baby blue • rafe cameron

twenty one

after spending the next week in the hospital, i was finally allowed to go home again. i was currently sitting on the couch with rafe.

"okay, so we've got the entire bonfire set up for tonight." rafe smiled at me.

"i thought my mom told you no." i looked at him.

"she did," he shrugged. "but your dad gave me full permission."

i laughed, looking at him.

"my dad always says yes."

"i promised you'd be in bed by three am."

"three? he allowed me to be out that late?"

"well he said midnight, but i told him i still owed you a beach swim, so he told me he'd allow an extra few hours."

i smiled and leaned over, kissing him.

"you've really got a way with words when it comes to my dad."

"what can i say? i think he just loves me."

i tucked hair behind my ear, watching him as he looked back down at his phone where he was texting topper. as i sat there, examining his face, i thought about his relationship with my dad. if i wasn't dying or if i made it so long to be of age, would i marry rafe? how much would my dad love that? my mom?

would i be so cliché to marry rafe? i mean, i loved him, but i hadn't really experienced anyone else. if i'm honest, i didn't really want to either. i wanted rafe to be it. and even though he'd be my final love, i wouldn't be his. that scared me, knowing he'd eventually find someone new to travel the world with. someone different he'd move to iceland with, or france, or australia. someone new he'd get that corgi with.

"where'd you go?" rafe asked.

"what?"

"you zoned out, you okay?"

"yeah, just thinking."

"about?"

"nothing important." i shook my head. "when are we leaving for this thing?"

"probably ten-ish."

i nodded, leaning against him as he placed his arm around me.

"you took the twins to school this morning, right?"

"yeah," he nodded.

"how were they?"

"they're okay, i think they're just really relieved you're back from the hospital."

"god i hope i never have to go back there."

"me too," he kissed my head.

that's when the doorbell rang, causing me to groan.

"i've got it." rafe stood, walking away. i grabbed his phone, seeing topper had texted, asking if i was doing okay. i smiled, taking a picture, holding my thumb up before sending it to him.

"lynn..." rafe said as i looked over, seeing him and hails standing there. she was holding flowers and a basket with some sweets in it.

"hails?" i asked.

"hey," she said softly.

"what are you doing here?" i asked.

she glanced to rafe as he took the flowers and basket from her, walking off into the kitchen as she walked over, sitting on the coffee table in front of me.

"i uh, i heard what was happening but i was still in the psych ward, so i couldn't come and see you. i'm on some new meds though and they let me go on a home test trial thing." she shrugged. "i asked my mom to drive me over here so i could see you."