drew starkey - imagines

in the mirror

as i sat at my vanity, applying the final coat of mascara, my hands almost trembled when i reached for my makeup brush. it was the first time rafe and i would be seen together in public, and the fact that it was at midsummers made my stomach tighten with unease.

we'd been together for a few months now, sneaking around. it all started when my family moved to the south side, and i went down to the beach one day, searching for seashells along the shore. as i bent down, a football landed right in front of me. he claimed it was an accident, but i knew his friend topper had tossed it in my direction on purpose. we started talking, and i quickly realized we'd have to keep this thing between us a secret.

i was a pogue, after all, and in his world, that wasn't something he could be seen with—at least, not at first. i got upset with him during one of our arguments, accusing him of making me feel like i wasn't someone he could be proud of. i wanted to be more than just something hidden away. after a lot of fighting over it, he finally decided he was done caring about what other people thought. that's when he told me he was bringing me to midsummers, no matter the gossip or the shit he'd receive from his friends.

and so, here i was.

i glanced at my reflection in the mirror just as rafe walked up behind me, adjusting the collar of his navy suit. he sat down on the edge of my bed, watching me closely as i swept blush across my cheeks. his gaze made me feel shy, and i couldn't help but move a little slower under his attention.

"what?" i asked, looking down to hide the heat rushing to my cheeks.

shaking his head, he leaned back on his hands. "nothing," he grinned. "i just want to watch."

i felt nervous with the way his eyes followed my every move. i didn't want him to think i was going to take forever, so i started hurrying my actions, but i still wanted to look good—after all, so many eyes would be on us. "i promise, i'm almost done," i assured, pulling my lip gloss from the drawer.

"i'm in no rush," he added, sitting up to rest his chin on my shoulder. "i kind of like watching you get ready."

i tried not to let his closeness throw me off, but it was hard not to notice the way his breath tickled my neck when he leaned in closer. i could feel his presence behind me like an electric current, and for some reason, it made me even more determined to finish. my fingers fumbled with the lip gloss, just slightly, and i couldn't help but laugh at myself.

"why are you staring so hard?" i asked, still trying to ignore the warmth creeping up my neck. "you're making me nervous."

he chuckled low, the sound vibrating against my back. "just trying to memorize how perfect you look."

i rolled my eyes, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks again. "you're ridiculous."

"you love it," he said with a playful grin, nudging my shoulder with his. his voice softened then, more sincere. "you look amazing, you know that?"

my breath caught for a moment. "thanks," I whispered, glancing at him through the mirror. the way his blue eyes were fixed on me made my heart race. after months of keeping things between us quiet, it felt surreal to have him so close in this moment, so out in the open.

i was about to say something else when his lips pressed gently to the side of my neck, making my breath hitch. he pulled back just enough to meet my eyes in the mirror.

"almost done?" he asked, his tone playful, though his gaze lingered with something else in it. something deeper.

"yeah, just need a little more mascara," i said, trying to steady my hands. i felt like i might explode from the inside out. there was something about the way he was looking at me, something that made me feel like he wasn't just seeing me as the girl from the cut. he wasn't hiding me. we weren't hiding anymore.

"good," he murmured, placing one final kiss on my shoulder. "let's go then. i want everyone to see how lucky I am."

i couldn't help but smile at that. "lucky, huh? you sure about that?"

he gave me one of those cocky smirks, the one that always made my stomach flip. "absolutely."

i let out a breath, finished with my makeup, and turned to face him. he stood as i did, and for a second, we just stared at each other. i wasn't sure if it was nerves or excitement, but the weight of what we were about to do—walk into that room full of people as a couple—made my heart race.

"so," he said, his voice a little lower, a mischievous smile tugging at his lips as he brushed his hair over my shoulder, his fingers grazing my skin. "you ready for the world to know you're my girlfriend?"

i grinned, my stomach fluttering. "well, i don't know... are you sure you can handle it?" i teased, leaning in just slightly, enjoying the way he looked at me.

his smile softened, but there was a hint of pride in his eyes. "oh, i can handle it. it's you i'm worried about."

i rolled my eyes, but a grin spread across my face as the warmth in my chest grew. "alright, let's go. we'll give these kooks a heart attack."

his arms wrapped around me from behind, pulling me closer as he adjusted the strap of my dress with a tender touch. "i like the way you think," he said, his lips brushing against my ear. "let's give 'em something to talk about."