"
"A tree branch fell on my roof and now I don't have part of my roof and I'm really cold and wet and please come get me."
"Jesus— okay, yeah, yeah I'm coming. Shit, okay. Are you hurt?"
"My head is bleeding and I'm battered all over, but I don't think I need to go to he hospital."
"You're bleeding from your head and you don't think you need to go to the hospital?"
You can hear the sound of a car door slamming and an engine turning over.
"I don't want to go because then I'll be stuck in these clothes and they'll poke and prod at me and it'll take ages and—"
"Alright, alright. Calm down. How bad is the damage to the house. Look around for me."
"Um," You turn in place, scrutinizing the disaster and chaos around you. "I think most of the roof is intact, just the portion that covers my bedroom and some of the living room are uncovered. The branch took out most of the wall that seperates my room from the living room."
"Fuck. Okay, what about the rest of the house?"
"Um, I don't think I can get to it. The tree branch and other house... pieces are blocking my door."
"Can you get out? At all?"
"Yeah, I think through my window."
"Don't move. Take what you need from your room. I'll be there soon."
“Please don’t hang up.”
The line goes silent and you think he has hung up, that you didn’t say it fast enough or he just didn’t care, but then he speaks.
“Would you rather I sneak you in my house or walk in through the front door?”
“…What are the pros and cons?”
“Well, getting in the front door is easiest, but then you risk seeing my parents and my Dad won’t have questions, but Rose will, and I never want to answer her questions anyway.”
“She can’t be that bad.”
“She is. Sneaking you in is harder, but then we avoid conversations, but if we get caught, conversations will probably be worse. Might become a whole lecture.”
“They’d lecture you for taking in a girl who needs help?”
“Rose would.”
He keeps talking the entire way to your house, his voice speaking in low tones as you gather up the things you need to spend an indefinite amount of time away from home.
He eventually does hang up when he arrives, so you turn your attention to prying your window open and climbing out of it.
You can barely get it wedged open enough to fit through, so you toss your bag through first and shout a quick “over here!” before beginning to crawl through.
You hear footsteps slow to a stop in front of you. “You know, usually when this scenario happens, you’re facing the other way around.”
You swat at his leg. “You’re disgusting. And I’m not stuck. You just arrived at an in-opportune moment.”
He curls a hand under the window and pulls up, making the gap wider. At the sudden release of tension you yelp, tumbling out of the window.
“You’re such a mess.”
“You didn’t warn me!”
He helps you to your feet and leads you to his car, the hand on your waist keeping you distracted from the wreckage behind you.
—
You do decide in the end to just walk in the front door, because you’re cold and wet and tired.
Ward does wake up and meets you at the staircase (you’re pretending not to notice the sheer opulence of the house) looking rumpled and confused.
“Who’s this?” The man asks, gesturing your rather pathetic looking form.
“My girlfriend,” Rafe says smoothly, “Branch fell on her roof. Place is a mess.”
You wave hello. “Sorry for waking you, Mr. Cameron.”
His gaze flicks to you for a second, then back to Rafe.
“Girlfriend?” His tone sounds… off. “How long has this been a thing?”
Rafe shifts, squaring his shoulders and stepping a little more in front of you. “A little while.”
Ward hums again, eyes flitting to you, taking in your appearance.
“Make sure you get the first aid kit. That head wounds looks nasty.”
Rafe nods. “We got it. Thanks, Dad.”
Ward just dips his head once, then steps back into the bedroom.
You let out a long sigh, pressing a hand to your chest.
“I thought he was going to throw me out.”
“He wouldn’t. I wouldn’t let him, anyway.”
You snort. “Yes, yes, you’re a big strong man. Can we attend to my wounds now? And get some dry clothes?”
Cleaning your wound doesn’t take long, mostly because your head is the only one that really needs cleaning. The rest is taken care of in the shower. The most luxurious and amazing shower of your life. Seriously. You didn’t even know showers could be this relaxing.
The warm water soothes your aching muscles, and Rafe has weirdly good taste in bodywash.
He’d left you a change of clothes and a spare towel even though you said you brought your own.
You change into his anyway.
They’re more comfortable. Better quality than your ratty pajamas.
