Heather, Sarah, and Kiara wandered through the boutique, arms full of dresses and accessories, excitedly chatting about their upcoming plans. It was a welcome distraction after the chaos of the last few days, especially with JJ's arrest still weighing on their minds.
"I still can't believe Topper pressed charges," Kiara muttered as they browsed through the racks. "It's bad enough he beat up JJ and Pope. But pressing charges? What a dick move."
"Yeah, it was completely unnecessary," Sarah agreed. "JJ didn't deserve that. None of them did."
Heather nodded along as she fingered through the fabrics, finally pulling out a stunning navy blue sparkly dress. "This one," she murmured, admiring the way the light caught the shimmer. She slipped into the dressing room to try it on while Kiara and Sarah continued their conversation.
A few minutes later, Heather stepped out, and the girls' jaws dropped. "That dress is beautiful," Kiara gasped, staring in awe.
"Seriously, it's perfect," Sarah added. Heather twirled in front of the mirror, admiring how the dress hugged her curves just right.
"I feel beautiful," Heather admitted, her face lighting up as she turned to her friends.
In true Sarah fashion, she joked, "Are you saying yes to the dress?"
Heather laughed, feeling lighter than she had in days. "Yes!" she exclaimed, excited to have found something that fit both her taste and her father's request for something "eye-catching."
Once all three girls had checked out, each carrying a new dress and a pair of shoes, they headed back to Heather's house to unwind. The day had been a success, and they were ready to relax in the cool air and watch some mindless movies.
By the time they settled in on the couch, snacks scattered across the coffee table, Sarah picked out Grown Ups, an Adam Sandler classic that never failed to make them laugh. The movie had just started when the door creaked open, and Heather looked up to see Rafe and Tyler walking in.
"Is this Grown Ups?" Tyler asked, his face breaking into a grin.
"Uh, yeah," Heather replied, her heart skipping a beat as her gaze met Rafe's. It was the first time she'd seen him since JJ's arrest, and despite everything, she'd missed him.
Tyler looked over at Rafe. "You wanna watch it?"
Rafe shrugged and nodded, taking a seat in the closest available spot. Heather felt the tension in the room shift slightly as the boys joined them.
"Do you guys want popcorn? I was just about to make some," Heather offered, her natural instinct to play hostess kicking in.
"Yeah, sure," Tyler responded casually.
"I'll help," Rafe said, standing up as Heather moved toward the kitchen. The comments started immediately.
"Oh, yeah, making popcorn is definitely a two-person job," Kiara teased, sharing a knowing look with Sarah.
"I don't think we'll be getting any popcorn anytime soon," Sarah chimed in, her voice dripping with amusement.
"My poor kitchen counter," Tyler groaned dramatically, making both girls laugh.
Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Heather grabbed a giant bag of popcorn from the pantry, pouring it into a bowl. Before she could react, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist, twirling her around. She was met with Rafe's lips, catching her by surprise.
Pulling away slightly, she looked up at him with a soft smile. "Hi."
"Hi," he murmured back, his eyes locking onto hers as he smiled down at her.
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...
