angel - rafe cameron (outerbanks)

13 - from vlad

chapter 13
from vlad

angie had argued with her parents all morning about how she didn't want to attend the midsummer's festival. she felt trapped in her own skin, the weight of her bad choices pressing heavily on her. the festival was a tradition, a joyous celebration on kildare island, but all she could think about was how she'd have to face sarah—and worse, rafe. since that kiss, she couldn't shake the anxiety it caused.

standing in front of her mirror, angie scrutinized the dress that clung to her body in all the right places. it was a flowing baby blue, shimmering under the light, almost angelic in its elegance. yet, she couldn't shake the feeling of dread as her phone lit up with another incoming message. after ignoring it for days, she finally succumbed and picked it up, her heart sinking with every new notification.

the texts from sarah had poured in—apologies for missing their trip, reassurances that she hoped angie wasn't mad, and an earnest plea: please tell me you're coming today. angie sighed, feeling guilty but unsure how to respond. she typed a simple, see you there, before tucking her phone away, wanting to avoid further temptation to dwell on her feelings.

as her father drove them to the island club, she gazed out the window, trying to prepare herself for what lay ahead. upon arrival, they were met with the breathtaking sight of flowers draped elegantly from the porch rooftops, a hallmark of the event. stepping inside, angie felt the familiar pressure of many eyes upon her as they emerged onto the back porch. guests clustered in groups, their laughter echoing in the summer air.

when she spotted sarah, her heart lightened momentarily. sarah stood with wheezie, snatching champagne flutes from passing waiters, an excited grin plastered on her face. but then her gaze fell on rafe, standing with topper and kelce, a whiskey glass held loosely in his hand. their eyes met, and angie felt a rush of heat flood her cheeks. he wore a pale blue suit that almost matched her dress, and his signature smirk ignited a strange mix of feelings in her—anxiety, attraction, confusion.

as she walked down the steps into the throng of guests, sarah approached, slipping a champagne flute into angie's hand. they moved onto the dance floor, the music pulling them into a carefree rhythm.

"where were you?" sarah asked, her voice lively, though a hint of concern lingered in her tone.

angie shrugged, forcing a smile. "i'm here now."

"are you sure you're not mad?" sarah pressed, concern knitting her brows together.

"really, i'm fine," angie assured her, the guilt nagging at her insides.

their fun was abruptly interrupted when jj maybank swooped in, dancing awkwardly beside them. "evening, ladies!" he called out, a cheeky grin on his face. "got a note from vlad!" he passed a note to sarah and then darted away, leaving angie standing awkwardly.

"wait, from vlad?" sarah exclaimed, turning her back to angie as she read the note, completely engrossed.

feeling abandoned, angie sighed and turned around to catch a breath of fresh air. that's when she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"hey," rafe greeted, his smile a mix of awkwardness and drunken charm.

"hi," she replied, her own voice betraying her unease.

"so, uh, how are you?" he ventured, making small talk in a way that felt painfully forced.

"fine, you?" she shot back, her heart racing.

"good. yeah, I'm good," he said, though the tension in his voice suggested otherwise. "look, angel, the other night—"

angie's stomach dropped as she quickly scanned the crowd, ensuring sarah was still distracted. "yeah, it's fine, rafe. I get it, you think it was a mistake. i don't want to talk about it, okay?" she interrupted, feeling more defensive than she intended.