New Light | Rafe Cameron

midsummers

"What?" Allie exclaims when you tell her you're going with Rafe to Midsummers. "Do you even know how that's going to look?"

"What's the big deal?" you ask, not understanding her reaction.

"What's the big deal?" she repeats. "Y/n, the big deal is that it's Midsummers." She sighs heavily. "Everyone knows that Midsummers is like the event for people from Figure 8. Who you go with as your date is literally everything."

"To who?"

"To everyone who matters!" she exclaims. "Going with Rafe is going to send a message that I don't think you want to send."

"What the hell are you even talking about?" you ask.

She runs her hands through her hair in frustration. "Girl, you know that Midsummers is the Met Gala of this island. You showing up with Rafe says that you two are in a serious relationship. It's one thing to make James and Charlotte think you're dating, but everyone in Figure 8? I dunno."

"Allie, outside of the Outer Banks, no one's even heard of Midsummers. It literally has no bearing on my life outside of Kildare Island. It's fine," you assure her.

"Is it going to be fine with your parents? With the Cameron's?" she asks.

You hadn't thought that far ahead. You truly weren't concerned with what the kooks of Kildare Island thought of you, because after this summer, you weren't planning on coming back for any kind of extended stay. Your parents and the Cameron's were here permanently though, and you knew they all bought into the high society bullshit. You'd been out and about with Rafe intermittently all summer so far, and not once had you mentioned to your mom who you were hanging around with. It hadn't mattered until now.

"See what I mean?" Allie says, interrupting your thoughts. "Your mom is definitely going to question you when you tell her you need to go shopping for the event."

"Yeah, I hadn't thought about any of that until now."

"Clearly," she says. "So what are you going to tell her?"

You shrug. "I guess I'll just tell her I'm going with Rafe and leave it at that."

Allie frowns. "You know she's not going to let you leave it at that."

"Maybe not, but I'm going to try."

+++

You steel yourself as you walk downstairs the next morning. Your mom is sitting at the dining room table, sipping her morning tea and reading the business section of the newspaper. You clear your throat and take the seat across from her.

"Morning," she says, glancing up from the paper long enough to smile at you. "You're up early."

"Yeah," you say, leaning forward.

"Elbows off the table," she reminds you. You quickly move your arms off the table and fold them across your chest.

"What are you doing today?" you ask her.

She lowers her paper to look at you. "Your father and I have dinner plans with the Thomases later. Why?"

"So nothing during the day?" you press on.

"No. Why?"

"I need to go shopping," you tell her.

"And you... want me to come?" she asks.

"Well, yeah, I need help picking out a dress," you say casually.

"A dress?" Her interest is piqued.