Sunset games. Rafe Cameron

four

CHAPTER FOUR
[4]

"welcome and goodbye" dream, ivory

The next morning, Olivia woke up with a sense of restlessness she couldn't shake. The day at Sarah's had been fun-easy, even-but Rafe's strange attention kept replaying in her mind. It made her feel unsettled, as if something beneath the surface had shifted. She told herself it was nothing. Rafe Cameron was a troublemaker, always looking for a way to mess with her. That was it. But a part of her couldn't let go of the way his eyes had lingered.
After dragging herself through a slow morning at home, Olivia decided she needed a distraction.
She grabbed her phone and shot Sarah a quick text:

OLIVIA
You free today?
A minute later, Sarah replied

SARAH
Meet me at The Wreck in 20?
We can grab some food.

Smiling at the thought of hanging out in their favorite spot, Olivia quickly got ready and biked over to The Wreck, the local restaurant near the marina. It wasn't fancy, but that's what she loved about it. A place where locals hung out, relaxed by the water, and caught up on the day's gossip.

As she walked up, she spotted Sarah sitting at their usual table by the docks. Olivia waved, feeling lighter already.

"Hey, you," Sarah called as Olivia slid into the seat across from her. "You look like you've got something on your mind."

Olivia hesitated for a second, debating whether to tell her about Rafe. "It's nothing serious. Just, I don't know. Weird vibes."

Sarah took a sip of her lemonade and raised an eyebrow. "Weird vibes from who?"

Olivia sighed. "It's your brother. Yesterday, at the pool-he kept looking at me. Like, really looking at me. And it wasn't the usual 'I'm going to make your life difficult' kind of look."

Sarah's face twisted in confusion, then amusement. "Wait, Rafe? Are you serious?"

Olivia nodded, her hands fidgeting with the napkin on the table. "Yeah. I mean, I know it sounds ridiculous. We don't even like each other.
But it felt... different."

Sarah leaned back in her chair, her eyes narrowing in thought. "Okay, that is weird. He's been acting strange lately, but I didn't think it had anything to do with you."

Olivia groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I don't know. Maybe I'm reading into it too much. I just don't understand him."

Sarah gave her a sympathetic look, her playful nature fading for a moment. "Rafe's complicated. He doesn't really open up to anyone, not even me. But trust me, if he's giving you attention, it's probably just because he knows it'll get to you. He loves messing with people."

Olivia nodded, but something about Sarah's explanation didn't sit right. There had been something in Rafe's eyes-something more than just a desire to annoy her. But before she could say more, the door to The Wreck opened, and in walked Rafe himself, as if summoned by their conversation.

Sarah noticed him too, her face tightening with irritation. "Speak of the devil."

Olivia's stomach flipped as Rafe spotted them and headed straight for their table. He had that same casual swagger, like he owned the world, and a smirk that told her he knew exactly what kind of effect he had on people.

"Hey, Sis," he said, his voice smooth as always, though there was something sharp underneath.
His eyes flicked to Olivia. "Olivia"

"Rafe," she replied, trying to keep her tone neutral.

"Mind if I sit?" Rafe asked, though he didn't wait for an answer. He slid into the chair beside Sarah, his gaze lingering on Olivia just long enough to make her uncomfortable.

Sarah shot him a look. "What do you want, Rafe?"

He shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "Just saying hi. Is that a crime?"

Olivia rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help feeling the tension between them. She could sense that same unspoken something that had been there yesterday. It made her feel off-balance, unsure of how to handle him.

Rafe turned his attention back to Olivia, his smirk softening into something less arrogant, but still intense. "You seem quiet today."

Olivia narrowed her eyes, not sure where this was going. "Maybe I just don't have much to say."

He chuckled softly, leaning forward just a bit.
"That's not like you. I usually can't get you to stop talking."

Sarah groaned, clearly fed up with the conversation. "Rafe, seriously, if you're here just to be annoying, don't. We're trying to have a good time."

But Rafe ignored his sister, his eyes still locked on Olivia. "Tell me, Liv. What's going on in that head of yours?"

Olivia's heart raced, unsure whether to push back or back off. There was something about the way Rafe was looking at her-like he saw more than she was willing to admit, even to herself. She forced herself to hold his gaze, determined not to let him get under her skin.

"Why do you care?" she said, her voice steady.

Rate's smirk faltered for just a moment, and she saw something flicker behind his eyes— something almost vulnerable. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the familiar mask of indifference.

"I don't," he said, standing up suddenly, his expression unreadable. "See you around." With that, Rate turned and walked out, leaving Olivia and Sarah in a cloud of confusion.

Sarah shook her head, exasperated. "I don't get him sometimes. It's like he's playing some game that no one else knows the rules to."

Olivia stared at the door where Rafe had disappeared, her thoughts spinning. "Yeah," she said quietly. "I don't get him either."

But even as she said it, she couldn't help but feel that maybe she did. Or at least, she was starting to.

For the rest of the afternoon, Olivia and Sarah tried to get back to their easy conversation, but Rafe's presence lingered like a shadow over everything. And as much as Olivia wanted to forget about him, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something she wasn't ready to face.

Little talk!!!!
Hello, I hope you guys are having a good time reading this. I'm sorry I didn't end up posting the chapters yesterday i will post them now. 💗
Tiktok: cobxpogues

(Don't forget to vote if you like this history and want more chapters because the votes let me know that y'all like this book)