'Safe with Rafe' Y/N x Rafe Cameron

Chapter L

"You guys aren't naked in there, are you?!" Kie shouts from the pier as she removes her shirt, preparing to dive in, earning a laugh from Sarah beside her.
"If I say yes, will it make you leave?" Rafe shouts in response.
You look up to him with a glare of disapproval as you nudge his rib with your elbow.
"What?" He says with a cheeky smile before returning his hug around your waist from behind.
You happily lean into it until realisation kicks in.
The pogues were still completely unaware about the fact that you and Rafe had started seeing each other officially now and you still weren't quite sure how you felt about breaking it to them just yet.

You squirm out of Rafes hold as Jj peculiarly watches from above, observing Rafes confused expression unfold when you tread away in the water and towards Kie who had dived in.

"What're you doing in the water so early in the morning anyways?" Jj asks as he jumps off the pier and onto the sand, Pope handing him an ice box from above.
"Especially on a chilly day like this." Pope adds.
"Just ah, freshening up, you know." You say as you emerge from the water and onto their spot on the sand where they had started pulling drinks out of the tub.
Jj looks at you suspiciously before drifting his gaze down your dripping wet body which causes him to smile giddily at the sand below him until an unwanted presence takes it's place next to him, his goofy smile almost instantly falters.
"Mind if I have one?" Rafe asks politely.
Pope hands Rafe a can of beer before Jj courageously interrupts the peace.
"Freshening up, huh?" Jj asks, "so what? Kooks don't have showers these days?" Jj averts a judging glare towards Rafe as Rafe just turns away, ignoring Jj to stand by you instead. He had tried to be nice, but failed miserably as he cops the backlash like he always did.
"Jj, Seriously grow up." Kie says as she tosses a beer to him, obviously in need of a calmer.
Jj catches the can before instantly digging back into the conversation that clearly wasn't going anywhere good.
"I mean, come on. Are we all not thinking the same thing?" He says as he looks around at his friends for a response, "Y/N. You've been spending so much time with this guy that you've forgotten all about us."
You shake your head confused while Rafe straightens his posture, his body language letting everybody know that he's about to get defensive for you.
"Soo..." you pause, trying to think of a liable explanation for Jj's weird behaviour just to end up with no clue at all, "you're gonna approach me while I'm enjoying myself...just to come for my throat?"

Pope, Kie, John B and Sarah all stand around the three of you, knowing that if Jj was going to finally come out about his feelings for you that now would be the best time after they had all come to terms with your macking with Rafe, except for the blonde boy himself. They wait dormant as Jj prys further into your relationship with Rafe but ready to interrupt if anything were to go south, which tends to happen with Jj.

"What else am I supposed to do? You worried
m-...us." He corrects himself.
"What are you even talking about Jj?"
"All of my calls were going straight to voicemail, you weren't answering any of my texts, not even the girls could get a hold of you. We went to your house, you were just poof, gone. You just disappeared off of the face of the planet!" He says frustrated as he motions towards Kie and Sarah, they stand with their arms crossed against their chests, also waiting for an explanation.
You laugh as you kick at the sand beneath your feet. Rafe places a supporting hand on your back after acknowledging your body becoming restless with frustration and Jj takes notice of Rafes persistent touch on you which makes his body move forward on its own and towards the taller boy before John B holds an arm out, shielding Rafe from Jj.
"So that's what this is about?" You laugh, entertained at Jj's cluelessness.
"Y/N, nows not the time to be making a joke out of Jj's feelings..." Kie says lowly.
"Jj. My phone? It's broken!" You finally shout, causing the group to direct their attention towards you curiously.
"I don't buy it." Jj says.

You throw your arms up in the air before they come slapping down against your sides in annoyance as you turn your body away from the group. It was more than enough as it is to have a broken phone and the crisis  around that being the case.
But when the only people that should have your back, just don't? It brought on an all new type of discouragement.

Sarah notices the tension between Rafe and yourself. She takes note of his hand rubbing lovingly circles on your back while flashing you a reassuring look which sparked both interest and worry in her.
"Why would your phone be broken?" She asks with a questioning cock of her brow.
Your body stays facing Rafe so he directs his attention towards the group, speaking for you instead.
"Uh..." he begins before looking down towards you, his eyes consciously asking if you were alright with them knowing the truth; and you nod.
"Kelce came looking for us last night." Rafe says.
"Again?" Kie asks with a face scrunched with disgust.
"At my own house." You add, finally turning towards the others.
"Last night? Half the island was in your back yard last night, you would've been safe, right?" John B asks as he makes eye contact with you before to Rafe again.
"Well yes, and no. He waited until everybody was gone. I was just lucky Rafe was still with me, I don't know what would've happened if it wasn't for his quick thinking."

Jj rolls his eyes at the confirmation that you and Rafe had been alone together at some point last night which left questionable gaps that churned his mind as it haunted his thoughts with unlikely scenarios, unlikely to his knowledge at least.

Kie nudges his side after noticing his fidgety hands.
"Quick thinking?" Kie pry's further.
"Uhhh..." you hesitate.
Flashbacks of last night flood your memories, making you feel flustered in the moment.
"-We hid from him but he called Y/N's phone so I had to kick it into the pool." Rafe continues for you, leaving certain bits and pieces of the story out to save your discomfort.
"You have a pool?" Pope asks intrigued, earning himself a look from Kie.
"Well you need to go the shoupe? Right? That's the only logical thing to do." Sarah says.
"Shoupe doesn't care. Your best chance is Peterkin. She doesn't play favourites." John B says.
"No." You shake your head.
"What?"
"No."
"He's tried to literally kill you, Y/N. You have evidence, take it to the sheriffs office."
"Evidence? You mean Barry's evidence? John B, if I take this evidence to the police, they're gonna need to question Barry and then what? I'm basically snitching on him and all he's done for me is help." You rant, the atmosphere of the conversation falls silent before a familiar voice finally speaks up.
"This is because of you, you know." Jj says, directing eye contact straight towards Rafe.
Rafe only glares back at him, his features far more threatening than Jj's.
"Geez, Jj! When are you gonna realise that Rafe isn't the enemy here?!" You snap, your rare outburst of emotion earns you a pitiful look from everybody in front of you which makes you feel worse, guilty even, which wasn't fair to you.

It was obvious that these unfortunate series of events had finally started to cut deep into your mentality.
Not only the entire island but the pogues especially had always known you to be the sunshine filled, smiley girl that was, in their words, too good for your roots. The same girl that everybody knew to come to when things got too rough because you were just that approachable and optimistic about everything, even given your own circumstances, you were always optimistic and your positive outlook on life was almost set in stone. It was who you were and it was what you became. The image of positivity and sunlight.
But this time it's all proven to be too much, even for you.

"Can I...." Rafe begins, leaving your side to approach Jj, "can I talk to you? Privately."