Rafe Cameron Imagines

Between the Waves🤍

The waves kept crashing as you watched Rafe walk back to the Kooks. Your chest felt heavy, torn between wanting to keep the peace with your friends and knowing that Rafe had his own battles—ones he rarely shared with anyone but you. He was trying so hard to prove himself, but that desperation often came out as anger, especially around the Pogues.

You turned back to find Kie and JJ watching you, their expressions a mix of confusion and frustration.

"What's with him?" JJ asked, crossing his arms. "Does he always have to act like he owns this place?"

You hesitated, not wanting to start a fight but knowing they didn't understand. "It's... complicated," you replied, feeling the weight of their judgment. "Rafe has his reasons."

Kie shook her head, looking disappointed. "I get that you're with him, but that doesn't mean we have to trust him."

You sighed, wishing there were a way to bridge the gap. "Just... give him a chance, okay? He's not the guy you think he is, not with me."

JJ gave you a look, his jaw clenched. "All I'm saying is, you better be careful. Rafe Cameron doesn't exactly scream 'safe.'"

You knew they meant well, but there was more to Rafe than they saw. Glancing back down the beach, you saw him watching you again, his face softened, as if he could sense the struggle you were going through.

Later that evening, when the beach had mostly cleared, you slipped away from the group to find Rafe waiting for you near the dunes. The sunset painted everything in a warm, fading light, casting long shadows that seemed to mirror the distance between your worlds.

He watched you approach, his expression guarded. "You shouldn't be here," he murmured, though there was a hint of relief in his voice.

"I know," you replied, stepping closer. "But I wanted to see you."

For a moment, silence settled between you as the waves rolled in the background. Then Rafe reached for your hand, his grip firm, almost as if he was afraid to let go. "I hate this," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "Being caught like this. It's like... nothing I do is ever good enough."

You looked up at him, seeing the vulnerability he tried so hard to hide. "You don't have to prove anything to me, Rafe. I'm here because I want to be. Just... try not to push everyone away."

His eyes softened, and he brushed a stray strand of hair behind your ear. "I don't deserve you," he murmured, almost as if talking to himself. "But for once, I don't want to let go."

You leaned into him, feeling the tension melt away as he wrapped his arms around you. In that moment, it didn't matter that he was a Kook and you were a Pogue. All that mattered was the quiet understanding you shared, one that seemed to defy the boundaries that divided your worlds.

Just as you were about to pull away, a familiar voice called out, breaking the moment. You turned to see JJ and Pope approaching, their faces a mixture of shock and confusion. Your heart sank, knowing the fragile balance you'd been holding was now shattered.

"Seriously?" JJ asked, his tone hurt. "After everything, you're just going to ignore what he's done?"

You stepped forward, trying to explain, but Rafe's hand tightened around yours. "I don't need to explain myself to them," he said, his voice cold and guarded once more.

You looked between Rafe and the Pogues, caught in a choice you never wanted to make.

The sight of JJ and Pope approaching sent a pang through your chest, and you knew things were about to get messy. Their expressions, a mix of shock and disbelief, mirrored the turmoil you felt inside. They had always been your friends, your family. But Rafe... he was something else, a part of you that no one else seemed to understand.

"Seriously?" JJ's voice cut through the air, laced with hurt and anger. "After everything he's done, after everything we've been through, you're just going to stand there with him?"

Rafe's jaw tightened beside you, and you could feel the shift in his energy, the way he bristled at the judgment in JJ's tone. His hand held onto yours with an almost desperate grip, like he was afraid you might let go if they said the right words. But instead of stepping back, he squared his shoulders, defiance flashing in his eyes.

"I don't need to explain myself to them," he said, his voice low but seething. You could sense the wall going back up, his heart already retreating behind the familiar armor of arrogance and anger.

"Rafe," you whispered, turning to him, "don't—"

"Don't what?" he interrupted, his voice barely a murmur but sharp as glass. "Don't defend myself? Don't push back when they're ready to judge me before they even know anything about what I'm going through?"

He glanced back at JJ and Pope, his gaze cold and unyielding. The look on JJ's face hardened, and he took a step forward, his posture challenging. "It's not about judging, Cameron. It's about the fact that you treat everyone like they're beneath you. You make it impossible for anyone to see you as anything other than... well, you."

You felt yourself caught between them, every word cutting deeper. They didn't know what Rafe went through—his struggle to carve a place for himself outside his father's shadow, the demons he wrestled with every night. But you understood JJ and Pope's anger, too. The hurt Rafe had caused your friends wasn't easy to overlook.

"Please," you said, holding up a hand, hoping to ease the tension. "This doesn't have to be like this."

Rafe's gaze softened as he looked at you, but the coldness remained when he turned back to JJ. "Look," he said, his tone less sharp but still firm. "I'm not here to ruin your day. I'm here because..." He hesitated, glancing at you, the vulnerability slipping through for just a second. "I'm here because she matters to me. And if that's a problem, then maybe it's your problem, not mine."

Pope shook his head, disappointment in his eyes. "You just don't get it, do you, Rafe? You can't just walk in and expect everyone to forget everything that's happened."

The silence that followed was heavy, filled with unspoken words and years of bitterness. Rafe's hand loosened on yours, and for a moment, you worried he might leave. But instead, he took a breath, his expression shifting from anger to something close to resolve.

"Maybe I don't get it," he said, his voice quieter. "But I'm... I'm trying, okay? I'm trying to be better—for her."

The vulnerability in his voice surprised you, and for a moment, even JJ looked taken aback. You squeezed Rafe's hand, silently showing your support, hoping he'd feel it.

JJ looked between the two of you, the anger in his gaze softening ever so slightly. "You better not hurt her, Cameron. If you do... you'll have all of us to answer to."

Rafe nodded, his grip on your hand tightening. "I won't."

As the tension faded, JJ and Pope turned to leave, but JJ shot you a look over his shoulder. "Just... be careful, okay? Don't let him drag you into anything that'll get you hurt."

You nodded, watching as they disappeared down the beach. Once they were out of sight, you turned back to Rafe, letting out a breath you hadn't realized you were holding. He looked at you, a faint smirk playing at his lips.

"Didn't think I'd live to see the day that JJ Maybank gave me a warning."

You laughed softly, resting your forehead against his. "I know this isn't easy. But... they're my family, just like you are."

He pulled you closer, brushing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "I'll try," he murmured, his voice so soft you almost didn't hear it over the crashing waves. "For you."

And in that quiet moment, with the ocean stretching out before you and the weight of the world feeling just a little bit lighter, you realized that maybe, just maybe, love was enough to bridge the divide between two very different worlds.