'Safe with Rafe' Y/N x Rafe Cameron

Chapter XVIII

(Happy New Years you beautiful people.🤍
Also, I realise some parts of the story so far kinda don't make sense. Its because I'm trying not to use UK slang but at the same time don't know what some words are in American terms. :') bare with me.)

"What're you gawking at country club?"
"Uhh.." Rafe drags, "nothing, nothing."  He says as he sits back in his bikes seat, feeling a hint of jealousy for every wave that crashed onto your skin.
Barry follows his gaze towards the group, his pupils closing in on one girl in particular, you.
"Oh no, don't tell me. Country club gone lover boy?" Barry mocks.
As Rafe falls into a daze like trance, Barry takes the opportunity to lean over into Rafes bike, sending a short but loud honk of the horn towards your group.
"Dude what the fuck are you doing?" Rafe says, finally knocking him out of his trance.

As you're splashing around in the water with your friends and sharing a laugh, a loud, high pitched horn is heard from above the sand bank. Looking for the source of it, your eyes lock with a familiar set of blue ones.

"Rafe!" You shout as you run towards the two boys parked on their bikes with an innocent wide smile, angelic as he would describe it.
"Nothing huh?" Barry taunts with a smirk.
"Yeah, alright." Rafe admits.
"Hey!.. wha-what're you doing here?" You ask catching up to them, as well as desperate to catch your breath.
"Just out for a ride with uh-.." Rafe pauses as he gestures towards Barry.

He didn't want you to get a bad impression of him. He knew what it would have looked like if he was caught sneaking around with the wrong crowd, the wrong crowd being Barry, The best dealer in town and it wasn't a rank that he fell shy for either. Every lowlife scum knew who Barry was. So he was very clearly hesitant to introduce you to him, worried about what you would think of him.

"Hi Barry." You say with a smile.
"Mrs.Country club." He smiles back.

Rafe looks up towards your eyes on Barry, surprised at the fact that the two of you had already been familiar with each other. But surprise quickly turned to worry when his brain rapidly shot at him possibilities.
"You uh, know each other?" Rafe asks as he points a finger between you and Barry with his lips pressed together and his brows furrowed from the blinding sunlight.

You did indeed know Barry but not personally. You knew Barry through your parents. But Barry wasn't going to let Rafe know that.

"Yeah, you know, back in the good ol' days. Right princess?" Barry taunts.
"Get outta here." You say with a smile as you nudge his shoulder unknowingly of his disastrous plan. Barry only smiles in return before starting his bike again and giving Rafe one last cheeky look before driving off without him, leaving a very temperamental Rafe in his dust.
Rafe looks up from the dirt trail that followed closely behind Barry and up towards your gaze to be met with nothing. Your eyes still fixated on Barry as he drives off, furthermore letting worry sink deeply into his chest. Although the very thought of you hanging out with somebody else troubled him, it troubled him even more knowing that it was somebody dangerous like Barry.

"Good old times huh?" Rafe asks impatiently, rearing his eyes towards the ground.
"yeah.. I don't know why he said that. It was anything but good times." You reply carelessly, edging Rafe even more.
"What do you mean?"
"Well you know-" you gesture towards the direction Barry left to, "-who he is. And what he does for people. I mean- you do know." You emphasise on the last few words specifically directing them at Rafe alone.

Rafe catches onto what you're trying to say, taking the hint that you're so obviously trying to throw at him. He wasn't sure if he was detecting a subtle amount of shade in your tone of voice as you said that or if it was his withdrawals messing with his head that was convincing him that you had already started to resent him for his tie with the goods.

"No, Y/N. I do know." He says as he grips his handlebars tightly, "don't rub it in my face, alright? I'm not proud of it either, it just happened. But I'm getting over it, alright? I'm getting clean. I will get clean." Rafe started nervously rambling as his knuckles turned a shade of yellow with the tightness in his hands around the handle bars. You notice his legs getting the nervous jitters, just like Jj would do when ever he would combust into a panicky outburst.

"Hey." You say, getting Rafes immediate attention.
"Relax, I'm not judging you..."
He nods in response before hiding his face under his helmet once again, preparing to catch back up with Barry.
"Woahhh..so that's it huh?" You whine, causing Rafe to sigh.
Rafe unbuckles the straps of his helmet to remove it once again, his hair noticeably more ruffled and messier than the last time he took it off. "Did you want something?"
"Would've been so cool if you offered me a ride on this-" you motion towards the bike, "hunk of metal."You tease with a smile.
Rafe sighs again, "would you like to grab a milkshake or something?" He finally gives in.
"Oh how gracious of you to ask Mr.Cameron. I would love to grab a milkshake or something with you." You mock again before steadily taking a seat behind Rafe, skin to skin, bodies touching as you grasp the back of his shirt lazily, waiting for take off.
Rafe smiles a bright and genuine smile before offering his one and only helmet to you. You take it but your fingers are suddenly being met with a wet, sponges inside, making your face scrunch up in disgust.
"Mmm, nice and sweaty."
"It's not sweat. I mist it before putting it on to reduce the sweating." He says matter-of-factly as he licks his teeth through a smile at your daring yet adorable way of bullying.
"Hmm. Not sure if I believe you." You laugh as you secure the helmet to the rear fender.
"Hey- I'd feel more at ease if you put that on." He states his concern.
"Stop being such a worry-wart, Rafe. It's fine. Plus, you felt how sweaty that thing is. Frankly, if you gotta go without a helmet, than I will too! It's only fair." You say as you swiftly wrap your arms around Rafes torso, signalling him to start driving.
"Pftt. I don't know how I feel about that..." he huffs, relaxing back against your body as a way of refusing to start driving.

The unexpected show of care sends butterflies through your stomach and your heartbeat picks up speed as it begins to beat rapidly against Rafes back, and you know Rafe can feel it too between your almost bare chest and Rafes thin polo shirt.

Rafe takes notice and gives your knees a tap of assurance before starting his bike, Revving it twice to make sure you're ready.
"I can trust you, right?" You mumble in a low voice against his back, causing him to smile assuredly, his stomach now being the one infested with butterflies. You smile silently at his increased heart beat ringing through your ear.
"Always."