Only because you asked // Rafe Cameron

Chapter Eleven - They're serious.

"I would like to toast," Ward Cameron began, raising his beer bottle in the air, "to the Alexpouloses, the newest companions of Cameron Development."

Lana thought to herself what a greedy man her father was. She knew this because of his history; he wasn't a good man and no one knew except her.

The adults stayed talking and laughing for an hour or so, enjoying each others company whilst Sarah and Lana spoke about their futures together.

"I wanted to be an athlete," Sarah confessed.

"What happened?"

"I've realised I'm way too lazy," she truthfully stated, Lana laughing at her honesty. "Don't forget to give Rafe his jacket before you leave, that thing is sacred to him."

Though she didn't partially feel like giving it back, part of her still felt the need to obey him; perhaps his more intimidating persona still lingered in her eyes.

Their conversation came to an end when Ward Cameron greeted his son.

"So nice of you to finally join us son," he exclaimed sarcastically as Rafe emerged from the trees, returning an over-the-top smile back.

"Ward, I'm so glad we could do business," Lana's father gratefully expressed. "However we really should get going."

In the time they were all exchanging goodbyes, Lana wanted to see Rafe one last time.

"Here," she said, taking off the jacket before he soon stopped her.

"I remember telling you to keep it," he remarked.

Her mouth dropped a little, proceeding to put the jacket back on.

"Didn't think you were being serious."

"If you don't want it I'll happily take it back.."

"No," she snapped, taking a step back to prevent him from trying to take his jacket back.

He smiled and nodded his head, his sapphire eyes gleaming in her direction.

"Till next time," he murmured, turning his back on her to walk away.

"So there will be a next time?" she asked, causing him to stop walking with his back faced towards her. A little laugh was all she received before he continued to walk away.

That night, she stayed up staring at the ceiling, lost in her thoughts. She had never felt this way before, though she was not entirely sure what this feeling was, she knew she wasn't familiar to it. Her thoughts would speak in large quantities, replaying her encounter with Rafe over and over again as if she was spectating it in the 3rd person; when she jokingly asked him to sit next to her, and that he did. When he gave her his jacket to resist the cold, when rather she thought he would find more amusement in watching her freeze. When he slammed her into the tree and exchanged air, piercing his cobalt eyes into her greener ones. When he told her to keep his jacket, one that she was still wearing in bed. She wasn't exactly sure why she was still wearing it given the fact that she was not cold anymore; comfort?

The next day had arrived and she woke up with only one thing on her mind. Wherever she would go, she wondered what Rafe would be doing. Her fascination only grew but she thought herself as stupid. She was spending all this time thinking about a person who probably wasn't thinking of her.

JJ had asked to see again later on that day with the rest of them. This normally wouldn't be a problem for Lana as she was already good friends with Kiara, and had no issue with John B.

The problem was Pope.

Lana didn't dislike Pope, in fact she was the one that preferred to stay friends once their infatuation last summer had ended. Despite that being the case, she worried that she would cause Pope to feel uncomfortable because he was a timid boy who wouldn't ever tell her if she was.

"John B she can help," JJ pleaded. "More than you realise."

"We can't have anyone else knowing about the gold," he argued, running his hand through his hair.

"Normally I would agree," he said, tiliting his mouth downwards to show a sign of agreement, "but I'm telling you, she's linked to all of this."

Lana had arrived at the port seconds later, waving to the two of them who were on the boat; JJ motioned with his hand for her to come on board.

"Listen," he began. "I know this is going to sound really strange..."

"But," John B continued. "We're gonna need to ask you a few questions about your family."

This caused her to wince her face in confusion, not knowing a single reason as to why they would want to know.

"Your last name is Alexpoulos," John B stated, Lana nodding to confirm.

JJ carried on explaining for him. "We believe that your great, great, great grandfather was Captain of the famous shipwreck of the Royal Merchant."

The two of them stared at the girl, hoping to not have bombarded her with a huge bombshell.

"He was," she informed them, earning their mouths to drop open.

"Oh," John B said, darting to look at JJ in surprise.

"I told you dude," he triumphantly celebrated. "But wait, then why is your name..."

"My grandfather changed our last name to Alexpoulos, which was his mothers maiden name, from Limbrey to escape the toxicity that was involved with it. The reason the Limbrey name still exists is because his brother started a family of his own, deciding to keep the ancient name."

The boys let out a lengthy 'ohhhh' in compulsion, finding the whole thing so interesting.

"That makes so much sense," JJ worshiped, passionate about her family tree.

"I'm glad I could help, care to tell me why it's relevant?"

The two of them exchanged looks, before John B gave in and gave JJ a nod.

"We believe that we are close to discovering the lost gold that went down with the Merchant," he explained to her.

After a moment of silence, a rumble of laughter escape her mouth before she stopped to face them.

"Oh you're serious."