Tides of Summer || Rafe Cameron

1 - Return to Outerbanks

The bell above the door chimed as Hannah Grace stepped into her mother's hair salon, the familiar scents of shampoo and hairspray wrapping around her like a comforting blanket.

It was good to be home.

"Is that my Hannah?" Mrs. Murphy, one of the regulars, called out from her chair. Her eyes widened as she took in Hannah's appearance. "Lord have mercy, girl! You've turned into a real beauty!"

Hannah blushed, tugging at the hem of her shirt as she moved further into the salon. The women getting their hair done all turned to look at her, their eyes appraising, full of surprise.

She felt like she was on display, the transformation she'd undergone over the summer more noticeable in this small town than she'd anticipated.

"Oh, my stars! Hannah, you look so different!" Mrs. Johnson added, her hands frozen mid-air as she clutched a magazine. "What did they feed you at your aunt's place? You're glowing!"

Hannah laughed nervously, waving off the comments. "It's just the sun, I guess. We spent a lot of time at the beach."

"We have plenty of beach here. You don't see all those girls going through a transformation like you."

Her mother, standing behind one of the chairs, smiled warmly at her. "My girl's been working hard. I told you all she was going to blossom."

The praise felt strange to Hannah. She wasn't used to this kind of attention, and though it was flattering, it also made her feel oddly disconnected from who she used to be. The old Hannah would have been able to slip into the background, unnoticed and unremarkable, but now it seemed like all eyes were on her.

She walked over and was eloped in a warm embrace by her mother. "Mmm... I'm so glad your home. I missed you so much."

"I missed you to Mum," she replied.

"So, how was the summer?" one of the younger customers asked, her tone genuinely curious.

"It was good," Hannah replied, trying to keep it casual. "Great to finally see my cousins and spend time with them again."

"Just your Cousins huh?" Mrs. Murphy winked. "I bet you had all those boys up there falling over themselves."

Hannah laughed, shaking her head. "Mrs. Murphy, you know I don't pay attention to stuff like that."

Her mother gestured for her to come behind the counter. "Hannah, why don't you start on Mrs. Jackson's rinse? She's been waiting."

Glad for the distraction, Hannah nodded and slipped behind the counter to grab the supplies. The women's chatter continued, the focus slowly shifting away from her as they resumed their gossip and stories.

---

After her shift, Hannah walked down the street to meet up with Kylie and her boyfriend, Benji. They were waiting at their usual spot near the boardwalk, Kylie waving energetically stood straight up when she saw her.

"There she is!" Kylie exclaimed as Hannah approached. "The girl who's too hot to handle now!"

Benji grinned, giving Hannah an exaggerated once-over. "Kylie's not exaggerating, you know. What happened to you over the summer?"

Hannah rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a smile. "I guess I just grew up a little."

"You didn't just grow up," Kylie teased, looping her arm through Hannah's. "You transformed into a beautiful goddess. Seriously, you look amazing, Han."

"Thanks, but it's weird. I don't know how to explain it, but I kinda miss being... invisible. You don't know how many people turned to look at me when I was walking here," Hannah admitted, the both of them sitting down next to Benji.

"Welcome to my world gorgeous. Took you long enough!" Kylie replied.

"For the record, I get it Hannah. Less pressure when no one's paying attention." Benji added from the other side of Kylie.

"But hey, you're still the same Hannah on the inside, right? That's what matters." Kylie gives Hannah a huge hug, "I missed you babe."

---

As the afternoon wore on, Hannah felt the need to clear her mind. She parted ways with Kylie and Benji, deciding to visit one of her father's favorite spots near the docks. It was a place she hadn't been since her father's death.

The docks were quiet, the sun casting a warm glow over the water. Hannah walked slowly, breathing in the salty air, memories of her father washing over her. She could almost hear his voice, telling her stories about the boats and the sea.

As she rounded a corner, she spotted a familiar figure leaning against a post, staring out at the water. Rafe Cameron.

Her heart skipped a beat. Rafe was the last person she expected to see here. He looked different too—more rugged, more intense. He glanced her way, and for a moment, their eyes locked.

"Hannah Grace?" Rafe's voice was low, surprised.

"That's me," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "What are you doing here?"

"Waiting for someone," he said, his gaze lingering on her. "You look... different."

"Yeah, I guess I do," Hannah said, feeling a blush creep up her neck. "It's been a while."

Rafe nodded, his eyes still on her. "You been okay?"

"Yeah, just... life, you know?" She shrugged, trying to sound casual, but inside, her heart was racing. There was something in the way Rafe looked at her— or maybe it was the fact Rafe had never spoken more than two words to her before.

"Yeah, sure" he echoed; his expression unreadable.

Rafe looked like he was about to speak when his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, then back at her.

"I gotta go. I'll see you tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"Kacey's parents are out of town. He's throwing a massive ragger. And I'm pretty sure Kylie and Benji are coming."

"Oh, maybe," Hannah said, her mind was spinning.

As Rafe walked away, Hannah found herself watching him, unable to shake the feeling that something had changed between them in that brief moment. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it was there, a spark of something new and unexpected.

She opened her phone and began to dial.

"Hey, are you able to pick me up tonight?"

Word Count: 1030