the smallest man who ever lived ✷ rafe cameron

001. time away

Chapter One ✷ Time Away

One week. One week was all it took for Cassandra Alcaraz to lose her mind. She had just gotten back from college after not being home since Christmas break and she's had enough.

Don't get her wrong. Cassie loves her family more than anything, but god she did not miss having to see them every day while she was away at college.

So it was no surprise when she had packed her stuff right back into her suitcase and bought a ticket to fly to North Carolina and take a bought all the way to Kildare Island.

Why Kildare Island? One of Cassie's friends from college used to go there every once in a while during summer when she was a kid. She had been scrolling through Instagram when she had saw that the same friend had posted a picture of Kildare back when she last visited.

And that's how she started to looking into flights.

Now Cassie stood by the entrance of the airport, saying goodbye to her family in the heat of mid-May.

Meira Alcaraz frowned at her daughter with her arms crossed, "Why are you leaving? You just came back."

Cassie rolled her eyes, "Mama, I told you already! My friend's going through some tough times right now. I don't want to get into too much detail, but her girlfriend cheated on her. She needs me."

A little white lie never hurt anybody. Right?

"And she needs you for the whole summer?"

"Mama."

Meira sighed, "All right, I'll stop asking questions. Just promise to call me every day. Even if it's before you go to bed, please."

Cassie smiled at her mom, "I will. Promise."

The older woman smiled sadly at her daughter. She knew she could be overbearing, but she couldn't help it. She was a mother and she just wanted her children to always be safe. She hugged her daughter and kissed her check before letting her go.

Arabella, who had been quiet since they got in the car, spoke up, "Can I go with you?"

Meira narrowed her eyes, "No, you can't go with your sister, Bella. You're thirteen and school isn't even over yet for you."

The younger girl grumbled under her breath, "This is so unfair."

Cassie shook her head, "Don't be a brat, Bells. I'll pick something up for you when I'm there, kay?"

That gained Arabella's interest, she lifted her head to look at her sister with a small smirk, "You will?"

Cassie squinted her eyes at her little sister with a smile, "If you behave and get good grades. And don't lie, I always know."

Arabella groaned, "Whatever!"

Cassie chuckled and kissed the top of Arabella's head, "Love you, Brat."

"Love you too, Loser."

The young Alcaraz woman hugged her mom once more before grabbing ahold of her suitcase and duffel bag before beginning to walk into the airport.

Before she walked through the doors, Cassie turned back to face her mom and little sister. She smiled at them before blowing them a kiss and continuing inside.

She couldn't wait to get to the beach.

𐙚⋆˙˚◞♡

        From Seattle to North Carolina, it had taken Cassie Alcaraz four hours with no stops. Now she sat on the boat that would be taking her to the island.

The young woman rubbed her tired eyes, trying her best to stay awake. She had taken a nap on the plane, but it was only for twenty minutes which felt only like a second.

As much as she would love to explore Kildare and enjoy the summer sun, Cassie had no other plans but to get to her rental and fall asleep till the next day.

It wasn't too long before the boat had arrived to the island. Cassie smiled in relief as she gathered her suitcase and duffle bag before getting off of the boat.

In the uber, Cassie stared out the open window, the wind blowing through her hair, as she watched the scenery flash by her. People were walking or biking along the street. She could hear the laughter of children with melting ice cream in their little hands, and the sound of the ocean not too far from them.

The brunette let a soft smile trace her lips and closed her eyes as she whited the nice breeze of Kildare.

With the help of her uber driver, Cassie grabbed her suitcase and duffle bag once they arrived at the rental house she would be staying in for the rest of the summer.

Thanking the driver, Cassie stood in front of the rental with a relieved smile on her face. This is where she will be relaxing for the rest of the summer. No mother to be breathing down her neck and no little sister to be stealing her things. Just her and the beach.

If only it had stayed that way.

authors notes.
heyy!! i hope you enjoyed the first chapter of the smallest man who ever lived. i probably won't be doing much authors notes for this unless im showing what cassie's outfit looks like if it's described in the scene!

this is what i think the house looks like: