Blue | Rafe Cameron

iii

'I'm sorry, did you just say Cameron?' Kie derides, her voice taking on a much harder tone 'As in Sarah Cameron?'

'The one and only' I sigh, rubbing a hand over my forehead to ease the tension coiling there. I plop down onto my temporary bed, mentally chastising myself for how much I was already enjoying the cloud-like feeling.

'What the fuck?' Kie whispered, so quietly that I had to strain to hear over the phone. The connection was mediocre at best, especially as the weather began to turn increasingly violent and erratic.

Even now I could feel the ice-cold wind seeping in through the cracks in the windows and the humming vibration of rain slamming against the walls.

'Tell me about it, I knew my mom and Ward were peers but them taking me in for the next few weeks? I didn't even consider that to be in the realm of possibility' I huff, leaning all the way onto the bed, my head laying upon a fluffy feathered cushion and my legs dangling high off the edge.

'Just be careful, okay?' Kie says gently and I have to bite my lip to hold back my amusement.

Kiara was just looking out for me- her relationship with Sarah Cameron was... rocky, to say the least.

'Don't worry, Kie' I smile, imagining her in the same position on her bed right now. 'I'm not going to go, full Kook just because I'm staying here, it's a place to crash at night and by morning I'll be back with you and the others again.'

'I don't understand why your mom didn't just let you come stay with me' Kie grumbles, and I can practically see the grimace she has on her face.

'Because she's a proud woman and after all the petty rivalry between your mom and mine during their teen years, I think my mom would have rather let me live alone than ask for a favour.' I scoff, amused at how even grown-ass women can still have the most childish disputes.

'My mom would have gloated for sure' Kie states knowingly, giggling and laughter bubbles out of my throat too. 'In fact, she would have- '

The line cuts off, static buzzing in my ear and I yank the phone away with a hiss at the abrupt sound. I sit up and groan in annoyance as I take in the ended call, and as my gaze lifts to the right corner, I scowl.

No signal.

Perfect.

'It's the weather, I wouldn't expect any communications to work tonight.'

My head snaps up at the soft, delicate voice and as my eyes lock with Sarah's, I exhale and relax.

I thought it was Rafe.

'Yeah, I figured. I doubt we'll have any signal for at least a few days depending on how hard Aggie hits' I reply, my voice cordial and I manage a small, repressed smile in Sarah's direction.

She's hesitant as she steps in through my ajar door, and as I take in her blue shorts and strappy white tank with a lack of footwear, I assume she just returned from wherever she was helping. Her blonde hair was damp and down as usual, and I could see the uncertainty in her eyes.

It was bizarre how different her eyes were from Rafe's- hers were warm and honeyed, projecting the sweetness and openness of her personality. But Rafe's were wild, a frenzied mixture of darkness and light, of swirling blues and stormy greys, projecting every maddening, chaotic aspect of him.

I could see the constellations in them even as I sat here now.

'Was that Kiara you were talking to?' The gentle words snap me out of my mind-hole, and I startle slightly, partly in surprise that Sarah was still here but more in embarrassment and irritation with myself for where my thoughts had gone. 'I wasn't eavesdropping, I swear- '