toxic kiss | Rafe Cameron

weed

Dear diary,

quote of the day :

"Friendship is the heart's way of saying, 'I see you, I understand you, and together, we'll turn every moment into a beautiful story.'"

-

Bea Holliday

"So, are you ready for tonight?" Natalie asked, her eyes practically sparkling with excitement.

I grinned, unable to contain my own enthusiasm. "So ready! I can't wait to have a sleepover with you and Sarah again. It feels like forever!"

Sarah burst out laughing. "Forever? It's only been, what, like a month since the last time?"

"Yeah, and that's way too long," I shot back, playfully rolling my eyes.

"Sure, whatever you say," Sarah said with a smirk.

The three of us—Natalie, Sarah, and me—have been inseparable for as long as I can remember. We're like a trio of misfits, perfectly imperfect together.

Natalie suddenly reached into her pocket, pulling out a small baggie. "So, I bought this yesterday," she announced, holding up the bag of weed.

Sarah and I exchanged shocked glances. "Natalie!" we exclaimed in unison.

"What?" she said, feigning innocence.

I sighed, shaking my head. "You told me you quit."

"This is my last bag, I promise," she insisted.

"Right," I scoffed. "You say that every time."

"So?" she challenged, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Fuck it," I said, a rebellious smile spreading across my face. "Let's smoke tonight."

In the Outer Banks, we live for moments like this—nights where the world feels like it's ours for the taking. No rules, no expectations, just the three of us against the world.

The last bell rang, and we made our way to Sarah's house. Her dad was at the door, as always. "Hey, Mr. Cameron," Natalie and I said in unison.

"Hey, girls!" he replied with a warm smile.

We headed straight to Sarah's room, where Natalie immediately rummaged through her bag. She pulled out the stash, and soon enough, we were smoking. Time blurred into an hour. I knew I shouldn't be doing this—my mom would freak if she found out—but sometimes you just have to say yolo.

After our little session, Sarah decided it was movie time. "Mamma Mia!" lit up the screen. "Ah, I love this movie!" I exclaimed.

"Me too!" Natalie and Sarah echoed, grinning.

Midway through the film, I felt a pang of hunger. I looked over at Sarah. "Got any snacks?"

She nodded. "Yeah, they're in the kitchen. I can grab them."

"No, it's fine. I got it." I smiled and made my way to the kitchen.

I opened the cabinet and grabbed a bag of chips, only to hear a familiar voice behind me. "Finding everything you need?"

"Holy shit, you scared me," I said, clutching the bag.

Rafe stood there, hands raised in mock surrender. "Sorry."

I sighed. "It's fine."

"You know those are my chips, right?"

My heart sank. "Oh, sorry, I didn't know—"

He cut me off with a chuckle. "I'm joking, Holliday."

I exhaled, relieved. "Yeah, good one."

Rafe leaned in close, his arm stretching behind me to grab something. His eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a wave of tension. "What are you doing, Rafe?" I asked, my voice trembling.

He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and held it up. "This," he said, winking at me.

"Right," I muttered, feeling foolish.

"What did you think I was doing?" he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Grabbing those cigarettes," I shot back, rolling my eyes.

He leaned in even closer, his breath warm against my ear. "You know where to find me, Holliday."

My knees felt weak, but I couldn't let him see how he affected me. "Piss off, Rafe."

"Suit yourself." He laughed and sauntered upstairs, leaving me alone in the kitchen, my heart pounding.

I took a moment to steady myself before heading back to Sarah's room. As soon as I walked in, Sarah looked up. "What took you so long?"

I forced a casual smile. "Oh, I ran into Rafe and then had to use the bathroom."

Natalie raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Sarah just shrugged and patted the spot next to her. "Come on, you're missing the best part!"

I plopped down between them, trying to focus on the movie, but my mind kept wandering back to Rafe and that unsettling, electrifying moment in the kitchen.