Your underwear is a different matter. Your dresser is old and broken —as most things in your house are— and the drawer you picked to store your underwear in doesn’t close all the way. This normally isn’t an issue, but when your roof is suddenly no longer attached, it means the a good portion of your underwear got soaked and muddy.
Except the ones at the bottom of the drawer. So the only underwear you had to bring to Rafe’s that was clean and dry is the tiny, lacy stuff you bought from Victoria’s secret and only wear when you’ve taken an everything shower and need a little pick-me-up. When you want to feel like a hot piece of ass. Girl things.
So you look at yourself in the mirror, clad in your own tank top (it’s actually warm enough in his house to wear a tank top to bed) and a pair of his pajama pants, the draw-string pulled tight, the fabric sagging low on your hips, showing off a thin little strip of lace.
Your face flushes. You look like his girlfriend. Dressed in his clothes, lacy underwear peaking through, skin freshly washed and smelling of his body wash.
When you step out of his bathroom, old clothes clutched in your hand, he stills.
He sits back on the edge of his bed, leaning back on his elbows as you slowly saunter over, steps quiet.
His eyes flick down to the lace, pauses on the sight, then back up to your face.
The air is charged, thick with tension.
You pull away from it, tossing your clothes in your backpack and ignoring the heat of his gaze on your back.
“Come over here.”
You straighten, hands behind your back as you walk to him.
“Closer.”
You step forward, now standing between his legs.
His hands come up to the back of your thighs, tightening, before moving to your hips. His thumbs ghost over the edge of the lace, and he rumbles something deep in the back of his throat.
“I like these.”
“Do you?”
“Mhm.”
He presses his face forward, pushing your tank top up with his nose pressing his lips to the now exposed skin of your stomach.
You gasp, then feel him smile against you. He tugs you closer, face pressed to you and hands gripping your sides, just above the edge of your ribcage.
Tentatively, you reach a hand down, sliding from the top his head, down the side of his face, then slowing to a stop at his jaw, pushing your palm up. His head lifts, his eyes a little glassy, chin resting on your stomach.
“You introduced me as your girlfriend.”
“As far as I’m concerned, you are.”
“I am?”
You stroke a thumb over his face, sweeping over his cheekbone and under his eye. He leans into the touch, pliant.
“You think I let just any girl in here? You think I give any girl my clothes?”
“Yes?”
“Come on, baby. We’ve been over this.”
He presses another kiss to your stomach, mouth hot and lips firm.
He lifts his head up again. “You can make me yours anytime you want. Just say the word.”
“I’m scared,” you whisper, words barely even a breath.
“Mm,” He hums, hands running up and down your sides. “You think too much.”
You pause for a few moments, taking everything in.
You grab his hand, leave it palm side up in front of you, then reach into your pocket and drop something into it.
The ring. His ring.
He stares at it for a beat, then closes his hand around it, slipping it back onto his finger.
“Yeah?”
You nod. “Yeah.”
He grins.
Your drop your hands around his neck and he moves his hands to the back of your thighs, effortlessly lifting you onto his lap, wrapping your legs around his middle.
He doesn’t waste any time kissing you. It’s hot and full at first, a roaring flame licking in both your chests, like he’s been holding himself back all this time and finally let it all out. He pushes up into you, and the kiss deepens before it mellows out, slowing down to a few cracking embers.
He pulls back, your noses brushing. “Been wanting to do that since the fucking bookstore.”
“That long?”
“Mhm. You were wearing those cute little pants and you couldn’t reach the top shelf. Wanted to have you right there.”
“You’re insatiable.”
“Mm. Only when it comes to you.”
You fall into each other again, and again, and again.
Hello lovelies , I’m currently writing the next chapter of “is she mine?” But I would like to know any of your guys’ suggestions for what you want to happen! REQUESTS ARE OPEN!!
Also any requests for any one shots you’d like for either jj or rafe <3333
Summary: you and Rafe dated for two years, you were the perfect couple. Until Rafe turned 20 while you were still 18 and his dad needed him to take over the company in New York. It was between you or work. Rafe left for New York without a word leaving you alone, he returns 4 years later, after not using social media himself or speaking to any of his old friends from the obx only to find everything has changed
titsay
gummygunk
jbbartram-illu
snowghoul
discoholicmusic
germansingergirl
annaxmalina
pixelskylines
areudirty
