outerbanks imagines.

looking for a sign- rafe cameron.

rafe cameron has had enough.
though he could go on a spiel and complain about where this all began,
he's decided to stitch his lips closed and not speak unless absolutely necessary.
he's using his last words wisely.
he doesn't want to waste his limited breath on those undeserving.
only a few more hours and rafe cameron will be set free.
though he has to admit,
there are a few lingering doubts here.
what if he preserves through this and comes out more successful than he could've ever imagined?
so he decides:

someone please send me a sign to stay.
but what sign?
you need to name something, rafe.
a bracelet with green jewels.
not too rare, not too basic.
if i see it,
it will be for me.

rafe sits up a little straighter at this.
he doesn't know what he will do if this sign doesn't show.
if the sense of rejection will drive him further to release or if the knowledge his existence means nothing will only hurt a little more.
he also doesn't know why he's spending his possible last day alive tucked away in the food court seats of the mall.
"this is the sign you've been looking for!"
rafe picks his head up to stare at the girl who's just announced this.
she stands at a vendor just a few feet away from him,
waving pamphlets that are collecting in many.
he's standing now.
it seems his feet are working when his mind isn't.
"hi!"
she greets with a wave.
rafe takes a look at her name tag and tucks away the beauty of her name.
"hey,"
he says rather distractedly.
"what's your name?"
"rafe cameron."
y/n nods then introduces herself,
giving rafe time to ask,
"what is this?"
the vendor she's running is full of jewelry,
but none looking like the bracelet he now regrets wishing upon.
"it's jewelry. supposed to be selling it but...i'm having a hard time."
her confession ends in a small laugh.
"why's that?"
"you know...people want simple. this? it's too much. and not in a good way."
y/n shakes her head of these words then hurries to say,
"i'm sorry! i shouldn't be badmouthing the product i'm selling."
"i appreciate a little honesty. shows you've got no bias."
y/n looks back up at rafe then laughs quietly with him.
"that's one way to put it."
rafe is almost desperate to keep this conversation going.
he doesn't understand this sudden urge but there's a lot he doesn't understand these days.
why start questioning it now?
y/n is a beautiful girl with words of propriety.
simple as that.
"so...you like jewelry?"
the question is idiotic.
as soon as it leaves his lips,
he wishes he could gather the letters in the air and tuck them away.
instead,
he stands still with a smile of falsified confidence.
"i do, yeah. i make my own."
"oh? really?"
"yep. not-not this stuff, though. here, look."
y/n looks around to be sure her manager with eyes of judgment isn't around before she leans over and pulls out a single case.
rafe holds his breath.
when he expects the universe to give him something to live for,
but then he's reminded:
you are not worthy.
"it's a small little necklace but...one of my newer ones."
rafe doesn't respond at first.
his heart feels sore from this blatant rejection.
but what had he been expecting?
y/n notices this boys blank expression and closes her jewelry box.
she's seen that look before,
only in her own eyes though:
an unspoken ache.
so y/n does what she wanted someone to do so long ago,
when she wore this very expression,
"you want to hang out? figure i should be spending less of my summer inside."
rafe looks up with an empty stare and forces his best smile.
he goes to decline her offer on the account of his earlier plans now being solidified,
but there's something in her smile that makes him say,
"yeah. okay."
y/n wears an even brighter smile,
if possible,
then cheers,
"great!"
rafe nods his head,
still in his saddened stupor,
but y/n says nothing of it.
"i'll meet you back here, okay?"
rafe, again, nods then stalks off to his car in which he arrived to the mall in.
he doesn't move an inch.
never starting the car nor lying back his seat to rest in.
rafe cameron simply sits in his seat and stares at nothing until the time y/n is off.
he doesn't know how to tell her:
i'm a dead man.