New Light | Rafe Cameron

memories

"So what was Charlotte talking about last night?" Rafe asks Topper the next afternoon as they are playing the back nine at the country club. While his kiss with you had consumed most of his thoughts, there was still a sliver dedicated to that comment his ex had made that he was dying to know more about.

"Sorry, man, I don't really know what she was talking about," Topper says unconvincingly.

"Oh, bullshit, you're a terrible liar," Rafe scoffs. "What did you and her talk about that had to do with me?"

Topper puts his driver back in his golf bag and climbs into the golf cart. "Let's just say, when Charlotte found out you were with y/n, she wasn't super surprised."

Confusion takes over Rafe's features. "I don't get it."

"Look, just don't worry about it," Topper says with a shrug.

"No, explain it to me," Rafe insists.

Topper sighs. "Charlotte just always got this vibe that you had some kind of weird thing for her, that's all."

"And what did you say when she told you that?" Rafe asks.

"I... kind of agreed with her," Topper responds, eyeing his friend carefully.

"You what?"

"Dude, listen, it makes sense," he says. "Like I know you always argued with her or whatever, but for what? Because she called you out on your shit? Things you purposely did because you knew it would get her attention?"

"You make it sound like I'm some little boy on the playground that's mean to the little girl he likes because he doesn't know how to show he likes her," Rafe says.

Topper shrugs again. "If you would've been nice to her, especially when you were with Charlotte, you would've given yourself away."

"I don't like y/n," he says defensively.

"Now who's bullshitting?" Topper retorts. "Just admit it. I've seen it for years. You don't have to pretend anymore." Rafe folds his arms across his chest. "Don't give me this spoiled child act. You know I'm right. Why else would you pick her of all people to keep Charlotte away? You have plenty of other girls to choose from."

"We're friends, now, yeah, but it's not like that," Rafe continues to lie.

He wasn't even sure why he was denying it now. What difference did it make? If his best friend and his ex could see it, then he was sure other people might be on to him, too.

"Yeah? You could've fooled me," Topper says. Rafe joins him in the cart to drive down the path by the fairway. "You were all over her last night."

"We were at a party with everyone we've ever known," he defends. "They all think we're dating. We were just playing the part."

"It seemed a little too convincing to me," Topper says. The two of them stop and get out of the cart, having reached the balls they'd hit off the tee.

"Maybe we're just good actors," Rafe says.

"One of you is, and it isn't you," Topper says. "You're farther away from the pin, go ahead and take your shot."

+++

The hangover you have when you wake up isn't nearly as bad as you thought it's be. You assumed it was because you had ended up staying awake much longer than the other girls, replaying that kiss over and over in your head. As drunk as you were when it happened, you could remember it clearly.

You hadn't told Allie yet. You weren't sure you would at all. You had to figure out what it meant first.

You and Rafe were both pretty drunk last night. He had dutifully played the part of your boyfriend, and you had reciprocated with typical girlfriend behavior. At some point, though, you had stopped acting, and had just gone on instinct. You were a little embarrassed about it all now, thinking back on it. You had accused him of being all over you, but you were giving it back just as bad. Sitting on his lap, leaning against him, dancing with him. You had technically initiated the kiss, although he'd been so damn close to you that a passerby watching the situation unfold probably couldn't have pinpointed who actually kissed who first.