𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐎𝐈𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐓 ― rafe cameron

εβδομήντατέσσερα ; 74

song of the chapter:
WASSUP ; a$ap rocky

A few days had passed since Margarita had seen Rafe's message, the one she deleted without a second thought. She had spent her time focusing on herself, staying close to her friends, and reminding herself that her choice to move on was the right one. But tonight, as she sat cross-legged on her bed, aimlessly scrolling through Instagram, the calm she had worked so hard to build cracked.

Rafe's username appeared at the top of her feed—a new story. Her finger hovered over the screen, hesitation making her heart race for a second. She hadn't thought about him much since their last interaction, hadn't allowed herself to. But her curiosity, or maybe something deeper, pulled her in.

She tapped on his story.

The image that flashed on her screen made her stomach drop. A 0.5 selfie of Rafe, grinning in that cocky, careless way he always did, and next to him—a girl, lips pressed against his, her hand resting on his cheek like she belonged there. They were at a party, red solo cups littered the background, and the haze of laughter and loud music seemed to fill the frame.

Margarita stared at the photo for a moment too long, her mind going blank. She swiped out of it quickly, as if that would erase the image from her memory, but it was too late. The knot in her chest tightened, and she realized she was holding her breath.

She threw her phone down beside her, letting it fall onto the bed as she leaned back against the wall, her mind swirling with a mix of anger, sadness, and something she couldn't quite name. Was it jealousy? Or was it the sharp reminder that Rafe was no longer her problem, even though part of her still felt connected to him in ways she wished she didn't?

She wasn't naive. She knew Rafe would move on eventually—hell, she had even expected it. But seeing it unfold in front of her, so carelessly plastered for the world to see, stung in a way she hadn't been prepared for.

A small part of her wondered if he had posted it on purpose, knowing she'd see it. Or maybe he didn't care if she did. Either way, it felt like another crack in the already broken pieces of what they had shared.

But then she stopped herself. This wasn't her life anymore. Rafe wasn't her burden to carry, her fight to win, or her heartbreak to mend. He had made his choices, just like she had made hers. She had fought to get to a place where she could breathe again, where she could look in the mirror and not hate the girl staring back. She couldn't let this—let him—drag her back down.

Still, the ache in her chest remained.

Margarita lay down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She reminded herself of the progress she had made, of the promises she had kept to herself. She was stronger now. She was rebuilding her life, and no Instagram story was going to take that away from her.

But even as she repeated those words in her head, a single tear slipped down her cheek, because despite everything, some parts of her still missed him. Still missed what they could have been if things had been different.

With a sigh, Margarita wiped the tear away and reached for her phone again. She needed a distraction. She opened her messages and sent a quick text to JJ.

r u up?

His reply came almost instantly.

Always. What's up?

Margarita stared at the screen for a second before typing.

I jus needa get out of my head for a bit.
Wanna hang?

Be there in 10.

She smiled softly at his response, feeling a little lighter knowing that JJ was always just one text away, always there when she needed him. Rafe may have moved on, but so had she. 

As Margarita waited for JJ to arrive, her thoughts started to drift. She couldn't shake the feeling that had been creeping up on her lately—something that felt warm and confusing at the same time, especially when she was around him.

JJ. The reckless, fun-loving friend who had been by her side through the worst of it. He'd been her rock, her constant source of support when everything else felt like it was falling apart. But now, something had shifted. Or maybe it had always been there, lingering beneath the surface, and she was only just starting to see it.

She shook her head. No, she told herself. You would never. JJ was her friend, her safe space. He wasn't someone she could fall for, not when everything between them had always been so simple, so easy.

But maybe that was the problem.

The ease of being around him, the way she could let her guard down without feeling judged, how his smile always seemed to make her feel better no matter what. And lately, when he was around, she had noticed things she hadn't paid attention to before. Like the way his eyes softened when he looked at her, or how his touch lingered a second longer than it used to. There were moments—small, fleeting moments—where it felt like something unspoken hung between them. Something that made her wonder.

Was she developing feelings for him?

Margarita bit her lip, her mind racing. She didn't want to ruin what they had. She had just come out of the mess with Rafe, and the last thing she needed was to complicate things with JJ. He had been there for her as a friend, nothing more. She had convinced herself of that.

But there was that nagging thought, that maybe. Maybe it was more than friendship. Maybe she was just too scared to admit it. Or maybe she was imagining things, letting her emotions get the best of her after seeing Rafe move on so easily.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, and her heart skipped a beat. JJ. He was here.

She took a deep breath, pushing the confusion aside for now. Just friends, she reminded herself. Nothing more. But as she opened the door and saw his familiar grin, a part of her couldn't help but wonder—what if?

--- end of chapter