𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐈𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐓 ― rafe cameron

εβδομήντατρία ; 73

song of the chapter:
VICE CITY ; xxxtentacion

It had been a few weeks since that night on the beach. The days that followed felt like a blur to Margarita, like time had sped up and slowed down all at once. Every morning was a new challenge, but it was no longer about just surviving—it was about starting again, piece by piece.

She stood in front of the mirror, brushing her hair, noticing how her face looked different. Her skin was starting to glow again, the dark circles under her eyes had faded, and there was life in her gaze, even if it was faint. It wasn't the old Margarita staring back at her, but someone in between—someone trying to figure out who she could be without Rafe, without the weight of addiction pulling her down.

She had cut ties with Barry, stopped calling for the late-night pickups, stopped texting when the cravings clawed at her. It hadn't been easy—there were nights when she lay in bed, her hands shaking with the need to escape—but she had resisted. JJ had been there, like he promised. Not just him, but all of the Pogues. They never hovered or smothered her, but they made sure she wasn't alone. If she needed space, she got it, but if she needed someone to talk to at 3 a.m., someone always answered the call.

She was starting to find her footing again. Little by little.

It was a warm afternoon, and the Pogues were out by the water, sprawled across towels and blankets, enjoying the rare moments of peace that life had given them. John B and Sarah were playfully wrestling near the shore, their laughter ringing out against the crashing waves, while Pope and Kie were huddled around a small fire pit, trying to roast marshmallows without burning them.

Margarita sat a little off to the side, her knees pulled up to her chest as she watched the others with a quiet smile. She felt lighter, more present, even though the ghosts of the past still lingered at the edges of her mind. But today, they were distant—just echoes that didn't hold as much power over her anymore.

JJ plopped down next to her, his hair still wet from the water. He nudged her with his shoulder, grinning in that easy way he always did. "You good?"

She nodded, taking a deep breath of the salty air. "Yeah, I'm good. Better than I've been in a long time."

"Good," he said, his tone serious for once. "Because you deserve better."

Margarita glanced at him, her eyes softening. JJ had been her rock through all of this, even when she didn't deserve it. Even when she had pushed him away. "Thanks, JJ. For... everything."

He shrugged, but there was a tenderness behind his casual demeanor. "That's what friends are for, right? Plus, you'd do the same for me."

She smiled at that, realizing just how much she had leaned on him lately. It was something she never would have allowed herself to do before, but now she understood that letting people in didn't make her weak—it made her stronger. It gave her a foundation to stand on when her own legs were too shaky.

The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, painting everything in shades of gold and pink. The soft murmur of her friends' voices blended with the sound of the ocean, creating a peaceful background that Margarita had almost forgotten was possible.

But then, as if on cue, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

She pulled it out, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the name on the screen.

Rafe.

For a moment, she just stared at it, unsure what to do. She hadn't heard from him since that night at the docks. She had tried to put him out of her mind, to focus on herself and her healing, but seeing his name again brought a flood of emotions rushing back. The pain, the love, the anger, the regret—it was all still there, buried just beneath the surface.

JJ noticed the shift in her expression and leaned over, catching a glimpse of the name on her phone. His face hardened, but he didn't say anything. He knew this was her decision.

Taking a deep breath, Margarita silenced the phone and slipped it back into her pocket. She wasn't ready to face Rafe yet—not now. Maybe not ever.

JJ gave her a questioning look, but she just shook her head. "Not today," she said softly.

He nodded, and they both fell into a comfortable silence, watching the sun dip lower and lower until it finally disappeared beneath the horizon.

Later that night, after they had packed up and headed home, Margarita found herself lying in bed, her phone on the nightstand next to her. Rafe's message had come through eventually, just a simple "I miss you."

She stared at it for a long time, her mind swirling with everything they had been through. The ups, the downs, the love, the destruction. She missed him too. She always would. But she knew that going back to him would be like stepping into the same storm she had just barely escaped from. She wasn't ready to drown again. Not for him.

With a quiet sigh, Margarita deleted the message and turned her phone off.

Tomorrow would be another day. Another chance to keep moving forward, to keep building this new life she was trying so hard to create. And this time, she wouldn't let anyone pull her back.

Not even Rafe.

--- end of chapter