The night of the hurricane, Sarah, Tyler, Rafe, and I huddled in the living room of the Cameron house, surrounded by a chaotic mix of blankets, pillows, and the remnants of our hurricane party supplies. The wind howled outside, and the rain pounded against the windows, but inside, we were determined to make the best of it. Wheezie, Sarah and Rafe's younger sister sat cross-legged on the floor, her eyes wide with excitement. For her, this was like an impromptu adventure.
"Alright, guys," Sarah said, holding up a bottle of wine cooler. "We need to finish off what's left from last night."
Tyler grinned, grabbing a beer. "I'm in. Who else?"
Rafe and I exchanged glances, then shrugged. "Why not?" I said, reaching for a drink.
As we settled in, the atmosphere shifted. The usual tension between Rafe and me seemed to melt away, replaced by a strange sense of camaraderie. Maybe it was the storm, or maybe it was the alcohol, but we found ourselves laughing more and arguing less.
The power had gone out earlier in the evening, leaving us in the dim glow of candles scattered around the room. The flickering light cast playful shadows on the walls, adding to the surreal feeling of the night.
Every time the thunder roared or lightning flashed, we all jumped, and then burst into fits of giggles. Wheezie watched us with wide eyes, her laughter mingling with ours. For her, this was better than any TV show.
"Did you see that one?" Sarah exclaimed after a particularly bright flash of lightning. "That was huge!"
"Yeah, no kidding," Tyler said, leaning back and taking a swig of his beer. "This storm's crazy."
We continued drinking and chatting, the storm outside providing a dramatic backdrop to our conversations. At one point, Tyler leaned in with a mischievous grin.
"I dare someone to go out in the rain," he said, his eyes gleaming with the challenge.
Rafe raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you're on. But you're coming with me."
Tyler laughed. "Deal."
The two of them stood up, swaying slightly from the alcohol. Sarah and I exchanged amused glances, while Wheezie looked on with a mix of horror and excitement.
"Be careful!" I called after them as they headed for the front door.
Stepping outside, the rain immediately soaked them to the skin. The wind whipped around them, making them stagger. Sarah and I watched from the doorway, laughing at their antics.
"Look at them," Sarah said, shaking her head. "They're like kids."
As Tyler and Rafe stood in the driveway, a flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed almost instantly by a deafening clap of thunder. Rafe ducked his head, clearly startled by how close it was, while Tyler jumped about a foot in the air.
"Oh my gosh, did you see that?" I laughed, clutching my sides. "Rafe, you ducked like a scared little kid! And Tyler, you practically jumped out of your skin!"
"Okay, okay, we're coming back in!" Tyler shouted, grabbing Rafe's arm and pulling him towards the house.
They stumbled back inside, dripping wet and laughing breathlessly. Wheezie clapped her hands, delighted by the spectacle.
"That was awesome!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining.
"You two are nuts," Sarah said, handing them towels. "But it was pretty funny."
Rafe took the towel from Sarah and started drying his hair, which left it adorably messy. I couldn't help but think he looked cute like that, even though I quickly shoved the thought aside.
"Yeah, yeah," Rafe said, rubbing his hair with the towel. "But I'm not doing that again."
Tyler and Rafe, clearly not fans of the amused commentary, exchanged a conspiratorial glance. Without warning, they lunged toward Sarah and me, wrapping us in their soaking-wet arms.
"Tyler, no!" I shrieked, squirming to get free. "You're freezing!"
"Rafe, stop!" Sarah laughed, trying to wriggle out of his grasp.
Their cold, wet clothes pressed against us, making us shiver and laugh uncontrollably. After what felt like an eternity, they finally let go, and Sarah and I stumbled away, shaking off the water.
"Revenge is sweet," Tyler said, grinning.
"You guys are the worst," I muttered, but I couldn't help smiling.
We all sat back down, gathering in a circle. The mood was light, and for once, there was no arguing or bickering. The storm outside continued to rage, but inside, we were safe and together.
"This is nice," Sarah said, looking around at all of us. "No fighting, no drama. Just us."
"Yeah," Tyler agreed. "It's actually kind of amazing."
Rafe and I exchanged a glance. It was true – for once, we weren't at each other's throats. There was a moment of silence as we all realized how rare this was.
"Well, don't get used to it," Rafe said with a smirk. "I'm sure Heather and I will find something to argue about soon enough."
I rolled my eyes. "Oh."
As if on cue, my eyes landed on the last pink lemonade-flavored wine cooler sitting in the middle of the circle.
"I want that one," I said, reaching for it.
Rafe's hand shot out, grabbing it before I could. "Sorry, but I got it first."
"Rafe, give it to me," I demanded, trying to snatch it from him.
"No way," he said, holding it out of my reach. "Finders keepers."
"You're such a child," I said, standing up to get better leverage.
"And you're not?" he retorted, also standing up.
We wrestled for the wine cooler, our laughter mingling with the sound of the storm outside. Sarah and Tyler watched us, amused by the spectacle.
"Here we go again," Sarah said with a sigh, but she was smiling.
"At least they're consistent," Tyler added, shaking his head.
In our struggle, I found myself sprawled on top of Rafe, my hands pinning him down to the floor. Our faces were inches apart, and I suddenly became very aware of the position we were in. My heart pounded, and I felt a flush spread across my cheeks. I noticed the way his chest rose and fell with each breath, and for a moment, something passed between us – something that felt like more than just the usual bickering.
Quickly, I scrambled off of him, trying to act nonchalant despite the rush of confusing emotions. I could see that Rafe was also a bit flustered, though he masked it with his usual smirk.
"Fine," I said, grabbing the wine cooler from his hand. "You win."
Rafe chuckled, shaking his head. "Always so dramatic, Heather."
As we settled back into our spots, there was a lingering tension in the air, but it wasn't the usual kind. The storm continued to rage outside, but inside, we were united in our shared experience, even if it was a little more complicated than before.
"Alright, who's next for a dare?" I asked, trying to steer the conversation back to safer territory.
The night continued with more dares, stories, and laughter. Wheezie eventually fell asleep, curled up in a blanket on the couch, a contented smile on her face. The rest of us stayed up late into the night, the storm outside a constant reminder of the wild and unpredictable world we lived in.
As I lay back, listening to the wind and rain, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude. Despite everything, we were together, facing the storm as a team. And for the first time in a long time, it felt like maybe, just maybe, we could get through anything.
YOU ARE READING
The Lines We've Crossed
Fanfiction"You're not so little anymore," Rafe told Heather as he stood beside her in the kitchen. "Is that why you keep looking at me like that?" Heather asked her brother's best friend, who only ever viewed her as his best friend's younger sister and nothi...
