Love is war - Rafe Cameron

Polaroid 16 - everything under his control

I let out a sigh as I observed the crowd gathered in front of Topper's house. Social situations like this always made me feel uneasy, especially since I hadn't known Rafe for very long. Despite my apprehension, Rafe and I stepped out of the car and he casually draped his arm around me, instantly calming my nerves a bit.

Upon entering the house, I realized that the number of people outside was just a teaser compared to the chaos inside. But Rafe seemed unfazed; he always had a plan. He led the way into the kitchen, where we found Topper.

"Hey, Rafe, and the golf girl," Topper greeted us, referencing our first meeting."Hey, Top. Got any good drinks?" Rafe asked, already eyeing the countertop."Sure thing," Topper replied, but Rafe had already grabbed two bottles."Pink or blue?" Rafe held up both bottles, and I pointed to the blue one."Good choice," Topper approved, placing his arm on my shoulder.

"Topper, are you fond of that arm?" Rafe inquired while pouring liquor into two cups, his gaze flickering towards us.

"Yeah, it's my go-to arm for... you know," Topper answered proudly, glancing at it."Then I'd suggest you remove it from Ivy, or you might lose it," Rafe's tone turned cold, his eyes fixed on us.

"Come on, Rafe, I'm your bro. I'd never try to steal your girl," Topper protested, quickly retracting his arm from my shoulder – a relief for me, as I was uncomfortable with his comments."Yeah, you're my bro, which is why you'll only lose an arm if you touch her again," Rafe's smile masked the seriousness of his warning.

"Relax, man," Topper said, but his demeanor showed he took Rafe's words seriously.

Rafe handed me a drink, and Topper got pulled away by others for a drinking game. Rafe wrapped his arm around my waist as we took sips from our cups. I watched as he surveyed the room, his eyes scanning for control in the chaos. With Rafe, things never just happened; he always managed to assert his presence, even if he wasn't the focal point.

"Come on," he suggested, and we moved through the crowd, stepping outside into the backyard. Rafe settled onto an outdoor lounge, and I joined him. As I took my seat, his hand rested on my thigh, his gaze still vigilant. I also looked around, recognizing many familiar faces from around town and the restaurant.

My gaze fell on a guy who had been rude to me while I was serving drinks. He had mocked me for a miscalculation, attempting to impress his friends. His comments had stung, but I was surprised at my own desire to be liked by everyone.

"Interested in that guy? Dont make me make him disapear" Rafe's comment attempted humor.
"No, it's just that I saw him at the restaurant. He wasn't nice," I explained, somewhat taken aback by Rafe's drastic response.

"And is it him?" Rafe asked, and I nodded. I guess I did not know Rafe well enough at that point to know what would happen, but I should have guessed it. 

 Because Rafe stood up and walked directly in his direction. I couldn't hear what he said to him through all the noise surrounding us, and I was glad about that. It didn't seem like a chill talk at all; why would it be? But in the next moment, it got proven when Rafe pushed him. 

Then Rafe bowed down to him and said something that must have hit the right spot because, in the next moment, the boy left without any further hesitation. The people who had stopped partying for a brief second started to go back into the mood, and Rafe came back to me. 

"Just gave him a gentle reminder that you deserve respect," Rafe's grin was concealed."Yeah, 'gentle reminder,'" I quipped."Yes that was the gentle version," Rafe chuckled.

"Shall we head back inside?" Rafe and I reentered the house, making a beeline for the kitchen. "Want a refill?" Rafe asked, gesturing to my empty cup.

"Yes, please," I accepted, and Rafe searched for an unopened bottle on the counter."Rafe, bro, been missing you around lately," a voice interrupted us. We turned to see two guys, and Rafe exchanged greetings while I took a sip from the drink he handed me. This one was stronger than the last.

Huddled behind Rafe, the guys didn't acknowledge me much. They engaged Rafe in a discussion about cars and eventually invited him to inspect one of their vehicles.

"I'll be back," Rafe said, walking away. "Wait here," he added as I moved to follow, so I remained seated, alone.

Sipping my drink, I was approached by a girl. "You're new here," she stated. Unsure if she sought friendly conversation, I replied, "Yes, just moved.""And already caught up in the drama," she chuckled, shaking her head.Perplexed, I looked at her. 

"Rafe. You've been with him."

"Yeah, I know Rafe," I affirmed before taking another sip.

"Rafe's a handful. Great in bed, but a mess otherwise. You've got to handle him right, and I'm not sure you can," she continued, tapping into my insecurities, given her past with him.Just as the awkward encounter seemed endless, Rafe intervened. "Well, well, Vanessa, who invited you?" he quipped, joining us.

"Topper did," Vanessa responded, her overly friendly demeanor making me uncomfortable.Suppressing the surge of jealousy, I held my emotions in check. Though I hated to admit it, I was indeed prone to jealousy, especially in uncertain situations with Rafe. Our undefined relationship status fueled my insecurity, a potent force that threatened to consume me.