Sunset games. Rafe Cameron

sixteen

CHAPTER SIXTEEN
[16]
"you get me so high" the neighbourhood

The golden light of the afternoon drifted softly through the trees as Olivia and Sarah settled near the lake, their voices the only sounds breaking the quiet air. Olivia looked at Sarah, a deep sense of warmth filling her. Things had been complicated lately, but in moments like this, it was easy to remember how much Sarah truly meant to her.

Olivia nudged her shoulder, a small smile spreading across her face. "Sarah, promise me something?"

Sarah raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Depends on what it is," she teased, tilting her head.

"No matter what happens with everything," Riley started, her voice quieter than usual, "we stick together, alright? I mean... we've been through too much to let anything tear us apart now." She glanced down, suddenly shy. "I love you, you know. You're basically my sister."

A warm smile softened Sarah's expression as she reached over, pulling Riley into a hug. "I love you too, Liv. And, yeah, no matter what happens with anyone else, I'm here. Always." She pulled back, giving Olivia a gentle nudge. "Even if you're being stubborn or impossible."

They both laughed, and the sound echoed across the water. They fell into an easy silence, just watching the lake as the sun started to dip lower, casting hues of pink, orange, and purple across the sky. Sitting there with Sarah, Olivia felt a rare, unshakeable peace. This friendship was a constant amid the chaos swirling around them, a safe place she could always come back to. It was as pure as the lake they sat beside, undisturbed by the waves of drama crashing through the rest of her life.

The sky turned darker as the sunset painted its final strokes, and for a long moment, Olivia was lost in the quiet beauty of it all. When she looked back at Sarah, she saw her staring at the sunset too, her face glowing with contentment. Neither of them needed to say anything. They just sat together, taking in the beauty of the moment, knowing they could face anything as long as they had each other.

After a while, Olivia sighed. "Alright, I better get home. My parents are finally back from their trip, and I'm sure they'll want to know everything."

Sarah smirked. "Good luck with that. Tell them I say hi."

They exchanged one last hug, and Olivia made her way home, her heart full. As she walked back, she felt a sense of calm, like she was carrying a piece of that sunset with her, a reminder of what really mattered.

By the time she got home, the sky was darkening, and lights were on in the windows.

Her mom was setting down her suitcase in the hallway as Olivia came in, but her dad looked up, his face brightening as he spotted her.

"There's my girl!" he said, coming over to pull her into a hug. "Did you miss us?"

Olivia laughed, hugging him back. "Of course I did! How was the trip?"

"Oh, you know, work and beaches," he chuckled.
"Not as exciting as your teenage drama, I'm sure."

Olivia rolled her eyes, grinning. "Nothing too dramatic, Dad. Just the usual island life."

They caught up for a bit, sharing stories about their time away, and Olivia felt grateful for the warmth of home. She'd missed this. The comfort, the stability. Her dad made a few jokes, her mom filled her in on stories of their trip, and for a moment, life felt wonderfully ordinary.

After saying goodnight to her parents, she finally made her way upstairs, exhaustion pulling her toward her bed. She slipped under the covers, letting herself sink into the mattress, the day's events drifting through her mind. Just as she was about to close her eyes, her phone buzzed softly beside her.

She reached over, squinting at the bright screen.

Her heart skipped a beat as she read the message:

RAFE
Can you open the window? I'm outside."

Olivia stared at the message, her pulse quickening. She hadn't expected this, hadn't expected him. Her hand trembled slightly as she reached over to the window, her heart racing in anticipation as she took a deep breath.

Little talk!!!

Heyy I know this is kinda short but I this week I will be posting some longer ones so I didn't want to do this one longer. Thank u so much for the support and don't forget to vote. Love u all 💗 bye

-MAxz