Bad Habits (A Rafe Cameron/OBX story)

Chapter 23

"Your hand is so tiny. It's so adorable." Rafe says while playing with my fingers.

"Well I'm like 5'2" so obviously I'm gonna have small hands." I laugh.

We are sitting in the bed of his truck, his back against the back window and I'm sitting between his legs. My head lays comfortably on his chest as his arms are wrapped around me and he's holding my hands while we are watching the sunset. "I knew you were short but I never knew you were that short. You know I'm like 6'4" right?"

"Alright then, you're a giant. How about that? Freak." I joke around with him, making him laugh.

"That's fair." He continues to laugh.

I'm examining his fingers while he's doing the same to mine. Then I ask him about the ring on his pointer finger. "Why do you always wear this ring?"

"My dad gave it to me a few years back. It was a gift from his dad when he went to college. I guess my dad wanted to give it me for when I go to school but I dropped out. I'm surprised he didn't take it back since I'm such a disappointment to him." He says with a sadness in his voice.

"Disappointment?"

"Yeah... he's been kind of hostile towards me since I told him that school isn't for me. He doesn't understand that college isn't for everyone. I would rather stay here and work for Cameron Development then go to school to be a lawyer or some shit." He tells me as he wraps his arms completely around me, pulling me closer to him.

I ask him, "Did you want to be a lawyer?"

He lets out a breath, "I wanted to be one. But, like I said, I don't like school."

"I don't think you're a disappointment." I say to him.

Rafe chuckles, "You are obligated to say that because you're my girlfriend."

My hand lightly hits his arm, "No! I really mean it. Your dad might be upset with you for not going to school, but I couldn't care less. You, sir, are the best thing that's ever happened to me. College or not, it doesn't matter to me. I'm just glad you're here."

"I don't know if I'm the best thing that has ever happened to you. I'm one of the things but there's no way that I'm the best." He admits his self doubt.

"Don't say that! You need to stop doubting yourself because you matter to me. Don't listen to what your dad says, listen to me! You matter, Rafe!" I sternly say.

As the sunsets over the ocean, Rafe squeezes me into the tightest hug imaginable. His face buries in my neck, leaving a soft kiss there before he whispers, "God, I love you."

My body stiffens, "Huh?"

Rafe laughs against my ear, "I said... I love you."

I turn my head so that I can see him out of the corner of my eye. "Stop fucking with me. What did you say?"

"Do you want me to scream it? Because I will... I LOVE YOU, HALEY COOPER!"

A smile grows on my face, I jump up and turn around to straddle his lap. He smiles at me face to face, now. And he whispers, "I love you."

I grab his face with both of my hands, looking him in the eyes and say, "I love you."

"What? What did you say?" He jokes with me.

"I can scream it too... I LOVE YOU, RAFE CAMERON."

Rafe smiles, "No fucking way. She feels emotion."

My head falls back in laughter, "Believe it or not, I do. I do feel emotion. And I love you so much, baby."

"Oh no, she's calling me baby now! It's getting serious." He continues to joke around with me.