𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐈𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐓 ― rafe cameron

δεκαέξι ; 16

song of the chapter:
WELCOME AND GOODBYE ; dream, ivory

Margarita awoke the next morning to the soft sound of waves crashing outside her window, the familiar scent of salt air filling her room. The comfort of being back in the Outer Banks felt strange, almost foreign after her time in Greece. The two months away had been her attempt to escape, to get some clarity on everything—but now that she was back, the weight of unresolved emotions felt heavier than ever.

Whenever she woke up, the feeling like her body was still stuck between two worlds—her mind had been back in OBX, but her heart still lingered in Greece, where the air was salty and warm, but the weight of home didn't press on her chest.

She lay in bed for a moment, staring at the ceiling, the events of the previous night replaying in her mind. Rafe's defensive reaction when she confronted him about his drug use gnawed at her. His anger, his hurt—all of it seemed to circle back to the same point: he wasn't okay, and she wasn't sure if she had the strength to help him, especially now. A part of her questioned whether her return to the Outer Banks had been a mistake.

Pushing the thought aside, Margarita sat up, stretching as she mentally prepared for the day ahead. She had agreed to meet with Sarah later, and the thought of seeing her best friend gave her a small sense of comfort. Sarah had been the only one who fully understood what Margarita had been feeling—both the need to leave and the uncertainty of coming back.

Margarita dragged herself out of bed, walking over to her vanity. She stared at her reflection, seeing the changes in herself since Greece: a little more tan, her hair a little longer, but there was something else—an underlying tension in her eyes that hadn't been there before. With a sigh, she started braiding her hair into two long braids, a comforting routine she had maintained even while she was away. It was one of the few things that made her feel grounded.

Once dressed, Margarita headed downstairs. The house was quiet, a stark contrast to the constant buzz of energy that usually filled it when her family was around. She poured herself a cup of coffee and walked out onto the back porch, letting the morning sun warm her skin as she took a sip. She had missed this—the simplicity of life here, the way everything seemed to slow down by the water.

But that peace was short-lived. The thoughts of Rafe and their unresolved tension crept back into her mind. She hadn't contacted him since last night, and while a part of her knew he was dealing with his own demons, another part of her felt a strange sense of guilt. She wondered if her absence had made things worse for him, if leaving for those two months had pushed him further into his struggles.

She checked her phone, half-expecting a message from him, but there was nothing. Just the same silence that had been there when she left for Greece.

The hours passed, and soon it was time to meet Sarah. Margarita grabbed her keys and headed out, feeling a mix of apprehension and relief at the thought of talking to her friend. As she drove toward Sarah's place, her mind raced, wondering what Sarah would say about Rafe's situation—and more importantly, what she should do about it.

When she arrived, Sarah greeted her with a warm hug, her smile offering a brief respite from the heaviness Margarita had been carrying. They sat down on the back porch of the Cameron house, the same spot where so many of their conversations had taken place over the years.

"Hey," Sarah said, her voice soft with concern. "How are you holding up?"

Margarita shrugged, trying to mask the swirling thoughts in her head. "I don't know. I just... I keep thinking about Rafe and everything that's happened since I got back. I feel like I'm supposed to help him, but I don't even know if I can."